Travel Technology - Where to buy an unlocked phone in NYC

Hey folks-

I've been thinking about breaking the bonds of CDMA for a while, so I've read a lot of the unlocking/SIM threads already.

A co-worker is going to Mexico monday and wants a GSM phone by Friday, so there is time for us to mailorder one, but we'd prefer to just grab one here in NYC (plus a prepaid SIM, too, I guess).

Does anyone have (positive) experiences buying an unlocked phone at a retailer in NYC? If so, I'd welcome any advice.

Edit to add- I was told that mexico was GSM, but just checking now to see if it has CDMA- regardsless, we're still looking for a pay-as-you-go/SIM option for Mexico)

Thanks!

Hey folks-

I've been thinking about breaking the bonds of CDMA for a while, so I've read a lot of the unlocking/SIM threads already.

A co-worker is going to Mexico monday and wants a GSM phone by Friday, so there is time for us to mailorder one, but we'd prefer to just grab one here in NYC (plus a prepaid SIM, too, I guess).

Does anyone have (positive) experiences buying an unlocked phone at a retailer in NYC? If so, I'd welcome any advice.

Edit to add- I was told that mexico was GSM, but just checking now to see if it has CDMA- regardsless, we're still looking for a pay-as-you-go/SIM option for Mexico)

Thanks!

My friend from Turkey just bought one from a nice cellphone place at 48 Greenwich Avenue. I bought a new ATT SIM from them this week as well. They sell unlocked phones (even advertise it on the sign outside.) She got a deal that I thought was very good as well (compared price to http://www.expansys-usa.com.) If you need more info, let me know.

If you're in a hurry head down to Chinatown. Lots of unlocked phones sold down there for decent prices.

You can buy them at J&R (by city hall park) but the prices aren't so good. You could potentially get one cheaper waiting until getting to mexico. It would be locked but if you get a nokia, it's very easy to get it remotely unlocked.

Better deals can be had in Chinatown. I picked up an unlocked sonyericsson T610 for ~175 in January. I think I have the contact info at the office and I can post it tomorrow.

I went to about 6 places in Chinatown this weekend. They had real good deals if you were buying an unlocked phone with an account activiation but their prices for just the phone ranged from not great to really bad compared to web prices. I will check the one on Greenwich, that sounds reasonable. expansys doesnt have the best prices on the net but they arent bad.

I went to about 6 places in Chinatown this weekend. They had real good deals if you were buying an unlocked phone with an account activiation but their prices for just the phone ranged from not great to really bad compared to web prices. I will check the one on Greenwich, that sounds reasonable. expansys doesnt have the best prices on the net but they arent bad.

You're very right about expansys prices, but they certainly have the variety! I think the guy on Greenwich Ave was about $175 w/o new activation, $50ish w/ ATT activation for unlocked T610.

It's worth pointing out, I think, that Amazon has such incredible deals-- as in they pay you approx $150 on a T610, that it might be worth taking the activation (assuming you can get any use out of it whatsoever) and having the phone unlocked seperately by a "specialist." And they have the cooler-looking T637 for -$75.00 (locked, of course) I picked up one of those.

Another way to do this... find a T-Mobile user who is happy and is more than a year into their contract with a tri-band phone. Have him call T-Mobile Customer Care and ask for their unlock code for global warming--they'll usually give this to you if you've been a subscriber for more than 90 days if you just say you have a need to use in-country SIMs when you're on international travel.

After they've unlocked the phone, they can go down to T-Mobile's store and ask for a no-trade equipment upgrade. It'll extend their contract by a year, but you'll get their old, unlocked phone and they'll probably get something new and nifty like a SE T-610.

Obviously, if you're already a T-Mobile customer, you can do this and have the older phone as a roaming companion. That's how I handle the UK... I carry my U.S. T-Mobile SIM in my new phone and I have a Virgin Mobile SIM I picked up in the UK for £10 with £5 of prepaid credit. The only way to fly. ;)

Timothy

Plus, you can tell girls in the U.S.: "Ohhh. I'll be in LONDON. Here's my mobile number over there." Universally impressed. ;)

The place I bought my phone from in Chinatown was Matrix communications. The address is 118 Mott St. As I recall, they were actually inside of a pharmacy. They also have locations at 101-105 Lafayette st. #5 and 6012 8th Ave in Brookly. The phone is 2120965-8882. Prices for an unlocked phone without activation were much better than J&R or expansys.

A co-worker is going to Mexico monday and wants a GSM phone by Friday...

Your Verizon CDMA phone will work in Mexico (you may have to call them and activiate international roaming). Presumably other CDMA phones work there also.

