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Hi:
Up until now, I have been using T-Mobile ever since the XDA came out.
Used a "visorphone" before that. I do NOT use T-Mobile's Internet access (T-zones) ever since I got hit with a $180+ overage charge the first month I used it.
So.
Here is my issue:
Starting a few months ago, I noticed that, even though I do NOT use T-Mobile for any Internet access (I call up my own ISP instead from the XDA), T-Mobile are charging me something like $.50 for every email sent or received from the XDA using my own ISP. I suppose they monitor the traffic or something. When I protested that they shouldn't charge me for anything Internet-related, only the minutes used to call my ISP, they told me basically that they don't give a damn what I think, and that I will continue to be charged $.50 for every email. They show up on my bill as "e-note" to the phone number "500."
I think that's ridiculous and possibly illegal since it doesn't involve their servers or their services at all, but I don't have the energy to deal with their untrained "Wireless Data Group." It would take years to explain this to them. Just getting them on the phone took over 1 hour. This is partly a warning post, that this is what T-Mobile is doing, and we should know about it. So, I am looking into switching to AT&T.
My questions for anyone reading this:
1) anyone else have that billing issue with t-mobile?
2) is at&t any better? do they charge for internet traffic even if you haven't signed up for their services?
3) i don't think i have simlock issues, the unlock util from this site says that it's already unlocked. rom is 4.00.21 ENG, radio stack 6.24.00
from yorch.net.
4) is there anything i should know? won't this t-mobile build of "windows mobile 2003" rom work with at&t ?
any info appreciated, you can email thomas at pullen.com (removed the @ for the spam bots).
thanks!
TMO is pretty bad, iv experienced their levels of ignorance too, but once in a while, u can incounter sumone who knows alot about what they do
you should have never used tzones (if it wasnt unlimited) for transfering big amounts of data, thats why u got charged so much, for going over the allowd data amount
when connecting to your own ISP, are u connecting using THEIR # ? ... if so, then i dont know where TMO gets these ideas 4 charging u extra + the phone call :roll:
to unlock u need to go back to a 2002 rom, with the unlock software
ur build will work, but it would be better to switch to 4.00.05 , since u wont need all the useless TMO apps and what not
Hey tpullen,
Sorry to hear about your terrible time with T-Mobile.
Q: What type of plan do you have with T-Mobile?
If its only a voice plan with no data the .50 sounds about right and will be the same if you move over to AT&T. As a matter of fact AT&T's data charges are higher.
It doesn't matter that you're calling your own ISP, the fact still remains you're sending/receiving data on a voice only plan. :wink:
HTH
thanks
hey:
thanks for the replies. to answer your questions:
i had the t-mobile 3,000 minutes for $49 plan. it is only free long distance for the southeast u.s.; i think it's called a 'neighborhood' plan.
no data at all in my plan; i would call my own isp and surf the web and check email. only about 3 months ago t-mobile started charging me to check email, but not for the web. my complaint is that i am using my own isp, and the call comes out of my minutes. yes, it's sending data with a voice-only plan, but hey! i have a dial-up phone line, nothing fancy, a land line in my house. it's voice-only. if i plug a modem into my home phone line and call my isp, should i expect to get a bill from my phone company for every email i look at? to my way of thinking, and anyone is free to disagree, if i'm not USING your services then i don't want to PAY for your services. unless it is a t-mobile email, web, or proxy server i'm talking to, i don't expect to pay t-mobile. the minutes were already being deducted from my available minutes. that's all i should have to pay.
i don't think that's so outrageous.
i did unlock my phone with the xda dev build, then went back to the same tmobile windows mobile 2003 build. i wasn't sure if the xda "stays unlocked" once you unlock it and then put a new rom on, but it does.
now i have an at&t sim, and it works well enough, but the sort-of-funny thing is that you apparantly can NOT just call your own isp with at&t.
i can't seem to get a connection to work. so i don't know. maybe i will stay with at&t since they, according to their sales literature anyway, have a data network that's like 3 times faster than t-mobile's data network.
of course it's more $ for them.
whatever the case, i have 30 days to try at&t with no obligation, cancel any time, owe them nothing. everyone has that option right now, in fact, due to the new ftc "local number port" thing happening.
i'll let ya'll know how it goes if i stick with at&t. i can always stay with t-mobile, but i'm not sure if that's a good idea.
