Where's best to buy desire sim free

EHB

Decided to go for a desire. I want it sim free as I will be moving to UK in a few months (with 3 in Ireland at the moment). Where is best to buy it was looking at pixmania any other recommendations?

TheDoc

I just got off the phine with carphone warehouse, interesting pricing.

They do an O2 simfree package for €349 and you can use a trade in offer
With my trade in it will be €249

With meteor its €499 and you can use your trade in offer
With my trade in it will be €399

Unreal price difference.

Girl on the phone assured they were guaranteed sim free, and contrare to popular belief they will continue to be sim free as they are a special package.

You can get better pricing if you are on a current bill pay plan with either o2 or meteor.

I straight away just lobbed an airsoft gun up for sale to fund the purchase.

Couldnt bring myself around to pay 400 euro, but i can defo pay €250. I'd even stretch €300.

Girl also assured me there would be no price adjustment in the near future, and that stock was plentiful.

My job made a clerical error and paid my wages into the wrong account, so its two weeks till i get my pay,

Anyone wanna buy a gun? :P

EHB

So even though they are being sold via o2 they aren't locked to o2?

TheDoc

I specifically asked and she said yes the simfree package as they are refered to according to her good self.

You can get network locked versions for cheaper according to herself.

I'll be going in today in person just to double check prices and get it written down, I'll post my findings up tonight sure.

But I'm pretty sure i heard it right, after i asked three times " are you serious, tell me that price again".

Been struggling big time to commit to these smart phones but I think I've found the drive I need

Krusty_Clown

When I was in Carphone Warehouse last week (Liffey Valley), they told me they wouldn't have the Desire on O2 pre-pay for months (but they had bill-pay)... After that I did ask him if there was an O2 store in the shopping centre, and seemed to get a little quiet and guilty looking, so he may have been telling porkies.

To the OP: Better to buy it from Vodafone or O2, as it's cheaper than Pixmania, Expansys and Amazon (sim-free/bill pay it's €399, versus €440+ from the above internet sites (as of last week)). That's if theDoc's cheaper alternative doesn't work out.

EHB

Ok CPW don't have them sim free I asked maybe they do have the option but they weren't offering it to me. Chatted to the guy in the vodafone store and he let on that they weren't locked so got one there.

Before I start it up i'm moving from an E71 to this had all my gmail contacts set up to synch with the E71 so presume that can work as it did. I've geard mention of an issue with Facebook contacts i'd prefer not have them loaded as contacts anyway to avoid this.

Also I'm with 3 Ireland at the moment what settings should I put in to get it working or will it do it automatically.

Plus any other tips for first time setting it up would be appreciated

TheDoc

I picked mine up today in Swords Carphone warehouse

Phone was €349 on O2 sim free unlocked.

I traded in a nokia n95 for €100.

I paid €249 for an unlocked sim free package, meteor simcard running fine

Can scan the receipt if you want.

Ring the swords store, thats what I did and they told me on the phone.

They sell it on meteor aswell but its €500 for an unlocked sim free package.

Funny enough the guy on the phone quoted me €299 final price, yet in store was €249

I'm not complaining at all lads, get them while they are hot, I'll upload the receipt later.

Yelnahs

There are €469 on Pixmania now...

http://www.pixmania.ie/ie/uk/4902846/art/htc/desire.html

I don't understand how they are sim free unlocked 02 for €349 and €500 on meteor sim free unlocked...? Are they branded or whats the story?

TheDoc

How can I tell if its branded?

It doesnt have any o2 logo or anything...no indication that its branded.

Might have been an epic system error, ring them yourself and see sure Swords store in pavillions

Keano

TheDoc wrote: »

How can I tell if its branded?

It doesnt have any o2 logo or anything...no indication that its branded.

Might have been an epic system error, ring them yourself and see sure Swords store in pavillions

You will know if it is branded if there is an o2 start up screen.

comer_97

i got mine in the Carphone Warehouse in Liffey Valley for €399, that was about a month ago. It's not branded or locked.

TheDoc

Keano A Legend wrote: »

You will know if it is branded if there is an o2 start up screen.

It loads up with a HTC screen, then goes to pin request, then homescreen.

So its unbranded.

I banged around pms to loads of users yesterday who i heard bought them in CPW, and they all said they paid €299 with a good trade in or €399 without.

Must of got lucky, still even €299 is a good price with a trade in, i just got €50 off.

The girl seving me was the manager btw

Yelnahs

Ah class! I wasn't doubting you it just seemed weird to me that the same unbranded unlocked phone can cost so much different depending on what network you go with.

