Related
Hi
I'm new to the US, and I'm not familiar with the wireless companies system here..
I have some question:
1. Which service provider is better? I'll be living in Berkeley, CA?? I keep hearing that At&T has bad reception.. which one should I go for??
2. The 30$ data plan: all companies say that this plan is unlimited, but I keep reading (at least for Verizon) it's 5 GB/month.. is this true?? and are there any companies that offer real unlimited data plan...
Because I was thinking of using my phone as a modem for my PC, I don't want to pay more 30-40$ for DSL if I already have a true unlimited data plan
3. Roll over minutes: does this apply only to AT&t, or all carriers?
Thanks in advance guys
duke911 said:
Hi
I'm new to the US, and I'm not familiar with the wireless companies system here..
I have some question:
1. Which service provider is better? I'll be living in Berkeley, CA?? I keep hearing that At&T has bad reception.. which one should I go for??
2. The 30$ data plan: all companies say that this plan is unlimited, but I keep reading (at least for Verizon) it's 5 GB/month.. is this true?? and are there any companies that offer real unlimited data plan...
Because I was thinking of using my phone as a modem for my PC, I don't want to pay more 30-40$ for DSL if I already have a true unlimited data plan
3. Roll over minutes: does this apply only to AT&t, or all carriers?
Thanks in advance guys
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I just left AT&T due to extremely poor customer service. AT&T is the only carrier that offers rollover minutes, but their 3G coverage is spotty, and when switching from 3G to Edge or vise versa, you will experience a lot of dropped calls. If you want to use your phone as a modem with AT&T you have to get a tethering plan which will run you $60/month. Verizon has a much larger 3G coverage area, and you don't have to worry about the network being burdened by iPhone users. Sprint has rolled out 4G coverage in some areas with plans to expand. Sprint has cheaper calling plans, but their subsidized phone prices are higher. All in all, do your research, and check online for reviews of coverage, network speed, and customer service.
1. reception obviously varies by location. VZW probably has the best claim to the best nationwide coverage--their business model has very much focused on network building, and up until very recently, their phone selection sucked because they didn't invest as much in securing great smartphones. Alternatively, ATT has focused investment heavily on having great phones, and haven't focused investment as much on building any of their networks.
That said, ATT has great phone reception in a lots of metropolitan areas. There might even be some areas where they have better coverage. And while their 3G data coverage isn't nearly as broad, where it exists, it has been tested as being the fastest (especially when you're not using an iPhone).
2. No, all wireless carriers have a cap of some kind. Further most will charge an extra $30ish a month on top of the $30ish a month for smartphone data for tethering (using your phone as a modem), and they'll still have a data cap.
3. I don't know VZW's plans.
ive been with ATT for YEARS and their costumer service can kiss my ass because i never use it. why? because they offer best reception where im at. why would i want to find out how good t-mobiles costumer service is? i just want a reliable network. all carriers have crappy prices and conditions here. just find the one that works for you and dont listen to what anyone else says. why would you care if verizon has 3g in montana and att doesnt if you live in LA?? its irrelevant. find the least crappy one for you and stick with it.
Do some research on the difference between CDMA and GSM networks. One may work better than another in certain situations.
T-Mobile has cheap rate plans and free tethering.
Sprint has a WiMax network rolling out, although all of the carriers are working on LTE or some other standard of 4G- Not really a concern at this point, since few phones support it.
Verizon has the best customer satisfaction ratings, but their phones are often locked down with software.
AT&T has a history of dropping calls, but has the fastest recorded data speeds.
No matter whom you may chose, you will end up disappointed over some facet or another. You will need to get DSL or some other form of land-based internet, unless you can keep yourself constrained to the 5GB data caps that ALL of the carriers have.
I guess I'm gonna go with verizon then..
I asked a Veizon representative today about the Touch Pro 2, and he said it's only CDMA ... although on their websitethey say it's GSM Quad Band!!! Is there anything that I'm missing?
Will I be able to use out side the US if travel home?
cheers
duke911 said:
I guess I'm gonna go with verizon then..
I asked a Veizon representative today about the Touch Pro 2, and he said it's only CDMA ... although on their websitethey say it's GSM Quad Band!!! Is there anything that I'm missing?
