I'm moving to HK in two weeks. Was thinking to buy a HTC Desire. Do HK mobile providers offer contract plans like in the UK? If so, which network/provider would you recommend? What's the best contract deal for HTC Desire? Thanks in advance!
I'm moving to HK in two weeks. Was thinking to buy a HTC Desire. Do HK mobile providers offer contract plans like in the UK? If so, which network/provider would you recommend? What's the best contract deal for HTC Desire? Thanks in advance!
Mate, do a search, topics re data plans have been done to death here.
As for phone contracts, they work slightly different in HK. They will rebate you the cost of certain phones over the course of the contract, but they expect you to punt up the cost of the phone upfront (as a sort of deposit).
Suggest you search the phone company websites to see what offers they have.
The companies to look at are Smartone Vodafone, 3 Hong Kong, PCCW Mobile and CSL (they have two brands One-2-Free and 1010). There is also another company called China Mobile (Peoples), but they are only on a 2g network.
The Desire is sufficiently new that I don't think the carriers are supplying them. Best I have seen is Smartfone is offering a purchase price reimbursement if you sign up for a 2 year service contract. I assume the other carriers are doing something similar.
Pin has provided the carrier names, just check their websites or as their stores once you get here.
Most of the network companies here do the HTC's on contract but I think the Desire is exclusive (at the moment) to 1010.
1O1O
I forgot to add that it is very easy to buy a phone without a contract here (basically full price).
Most of the networks also have SIM only deals and this can sometimes work out cheaper (i.e. buy the phone separately at full price)
Thanks guys.
1010 is running a promotion for AMEX card holders. More than $2600 discount would be awarded for buying HTC Desire!
Just for info, when I did my research a while ago when I looked into getting a data tariff CSL worked out the most expensive over the course of a contract. This may have changed.
Also, if you read the boards, you will note that people have generally become a bit unhappy with CSL recently, so just be wary if you are considering CSL.
Thanks Pin.
I'm a 3 UK customer; and quite happy with their service although not the best network here in the UK. What about 3 HK, compared with CSL?
For data I've only ever used China Mobile (Peoples) and SMV. China Mobile was EDGE (2.5G) only and generally fine. At the time when I signed up SMV was the cheapest in offering a Sim only data tariff. Now the others have caught up and I think 3 is now the cheapest.
I have got friends on 3HK and they haven't had any major issues. Some people on the board though have had complaints about 3HK. But saying that while SMV is generally fine, there are times when I have problems with them (for example I can never get data on certain parts of the MTR).
Another benefit for 3HK is they offer daily data roaming rates to a bunch of countries, and for China its at around HK$70 a day.
I do use CSL on my work Blackberry, but I can't really compare the data side for what you are after, because my BB is a 2g Pearl and our work has locked it down so much that I can only use it for emails.
Last edited by pin; 24-06-2010 at 08:53 AM.