Well Pakistan, India, UAE, KSA, what not. This is just based on stuff I have heard, not personal experience.
Take cell phones in the US. 5-6 providers who really really love to lock you into 2 year contracts. For signing a contract they will give you a free phone ( a really crappy one) or give you $50 - $150 off a nice phone. But the contract cannot be cancelled, well maybe if there are really special circumstances.
You want a new phone after a year because you lost yours or just want a new one? Well then get ready to pay $200 - $400 for it. There is no such thing as an “old model”. Old models get retired as soon as the new model comes out. So you are basically out of luck if you lose yours.
The cell phone market is controlled by these providers. They only offer a limited selection. So while Europe and Japan maybe offering that super duper cell phone, you can’t get it here through regular channels.
Thats not to mention setup fees, going over the minutes fee and taxes. A $59.99 plan usually comes out to be $75-80. There are lots of extras you can add too, but by chance you use these extras without signing up, you will get RAPED! Cingular video costs $10/minute if you don’t have a plan. And trust me, all phones that support that make sure that you press the Cingular video button by mistake.
Pre-paid phones are complete rip-off and as such they are mostly used by a certain portion of society who cannot get approved for contracts. So cell phone providers milk it for all its worth.
Now here is the stuff I know about cell phones in Pakistan. Most plans are pre-paid, contracts are only for business. The cell phone market is not controlled by the providers, and the cell phone bazaar is hoping with all kinds of cells, from the cheapest one to the latest one. Cell phone gets released in Japan and next day it is being sold in Pakistan. There is no locking in by providers, all cell phones are unlocked. You lost your phone and can’t afford another nice one? Buy a really cheap one for now. You don’t like your provider, just switch to another one.
Re: Maybe just me, but cell phones sound more exciting in Pakistan.
ya rite, i put it on vacation hold and somehow they added time to my contract. i make a change in the plan and they extend the contract.
i need to dump sprint but i’ve been with em forever coz most of my network is on sprint.
Re: Maybe just me, but cell phones sound more exciting in Pakistan.
You want a new phone after a year because you lost yours or just want a new one? Well then get ready to pay $200 - $400 for it. There is no such thing as an "old model". Old models get retired as soon as the new model comes out. So you are basically out of luck if you lose yours.
no you're not. ever heard of a website called e-bay?
Re: Maybe just me, but cell phones sound more exciting in Pakistan.
The majority isn't buying their phones through Ebay, they just pay the crazy prices at the Cingular/Verizon/Sprint store.
why follow the herd?
I mean speaking of majority..majority of ppl in pakistan can only charge their phones in the hours that the power is not out due to load shedding
Re: Maybe just me, but cell phones sound more exciting in Pakistan.
there is big difference in convinience between just going and buying a cell phone, having to buy it through Ebay.
The majority isn't buying their phones through Ebay, they just pay the crazy prices at the Cingular/Verizon/Sprint store.
I'm willing to bet a sizeable majority is smart enough to at least look at e-bay for their replacement phones.. they'd be really dumb not to.. I broke mine and rather than get one under the carrier's replacement program, bought one on e-bay for $15 shipped. Just put your SIM and you're in business. no need for 2 more years on expensive contracts or being forced to upgrade to new plans with more minutes for more bucks.
To say the options aren't there is a bit misleading.
Re: Maybe just me, but cell phones sound more exciting in Pakistan.
While I agree with those who say that people should explore options of eBay or Craigslist etc, the fact of the matter is that cellphone usage is years behind in the US.
In terms of technology, US is behind Japan or Europe. Here, you'd be lucky to find a 3G network, and even more lucky if you actually have a 3G phone and phenomenally fortunate to actually have a plan to use all this speed. I am sure its not a problem for many of you, but where I live, one of the larger cities in the US in a fairly decent neighborhood (not even suburbs), and the cellphone reception is patchy to say the least. What kind of video/3G services can we truly enjoy when we are counting the bars and praying that a simple voice call doesn't drop.
In terms of actual handsets, again I agree with TDW. Phones here in the US are not the most advanced hottest sets that are available in Japan and some European countries (not sure about Pakistan). Or let me put it this way, its a hit-or-miss. In some cellphone types US is as good as any. We have the latest and greatest Treo's and Blackberry's; and may be also Motos. Not sure if we are as lucky when it comes to latest Nokias and Sony's; and definitely Samsung and LG focus their latest inventions in Japan. Unfortunately, with the apparent lack of full 3G penetration, what will US consumers do with the hottest gadgets is anybody's guess, in the first place.
but i’ve been with em forever coz most of my network is on sprint.