Re: thanks
tpullen said:
maybe i will stay with at&t since they, according to their sales literature anyway, have a data network that's like 3 times faster than t-mobile's data network. of course it's more $ for them.
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Sounds like you're talking about the EDGE service. Yeah, like 4 times the cost of T-Mobile's unlimited plan. I think I'll stick to the cheaper slower service.
tpullen said:
whatever the case, i have 30 days to try at&t with no obligation, cancel any time, owe them nothing. everyone has that option right now, in fact, due to the new ftc "local number port" thing happening.
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Owe them nothing?! You might want to read that literature again. You'll not pay a cancellation fee nor an activation fee, but you will owe them for the prorated amount of time you had service, and any other additional fees that you use. This is pretty standard in the wireless industry. So if you go over your prorated minutes for the month, you owe them airtime charges. Happened to me, so just be careful.
bye bye at&t
hi arkhangel:
yes, you are correct:
4. Every new customer gets a 30 day risk free trial. When you purchase a phone and activate service at an AT&T Wireless store or at attwireless.com, you can return your undamaged phone for a refund within the first 30 days and pay only for airtime and usage charges. It’s just one more way we can earn your trust.
so it is not without charge, and thank god i only made one 6-minute call.
as far as the EDGE network goes, it was so-so...i only viewed 2 webpages with it, they loaded pretty much as quickly as with any other data service over the xda...and the funny thing is that it consumed apparantly almost 2 mb to do so.
i am pretty frustrated now, the at&t customer service has been pretty rotten, but t-mobile isn't too great either.
i'm calling verizon next, to compare...
tpullen said:
They show up on my bill as "e-note" to the phone number "500."
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The phone is programmed to send an SMS to T-Mobile every time you reboot your PPCPE. These show up as e-notes to 500 just as you describe. Compare the timing of your email use vs. the timing of your reboots and see where the e-notes are coming from. I think you can purchase a bundle of a bunch (500?) of SMS messages (aka e-notes) for something like $2.99, so you could cap your cost that way.
You should also be aware that T-Mobile has gone to a flat rate for GPRS at $19.95 for unlimited internet. The comparable plan with AT&T is something like $80.
Ok, so I want the SG2, but keeping my current contract with AT&T proves to be difficult. If I upgrade with AT&T the SG2 is $199. If I upgrade through walmart letstalk.com $159, amazon wireless $149, deals2buy.com the SG2 is$99.
Talk about some great deal right? Only problem I have is that my contract would change. As many of you may or may not know, AT&T in their infinite wisdom removed their text tiering plan. It used to be something like $5 for 200 text a month, $15 for 1000 and $20 for unlimited. Because I don't text much, I went with the $5 for 200 text. I also opted into the $30 for unlimited data. I have been grandfathered into these options, but if I get the phone from an outside agency I would have to switch to AT&T's "awesome" $25 for 2gb data plan and be left almost without a text option unless I pay $20 for unlimited which is the only plan they have now. When I say I don't text much, I mean I'm barely breaking 80 a month and that's me really trying.
Now I don't use that much data mostly because of my current location. According to my data usage chart, I'm only using about 500mb a month. While the $25 for 2gb might seem like a good idea, I'd like to know that when I relocate within the next 6 months, that I won't have to worry about going over in data usage. When I'm in an area that has a good 3G connection, I watch a lot of videos when I have downtime and you can shoot past 2gb in no time.
I'm sure a lot of you are saying drop AT&T and what not, but the truth be told, I've never had any problems with them over the last 4 years. I think their rates are reasonable and I love the roll over option. So me leaving them is not an option anytime soon at least not until they royale screw me.
Are you 100% sure reseller's require you to change you data plan if you upgrade through them? If its true, then I would spend the extra money and go to an official AT&T store and buy one. I wouldn't sacrifice my unlimited data for anything.