Will I be able to use out side the US if travel home?
cheers
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, it's kind of misleading. The Verizon Touch Pro2 is actually a CDMA/GSM hybrid device, which works on Verizon's CDMA network or any GSM network. In theory, you should be able to use it on any GSM network in any country as long as you have a valid SIM card.
you cant trust advertising. it makes it appear that all options are shiney. verizon claims all of its wireless technologies as 3g no matter what they are, whether they have speeds slower than atts 2g or worse. the verizon touch pro will not actually work in the us or canada on gsm. you also need to pay for vodofone service separately to get international coverage. you can flash a radio that will let you use atts network but youll loose the cdma network verizon uses. sprints 4g network is not as promising as i hoped. its slower than atts 3g network and to use it you have to buy a $10 1-day pass that will let you use 4g in about 10 or so cities. its also not on any phones. in terms of data or unlimited plans, i would probably have to recommend t-mobile. even though i think they have the ugliest version of the touch pro 2. verizon does limit there unlimited plans to 4gb a month i think. and yes att is the only one with roll over. i never use my minutes so i up to about 10000 minutes rolled over. i will never be charged overage as long as i live.
I was with ATT when they were known as Cingular for three years. One day I got a call and they said I was using it off their network too much and I had to stop it or they would cancel me. Since I was not even living in their area, it was not going to happen.
So I signed up with Verizon, which did not even sell phones within a hundred miles of where I would be using it. That was in March of 2007. I went to Alaska for 16 months where it roamed constantly. Not a peep from Verizon about not being on their network. When going to a remote village for more than a month where no cell phone would work, I would just call them and they would suspend my phone for the time I was there. No bill at all and no charge for turning it off. So I have to say the customer support from Verizon is the best there is and ATT is the absolute worst.
texascbx said:
I was with ATT when they were known as Cingular for three years. One day I got a call and they said I was using it off their network too much and I had to stop it or they would cancel me. Since I was not even living in their area, it was not going to happen.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
they wouldnt say something like that. the entire gsm network is theirs.
btw att, verizon, and sprint all have horrible customer service. youre going to always loose with any provider.
The Jack of Clubs said:
they wouldnt say something like that. the entire gsm network is theirs.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Last I checked, Tmobile's network isn't owned by ATT.
thanks a lot for your help guys, I really appreciae that.
I have one final question: Is there a way I can buy verizon touch pro 2 without a contract, and use it with verizon prepaid service (if that is possible in te first place)?
I'm new here and I don't have many people to speak with, and since I'm a student, I could use any some extra money
Cheers
duke911 said:
thanks a lot for your help guys, I really appreciae that. I have one final question: Is there a way I can buy verizon touch pro 2 without a contract, and use it with verizon prepaid service (if that is possible in te first place)? I'm new here and I don't have many people to speak with, and since I'm a student, I could use any some extra money
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I purchased my VZW off contract. Unsubsidized is probably about $500.
Different carriers have different rules for their prepaid services. With GSM carriers, TMo and ATT, it's easy to pop a prepaid sim into any phone. With CDMA (Sprint and VZW), I'm not sure. Best bet is to call and ask.
well i had sprint for ever...I switched to tmobile.. to get that tp2 free through wmdeals.com even though coverage sucks at my house im happy.. I have wifi for data when im home.. when i leave my home i have edge service everwhere.. til i start getting close to mesquite ( texas ) it goes to 3g.. but edge works great with opera mini.. and for updating certain things.. but so far tmobile rocks..
The Jack of Clubs said:
they wouldnt say something like that. the entire gsm network is theirs.
btw att, verizon, and sprint all have horrible customer service. youre going to always loose with any provider.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's where you are wrong. They did cancel me and one of my brothers living in another town shortly after I got the call and letter. The explanation was they had contracts with other providers to cover you when your were roaming. And roaming was fine, as long as you did not do it too much. I roamed all the time, for about three years.
I called Verizon today, and the representative said that I can't use their prepaid service on a smart phone... although I'm not really sure about, as she sounded clueless, and I had to do lots of explanation until she got the basic idea..
anyway... I like really the verizon version of the Touch Pro 2..
