Moving Cingular/ATT cell service from US to HK

[bklynfan]

Quick question on moving my service from US to HK.

So my Cingular contract is expired but I want to keep my number...

and I am moving to HK for a 2 year sting (starting in mid august) and am interested on the Iphone...
I guess I will wait until the prices drop (I hear waiting is the right thing to do since the model was just released)... I would like 16Gig...

Any suggestions on what to do?

Do I keep my current Simm?

Can I call the US at low cost? Some one suggested Om-call.hk - a virtual (internet service) - download application to the phone and start using.

Do I have to tell Cingular in the US that I am moving?

[bklynfan]

Picked this up from: iPhone Announced for Hong Kong and Macau - Mac Forums

Quote:
POST " ... Normally handsets sold by the carriers here in Hong Kong are locked, but from time to time there are models that are not, no one know until it release

RESPONSE " ... I do not think your statement is right here. I live here and have used all of the service providers in last 10 years. I have been into contracts and non-contracts. The thing is the phone itself is NOT locked to any SIM or network however, you are tied to a contract that you have to fulfill. So you can continue the contract with say, Smartone-Vodafone and yet insert PCCW SIM..."

QUESTION: What is PCCW SIM?

Continued: ... " "... You will need to keep paying Smartone-Vodafone for the contract period.

Also, mostly you pay the full price of the phone and if you are under a contract you will be paid back say around US$5~7 each month. This is the benefit of the contract here.

Of course you can buy ANY phone without any contract and service provider will not give you any monthly pay-back.

I am with PEOPLES and I agree their service is not very good. But they have the cheapest international rates and the only provider with EDGE in Hong Kong..."

Comment... : Since I will be making a number of calls to the US, what is the best approach to international rates?

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All comments are accepted, thanks!!!

[zerocred]

If you want to keep your US number you have to sort it out over there. Then, you could forward it to a Skype In number which you can forward to anywhere or pick up on your PC for small money.

Mobile phone calls are cheap here (like about HK$88 (about US$11 for 1000minutes airtime). All the IDD calls to US are fairly cheap too especially when you use an IDD service - ask in the phone shop.

I hope it helps.

[bklynfan]

I will probably keep my number active, have all calls go to Skype and forward to me in HK... to make calls from cell phone over there, looking forward to picking up an Iphone 3g when I get there.

Thanks, your comments are appretiated...