buying an unlocked phone from ebay???

bobsimmons

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Oct 14, 2009
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Before I come to the D.R. I would like to buy an unlocked phone since the last time I was there having no phone was really difficult. I understand that they are sold on ebay.

Which unlocked phone kind or brand or model is the best to bring to the D.R.?

Thanks, Bob :glasses:
 

jaguarbob

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Mar 2, 2004
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Before I come to the D.R. I would like to buy an unlocked phone since the last time I was there having no phone was really difficult. I understand that they are sold on ebay.

Which unlocked phone kind or brand or model is the best to bring to the D.R.?

Thanks, Bob :glasses:

bob,you can buy a cell phone here in SD, at one of hundreds of shops from 195 pesos...claro always has shops on the street with new phones with 200 pesos of time for no more than 300 pesos...
bob.
 
Feb 7, 2007
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bob,you can buy a cell phone here in SD, at one of hundreds of shops from 195 pesos...claro always has shops on the street with new phones with 200 pesos of time for no more than 300 pesos...
bob.

That is true and not true at the same time.

"True" part is that yes, Claro has what they call "prepaid kits" for about 300 pesos, with 100 pesos of airtime. On the other hand, I was recently made aware that these kits are available to people with Dominican cedula only. They cannot sell these kits to foreigners with passports. If they do, they are charged back by Claro the full amount of the phone. Many dealers still sell them, though, because they are not aware of the ramifications, and have not noticed that on their commission statements from Claro yet. This comes from a big dealer that previously sold lots to tourists in Bavaro/Higuey area.

You can still buy a SIM activation (but at the same price as prepaid kit, 290 pesos, it's a daylight robbery) plus a phone -at 600-800 pesos additional for the basic phones. With that, you are better off buying from Viva, where activation is just 100 pesos and they unlock your phone for free.

But if you get to buy from Claro dealer the prepaid kit for 300 pesos, lucky you, but don't count on it as something certain.

You also have option to buy phone under the name and cedula of a Dominican, but then you won't be able to activate features and services on that line yourself (like a Numero Super Favorito for free 5-minute calls).
 

Castellamonte

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Mar 3, 2005
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Before I come to the D.R. I would like to buy an unlocked phone since the last time I was there having no phone was really difficult. I understand that they are sold on ebay.

Which unlocked phone kind or brand or model is the best to bring to the D.R.?

Thanks, Bob :glasses:

I've done this many times and it works perfectly. Get a quad. Focus on Samsung or Sony Ericsonn or Nokia as they can be worked on my the locals pretty easily. Typically I've leaned towards used (or new) Verizon phones from the US.
 

curlando

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Jul 23, 2003
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Buy the phone in DR. If you have any problems you can take it back or have it repaired in DR. I purchased two phones on ebay. They worked for a month and was told by Motorola I had to send them to China to get them repaired. Needless to say, I am stuck with two bad phones. One was able to repair in DR and the other still doesn't work.
 

J D Sauser

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Nov 20, 2004
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Play it safe and purchase an unlocked quad

Bingo! Get an unlocked quad band. Try to get not the newest thing out there as, should you need service here, they may not even know the model here. Example: Motorola V3's are very popular and they have even the whole guts to them here, but a V8 or worse V9 is still an exotic phone here and they will most likely not have too many parts.


Buy the phone in DR. If you have any problems you can take it back or have it repaired in DR. I purchased two phones on ebay. They worked for a month and was told by Motorola I had to send them to China to get them repaired. Needless to say, I am stuck with two bad phones. One was able to repair in DR and the other still doesn't work.

You can buy a cheapo here, yes. Having it fixed here? As likely as unlikely as they can or can not fix your "import".
They also sell popular more advanced cell phones which they put together from parts here. Some are good, others are lousy.

Warranty here, is often not much more as a, at times even well meant promise at the time of sale. If you buy from a cell phone service provider, they are likely to try to honor their "warranty" but it can take weeks until they return it to you, claiming you must have dropped it or that it got some humidity (there is a dot which changes color when in contact with water or humidity... after 6 months here, most have changed color due to the local humidity! :paranoid:), or may simply not have the resources to fix it and only offer you a small discount on a new overpriced phone from them.

Cell phone shops here will also unlock most phones for around RD$600.oo! So if you bring your quad band phone from "home" along, they will most likely be able to unlock it and you can then use it with a local chip.

... J-D.
 

las2137

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Sep 1, 2008
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That is true and not true at the same time.

"True" part is that yes, Claro has what they call "prepaid kits" for about 300 pesos, with 100 pesos of airtime. On the other hand, I was recently made aware that these kits are available to people with Dominican cedula only. They cannot sell these kits to foreigners with passports. If they do, they are charged back by Claro the full amount of the phone. Many dealers still sell them, though, because they are not aware of the ramifications, and have not noticed that on their commission statements from Claro yet. This comes from a big dealer that previously sold lots to tourists in Bavaro/Higuey area.