I have a Blackberry 8100, you reckon I'll get a bit off it? Not in great nick, just needs a new fascia though...

TheDoc

Yelnahs wrote: »

Ah class! I wasn't doubting you it just seemed weird to me that the same unbranded unlocked phone can cost so much different depending on what network you go with.

I have a Blackberry 8100, you reckon I'll get a bit off it? Not in great nick, just needs a new fascia though...

mine had a fair few whacks and they took it, they dont inspect them really from what I saw, she just wanted the phone and charger, put the serial number into the computer for something,

Sure they go off to be refurb or broken for parts id assume.

They have trade in prices online i think

Yelnahs

Ah well. I just typed in my IMEI into the .co.uk site (http://www.carphonewarehouse.com/mobiles/trade-in/order) and it came up with 14 pounds 40. Ah well, €20 is better than nothing I suppose.

Trade-in summary
Category Make Model IMEI / Serial Number Price
Mobile Phones BLACKBERRY 8100 PEARL 35967501******* GBP 14.40

Zapp Brannigan

According to that site the Hero is only worth 60 odd euro, bit disappointing.

Joe Gt

Will have to give this trade in go myself tomorrow i think, thanks for the heads up Doc

Yelnahs

Annoying. I won't have the funds for another 2 weeks so hopefully they haven't copped on / changed their pricing by then!

Joe Gt

TheDoc wrote: »

I just got off the phine with carphone warehouse, interesting pricing.

They do an O2 simfree package for €349 and you can use a trade in offer
With my trade in it will be €249

With meteor its €499 and you can use your trade in offer
With my trade in it will be €399

Unreal price difference.

Girl on the phone assured they were guaranteed sim free, and contrare to popular belief they will continue to be sim free as they are a special package.

You can get better pricing if you are on a current bill pay plan with either o2 or meteor.

I straight away just lobbed an airsoft gun up for sale to fund the purchase.

Couldnt bring myself around to pay 400 euro, but i can defo pay €250. I'd even stretch €300.

Girl also assured me there would be no price adjustment in the near future, and that stock was plentiful.

My job made a clerical error and paid my wages into the wrong account, so its two weeks till i get my pay,

Anyone wanna buy a gun? :P

carphone warehouse in waterford say that they dont sell any simfree phones ! May just go in there and see what the say , I prusumer the 349e is a national price for the phones in carphone warehouse

TheDoc

Went in with 4 mates yesterday. After fiddling with my desire ( wish this phone hadnt such a gay name) they instantly were like " i want it"

Drove in, walked in and done the same deal I got, sim free unbranded unlocked o2.

3 of them paid €329 and one paid €249 like me.

Dont know about availabiltiy, dont know if this was some error or glitch in the system, but it was there as off 4pm yesterday

Joe Gt

Ill head in there and see what they come up with

BeciMester

I picked up mine in CPW Swords yesterday morning, for 349 as I was not ready to give up me trusty N95-8GB. Same as reported, sim free unbranded, w/O2 PAYG sim thrown in. TheDoc, thanks for the heads up man, may you be blessed eternally.
Doc, did you or any of your mates notice the little sticker thrown in the box that's the same as the one it's sealed with? White with fine holographic writing "htc void". Very interesting...

M450

BeciMester wrote: »

I picked up mine in CPW Swords yesterday morning, for 349 as I was not ready to give up me trusty N95-8GB. Same as reported, sim free unbranded, w/O2 PAYG sim thrown in. TheDoc, thanks for the heads up man, may you be blessed eternally.
Doc, did you or any of your mates notice the little sticker thrown in the box that's the same as the one it's sealed with? White with fine holographic writing "htc void". Very interesting...

I got mine on Meteor Bill Pay and found the same sticker in the box. The phone was already set up with Meteor's APNs and all that so maybe it's a way for networks to set up the phones and re-seal the box?

I believe mine is unlocked aswel, and of course it's unbranded.

I assume O2 may have set up your phone.

BeciMester

M450 wrote: »

I assume O2 may have set up your phone.

No, it's got some settings from within the sim card, but otherwise I had to do everything manually as per the user manual.

igor420

So from what i have read here.

1. Go to CPW - swords
2. €350 gets me an unbranded unlocked contract free HTC desire.(without a trade in)
3. Pop any Sim into it and i am in business.

Am i right?

BeciMester

igor420 wrote: »

So from what i have read here.

1. Go to CPW - swords
2. 350 gets me an unbranded unlocked contract free HTC desire.(without a trade in)
3. Pop any Sim into it and i am in business.

Am i right?