If I go for month-to-month and get it for full retail (490$).. can I cancel with Verizon after that, and unlock my phone, then use it with some other network like T-mobile or At&T????
I never used CDMA before, and after reading some info, I think GSM is better for me, at least for now...
duke911 said:
I called Verizon today, and the representative said that I can't use their prepaid service on a smart phone... although I'm not really sure about, as she sounded clueless, and I had to do lots of explanation until she got the basic idea..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You never know with reps. I seem to recall that VZW's prepaid might have some unlimited data intended for dumbphones, which of course they wouldn't want you to use with a smartphone.
There are MVNOs, like Page Plus, that use VZW's network, but have prepaid plans where they probably wouldn't be concerned about smartphone usage (pay per kb instead of unlimited).
If I go for month-to-month and get it for full retail (490$).. can I cancel with Verizon after that, and unlock my phone, then use it with some other network like T-mobile or At&T????
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can get it unlocked here and use it on ATT or TMo (minus 3g, 2g data still works), and as to whether you can cancel after the fact without penalty, it depends on exactly what you signed up for at VZW.
texascbx said:
That's where you are wrong. They did cancel me and one of my brothers living in another town shortly after I got the call and letter. The explanation was they had contracts with other providers to cover you when your were roaming. And roaming was fine, as long as you did not do it too much. I roamed all the time, for about three years.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
fortunz said:
Last I checked, Tmobile's network isn't owned by ATT.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
well then double check because att hardware can not utilize tmobile 1700 band. if you in the country you are never going to use another carriers network. and roaming only applies to out of country. even if you stand anywhere on the canadian or mexican borders, you wont be charged roaming. the system isnt that fd up.
The Jack of Clubs said:
well then double check because att hardware can not utilize tmobile 1700 band. if you in the country you are never going to use another carriers network. and roaming only applies to out of country. even if you stand anywhere on the canadian or mexican borders, you wont be charged roaming. the system isnt that fd up.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, that's not entirely true. AT&T devices can use T-Mobile's network, just not HSPA (3G), and vice versa. Before I got my 8925, my main phone was an old T-Mobile Blackberry 7200 which I unlocked to use on AT&T. It could make phone calls and browse at EDGE speeds just fine. The 3G bands are f*cked up internationally since they often differ by country and carrier, but the EDGE and basic GSM bands are pretty much compatible with any GSM phone (since most GSM phones are Tri-band or Quad-band capable).
In addition, it's perfectly possible to use another network in the same country. If a company like AT&T doesn't have infrastructure in a remote area and wants to add service there, they'll often strike a deal with a local carrier who does. It's usually a seamless transition for the user, and it doesn't generally cost the user a cent. Rather, AT&T is the one paying the local cellular operator for allowing the AT&T customers use the local carrier's network as opposed to the alternative of having no coverage in that area. AT&T got mad at texascbx because he was costing AT&T money by roaming on these local carriers, which AT&T had to pay.
Lastly, I know people who live near the borders and they always are careful to see which operator they are using. One of them lives near the Mexican border, and has to make sure he's on AT&T's network before he makes a call. If he doesn't check, he might be roaming on the TelMex network and will get billed outrageous fees for a simple call, even though he's in the US.
I was at the mall today, and I talked to a T-Mobile guy, and he said I can get the T-mobile version of touch pro 2 for full retail, and I can use it with their prepaid plan without any porblems.
Then I spoke with a Verizon representative, and he said that I can't do that on their network, however I can buy the device with out a contract and without any plan...
So my Final question (and I guess fortunz answered before,but I still feel like asking coz I don't want to through 500$ away)... If I get the Verizon Touch Pro 2, and get it unlocked here
http://rhodiumw.htc-unlocks.com/
or here
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=578642
will I be able to use it with any carrier?? prepaid or plan??
I don't really mind about the data, as I'll be using WiFi mainly
Thanks a lot
Hi fellow nexus users, I have a UK handset that I got from handtec I've been using on tmobile for the past couple weeks and I really enjoy it.
However my family wants to move our plan to ATT asap for various reasons.
Is there anything I should know? We all have unlocked phones (and nobody but me cares about 3g/4g) so I want to go month to month, I don't want to get into a contract.
