Unlocking phone

[gad]

I know that when you get an unlocked phone you can then use any sim card. So when travelling it permits to save money.

Now, I'm not very knowledgeable with smart phones, but if I understand correctly unlocking a phone is worthwhile if you do NOT buy it. But the other way to get a phone is through a providers and they all have a 3 years contracts.

So, you are on a lease with the company and my question is, if you are already paying a monthly fee, what do you save? Except if you are abroad.

And if you change the sim card for another company, won't they notice that you never use their services?

[Tufftoad]

It all depends on the charges from your network carrier and which country you are going to. As your calls/data will be going through the native carrier first it would depend on their charges.

I would unlock the phone that I am still paying for and just use a new sim (that had cheaper tariffs when abroad/roaming). The phone company won't know that you've unlocked the phone unless you have to return the phone and end the contract.

If you are looking to make calls abroad I would buy a cheap second hand phone (an old Nokia of sorts) and then get a cheap PAYG tariff
If you are looking to just use data, internet messaging, Skype and preloaded SatNav etc then all you have to do is alter/remove the APN settings and use the wifi.

[greenman]

T-Mobile is offering the cheapest monthly contract on the 16GB handset at £7 a month. The 24-month contract includes 50 minutes of calls and 100 texts, 250MB of internet and the phone costs £350. Total cost over the contract is £518.

If you're a very light user it's a good deal as the basic sim free handset is £500.
Add to that £10 a month for a much better package with Giffgaff (250 minutes, unlimited text, unlimited internet) and it rises to £740 over 24 months.

Best things is to start with how much data you think you may use, and calls/texts you make as this is where the contract phones make their money.
Then make your decision:
Data calculator here:
http://www.t-mobile.com/Tools/MBCalculator.aspx

[gad]

Yes I thought about the option to buy a cheap phone once abroad, but since you mention Skype, does it work perfectly with the Samsung Galaxy S 2 for example and eventually with the SGS3?

[Tufftoad]

Yes I thought about the option to buy a cheap phone once abroad, but since you mention Skype, does it work perfectly with the Samsung Galaxy S 2 for example and eventually with the SGS3?

I have no problems with Skype on the SGS3, just downloaded app, signed in and off I went.

[RichH]

I have no problems with Skype on the SGS3, just downlaoded app, signed and off I went.

and it works perfect with S2 also.