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sylvie_ng
Reacher
Joined: Mar 08, 2004
Posts: 242
Location: Big tower in Puxi
Status: Offline
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 Posted:
June 16, 2004 - 03:55 PM |
 
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| Post subject: Buying a new mobile phone in Shanghai : your advice please! |
Hello,
I would like to buy a mobile phone.
Well, I've some questions :
1/ Which one do you prefer ? (Chinese or foreign maker ?)
2/ I don't want to pay every month but it worths it ?
Apparently it's possible to buy a card whenever you want.
In that case, how much does it cost ? how long can I speak ? How much does a SMS cost ?
3/ I was in the Xu Jia Hui malls this week end and I was surprised by all this huge choice of mobile phones. Why are there 2-3 different prices ? Maybe it depends on how long the subscription is ??
Thank you
Regards,
Sylvie |
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LeiFeng
Raver
Joined: Oct 17, 2002
Posts: 440
Location: Shanghai
Status: Offline
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June 16, 2004 - 06:12 PM |
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1. IMHO, the Nokia 6100 is still the best phone on the market, although your tastes/budget may vary. It is tri-band, has excellent user-interface, a high resolution display for those of us addicted to SMS (and fast, predictive input in both English and Chinese).
2. If you want to pay the 50RMB/month (China Mobile), you will need a Shanghainese person to guarentee you. Without that person, you can't do it. Whether it's worth or not depends on how many calls you make and whether you need to roam internationally (it's required for international roaming). Prices have just come down a lot, so you probably want to recheck... generally SMS in network is 0.1RMB, 0.15 RMB to Unicom and 1 RMB internationally (although have found this rather unreliable). Voice used to be 0.4 RMB/min postpay, 0.6 RMB/min pre-pay, but should now be around 50% of those levels. Special offers can reduce your spending still further but you may be better off waiting a month until you understand your usage patterns before signing up.
3. Phones and subscriptions are sold seperately here (at least for GSM phones - still don't like CDMA). Xu Jia Hui is an okay place to buy, use one of the more reputable shops (generally occupying the best spaces and will claim to be chain stores). You can negotiate prices down a few hundred on average. Also consider how many batteries and chargers are included in the price. Expect to see a variance of about 100 RMB between lowest prices from different vendors - anything much cheaper may be a gray import ("shui huo" in Chinese) and you might run into problems getting the thing serviced/replaced and may not get the right accessories. Of course, you may save money if you pick the right people. I've never bought a shui huo handset as the savings are still small compared to the risk for something so key to my life. |
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Principal, XLNTE. Experience Excellence.
ben@xlnte.com.
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Jingoblongo
Newbie
Joined: Jan 02, 2008
Posts: 2
Location: Shanghai
Status: Offline
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Jan 02, 2008 - 05:38 PM |
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| Post subject: Buying a new mobile phone in Shanghai |
I've just moved to Shanghai and I'm trying to buy a new mobile phone. I've been looking around and have seen a couple that I have liked. a lot of these phones are really expensive. Where can I buy a nice Nokia or Sony Ericson at a good price???!!!
Oh and by the way, I would prefer it prepaid because i hate paying monthly fees.
Thanx |
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DesertSpider
Post Roaster
Joined: Jan 19, 2007
Posts: 4412
Location: SHANGHAI, CHINA
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Jan 02, 2008 - 05:48 PM |
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I have the Dopod 830 with Win Mobile 5.0, features and layout are fairly nice - comes with a bunch of Palm PC programs: Word, Excel, PPT, does email, phone, web, decent camera, removable SD card uses SIM card technology so easy to pop in and out of other countries and use 'pay as you go' plans... all in all it does everything I need it to do, but I didn't like the price (last year): 6800 RMB loaded with English OS.
Got a shitty translation program, so on the fly words and phrases aren't a problem - has bailed me out of a few discussions over the last several months - software is: Lingvosoft Eng/Cn but I would recommend getting Powerword by Kingsoft for both your PC and mobile devices. The library is much larger and much more accurate - also has usages of specific words in different sentences so you can show people 'which meaning' you are talking about.
My .02 ¢
I bought mine at the Shanghai #1 Department Store |
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chingiskhan
Veejay
Joined: Apr 24, 2007
Posts: 2197
Location: Shanghai
Status: Offline
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| Posted:
Jan 02, 2008 - 06:46 PM |
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| Post subject: Re: Buying a new mobile phone in Shanghai |
| Jingoblongo wrote: |
| Where can I buy a nice Nokia or Sony Ericson at a good price???!!! |
Nokia has models for 400 rmb upwards. I am sure the other main manufacturers also have low end models if you can live without a camera and complicated features. |
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canuckian
Ranter
Joined: Aug 12, 2007
Posts: 499
Status: Offline
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Jan 02, 2008 - 07:34 PM |
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CanadaKen21
Barker
Joined: Jan 29, 2007
Posts: 170
Location: Pudong
Status: Offline
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Jan 02, 2008 - 08:31 PM |
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After being here a while and helping a few people with phones, I recommend you stay out of the phoneshops and electronics markets unless your employer is footing the bill, but if you want to save a few RMB, check out METRO (like a discount club - they offer free 1-day passes). |
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chingiskhan
Veejay
Joined: Apr 24, 2007
Posts: 2197
Location: Shanghai
Status: Offline
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Jan 02, 2008 - 10:27 PM |
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What's wrong with the phone shops and electronics markets? I have bought at least 4 phones so far with no problems, very happy with them. Did I miss something? What does Metro have that the other places don't? |
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computersolutions
FooJay
Joined: July 02, 2006
Posts: 1756
Location: Shanghai
Status: Offline
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Jan 02, 2008 - 11:00 PM |
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More expensive pricing, from what I remember.
Unless you are in for bulk food, its not worth the bother.
I have a card, and a car, and I still go to Carrefour. Although Carrefour is a bit of a frikking nightmare most visits.
The gubei one is intense.
The wuning one plays silly buggers all the bloody time by moving the aisles around.
I like consistency when it comes to shopping. The drinks aisle should stay the drinks aisle and not turn into the dried crap section or the noodles section every 2nd visit.
/diatribe.
One of my staff bought a phone off of Taobao for 400. Nokia new, in box.
Again, painless - cheaper than a store, and they delivered it, she checked it, and paid. |
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george_916
Raver
Joined: Dec 27, 2006
Posts: 384
Location: pu dong, shanghai
Status: Offline
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Jan 02, 2008 - 11:37 PM |
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my suggestions:
first, look around electronics market to find some types that you liked, but don't buy them at once.
second, paste the types you want to buy here and let's give you some information what is the best price and place to get them.
last, go there and bargain and then get your lovely baby.
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http://george19760916.photo.163.com/ clothes for shanghaiexpat |
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