Any plans that you guys think are good, and will work well with the galaxy nexus?
We're lookin for about a 1000 minutes shared between the 4 of us, data plans on all phones, no texting (We all use google talk or bbm).
I just did the same thing. Switched from Tmo to ATT
Im on the 450min plan with unlimited messaging. Unlimited messaging gives you unlimited mobile to mobile minutes for any cell phone on any network. I rarely if ever call landlines so this plan works for me - all my calling is free and i barely dent the 450 min allotted for other calls.
Im also on the 2GB dataplan. ATT does not reject the IMEI in the GN: they just add a generic smartphone data plan to your phone. If you want a "4G" plan you need to have the ATT rep input the IMEI of a 4G phone such as the Atrix. With the non 4G plan in Miami Im getting around 3down and 1up pretty consistently whereas on TMo i was getting 3-4up and .8-1 down (only outside, never indoors).
If you bring your device in to the store you can sign up for service and not be on a contract. They only bind you if you get a subsidized phone. I am currently contract free. As an added benefit, I no longer drop coverage walking into buildings and ATT doesnt have the MMS bug that TMo does.
Wondering why would you ever switch from T-Mobile to AT&T if you're in a metro area. T-Mobile has much cheaper plans, better data speeds, and full duplex voice.
I'm not sure if you guys did the right thing, but good luck.
milan03 said:
Wondering why would you ever switch from T-Mobile to AT&T if you're in a metro area. T-Mobile has much cheaper plans, better data speeds, and full duplex voice.
I'm not sure if you guys did the right thing, but good luck.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
T-Mobile does have cheaper plans but does not always have better data speeds (location dependant). It's really hit or miss speed wise in Chicago. Both networks get bogged down by congestion. Recently I haven't seen large deviations in speed in Chicago, Charlotte, Newark, Atlanta or Denver, but YMMV.
I see almost identical data speeds usually between the two carriers with AT&T being a bit more consistent and T-Mobile peaking a little higher but overall being less consistent.
There are instances where T-Mobile's backhaul / lesser congestion has helped. Atlantic City saw around 7mbps with T-Mobile and only 3 mbps on AT&T at the airport but T-Mobile also had some nasty dead spots and tower issues there that caused AT&T to be a more effective option outside of the airport. I was stuck on a 3G connection that was slower than Edge (I literally forced the phone into Edge so that the data connection was usable).
The *much* bigger advantage that AT&T can offer is using the 850 Mhz spectrum over T-Mobile's 1700/2100 combo for 3G/4G. 850 penetrates building much better. With T-Mobile I'd often drop to edge inside of buildings whereas I'll stay on 3G/4G (HSPA) with AT&T. AT&T does not utilize 850 everywhere, but where they do the signal penetration is much appreciated.
krohnjw said:
T-Mobile does have cheaper plans but does not always have better data speeds (location dependant). It's really hit or miss speed wise in Chicago. Both networks get bogged down by congestion. Recently I haven't seen large deviations in speed in Chicago, Charlotte, Newark, Atlanta or Denver, but YMMV.
I see almost identical data speeds usually between the two carriers with AT&T being a bit more consistent and T-Mobile peaking a little higher but overall being less consistent.
There are instances where T-Mobile's backhaul / lesser congestion has helped. Atlantic City saw around 7mbps with T-Mobile and only 3 mbps on AT&T at the airport but T-Mobile also had some nasty dead spots and tower issues there that caused AT&T to be a more effective option outside of the airport. I was stuck on a 3G connection that was slower than Edge (I literally forced the phone into Edge so that the data connection was usable).
The *much* bigger advantage that AT&T can offer is using the 850 Mhz spectrum over T-Mobile's 1700/2100 combo for 3G/4G. 850 penetrates building much better. With T-Mobile I'd often drop to edge inside of buildings whereas I'll stay on 3G/4G (HSPA) with AT&T. AT&T does not utilize 850 everywhere, but where they do the signal penetration is much appreciated.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I agree 100%. I could get faster speed tests with TMo standing outside - Inside buildings I can barely break 2mbps down. I get much more consistant results with ATT everywhere. The cost didn't seem worth the lesser service.