You can still buy a SIM activation (but at the same price as prepaid kit, 290 pesos, it's a daylight robbery) plus a phone -at 600-800 pesos additional for the basic phones. With that, you are better off buying from Viva, where activation is just 100 pesos and they unlock your phone for free.

But if you get to buy from Claro dealer the prepaid kit for 300 pesos, lucky you, but don't count on it as something certain.

You also have option to buy phone under the name and cedula of a Dominican, but then you won't be able to activate features and services on that line yourself (like a Numero Super Favorito for free 5-minute calls).

I was able to buy a phone/SIM kit from Orange with a US passport about 2 weeks ago. It was not a contract phone, however, just pay as you go basic phone.

Or rather... I was ABOUT to buy a phone/SIM kit. As I was about to pay, they informed me that there were no more numbers that day, so I was going to have to pay and come back the next day. Yeah, right! (This had nothing to do with my passport, my Dominican novio tried to buy one with his cedula and got the same story.)

The next day I went to El Conde, got a cheap-o used phone for RD$150 and just bought a SIM package from a dealer. Total cost was less than RD$500.
 
Feb 7, 2007
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The "prepaid kit" and phone/sim activation are two different stories. The cheapo prepaid kits from Claro are pre-activated. You can still buy one of their "regular" phones with regular SIM activation, but the cost is more than those 300 pesos.
 

ggparts

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Mar 20, 2003
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Just unlock your current GSM phone before you travel

Then get the sim kit and swap as sims as required?
 

corsair74

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Jul 3, 2006
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Buy the phone in DR. If you have any problems you can take it back or have it repaired in DR. I purchased two phones on ebay. They worked for a month and was told by Motorola I had to send them to China to get them repaired. Needless to say, I am stuck with two bad phones. One was able to repair in DR and the other still doesn't work.

I bought a brand new unlocked GSM Motorola Razor on Ebay for about $100US. I've been using it for the past couple of years with no problems, and it's still going pretty strong.

I'd much rather spend the extra cash to buy a good phone that I can depend upon and that will last more than a few trips.
 

bobsimmons

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Oct 14, 2009
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I would like to have a phone that I can take with me to other countries in the future. So after using it in the D.R. I would take it with me to other countries I visit.


Could I buy a SIM chip in each country I go to and get a new special telephone number that works in whatever country I buy a SIM chip in? Example, after the D.R. I throw away that SIM chip and when I go to Uruguay I buy a SIM chip there and have a telephone number while I am there using the same phone I used in the D.R.?


Thanks for your reply, Bob :glasses:
 

bobsimmons

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Typically I've leaned towards used (or new) Verizon phones from the US.


Yeah, but if the phone is new then you have to hassle around in the D.R. to get it unlocked since it is a new phone and they will not unlock it in the USSA?


Bob :glasses:
 

Ricardo900

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Jul 12, 2004
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Bob,
You will be able to use your GSM phone in different countries on that network, a quad band phone will give you more flexibility in many countries that may operate in different bands. The quad phones are GSMs and buying a new phone and having it unlocked is not a problem in the DR, the local orange shop will recommend where to go.
 

Chelleyyyyy

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Apr 7, 2007
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im so confused. im not sure what is best/safest or easiest way to get a phone working while im in DR now that ive read all these (and other threads) about cell phones. I'm quite phone-stupid so all these different options have my head spinning!
 

jaguarbob

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Mar 2, 2004
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im so confused. im not sure what is best/safest or easiest way to get a phone working while im in DR now that ive read all these (and other threads) about cell phones. I'm quite phone-stupid so all these different options have my head spinning!

look,come down here and buy one from local co....cheap and work great while you are here..you are spending too much time fretting over nothing...
bob
 

bobsimmons

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Oct 14, 2009
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I bought a brand new unlocked GSM Motorola Razor on Ebay for about $100US. I've been using it for the past couple of years with no problems, and it's still going pretty strong.

I'd much rather spend the extra cash to buy a good phone that I can depend upon and that will last more than a few trips.


Yeah and buying a new phone guarantees you that you will not be handed someone elses problems that could happen to you if you buy a used one.
 

SantiagoDR

The "REAL" SantiagoDR
Jan 12, 2006
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im so confused. im not sure what is best/safest or easiest way to get a phone working while im in DR now that ive read all these (and other threads) about cell phones. I'm quite phone-stupid so all these different options have my head spinning!

Come down, buy a used cell phone from a Tricom store with just your Driving License, throw it away if you want when you leave..... Total cost: Less than $15 U.S.


Don