I agree, do anything you can to keep that Unlimited Data plan.
Man the money you save up front would probably be negated over the course of the contract. If you dont have the money now just wait a spell, the price will come down of course after a while.
You should really look into your calling habits though. If you not using over 2gigs ever then you could save money there. Also with unlimited texts comes the free cell to cell deal. Thats any carriers cell not just att, which makes a huge difference. Everyone's situation is a bit different. att is actually pretty good about working with you on stuff like this. I have had them eat HUGE bills. I hate att for my own reasons, but this is one area where I have to concede their worth. Good luck to you. The phone really is bad ass, best phone I have had to date and I have had my fair share.
You are not forced to change data plan I upgraded to infuse 4g and kept data. I probably gnna get gs2 in a week or so. I do have the unlimited data btw.
Sent from my SGH-I997 using XDA App
You do not lose your grandfathered unl. Data plan. I upgraded at Walmart and dud not. They may tell you that you are but if you call att and raise enough hell you'll keep it. Trust me.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I777 using XDA App
kletiz said:
Are you 100% sure reseller's require you to change you data plan if you upgrade through them? If its true, then I would spend the extra money and go to an official AT&T store and buy one. I wouldn't sacrifice my unlimited data for anything.
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Yes they do. Once you add the phone to your cart, you have to pick a calling and data plan. While AT&Ts calling plans haven't changed, their data and texting plans have and the resellers websites options have changed to reflect that.
stickbo said:
Man the money you save up front would probably be negated over the course of the contract. If you dont have the money now just wait a spell, the price will come down of course after a while.
You should really look into your calling habits though. If you not using over 2gigs ever then you could save money there. Also with unlimited texts comes the free cell to cell deal. Thats any carriers cell not just att, which makes a huge difference.
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I don't talk on my cell that often that why I like the rollover minutes thing. As for going over 2gb, it can happen because I travel a lot and when I'm not at my remote location, I go over 2gb easily. I don't think saving $5 is feasible just because I'm not consistently going over 2gb every month. Right now I pay $30 for unlimited. If I do go with the 2gb plan, I'll be charged $10 for each gig I go over. With unlimited, I'm covered no matter what the hell happens.
cracjackson said:
You are not forced to change data plan I upgraded to infuse 4g and kept data. I probably gnna get gs2 in a week or so. I do have the unlimited data btw.
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This is true if you do the upgrade through AT&T and not a reseller. AT&T isn't willing to cut me a deal on the phone simply because they don't have to. While I do understand this and I have the money to get the new phone at the price they are offering, it's always good to save a few bucks everynow and again.
TOA Duck said:
You do not lose your grandfathered unl. Data plan. I upgraded at Walmart and dud not. They may tell you that you are but if you call att and raise enough hell you'll keep it. Trust me.
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While that might be true, I'm not willing to take that chance. Like I said earlier, you are forced to make a choice for a data plan. If making that choice prevents me from switching back to having unlimited, that would be bad. Saving the money on the phone wont' be worth it in the end.
I just did this on Monday. I was on the old $30 unlimited data and the $5 for 200 text plan.
I got mine at Walmart. The rep had to call AT&T to get it activated. They are able to keep the $30 unlimited data but will require you to upgrade your text plan to get it activated.
However, if you immediately call AT&T (611) and talk to a rep, you CAN get your old $5 for 200 text plan back. It will require the rep to ask their supervisor, but they will do it for you.
Went from old AT&T plan from my iPhone 3GS and still have the unlimited and 200 text messages.
Well it sounds like you've got it all figured out then.with all due respect, I don't understand why you even created this thread when you just countered helpful comments and seemed to have answered your own questions.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I777 using XDA App
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I777 using XDA App
I made this thread to see if anyone else went through a similar situation. Also, if there was some way they managed to keep their plan, they would maybe be able to tell me how they did it.
sigma20xx said:
I made this thread to see if anyone else went through a similar situation. Also, if there was some way they managed to keep their plan, they would maybe be able to tell me how they did it.
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I just did if you read my post above...