I drop from full bars coverage to 1 bar EDGE / no service the minute i walk into my one story office building at work. At my desk I often miss messages (i get them later than I need to) and cant make calls. With full 3G signal I type in a website and it takes a while to start loading, in comparison ATT is almost instant
Maybe theoretically TMo is a good deal but in South Florida I get much much better service with ATT. I've switched between them a few times (whenever I see a phone I like) and Im sure I made the right decision.
Does anyone know of any official plans by att to offer the GN subsidized? I know that if anyone actually knew anything, it would be reposted everywhere, but even a glimmer of hope will be welcome.
In NYC metro area T-Mobile is running circles around AT&T's network in terms of data speeds, latency and especially voice quality. I've seen speeds approaching 30mbps on T-Mobile's 42mbps DC-HSPA handsets and 18mpbs on my GN using $30 PrePaid plan.
AT&T crawls down to EDGE speeds and sometimes time outs during the peak hours when the data becomes unusable. Dropped calls are day to day reality, and I've grown accustomed to that and never ever make important calls using AT&T's network. Plus the plans are almost twice as high. Not recommended.
What is the $30 prepaid plan you use? How many minutes do you get with that?
kinggheedora said:
What is the $30 prepaid plan you use? How many minutes do you get with that?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
100 minutes, unlimited data (5GB of 4G speeds then lowered to EDGE), unlimited texting, pre paid no commitment. It's honestly my dream plan.
milan03 said:
100 minutes, unlimited data (5GB of 4G speeds then lowered to EDGE), unlimited texting, pre paid no commitment. It's honestly my dream plan.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Could you link me to this plan?
What do you mean by "Full Duplex Voice" on T-Mo vs ATT
milan03 said:
100 minutes, unlimited data (5GB of 4G speeds then lowered to EDGE), unlimited texting, pre paid no commitment. It's honestly my dream plan.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah it's the ONLY reason I was willing to buy an unlocked Nexus and go T-mobile, was going to wait for VZ.
I came from Virgin Mobile's 300min version, I would call the t-mobile plan perfect if it was 200 minute, but it's still an insane deal.
As is, I'm using groove IP to make calls out when I'm in wifi in order to save minutes in case I'm out and I need to use my voice minutes.
But $30 for 5GB of H+ is just awesome sauce!
http://prepaid-phones.t-mobile.com/prepaid-plans
I'm on $30 plan myself. At home I use GrooveIP on wifi for VOIP and no minutes used (technically only needing minutes outside of my place).
Saving HUNDREDS of dollars a year is worth it over the slightly slower speeds I get on Tmo over ATT. Also helps pay for the price of the GN easily.
Plus I'm using a company that is much more customer-friendly. Lower plan prices when off contract are something to be supported.
I just wish T-Mobile had International Data plans. I travel to Europe once a month, and $15/mb for international data roaming insane when you can buy 125mb international data plan from AT&T for $50/mo.
ksujace said:
What do you mean by "Full Duplex Voice" on T-Mo vs ATT
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It has to do with how the receive (RX) and transmission (TX) audio are handled. You can either have both RX and TX on 100% of the time or they can be multiplexed into one channel to save bandwidth. It's a misnomer because half-duplex usually means something like this:
Caller1: Hello. Over.
Caller2: Hello. Over.
Caller1: What are...(interrupted)
Caller2: Are you... oh, sorry... Go ahead.
Caller1: What?
Caller2: Huh? Oh. Go ahead! Over.
Caller1: I hate this AT&T half-duplex CB radio crap! When will they get full-duplex??? Over.
Caller2: Can you repeat that? Over.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
ksujace said:
I just wish T-Mobile had International Data plans. I travel to Europe once a month, and $15/mb for international data roaming insane when you can buy 125mb international data plan from AT&T for $50/mo.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you're there that often, I'd suggest a prepaid SIM. It's not as if AT&T international data plans are economical. I racked up close to $400 of roaming last month for a two week trip to London. All expensed, so no biggie. But it's still pants down, no lube.
ianwood said:
If you're there that often, I'd suggest a prepaid SIM. It's not as if AT&T international data plans are economical. I racked up close to $400 of roaming last month for a two week trip to London. All expensed, so no biggie. But it's still pants down, no lube.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm in the same boat , all expensed , so don't really care. I don't like having multiple phone #'s when over there. (travel to Switzerland 1 week every month)
tmobile is awesome if i stay outside or never travel. But then, so is cricket.
milan03 said:
100 minutes, unlimited data (5GB of 4G speeds then lowered to EDGE), unlimited texting, pre paid no commitment. It's honestly my dream plan.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Do you have any idea on how bad AT&T throttles speeds on their unlimited data plan?
