Can International Students Get a Phone on Contract?

[theoptimist]

Hi. I'm just wondering if first time international students can sign up for one of those $50-80/month mobile phone plans with either Bell, Rogers etc and be eligible to get a discounted phone say an iPhone 5 for $200 or even a $50 iPhone 4s?

If we can get a phone, what will be the requirements? If not, what do we have to do to be able to qualify for such plans?

 

[mead]

Hi. I'm just wondering if first time international students can sign up for one of those $50-80/month mobile phone plans with either Bell, Rogers etc and be eligible to get a discounted phone say an iPhone 5 for $200 or even a $50 iPhone 4s?

If we can get a phone, what will be the requirements? If not, what do we have to do to be able to qualify for such plans?

yes u can u need two photo id proof like passport and college id and since u have no credit rating u will have to keep some deposit like $100 or so...

 

[DIVYAZABI]

so what happens after the contract period?Do we have to return the phones : Sorry I donno how it works but just happened to see on Telus site that they have Samsung S4 for $299 with 3yr contract. I just couldn't understand what it really is and how it works :-[

Could you tell me more about it Mead?

 

[theoptimist]

yes u can u need two photo id proof like passport and college id and since u have no credit rating u will have to keep some deposit like $100 or so...

Great! Thanks for your help. Now have to decide whether to wait for the iPhone 5s..potentially iPhone 6 or go for the beautiful HTC One :-\

 

[mead]

so what happens after the contract period?Do we have to return the phones : Sorry I donno how it works but just happened to see on Telus site that they have Samsung S4 for $299 with 3yr contract. I just couldn't understand what it really is and how it works :-[

Could you tell me more about it Mead?

no normally once u buy the phone its urs ....just u need to unlock it to take it to other carrier like from bell to rogers ....299 seems a little expensive ..so bassicaly u buy the phone for 299 in ur case and have a contract with it which is about $40-50 per month with which u get some day time minutes so once u get a contract u pay that much money per month for 3 years in ur case.... $50 X 36 = $1800....normally ordinary people (not rich people) opt for cheaper phones and no contract like public mobile or chatr ......$20-25 plans which do not have data minutes for smart phones. iphone with a data plan can run around $100 per month

 

[moneywater]

Great! Thanks for your help. Now have to decide whether to wait for the iPhone 5s..potentially iPhone 6 or go for the beautiful HTC One :-\

thats my dilemma too ...i'm getting confused between htc one and galaxy s4 .....or maybe iphone..the monthly rent is too damn expensive...lets see after reaching canada

 

[theoptimist]

thats my dilemma too ...i'm getting confused between htc one and galaxy s4 .....or maybe iphone..the monthly rent is too damn expensive...lets see after reaching canada

HTC one vs S4 I'd pick the HTC anyday To me the design of the One is just out of this world for an Android device. And the plans aren't too bad I think, on bell its about $60 a month though probably expect to pay maybe round $300 on your first payment since Mead said there will be a deposit and also the cost of the handset you've picked and probably an activation fee even

 

[moneywater]

HTC one vs S4 I'd pick the HTC anyday To me the design of the One is just out of this world for an Android device. And the plans aren't too bad I think, on bell its about $60 a month though probably expect to pay maybe round $300 on your first payment since Mead said there will be a deposit and also the cost of the handset you've picked and probably an activation fee even

between htc one and S4...the s4 is winner ..if you like camera quality and expandable memory...the htc one provides a premium feel due to its aluminium body...rest the specs of S4 are way better. The superAmoLED screen of S4 is better than the LCD panel of HTC one. Rest its all about personal choice.

 

[theoptimist]

between htc one and S4...the s4 is winner ..if you like camera quality and expandable memory...the htc one provides a premium feel due to its aluminium body...rest the specs of S4 are way better. The superAmoLED screen of S4 is better than the LCD panel of HTC one. Rest its all about personal choice.

Hahah true...the S4 definetly has more features but for me the "premiumness" of the One trumps all 8) ...I dont need all those S4 features because I am what you call a basic phone user...as in I just email, text, whatsapp and call....the only other apps I've downloaded on my current Galaxy which aren't whatsapp are Alarm Clock Xtreme and App Lock

 

[Nahush]

I have decided to wait for the new iPhone. Till then ill use an old nokia mobile. Hope the iphone comes out in sept-oct, at-least thats what the tech ppl are predicting all over d internet. btw can we buy it in contract and then unlock it soon afterwards? Sounds a bit too easy, is there a catch? Maybe they get to know somehow if we unlock it? Is their any risk involved? Or should I just bring my iphone 4 wit me frm home? I would love to have the new iPhone though..

 

[sabby2612]

@theoptimist, it was nice to see someone being worried about phone than other things before landing here, lol. yeah you can have the phone the very same day you land here. Couple of things for people landing (specially students) to keep in mind;

1. from day one, you can visit a bank (Scotia, RBC, Montreal) these banks offer student credit card with no income proof or deposit. The limit offered is 500CAD which is good to start your credit credibility in Canada (doesn't matter how good or screwed up your credit score was in your respective country).
2. As you are new here and don't have any credit history, buying iphone5 could be a little tough ( what I meant is with no deposit case). you can have a phone worth 300 to 500 CAD without any deposit by just using your Credit card (they don't charge you on your card, it just to show them) and you can have a plan with them.

3. phone plans, as compared to UK or India, it's expensive here.

4. If you are bringing your own phone, better check the frequencies Canadian carriers run on.

5. once you buy a phone with contract (which is called TAB instead of contract) usually for two years or three years, you got keep that plan or else whenever you quit the plan, you got to pay the value of the phone (they have the valuation sheet with them).

6. Once the contract is over, you can get it unlocked and use it with any carrier or upgrade your hardware with the same carrier at almost no cost.

Cheers!

 

[mead]

lol yes i was more worried about renting an apartment or getting utilities like electricity etc in my apartment and not cell phone ..lol....i hope these guys have their renting problem solved by their relatives so they r worried about cell phone .

 

[sabby2612]

rolf... really that's what i thought, a phone connection is the concern".... a this renting thing was the of utmost importance for me indeed. But eventually all settled well. Yeah of course you need a place to sleep, so that should actually be the priority, else everything else is so damn easy here., buying grocery or stuff people worry too much to bring from their respective countries.

 

[sabby2612]

and yeah @ optimist, no offence to you, please avoid if you felt offended. it's just i shared the ground reality of landing here with you.

Peace.

 

[mead]

and yeah @ optimist, no offence to you, please avoid if you felt offended. it's just i shared the ground reality of landing here with you.

Peace.

agree completely.....I came in winter and had to find apartment in 1 week was stressed was walking apartment to apartment in -32 temp trying to find apartment..lol cell phone was least of my worries lol