I went to AT&T store and and them if they can give me $50 credit for getting the phone and i must keep my current features unchanged. The sales rep agreed and i walked out the store within 20 min with a phone. i paid $200 plus tax but he credited my account $50 right there.
When I bought my Infuse and kept my $5/200 texting plan and unlimited data - the GSII was bought outright off-contractr so didn't affect my account at all.
AT&T corporate stores are the way to go! They might not have the extreme hardware deals, but their representatives are FAR more competent and honest in my opinion.
I just did ths last night
I just upgraded to the S2 last night at an Att corporate store. The person who was ringinh me up told me the THE SAME THING. I need to change my data plan $30 unlimited and my $5 text plan. I have the same exact services as you do. She kept trying to put it through the system and it kept giving her errors saying that she could give me the data plan but not the text plan. In the end she was able to get it done and I kept everything that i had.
All i can tell you is to tell the rep to try every configuration to see if it goes through. If i remember right she ended up finding the text plan that would work but it was near to the bottom of her list.
It is 100% possible to keep because I was in the same exact situation.
I as well. : /
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I777 using XDA App
Complete bull****.
I upgraded @ Best Buy, unlimited data remains.
I don't really text at all so I have no texting plan. I refuse to pay extra for something that costs the network infinitely less the a phone call would have.
You will find that many, if not all representatives will feed you that "Need to Upgrade your plan" line of bull.
It is their JOB! The more people they can trick and fool OFF of their unlimited plans, the more money they can make.
DO NOT EVER BELIEVE THEM!!!
My Best Buy store had some cash register issues when I picked up my SGSII. We had to complete the upgrade over the phone, in store. Can't count the number of times the AT&T guys said I had NO existing Data-Plan. I called Foul, as I've been on the Corporate data plan (for office email) from the beginning.
Now if you try to go the order online / nonhuman route, all bets are off.
I upgraded at Walmart IN STORE and had NO ISSUES keeping my unlimited grandfathered in everything plan. I too have the $30 data and $5 unlimited text plan. I did the SAME THING last year with my captivate but I HAD TO do it in store. Walmarts online LETSTALK would not allow me to keep my current grandfathered in plan and they cancelled my order. So I walked into the Walmart store and got it and kept my grandfathered plan. Just before upgrading to the att SGS2 I called and CONFIRMED that I can and will keep my unlimited plan a.d was assured by the retention department that I would. I called after I left the store with SGS2 in hand and again called att to CONFIRM that my plan is still listed as the Personal unlimited plan (grandfathered plan). The att retention department told me that IF the store gave me ANY ISSUES to just get the phone and call them once it was mine. So stick to your guns in it and don't just give it away.
Sent from My KickAss CM7 Galaxy S2
TOA Duck said:
You do not lose your grandfathered unl. Data plan. I upgraded at Walmart and dud not. They may tell you that you are but if you call att and raise enough hell you'll keep it. Trust me.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I777 using XDA App
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Same here. Just called threw a hissy fit gave it back lol
Sent from AT&T Galaxy S2
I see my best bet would be to walk into Walmart and get that deal on the phone since I can't be sure things will work out with the other online resellers. It seems that buy making your voices heard it was possible to keep your plans. I think what I'm going to do first is call AT&T up and ask the question "If I upgrade my phone through a reseller, will you allow me to keep my current plan" and see what there response is. After that I'll argue with them about how I've been a customer for some years and because I'm renewing my contract, that's the least they could do for me. I'll be sure to get the sales reps name and ID number if they have one. Hell, I might even use my phone and let them know that I'm recording this call for quality assurance. That way I'll have some hard evidence that I was promised that I could keep my plan by the sales rep. I haven't had a reason to use my in call voice recorder but this seems like the perfect time.
Thanks for your input all, I'll let you know how things go and what deal I ended up getting.
Hello,
My contract just ended on my i777 and it's brand new
I want to get the BEST possible prepaid service that would work
in Southern California. I dont need a lot of minutes, at all... Just GOOD FAST
DATA
Any recommendations? I was thinking to just go to walmart on my lunch break and pick up the cheapest prepaid phone that comes with a SIM card. Stupid ATT wants me to sign another 2 year contract with them for shoddy as capped service. I told them they better start treating me right towards the end of my contract, but NOOOOOOOOOO... the service provider is always right Stupid capped data text message was the last straw... I have "Unlimited" and I never went past 2gb... the ONE time I use netflix, I got the text
LOL... Thanks!