You shouldn't have to get a GSM phone for Mexico, and in fact I believe that GSM coverage there is very spotty (see http://www.gsmworld.com/roaming/gsminfo/cou_mx.shtml).

Your Verizon CDMA phone will work in Mexico (you may have to call them and activiate international roaming). Presumably other CDMA phones work there also.

You shouldn't have to get a GSM phone for Mexico, and in fact I believe that GSM coverage there is very spotty (see http://www.gsmworld.com/roaming/gsminfo/cou_mx.shtml).


I was only in Mexico City but had solid GSM coveage there. Also it looks like the TMobile Mexico roaming charges have dropped recently. They were awful. They arent great now but they seem to be lower.

After they've unlocked the phone, they can go down to T-Mobile's store and ask for a no-trade equipment upgrade. It'll extend their contract by a year, but you'll get their old, unlocked phone and they'll probably get something new and nifty like a SE T-610.Have you done this? I've not had any luck at T-Mobile stores. They don't seem to do free upgrades/replacement of phones. They tell you to call customer service. Perhaps something has changed in the last few months?

I was only in Mexico City but had solid GSM coveage there. Also it looks like the TMobile Mexico roaming charges have dropped recently. They were awful. They arent great now but they seem to be lower.

I travel to Baja every year. For 3 of the last 4 years, despite Verizon assuring me that my phone would work in Baja, it was not active. It would get a signal, but was not registered on the network. This year, after switching to a T-Mobile Blackberry, my phone started ringing as soon as hit a town with coverage. Coverage in Baja is spotty, but the bigger cities have good coverage with TMobile.

Your Verizon CDMA phone will work in Mexico (you may have to call them and activiate international roaming). Presumably other CDMA phones work there also.

You shouldn't have to get a GSM phone for Mexico, and in fact I believe that GSM coverage there is very spotty (see http://www.gsmworld.com/roaming/gsminfo/cou_mx.shtml).

IF VZW works in Mexico, just tell you friend to add the America's Plan or something like that... This plan lets you go to Canada and Mexico without being charged for roaming...

Have you done this? I've not had any luck at T-Mobile stores. They don't seem to do free upgrades/replacement of phones. They tell you to call customer service. Perhaps something has changed in the last few months?

If you have not had a new phone from them in a year and you are out or or at the end of your contract a TMobile Corporate store will give you the same deal, including rebate, on a phone as they give to a new customer. I recently did that and they gave me the new customer subsidized price on a Nokia 6600. Two things, it has to be either on the phone with TMobile or in a corporate store, not in a reseller and sometimes the rebate forms are different. I was actually given the wrong form and had to call to straighten it out but they were quite good about doing so once the error was detected. It should be an upgrade form, not a new customer form.

If you have not had a new phone from them in a year and you are out or or at the end of your contract a TMobile Corporate store will give you the same deal, including rebate, on a phone as they give to a new customer. I recently did that and they gave me the new customer subsidized price on a Nokia 6600. Two things, it has to be either on the phone with TMobile or in a corporate store, not in a reseller and sometimes the rebate forms are different. I was actually given the wrong form and had to call to straighten it out but they were quite good about doing so once the error was detected. It should be an upgrade form, not a new customer form.When I tried this two or three months ago they refused to give me any discount on phones, etc. until I threatened to cancel when they finally offered me the "new user" rate. I didn't take them up on their offer, though. I'm waiting for the AT&T/Cingluar merger to shake things up a bit...

When I tried this two or three months ago they refused to give me any discount on phones, etc. until I threatened to cancel when they finally offered me the "new user" rate. I didn't take them up on their offer, though. I'm waiting for the AT&T/Cingluar merger to shake things up a bit...


They changed it in late spring or early summer. It is standard policy now with the conditions I posted above. I didnt have to haggle or anything. they checked my account, I was eligible and that was it. new activation price including rebate. but only once a year and only at corporate stores. not independents.

Have you done this? I've not had any luck at T-Mobile stores. They don't seem to do free upgrades/replacement of phones. They tell you to call customer service. Perhaps something has changed in the last few months?

I actually suggested going into the store in order to get a replacement for your friend's old phone, then contacting customer care for the unlock code for the old phone (if he wanted an old phone for free).

It used to be an email with the IMEI number and the model to simunlock@t-mobile.com, but that wasn't working the last time. I had it unlocked through the web site's customer care.

Timothy

Thanks for all the replies- we just rented a phone (not my choice) for the mexico trip, but I think we'll still be looking for an unlocked phone for future trips, so please keep the discussion going!

Re: my personal phone- Yeah, that Amazon T-mobile T610 deal is pretty attractive- and they've extended the amazon rebate, so it's still -$150 after rebates.