iPhone 4S / 2 Year Contract Headaches

[rawksteadi]

I'm trying to sign a 2 yr contract for an iPhone 4s and I'm running into the following problems...

1. M1 will not sign me because I only have a FIN and a Statement of Service, equivalent to a P1 (I'm US military) and they won't do anything unless I have a S pass (or something). Is there anything I can do/show to M1 so I can enter their walled garden?

2. Singtel is completely sold out of iPhone 4S's island-wide. Anyone know how long the que is or when they're going to get more?

3. I heard Starhub is garbage for 3G speed/coverage. Is this true?

thank you in advance for replies

[x9200]

3. I heard Starhub is garbage for 3G speed/coverage. Is this true?

IIRC people say, around CBD it can be rubbish (too many connections to handle?). I use(d) all the cheapest broadband mobile from both Singtel and Starhub, predominantly central-west areas but not only and see no practical difference. It works for me (web browsing. e-mail checking, newspaper reading, etc).

[rawksteadi]

thanks, yea it sounds like i'm going to have to bite the bullet and default to starhub.

[E-CBS]

I'm using Starhub for 2 months now and have had no issues so far at all.

[zzm9980]

I had tons of issues on Starhub, mainly all over the East Coast and CBD. There would be days at a time where it's fine, then days where you will have no data for hours. You'll show full signal and 3G, but just won't get anything...

Singtel has plenty of its own issues, but they tend to be much shorter in duration and much more localized.

I've never tried M1, but I know people who work for them (not in their cellular division though) and could get a significant corporate discount but choose to stick with Singtel. Take that for what it's worth.

If you don't need the discounted contract price, order from Apple directly. You'll have it tomorrow for free shipping. Otherwise, consider a 3rd party Singtel retailer? When my wife finally wanted one, all the Singtel shops were sold out, but the retailer at 112 Katong (a mall) had them. They can do the whole contract thing and everything.

[rawksteadi]

these 3rd party Singtel stores, what do they look like? a large store w/a small Singtel counter/kiosk or a small Singtel shop in a mall? The small Singtell shop at Sun Plaza (Sembawang Stn) had zero 4S's and had no clue as to when they'll get more.

[zzm9980]

Generally they're full on looking stores with Singtel signs, they just happen to be third party. You can usually tell because they don't have 500 people queuing for tickets, and big numbered boards telling you what number counter to go to like the US Embassy or DMV. (Thats the official Singtel shops that have those).

I assume you're newish to Singapore. Unfortunately you're going to realize that the Internet is about 10yrs behind here, specifically when it comes to online shopping. There won't be an easy way for you to say just go to Singtel's website and check online if the phone is in stock and at which stores.

[rawksteadi]

ha I am new(ish). been here less than 2 weeks. this phone situation is getting quite frustrating.

[sundaymorningstaple]

The phone thing isn't that which is frustrating, it's the insistence on having a overhyped phone innit! I kinda like my Samsung SII. Seems to work fine everywhere I go so far (with starhub) so I dunno, I find coverage just as good, nay, even better, here than in the rural US east coast (only 70 miles from Washington DC - where I'm from. so don't know about the behind the times either. How many cities in the US are wired for fibre yet? And what percentage of the city? Interesting, yeah?

[rawksteadi]

hey i used to be an all Android/Windows kind of guy but I drank the koolaide and haven't looked back since.

[zzm9980]

The phone thing isn't that which is frustrating, it's the insistence on having a overhyped phone innit! I kinda like my Samsung SII.

SII? That's like denouncing BMW as overpriced German hype and driving away in an Audi

[x9200]

I am on an overhyped ipad 3G and it still works fine with starhub 1k plan anywhere I go. The only time I experience a mobile network failure is when it rains and I need to call a bloody cab.

[sundaymorningstaple]

hey i used to be an all Android/Windows kind of guy but I drank the koolaide and haven't looked back since.

Yeah, I know what you mean. I used to drink koolaide but when I reached adulthood and found alcohol I haven't looked back since either!

[nakatago]

If only you can buy your own iPhone, avail of the plan that you want from their offerings but SingTel discounts it because they're not subsidizing a phone anymore...

[AngelJoy]

you can try to get your 4s with a 2 year contract through singtel online shop instead.
as the retailer shops and the singtel online shop don't share the same stocks.