I gave quite a fair warning to ATT towards the end of my contract too... My account is a business account for SONY and I even mentioned that I will contact the administration department regarding their ****ty service and no one cares ...sooooooo, they shut my service off because I am not going to pay a 90 dollar month to month capped service fee that doesnt even work in my area.. (At home I get about half mb MAX DL speed).. when I go to work (about 5 miles away) I get 4 MB... One mile away from that, Id be lucky to get 200kb lol. Its just shoddy as service and its time I start sticking it to the MAN Lol
ssmr2t said:
Hello,
My contract just ended on my i777 and it's brand new
I want to get the BEST possible prepaid service that would work
in Southern California. I dont need a lot of minutes, at all... Just GOOD FAST
DATA
Any recommendations? I was thinking to just go to walmart on my lunch break and pick up the cheapest prepaid phone that comes with a SIM card. Stupid ATT wants me to sign another 2 year contract with them for shoddy as capped service. I told them they better start treating me right towards the end of my contract, but NOOOOOOOOOO... the service provider is always right Stupid capped data text message was the last straw... I have "Unlimited" and I never went past 2gb... the ONE time I use netflix, I got the text
LOL... Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If your contract is up, and you still have "unlimited" data...stick with that. You're not gonna find anything better by going prepaid.
Its not unlimited dude... unlimited is unlimited. Id understand if you advertise unlimited service within reason, but thats not what I was sold about 5 years ago with my original Iphone.. Im on a gradfathered plan that doesnt mean anything. Its code slang for "These people are stupid and old since they have been with us for so long so lets rape them some more"
I dont even need a lot of data... just enough to get by... MAX is about 4 GB in a BUSY ASS MONTH LOL, (traveling etc...which is NEVER really)
ssmr2t said:
Its not unlimited dude... unlimited is unlimited.
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Clearly. That's why I put the word in quotes. What I'm telling you is, even though it's crappy, you're not going to get any better service by going prepaid. In fact, it'll be worse. From what I can tell, you can't even get HSPA+ data on a prepaid plan...only 3G. Maybe even only EDGE, I'm not sure. Someone correct me if I'm wrong.
mattdm said:
Clearly. That's why I put the word in quotes. What I'm telling you is, even though it's crappy, you're not going to get any better service by going prepaid. In fact, it'll be worse. From what I can tell, you can't even get HSPA+ data on a prepaid plan...only 3G. Maybe even only EDGE, I'm not sure. Someone correct me if I'm wrong.
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Click to collapse
In the US, you're only going to get prepaid through AT&T or T-Mobile. Our phones can only use Edge on T-Mo.
Keep the service (for now) until you find something better. As stated in the earlier posts by other, there is no better plan that what you got ATM.
I am on a 2GB plan with AT&T and I still feel that I am getting throttled. Your "unlimited" plan will let you go up to 5GB for $25 before they throttled you, that better than mine at 2GB for $30.
BeenAndroidized said:
Keep the service (for now) until you find something better. As stated in the earlier posts by other, there is no better plan that what you got ATM.
I am on a 2GB plan with AT&T and I still feel that I am getting throttled. Your "unlimited" plan will let you go up to 5GB for $25 before they throttled you, that better than mine at 2GB for $30.
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Click to collapse
I think you have those prices reversed. The unlimited plan has traditionally been $30, and the 2GB plan is now $25.
Prepaid service
Hey im a few months late in this thread but ive been weighing my off contract cell service options and looks like you could use some help...you actually have a few much much better choices out there that will save money and still keep you off contract...
ok, i currently use H20 wireless right now and it is $60 a month with 2 gigs of data...they just started to downgrade data speeds with this plan from 4g to 3g after 500mb of useage. They stared this about 1 month ago :/
And unfortuneately they completely cut off the data after 2 gigs
The great thing about H20 however is that it is more or less an ATT sim card with an H20 logo...100% exact same coverage...Also you dont need to unlock your AT&T phone to use with H20 =)
Now your second and perhaps best option that i have found is to go with Straight talk...
they offer prepaid service that uses att´s, t mobile´s, and verizon´s service coverage depending on the plan you choose (just like h20 it is 100% the same coverage you would get with those companies).
