Back in Australia (and elsewhere I’ve no doubt), phone companies would offer cell phones (typically new and expensive models), on a contract at a heavily subsidised cost. You pay for the phone over time, along with your monthly fee (which is slightly higher). I’m sure we’re all familiar with this system, whatever it’s called.
I’d like to know if any of the phone companies here do this (surely?). I’m looking to purchase an HTC Touch Dual, and whilst I could simply buy it outright, I’m wondering if it would be more convenient to purchase on a contract (if anyplace here does this).
[quote=“Fortigurn”]Back in Australia (and elsewhere I’ve no doubt), phone companies would offer cell phones (typically new and expensive models), on a contract at a heavily subsidised cost. You pay for the phone over time, along with your monthly fee (which is slightly higher). I’m sure we’re all familiar with this system, whatever it’s called.
I’d like to know if any of the phone companies here do this (surely?). I’m looking to purchase an HTC Touch Dual, and whilst I could simply buy it outright, I’m wondering if it would be more convenient to purchase on a contract (if anyplace here does this).[/quote]Yes, the phone companies here do subsidized phones with a contract, but up until recently they haven’t done much with PDA phones. That’s changing, though, as HTC and other Windows Mobile devices get easier to use and more popular. The Touch Diamond is either available now or will be shortly for a reasonable price with a contract from CHT and TWM. I think it will be available for less than 3,000 NT, but with an expensive contract (all-you-can-eat 3.5G data and presumably a fairly pricey voice calls plan too). There may be other deals available too.
Anyway, I think it would be worth getting one of the newer Touch models–the Diamond or the forthcoming Pro. The interface is a big improvement.