Manila

[Mr Enternational]

The big boys like AT&T will not unlock you cell phone if it is under contract. So why buy a cell phone under a 2 year contract?

Never had a problem with T-mobile doing it. These days they even have an app on the phone where you can unlock it yourself. The unlock lasts 30 days and you can do it up to 6 times. If you need it unlocked any more than that then you just call them. And as long as I have been a customer, before they had that app they would always permanently unlock it for me as soon as I got it.

These days phones are more advanced and certain models can not be unlocked by bootleg methods.

Also these days I have not seen a phone purchased under contract from a carrier to cost any less. The difference is only that you are able to pay for it on a payment plan instead of up front.

[Member #4698]

It is even easier and cheaper if you call the company you bought it from and tell them you want it unlocked.

The big boys like AT&T will not unlock you cell phone if it is under contract. So why buy a cell phone under a 2 year contract? Simple, it is cheaper. When the new Samsung Galaxy S8 just came out, my cousin and I went to AT&T and bought into their promotion offer to buy one S8 at full price and get a 2nd one for free with 2 two year service contracts and 2 year 0. 00% financing on the 1st phone. We also accepted their family promotion for unlimited calling & data on both phones. Anyway, a month later I was in BKK and needed to unlock my phone, so I paid for an unlock code over the internet.

BTW, there is an even cheaper way to unlock a phone. Just find a local tech jockey. They will do it for half the price of the internet method. I once knew a guy in Jakarta who unlocked my cell phone a while back. He use to hang out in the back of a red pickup truck on a side street running parallel to Jin Jaksa. You probably know of equally tech savvy guys in Pattaya or MNL.

[Mr Enternational]

It is easy to unlock a cell phone and far cheaper than buying a 2nd travel phone. I have used these guys a number of times. Very reliable, https://www.cellunlocker.net/unlock-att/

You purchase an unlock code.

It is even easier and cheaper if you call the company you bought it from and tell them you want it unlocked.

[Member #4698]

It is easy to unlock a cell phone and far cheaper than buying a 2nd travel phone. I have used these guys a number of times. Very reliable, https://www.cellunlocker.net/unlock-att/

You purchase an unlock code. Then simply type the code into your phone when it prompts you to do so immediately after inserting a new sim card and turning your phone back on.

[Radical Guy]

Nothing will work on a locked phone other than your assigned att SIM card.

BTW, only GSM network unlocked cell phones will work in Philippines.

Thanks for the tip. I decided to solve this problem by purchasing an unlocked, refurbished iPhone 6's off of eBay for $77. Now, all I need is a Smart or Globe SIM card, and it will have data capability, correct?

[Gabriel Jacob]

Will be in town on a short layover. Any info or recommendations would be greatly appreciated!

[Kabul Guy]

Along those lines, I have an IPhone XS Max, which has dual SIM capability. Since my phone is financed through AT&T, it is locked. Does that mean that a Globe or Smart SIM will not work in my iPhone unless I can get it unlocked?

RG.

I don't know. I have been outside of North America for so long all phones I have bought in the last 10 or so years have been unlocked. I go with android as well.

I just use my oldest functional phone for mongering (Samsung S3 mini, bought in 2013) That way if it disappears, all I have lost is the data on it, mainly contacts and chats but these get backed up to the cloud periodically.

You can buy a reasonable basic smart phone here for 4 to 6 k peso.

[Free2]

We know what you mean!...From all the black guys lurking on this board.

No idea where you are, but Pasay is only 9 km from Chinatown.

Good one! LOL.

9 km across Manila can take hours as you know. That's what I meant. Probably better to fly in a girl from the province next time rather than wait for them to take the trinity of busses, jeepneys & tricycles.

[Dg8787]

Along those lines, I have an IPhone XS Max, which has dual SIM capability. Since my phone is financed through AT&T, it is locked. Does that mean that a Globe or Smart SIM will not work in my iPhone unless I can get it unlocked?

RG.

Nothing will work on a locked phone other than your assigned att SIM card.

BTW, only GSM network unlocked cell phones will work in Philippines.

[Radical Guy]

Get a free local SIM, Smart or Globe are good most places, and top up there and then pick a data and SMS plan, not much phone time as most people, not just the girls, will use SMS or a message app like WhatsApp.