I notice that net10 has a SIM card that might actually work with our T989s.
Ditto Straight Talk.
Net10 has an an everything "unlimited*" plan for $50/mo.
StraightTalk the same for $45/mo.
These may or may not be better than the T-Mobile BYOD plans depending on a couple of things - which I'd love to know.
1) Does it work with a T989? (if it doesn't, stop right there, I don't need any other info)
2) What kind of data rates? Edge? HSPA? HSPA+?
3) What does the all important '*' in "unlimited*" mean, exactly? Throttled at some limit? Cut off? What's the limit?
4) Coverage area? Are they just using the T-mobile network? It sounds like it, BUT there's a line in the smaller print In order for your phone's data services to work, you must update your APN data settings, also called the Access Point Name.
Anybody know?
Other than the "does it work with a T989?" Q, i could ask this in another forum - but where? Anyone got a notion of that?
Thanks for any info!
There's an everything unlimited plan for $50/mo. Yes, I know t-mob has a similar deal - but it's for families - similar for me would be $69/mo
Why don't you try simple mobile they work pretty well 60 bucks flat with 2gig at 4g then throttle unl text and talk,
Sent from my SGH-T989 using xda premium
Sounds reasonable, and might be exactly the right choice, depending on what's in the $45 package. If it's the same, or a (gasp) higher limit, then, well, it's not.
Seems like the only way to know to either ask, and if that doesn't work, try it for a month...
Turns out it's a real deal.
Info at Howard Forum
Looks to be, essentially, either T-mo's $60 or $70 plan (throttle cap isn't published and several folks are reporting using more than 2G with no warning / throttling, so who knows?), but minus tethering (assuming t-mo's OK with tethering on those plans, which I think they might be)... for $45 or $50
BTW, they're both tracfone. ST is associated with Walmart, Net10 with a bunch of other retailers.
There's a t-mob sim and an att sim. Plans cost the same, so, given that a T989, once unlocked, can work on either network (I think that's true based on info from this forum), so we have a choice.
Just to followup: I'm using the StraightTalk SIM in my T989. i had a choice of networks, and went with AT&T because with T-mob 90% of the time I only had EDGE and what appeared to be no data roaming with my Tmob prepaid plan
ST is $45/mo for unlimited voice, text, and sort-of unlimited data (this is the only weird part: ST is being mum about what the limit actually is. From posts at HowardForum it appears to me a 100 to 120 M / day limit, probably as a result of the data volume tracking tech they have.)
That's on At&T. Nobody's run into a limit with T-Mobile yet.
hmm i wonder how they are able to opperate in tmobils network while simultaneously offering a better plan for less. simple mobile cant do it as their $60 unlimited plan is capped at 2gigs of data just like tmobils $60 plan.
Sent from my SGH-T989 using XDA
I use it.
I posted this in a couple other threads so Ill just copy and paste..
Anyone feel free to ask me any questions.
Hello. I have great news for anyone that wants to use the Tmobile GalaxySII with a better prepaid service.
I bought the T989 new and then bought a Tmobile Sim card for about $15 from StraightTalk.com
I put the new sim in and changed the APN to StraightTalk apn. It works fabulous.
I get full 4g speeds all day 24/7 and the best thing is I get no throttle.
Tmobile tuened me on with there prices but I didnt notice that they throttle there bandwidth to a stupid slow 2g speed after a certain bandwidth usage.
WHY would any company throttle the internet speed with the purpose to have a smart phone is fast internet? The speed went from 4g to 2g. Not 3g. We are talking 56k modem speed. This pissed me off so bad, I went with StraightTalk just 2 weeks after I activated the T989 with Tbobile using there prepaid. Well, not only is Tmobile prepaid $5 more than the StraightTalk service, But the Tmobile service, as I said is very inferior to StraightTalk.