The plans cost $45 a month for unlimited Talk Text & data and they do not cut off your data and apparently dont throttle either! They are selling Sims now on their website...(you would want to get the ATT compatible sim for your i777
you could cut your bill in half and stay off contract...id go with straight talk for sure...good luck!
STEvFIN said:
Hey im a few months late in this thread but ive been weighing my off contract cell service options and looks like you could use some help...you actually have a few much much better choices out there that will save money and still keep you off contract...
ok, i currently use H20 wireless right now and it is $60 a month with 2 gigs of data...they just started to downgrade data speeds with this plan from 4g to 3g after 500mb of useage. They stared this about 1 month ago :/
And unfortuneately they completely cut off the data after 2 gigs
The great thing about H20 however is that it is more or less an ATT sim card with an H20 logo...100% exact same coverage...Also you dont need to unlock your AT&T phone to use with H20 =)
Now your second and perhaps best option that i have found is to go with Straight talk...
they offer prepaid service that uses att´s, t mobile´s, and verizon´s service coverage depending on the plan you choose (just like h20 it is 100% the same coverage you would get with those companies).
The plans cost $45 a month for unlimited Talk Text & data and they do not cut off your data and apparently dont throttle either! They are selling Sims now on their website...(you would want to get the ATT compatible sim for your i777
you could cut your bill in half and stay off contract...id go with straight talk for sure...good luck!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
But if you read straight talk's agreement look at the data section. They basically tell you what is ok to use data for and what is not, and that if you excessively use it and go over the average you can have your account canceled. I read through it and I think it even said no streaming of media of any kind(or maybe it was just video)
graffixnyc said:
But if you read straight talk's agreement look at the data section. They basically tell you what is ok to use data for and what is not, and that if you excessively use it and go over the average you can have your account canceled. I read through it and I think it even said no streaming of media of any kind(or maybe it was just video)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That is correct, all prepaid services essentially may cut off your data completely at any time for any reason... it's in the contract...ridiculous hu?. However since the original poster says he almost never goes over his limit of 2GB, he shouldn't have any trouble at all. Also these companies send you numerous warnings before they cut you off (in my experiences- which i've had simple mobile and H20).
One thing that will set them off is tethering...more specifically when you are already past 2gb and are continuing to tether. Also I spoke to a rep he told me that it is unlimited and isn't throttled...but as we both know they do have the power to do as they want. As far a media streaming, they more so discourage it rather than forbid it...never have had a warning message for streaming content (netflix skype etc)
If you want to be off contract and do it cheap then straight talk will be the cheapest with the most data...there is no comparison
Are they, StraighTalk & H20, offering HSPA+ or even LTE in some area or just 3G and EDGE?
If they truly offer unlimited as they advertise, then it is a great deal.
Somehow, I keep thinking "it's too good to be true" and I don't want to be trapped into some kinds of fine print.
votinh said:
Are they, StraighTalk & H20, offering HSPA+ or even LTE in some area or just 3G and EDGE?
If they truly offer unlimited as they advertise, then it is a great deal.
Somehow, I keep thinking "it's too good to be true" and I don't want to be trapped into some kinds of fine print.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I do not believe they handle LTE but they do Edge, 3g and HSPA+ but it depends on your area as to what you can get. I have ST on my i777 and I get all 3. HSPA+ is preferred but in my area 3g is more what I get unless I am very near a tower. My town is restricted by there not being enough towers around but when I am near a better one I get H+ all day long.
Thanks for the confirmation, chris.