Along those lines, I have an IPhone XS Max, which has dual SIM capability. Since my phone is financed through AT&T, it is locked. Does that mean that a Globe or Smart SIM will not work in my iPhone unless I can get it unlocked?

RG.

[Dg8787]

They send me 18 million messages about giving money to the driver to get some credits.

Exact opposite for me. I did not know you could use a credit card until you just mentioned it.

Painfully I am aware of all three options.

I have found it hard at times for the credit card charge to process through for advance credits of 500 or 1000 pesos. So I have been charging each trip with my credit card.

In the past I would carry a prepaid 1000 pesos credit for the convenience of it. I found out that the account was connected to your PH cell phone number. After my CP was picked pocketed and I got a new cp number I was not able to transfer the credit balance over. Supposedly now there is a way to transfer it over but it is quite complicated.

So each options has its benefits.

[Mr Enternational]

I've never heard of Grab credits.

They send me 18 million messages about giving money to the driver to get some credits.

I was not aware one could use cash with Grab until mentioned here recently.

Exact opposite for me. I did not know you could use a credit card until you just mentioned it.

[WestCoast1]

In Grab it doesn't go directly to the CC. You use the CC first to withdraw money to the Grab App as Grab credits. You need to have credits in the Grab App to be able to pay any transaction within Grab. On the positive side, this gives you the option to be able to use Cash to load into Grab App (technically a grab driver should be able to do this, but I tried with at least 5 drivers and they had no clue how to load cash on to my account), but on the negative side, you need to have credits ahead of time if you want to use CC.

I've never heard of Grab credits. I entered my credit card details in Grab when I first got the app. Never looked back, I only use the CC, the charge goes directly to my CC. A few minutes after stepping out a Grab car / taxi, my CC account shows the charge as 'pending'. Uber in States is same for me, direct to CC. I was not aware one could use cash with Grab until mentioned here recently. I thought the idea was that you take a ride in the Grab / Uber car / taxi, pulled up at the curb, got out without pulling out a wallet or cash, and walked away, knowing the Grab taxi meter amount (plus Grab fee) or the original Grab fee for Grab car was about to be billed to your CC. There is always a Grab notification about 60 seconds after departing the car that says something like: "Your card has been charged for this ride", or such.

[ItIsMe83]

There is a subtle but important difference between Grab CC payment and Uber / Lyft CC payments in the USA In Uber / Lyft, when the charge goes directly to the CC. In Grab it doesn't go directly to the CC. You use the CC first to withdraw money to the Grab App as Grab credits. You need to have credits in the Grab App to be able to pay any transaction within Grab. On the positive side, this gives you the option to be able to use Cash to load into Grab App (technically a grab driver should be able to do this, but I tried with at least 5 drivers and they had no clue how to load cash on to my account), but on the negative side, you need to have credits ahead of time if you want to use CC. You can use Grab credits to load your phone and so on. The Grab account does act like a local bank account and has the associated identity proof issues. Like another poster mentioned, you can use cash to pay the driver directly.

Grab can work exactly like uber and lyft. Just enter your CC, choose it instead of cash payment and done. No checks / ID proof issues whatsoever and it pays every time for your ride.

Maybe some taxi driver told you that and asked you to use him to top up your account because they get a small percentage if you do it that way. I not once used grabpay credits in any Asian cities and always just pay with credit card. You can now even tip the driver on it as well like you could with uber / lyft.

[Kabul Guy]

There is a subtle but important difference between Grab CC payment and Uber / Lyft CC payments in the USA In Uber / Lyft, when the charge goes directly to the CC. In Grab it doesn't go directly to the CC. You use the CC first to withdraw money to the Grab App as Grab credits. You need to have credits in the Grab App to be able to pay any transaction within Grab. On the positive side, this gives you the option to be able to use Cash to load into Grab App (technically a grab driver should be able to do this, but I tried with at least 5 drivers and they had no clue how to load cash on to my account), but on the negative side, you need to have credits ahead of time if you want to use CC. You can use Grab credits to load your phone and so on. The Grab account does act like a local bank account and has the associated identity proof issues. Like another poster mentioned, you can use cash to pay the driver directly.

Grab can charge to a credit card per ride. I use the prepay method because the points add up much faster.