No Im not a representative of either of these companies.
I did allot of research about using this phone with any sim I wanted and compared price vs performace of what I get for the money.
I can tell you that you will not find any prepaid service cheaper and with unlimited everything when using with the T989.
Ive compared ATT, Verizon, Virgin, Boost, Net10. All of um I could find. None were cheaper and none offered so much.
I really wanted to stay with Tmobile, but I gotta tell ay, they sucked. They have a few different so called unlimited plans. The price goes stupid high to like $70 just to get full bandwidth speeds to decent usage. With StraightTalk its always fullbandwidth and the kicker is that they use Tmobile towers!
Its $45 a month.Vs anywhere from 50 to $70 depending on the useage for internet you want.
Check my other thread about the roms Ive used.
Net10
I have net10 with a sgh-t989 which is the titanium samsung galaxy s2 variant of the phone. I use net10 and it works great,on official released stock roms.So far I've to find a custom rom on which it works well,or at all.I unlocked my phone,because at first I had the wrong ATT sim type card for the phone.Then I ordered the T-Mobile sim type and so far it's been working fine on ICS 4.0.3. I had about 5mbps downstream, 1-2 mbps upstream with the ATT type sim card. I found with the ATT sim I never had less than 4 bars service,it was usually 5.But I live in a large city,and as long as I've had this service i've only driven about 70 miles outside that.Still had great service.Not sure how rural areas do though.I am currently looking for a custom rom that meshes well with the unlocked, net10 service.Pac man rom worked.
Can I use my AT&T Samsung Galaxy S3 on MetroPCS somehow? If so, how?
trusktr said:
Can I use my AT&T Samsung Galaxy S3 on MetroPCS somehow? If so, how?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
MetroPCS seems to be merging with T Mobile. However, they have very limited LTE network coverage area.
Overview
MetroPCS is a telecom company based in several areas and features retailers across the range of service areas. MetroPCS stands out as a company by offering the Metro promise - refunds on any new phones within 30 days if the consumer is not satisfied.
Pros: The MetroPCS plans are based on a flat rate, unlimited minutes system, so there is no need to worry about buying extra minutes. No contract is required so you can go month to month, even though it resembles a traditional cell phone plan.
Cons: There are additional fees that apply to basic extras, such as caller ID, call waiting, and 3 way calling. MetroPCS also has a very limited coverage area and is only found in certain areas of Georgia, Florida, California, Texas and Michigan, though they have plans for expansion. As i stated earlier they are trying to merge with T-Mobile to expand their coverage to Nationwide.
As far as i know.. MetroPCS uses CDMA. so AT&T phones would NOT work with their service.
Hopefully this helps
I'm on Verizon's unlimited grandfather plan.
Nationwide Talk Unlimited $69.99 I actually use 1200 min / month
Email & Web Unlimited $29.99 I actually use 40 GB/ Month most of the time.
Total Equipment Coverage - Asurion $8.00
After taxes I pay $121.51 and I don't use Text messaging. I have no complaint about Verizon's service. Except my Note 4 is locked down.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
T-Mobile's Note 4 is unlocked
What could I expect from T-Mobile in Houston Texas
-------------------------------------------------------------
EDIT: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=56447826&postcount=10
In tmobile 4 lines for $100 that includes 2.5gb each and $30 extra each line for unlimited 4g data.
And verizon note 4 is actually unlocked and tmobile is locked.
U can use verizon note 4 on tmobile only problem is doesn't work on lte only on hspa with speeds 6mb down and 2.5mb down (that's what i get) or u can root ur phone and unlock the band 4 and use lte but it will trip knox and void warr8.
The verizon works on tmobile and I get lte here in Massachusetts . Not sure what band t-mobile uses in my area , but I have had no issues using it on verizon note 4.