Still not really sure what unlimited means for Straight Talk as no one else really knows. I do know they will cancel you for using to much data. I have read that the most data is 2 gb a month,2000 to 5000 each for messaging and talk. I dont use to much data and never will use the other minutes up so this is a great deal for me. Under 48.00 a month. Beats almost the 80 I was paying. I do get H+ but I think thats only for data. Pretty sure 3g for everything else. Never had any problems with ATT. Just paying to much money!!! 15.00 for an ATT Sim and 330.00 for my GS2 priceless!!!!
REOGrand said:
Still not really sure what unlimited means for Straight Talk as no one else really knows. I do know they will cancel you for using to much data. I have read that the most data is 2 gb a month,2000 to 5000 each for messaging and talk. I dont use to much data and never will use the other minutes up so this is a great deal for me. Under 48.00 a month. Beats almost the 80 I was paying. I do get H+ but I think thats only for data. Pretty sure 3g for everything else. Never had any problems with ATT. Just paying to much money!!! 15.00 for an ATT Sim and 330.00 for my GS2 priceless!!!!
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Click to collapse
Unlimited means that it is unlimited until ofcourse they decide you are using too much or too fast, which surely they have guidelins, but we will never know.
...the best approach to teathering would be to teather via an application
...It costs $30 with AT&T to utilize the teathering feature so obviously straight talk (running on AT&Ts network in this case) doesnt want customers using this feature.
...my Atrix (not yet rooted) cant utilize teathering with my H20 service (also uses AT&T´s network) because i get the "sorry you havent paid for tethering service bla bla bla)
...a good app to use would be pdanet... it will look as if you are just using a normal app (carriers have ways to detect if you are infact teathering).
-you can sideload pdanet with an excellent program called the sideload wonder machine ...just serch it in google
...If you use the AT&T´s stock teathering feature on your phone they will know you are teathering.
...i will try and call tomorrow and try to get some kindof breakdown of why they cap and shut off data...and in some cases accounts :/
hope this helps
ssmr2t said:
Hello,
My contract just ended on my i777 and it's brand new
I want to get the BEST possible prepaid service that would work
in Southern California. I dont need a lot of minutes, at all... Just GOOD FAST
DATA
Any recommendations? I was thinking to just go to walmart on my lunch break and pick up the cheapest prepaid phone that comes with a SIM card. Stupid ATT wants me to sign another 2 year contract with them for shoddy as capped service. I told them they better start treating me right towards the end of my contract, but NOOOOOOOOOO... the service provider is always right Stupid capped data text message was the last straw... I have "Unlimited" and I never went past 2gb... the ONE time I use netflix, I got the text
LOL... Thanks!
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For the best prepaid service Page plus might be good a good choice since it operates on verizon's network... Here in Florida verizon is by far the best without question. Although since it's a cdma network obviously you would have to sell your phone and get a verizon or something that has been flashed to verizon....
The plan isnt half bad either...
$55 unlimited talk text/picture messages
However they only give you 1gb of data but in your case it sounds like it may be sufficient for ya.
You can activate any verizon phone on Page plus except for the 4g phones... I haven't yet tried an iphone 4s but I will look into it.
Sent from my MB860 using XDA
redpocket is decent though
shoobiedoobiiwhompwop said:
redpocket is decent though
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They are indeed... $59.99 with 2gb data... Prettymuch 2nd best that I know of... H2O is only 1gb and no unlimited mms (comes out of your 1gb). Speaking of redpocket... I work at a repair/retail store and my boss was talking to a customer about the available prepaid options for AT&T and he says "and there is one that's pretty good I believe it's called Red Rocket" I laughed so hard I cried lol.
Sent from my HTC Glacier using xda premium
Nomophobia, as in "No mobile phone phobia!" I found this article interesting because, 1. Its definately me. 2. The one chick checks her phone 50 times a day? Please, Im triple that easy!!!!90% of the time im awake, Im on my phone! News, Facebook, bank, XDA, text, 401K, ZumoCast to my home computer, Playstation Network! I can go on forever!
http://usnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2...our-cellphone-nomophobia-on-the-rise#comments
yep, i got it. and it drags me away from my PC more and more every day as they become more powerful. i mean really, there is not much technology out there that is more handy then a smartphone. i cant read the news for hours on less then 2000mAh on my laptop, but i can on my phone!
and 50 times... i get more then 100 text messages a day, plus 30-50 emails, then phones calls and internet surfing... yeah i def beat her mark of 50. i use my phone as my clock, it would be interesting to see how many times i do turn my screen on. im guessing id be well over 400.
