For those of us who have been with any of the various US phone carriers on their contract plans, we are well aware of the restrictions and limitations that may apply. One can purchase a rather hot new phone design, at a reasonable price, providing one is willing to sign their phone rights over for a period of two years to the company store. These types of contracts also carry with it a phone that is locked into a specific carrier. Buying an Android phone for service with company A prohibits that same phone from working with company B.
What is an Unlocked Android Phone?
If you would like to take advantage of a pre-paid phone plan with no contract, buying a phone that is unlocked may be your best option. An unlocked phone is not tied to any specific carrier and, on a GSM phone, you only need to slip in a SIM card to begin making phone calls on the carrier of your choosing.
As an example, a friend of mine had purchased an unlocked GSM smartphone and, using a SIM for the Straight Talk phone carrier, was able to use a pre-paid limited plan for only $30 a month. She has the option to use the $45 a month plan with unlimited service if she so chooses. So even with the purchase price of $350 for the unlocked phone, over the course of a two-year contract plan, the savings will be in excess of $800 per her estimate.
What Are the Other Benefits of an Unlocked Android Phone?
- You can get a phone that is not loaded with a lot of the gunk and funk that carriers place on their branded phones.
- You may get updates faster from the phone company than from your carrier.
- You get to take control of the plan and features you want, not what is being prearranged by the phone carrier as a must-have plan.
- Cost savings can be significant when compared to a two-year contract plan.
What You Should Know Before Buying an Unlocked Phone?
- The out-of-pocket expense can be significantly higher than what you will pay when signing up a for a two-year contract.
- The selection of phones may not be the current state of the art phones that have recently been released. (There are certain exceptions.)
- Only cellphones that use SIM cards, both AT&T and T-Mobile support GSM phones, will function with unlocked phones.
- There is no support and I have seen some unlocked Android phones being sold with no warranty as well.
How Much Does an Unlocked Android Phone Cost?
This all depends on the type of smartphone you wish to buy. On Google Play you can purchase the Google Galaxy Nexus HSPA+ for $349.00. According to the Google Play website, this phone is compatible with AT&T and T-Mobile carriers.
One of the companies that has a very large selection of unlocked phones is Amazon. The selection it offers includes unlocked phones from a low of approximately $30 up to and including the newest Samsung Galaxy III priced at $599 as of the date this article is being written.
So what do you think? Can you survive with an unlocked Android phone on a pre-paid plan?
Comments welcome.
Source: Amazon Unlocked Phone Shop
Source: Google Play Galaxy Nexus HSPA+
My parents (typical consumers) do not care about “hacking” or “rooting” or “unlocking” anything. They just want something to work.
I’m with them.
And I’m someone who loves technology.
With the Nexus, and I would assume with other phones sold without carrier or contract, you do not need to unlock anything. You just put in a SIM card, or have someone at a cellular company store do it for you.
I think rather than calling it unlocked, a simpler way of putting it is “bring your own phone”; rather than having a carrier issue you one. Like how when going skiing, you can rent skins at the slopes or bring your own gear to play on their mountain, or network in this case.
The Galaxy Nexus for $350 seems such a great deal, that translates to about £220 here in the UK, unfortunately you can’t buy direct from Google Play, they only have the Nexus 7 (not even the official Nexus 7 case). Also the Nexus 7 costs £200 for the 16Gb model here, which is higher than the $200 you guys have to pay.
On the other hand contract devices seem much cheaper, we can get almost any phone with a decent amount of data/minutes for £30 a month (roughly $45) with no handset cost, and these devices don’t have that much bloatware.
If I could get a Galaxy Nexus for £220 I would do it straight away, my Nexus S sells used for about £160 so it would be an impulse buy for me! Unfortunately they still cost £300+ and the next one will probably released relatively soon, I’m in no rush.
I am looking to replace both of our Blackberries (yes, they still exist) and trying to see what alternative is best to use with our small business as well as personal use. Given that they are for business, we opt for reliable and no-hassle operation. The alternatives are legion.
i guess in the US many cell phone users are spoiled as many of the big contract cellular company’s service work in many other countrys outside the US so many dont worry if a phone is unlock-able as long as it works.
I was one I was with sprint Nextel not all there phones worked outside the US and I was a good amount needing a phone in Canada, I was told I had 2 option sprint Nextel had a few select nextel phones with service available anywhere from canada other wise while here I would have to lease another phone..
had the phone I bought been unlocked I could have switched sims though US company like to lock you into contracts that are ridiculously long ..
smart phone today will work with wireless so its less important to have them unlocked, other then for call an unlocked pre paid phone can have sim switched out from one provider to another and for a fee you can get hours for calling and testing in about any country using a prepaid carrier in that country no need to have a different prepaid phone for each country you go to regularly ..
its always good to have your US cellular working in another country
if you are from the US much of the things you come to use online are not available to you they are not approved in other countrys online when you are in other country you are using there IP blocks and so programming music and news many things are just blocked unproved ..
I recently purchased my first Android device/smartphone, the Sony Xperia P unlocked.
If I replaced my current plan with a GNEX and the $70 plan from t-mo (equivalent to what I’m on contract for) I could save $330 a year!! I think I know what I am switching to when the contract expires in Dec. Hopefully the 12-13 Nexus is out around that time.
With college soon coming to an end and the prospect of paying off student loans this is really something to look in to for not only the near future but ultimately while the deals last (and as long as there are still GSM carriers in the US).
Make sure that the area where you live receives a good signal from T-Mobile.
I’ll never regret buying the Galaxy Nexus. It’s unlocked and I’m free to switch carriers when I want. Happy days.