Buying a cell phone in Cebu
The cell phone is the most important thing in a Filipino’s life even closer to the heart than karoake and lechon manok.
One peso texts are a cheap form of communication and the Philippines is reputed to have the highest per capita texting population in the world.
Walking around Cebu City at Night – youtube video
Cell phone accessory shops line the boulevards in Cebu City on Colon Street where new, reconditioned, pawned and stolen cell phones are widely available.
New phones have a one month service warranty but you are pretty much on your own once you’ve made your purchase.
With the right plan you can have unlimited texts but all your friends would have to have the same sim card which is highly unlikely. Globe and Smart seen to have the widest coverage but TM (Touch Mobile) and Sun have a strong following is some areas.
Some people carry a couple different phones with different sim cards so the can take advantage of the different plans.
Try to find out which company has the strongest signal for the area that you plan to spend most of your time. Some mountain regions have limited access and it will make a difference what sim you are using.
You can get the most basic Nokia for around 1500 pesos and the price climbs steadily upwards from there.
Being a “cheap Charlie” I use the most basic phone available not only because I have no image to preserve but they function equally well and are a high theft item. Replacing a cheap one is less costly.
Status is critical to the Filipino so an extra 20 dollars spent on the phone can really improve one’s standing in the social pecking order.
Cell Phone
Climbing Mount Apo
General Santos
Growing Orchids
Judy's Resto Bar
Logging with Motorcycles
Mount Mayon
Balabac Island
Biri Island
Calbiga Cave
Capul Island
Mangrove Swamp Palawan
Mikes's Resort
pwede utang??i mean unhan lang ug bayad ba pero unya na kuhaon ang unit kung bayad na
Hi Manyl,
There might be shops out there that sell cp on credit but most prefer cash.
ps – dutchpickle is an information site about the Philippines, and we don’t actually sell the cp but there are many many shops in Colon, Cebu.
cheers
dp
hi dp what phone and carier would you recomend for me and my wife cause we will be living in sindangan or dipolog.
Thanks Scott
Hi Scott,
Go with whatever your wife’s friends use, because she will be on the phone all the time and there are unlimited calls and text programs that she can avail of.
Smart and Globe are the most popular but TM (Touch Mobile) is very common in some areas but I don’t care for it.
The sim cards only cost around 30 pesos so you can access several carriers if you want. They all operate off of a pre payment system.
You also can load Smart Bro – a wireless receiver/transmitter that inserts into the USB on your computer and gives you wireless internet access. Initial start up cost is around 2000 pesos and you will get a faster connection if you have a 3G phone.
That north western part of Mindanao is peaceful and the coast is beautiful!
cheers
dp
Thanks dp for your advise,i like your website it has helped me.I will keep in touch,take care.
Scott
may i ask you, if how much cp unit n70 today?
hello where can i buy cheapest cellphone in cebu?
hello, where we can find shops of cellphones here in cebu that has used to have a swapping cellphones?