Fair pricing for iPhone 5?

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Hi, looking around CL to buy an iPhone 5 factory unlocked so I can switch to T-Mobile.

I notice these two:
Black 16GB, $350
White 32GB (with box and cables), $470

Given that the phones are in good condition, are these fair prices for a used iPhone 5?

I have currently have an iPhone 4 16GB. Sprint.
 

chscag

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Depends on their condition but here are the fair market values (average) according to Mac2Sell and other sites:

The 16 GB black iPhone 5 is worth $390.00

The 32 GB white iPhone 5 is worth $440.00

Those prices are for an iPhone 5 in good physical condition and good working condition.

Of course with Craig's List, you can always barter with the seller on prices but be very careful who you're dealing with! Meet the seller in a public place and bring a friend with you.
 
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If you don't mind the Sprint network you can switch carriers to Credo and get a 5c for $50 with a 2 year contract that will run about $70 a month. That's with unlimited data and 700 minutes. They even offer a contract buyout credit, $350 IIRC. I might do that myself. The problem with T-Mobile is that their "unlimited data" isn't.
 

chscag

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The problem with T-Mobile is that their "unlimited data" isn't.

No carrier gives you a "free lunch" regardless of what they advertise.
 
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No carrier gives you a "free lunch" regardless of what they advertise.

Of course not. $70 a month is far from free. I just don't want to get throttled on data.
 
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Thanks for the pricing information. I will be considering the 32GB iPhone 5, although iffy on white when it comes down to a personal preference lol. Also, I'm starting to get cold feet about buying one off CL, because I just read some articles saying sellers will often either (1) sell a phone with a bad esn, or (2) sell a cleared phone that they later report stolen, disabling the phone someone just bought. Or do T-Mobile/Unlocked phones even have esn statuses?

I've bought other electronics on craigslist, but this is a territory I'm less familiar with than I'd like to be.



Also, I'm more interested in T-Mobile since I'd like to head to a better-known no-contract carrier. Anyway, it's $50 for unlimited calls, text, data (500MB 4G, then 2G), and 500MB will be enough for me since I switch to wifi when I can.

I'm basically looking for good national coverage without contract (and cheap family plan).
 

chscag

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I don't blame you for being wary of Craig's List. You might be better off keeping an eye on your local Green Sheet (if you have one in your area) or the ad pages in your local Sunday paper.

I've been a T-Mobile subscriber for over 5 years and have had nothing but great service from them. Around here their coverage is good but it is spotty once I leave the Metro area. Why don't you just buy a new iPhone 5s or 5c from them and pay for it on a monthly basis? At least that way, you'll be assured of getting a genuine iPhone and one that's unlocked.
 
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markusaurileus
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I don't blame you for being wary of Craig's List. You might be better off keeping an eye on your local Green Sheet (if you have one in your area) or the ad pages in your local Sunday paper.

I've been a T-Mobile subscriber for over 5 years and have had nothing but great service from them. Around here their coverage is good but it is spotty once I leave the Metro area. Why don't you just buy a new iPhone 5s or 5c from them and pay for it on a monthly basis? At least that way, you'll be assured of getting a genuine iPhone and one that's unlocked.

Hey! Just noticed you're in located in Ft Worth. Yeah, I forgot about green sheet. You don't happen to have an iPhone 5 you're willing to sell for $450, do you? hah.

Good to hear about T-Mobile. Well, I'm a college student and prefer not to spend too much on the phone. Could get a cheaper smartphone, but I have some iOS-exclusive apps that I use often, and use icloud. I have a Sprint iPhone 4 right now, but can't continue using it since it's CDMA.

Need to switch by end of this month, so if unable to find some kind of deal, I'll have to spend $550 on a 5C… or $650 on a 5S, oh boy
 
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I can understand where you're coming from. It's just that I think I'd use data much more than talk (700 minutes should be plenty) and I don't want to shell out $500 for a phone up front. Stretching it out with the extra $20 a month suits me better. It sounds like we might have each found a better deal for our own purposes.

I might have to give T-Mobile a second look though. They're not perfect, but nobody is.
 
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chas_m

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I recently had to use T-Mobile for a month (I was on tour around the east coast of the US) and had very mixed results:

Washington DC: shockingly awful
Asheville NC: pretty okay in downtown
Atlanta GA: pretty good
Orlando FL: shockingly awful
NYC: great
Ronkonkoma, NY: good

As a former (years ago) AT&T customer, I was surprised at the amount of variance with T-Mob. When I was with AT&T (again, this was the 3G/3GS period of time), I travelled all over the US and never had a problem. It was consistently bad :) (just kidding, it was consistently good).
 

chscag

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Ronkonkoma, NY: good

Hey chas, glad to see you back for a bit. Speaking of Ronkonkoma, NY, I used to go there as a young teen ager (long ago) for family outings. Beautiful area before all the homes and what not were built all around. I grew up not far from there.
 

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