Yes. Precisely.

igor420

Thanks mate, thats great value.

igor420

I just rang the swords branch there and the lady told me that they are selling at €399 and not €350. I asked her to keep me one anyway and i would pick it up tomorrow.

D16TURBO

igor420 wrote: »

I just rang the swords branch there and the lady told me that they are selling at €399 and not €350. I asked her to keep me one anyway and i would pick it up tomorrow.

Does this not apply to all carphone warehouse stores? I was in the one in sligo today and the girl there said it was 399 . Is it because there isn't the demand here.

igor420

I am not sure turbo, maybe it was docs lucky day.

BeciMester

Make sure you ask for the sim free O2 package, that's what I did, she even said it's strange that the 'official' O2 pay-as-you-go ones are more expensive than these.

godskitchen

This is one of those situations where people on the internet know more about a CPW deal than the people working in the shop do.

I know if I went in and asked for a Sim Free Desire I would be treated like a criminal and told in a round about way that I was trying to pull a fast one.

D16TURBO

godskitchen wrote: »

This is one of those situations where people on the internet know more about a CPW deal than the people working in the shop do.

I know if I went in and asked for a Sim Free Desire I would be treated like a criminal and told in a round about way that I was trying to pull a fast one.

Its funny cause its true. I was explaining my rights to a three store manager in regards to getting a phone replaced recently and it was like talking to a wall.

So has anyone got the E349 deal elsewhere?

TheDoc

Guys turns out it was my lucky day.

It was just a system error that was rectified or something like that. So its €399, which is still an unreal price in fairness if you do a trade in.

Now please stop ringing the swords store, I forgot i gave them my number in relation to the trade in contract thingy, and well, put one and one together.

I got a message to me , so just stop harrasing the poor lot there

Nekro Man

TheDoc wrote: »

I picked mine up today in Swords Carphone warehouse

i asked in the carphone warehouse in dun laoghaire on thurs and the guy said he had no idea about this offer, is it just in swords or whats the story?

viclemronny

Asked about this offer in the Grafton St. branch of CPW on thursday gone and they were adamant that any HTC Desires they had would be locked to a network.

It would appear that this is some sort of mistake regarding the Swords Branch being sent a load of unlocked phones.

robinph

If your heading to the UK and will be getting a new number over there then just wait, the Desire is free on pretty much all UK bill pay contracts.

igor420

Haha doc, you are right.

I went in today and bought one from the swords branch for 399. I am happy enough with that price. The phone itself takes a bit of getting used to compared to the iphone.

Thanks for all the info.

viclemronny

igor420, do you know if that one from the Swords Branch Sim Free, unlocked?

Just that I rang them late this evening and was told that they would be locked to a network. Would like to get confirmation on this.

conor.hogan.2

Swords Carphone warehouse are selling the Desire unlocked for 399?

Or 399 with a trade-in?

Yes I was told straight out it was 499 unlocked in swords cpw - end of as far as that girl was concerned.

ozz

Bought mine o2 unlocked in CPW Patrick St. Cork yesterday for €350.

Keano

I asked in CPW in Kilkenny yesterday and got quoted €399

Nekro Man

this seems to be very hit and miss

Popple3

Dammit, I need to get my ass down to CPW as soon as possible. Was gonna fork out €479 (€469 + €10 P&P) on Pixmania.

Anyone know if they're open tomorrow?

drunkmonkey

Asked carphone in wexford town, 499 sim free, asked in meteor store and would only sell it on bill pay.

Popple3

Just rang CPW in Longford, same story as drunkmonkey

I guess it's only €20 more than Pixmania, I can get it today, and if there's any problems I can just pop in there... What to do, what to do, what to do...

EDIT: Actually, anyone know if the supposedly locked to O2 Desires in there are actually locked?

SDTimeout

I see O2 on their website aren't carrying the desire only the smart one. I also saw a desire HD in the O2 shop in dundalk in the marshes.

Different stores or what's the story anyone know ?

conor.hogan.2

Those phones are locked - they are sold out and having shortages problems.

No way CPW are selling them unlocked for 399 when Google sold the Nexus One for 430 euro unlocked and the Desire is a better Nexus One.

Krusty_Clown

conor.hogan.2 wrote: »

Those phones are locked - they are sold out and having shortages problems.

No way CPW are selling them unlocked for 399 when Google sold the Nexus One for 430 euro unlocked and the Desire is a better Nexus One.

Walk into any O2 store, and you can pick one up for €399 unlocked. They had plenty in the Square in Tallaght, when I was there around 8/9 days ago.

conor.hogan.2

You can unlocked them , they do not come unlocked tho.

Nekro Man

you can unlock them but it's not always gonna work