Where I live you would definitely keep Verizon. I'm in Roanoke, Va. and its very rural once you leave the city. T-mobile blows away Verizon's LTE in the city but once you just barely leave the city you go to no service or edge data. I guess it just depends on where you live or how much you travel but I would keep Verizon.
pro/con:
cheaper (at least it would be for myself)
no bull**** over hotspot; tmobile includes it with all plans
throttle data after using allotment (no overcharge )
-
con:
some people say reception is worse (don't know never used it)
some people say reception inside is worse due to higher frequency (both data and celluar) don't know never used it
some people say gsm can be a lot worse for voice (don't know I've always used cdma but people who call me on iphone at&t always sound very poor (broken up speech; though with the note 4 it is not nearly as bad as it was with the note 2 - not sure why)
-
I've never used t-mobile but been very tempted to switch to not deal with the hotspot bull**** (verizon actually SPENDS money to block samsung/google built in hotspot). Then again my plan on verizon is pretty cheap and it works and their customer support people have been very nice so 'cept for hotspot i have no reason to switch (I do not have an unlimited plan).
If you're using 40 gb a month on a grandfathered unlimited you're pretty much stuck. If you want that much 4g on T-Mobile it's going to cost a lot. If you don't care about speed, T-Mobile gives you unlimited 2g data after you use up your plan's 4g allocation
Cons. No good reception. Period. My brother has T-Mobile, Note 4 too. His 4G is a joke. I leave by the beach in south Florida, so as soon as he gets near my house, he loses data...
Its not just the fact that you will have no service, its that T-Mobile has admitted multiple times that they have no plans for rural coverage expansion for the future.
Source- I have reached out to the Office of the President John legere 3 seperate times and all 3 times I was told,
"we have no future plans to expand service in your area"
So unless you live in a bubble somewhere in the city your beat.
asjassar said:
In tmobile 4 lines for $100 that includes 2.5gb each and $30 extra each line for unlimited 4g data.
And verizon note 4 is actually unlocked and tmobile is locked.
U can use verizon note 4 on tmobile only problem is doesn't work on lte only on hspa with speeds 6mb down and 2.5mb down (that's what i get) or u can root ur phone and unlock the band 4 and use lte but it will trip knox and void warr8.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
When you said your phone, is it the Note 3 or 4? Because my vzw Note 4 works out of the box with tmo LTE and I get over 60Mbps download right now. I use both networks. Tmo works fine if you live in the major cities where they have good LTE coverages. In the small towns, you better stick with vzw.
Being a tmo customer for the last 10 years, their network has improved a lot. Most of my friends have switched to tmobile because their home and work now have better coverages and you can't beat $100/4 line with no overages.
My grandfather plan has unlimited minutes for 3 lines with unlimited LTE, sms, jump and insurance for 1 line and I'm paying around $95.
Things have changed now with the Verizon.....
doctor-cool said:
I'm on Verizon's unlimited grandfather plan.
Nationwide Talk Unlimited $69.99 I actually use 1200 min / month
Email & Web Unlimited $29.99 I actually use 40 GB/ Month most of the time.
Total Equipment Coverage - Asurion $8.00
After taxes I pay $121.51 and I don't use Text messaging. I have no complaint about Verizon's service. Except my Note 4 is locked down.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
T-Mobile's Note 4 is unlocked
What could I expect from T-Mobile in Houston Texas
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Verizon Galaxy Note 4 Developer Edition http://forum.xda-developers.com/not...izon-galaxy-note-4-developer-edition-t2914717 We now have Team Win Recovery and Root on the Verizon Network with the Note 4 Developer Edition
Just switched from T-Mobile here in San Antonio:
Better call quality everywhere.
Slower LTE speeds in town.
NO signal out of town. I travel a bit and I noticed that TMobile is great as long as you are not going anywhere. If you travel outside of any major city, you will be lucky to send a text message. My phone was completely inoperable outside of the city limits here.
robbyr said:
Just switched from T-Mobile here in San Antonio:
Better call quality everywhere.
Slower LTE speeds in town.
NO signal out of town. I travel a bit and I noticed that TMobile is great as long as you are not going anywhere. If you travel outside of any major city, you will be lucky to send a text message. My phone was completely inoperable outside of the city limits here.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Did you use a Verizon Note 4 ? I can't seem to get AWS (UMTS band IV) to work on my phone. Is there any where I can unlock the band IV? NOT THE LTE ONE but the 3G/4G.