@lroy, I'm probally in the 400+ range also. And speaking of computer, I was just telling guest Sunday, I could not tell you the last time I physically sat at my desk at home or moved that laptop off the coffee table. (She asked could she have it!). The only reason my desktop is powered on is I use ZumoCast when I'm out to access it! Hell, I even program my cable box when I want to see something and I know I will not make it home!
I wanted to bring this back to the front. Last week a friend mentioned she could not take pictures, I replaced 2Gb Card with 16Gb Card for $19.99. Same friend came over and told me she could not send text, told her to delete all of them, fixed! She just now called and asked if her daughter can come over Saturday and I replace her card like I did hers..........This got me to thinking, over the last month or so, I have helped 8+ people with something or another. If your not going to use the features of the smartphone, why spend $600.00? You can still look cool and spend alot less money? And Im not talking about rooting or unlocking, I'm talking about simple, everyday life things to make life simple in which the device was made for?
1. Most of these people did not even know Bank of America had an app to check your bank account? (Members1st Credit Union either?)
2. None knew that you can program your Comcast DVR from your phone?
3. All thought you had to pay $29.99 for hotspot?
4. None knew about Google Music?
5. I tell people about Douphin Browser and they look at me like Im crazy?
6. No one, including my boss who is IT manger knew about Nexflix on smartphone?
Maybe it's me being anal, but you would not get at $2000.00 TV and not know how to use it right? and look at all the phones coming to market now, bigger, faster, larger, etc............. Again, just me!
dsims7_2000 said:
Maybe it's me being anal, but you would not get at $2000.00 TV and not know how to use it right?
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That's US carrier subsidies for you!
Carrier subsidies have f^@k*! up the entire system; $600-$700 devices being sold for $200 or less. People don't value smartphones at all.
Think of it, in reality smartphones cost more than most laptops, televisions and audio equipment etc.
Do people upgrade their TVs every year or two? Heck no! But carrier subsidies allow us to buy brand new phones for $200 every 2 years. And in case of Android phones, wait for 6-to-10 months and some models can be had for $100 or even close to free. Who doesn't like that?
And in turn to make their money, these carriers make us sign contracts and buy expensive data plans even if we don't want to.
I don't know of any other country in the world where they make you buy a data plan if you want to run a smartphone on their network.
You simply buy a phone and buy a plan, that's how it should work.
Lots of people I know in other countries have bought their own phones and run it with a simple voice-only plan. If they need data they pay only for what they use. No $40 data plan forced upon them. I wish our major carriers would adopt this policy.
Heck, I will leave Sprint if something doesn't change soon.
I've been with them for 10 years now and paying $80/month for ****ty service.
I'm waiting to see how its LTE network turns out before resigning any contracts.
DH can $uck it with his unlimited plans!
Ok....rant over! Taking a deep breath now....!
OK, My OP was NOT about data plans and contracts (althought you have some truth), I know people that have had their phone for over 10 years, he** I lost a bet because co-worker has flip Sprint phone with SIM card. That said, it is/was about people buying $600.00+ phones to take pictures and text, PERIOD!!! you can get a free phone for that. If your not going to utilize your smartphone with all it can do, why get it?
As for Data Plans, I have been to..........23 countries in the last 5 years. I took AT&T Tilt, flashed it, VodoPhone SIM from Airport, I'm good. I really only used data twice a day for a few minutes if that. But yes, phone only for your used minutes and what data you uses is subtracted from your minutes, no biggie. But also remember, they don't get the $100.00 up front and 2-year contract, they pay full then pick a plan. (For the record, no matter what phone I had, its not working in South Korea with WCDMA!)
dsims7_2000 said:
OK, My OP was NOT about data plans and contracts (althought you have some truth), That said, it is/was about people buying $600.00+ phones to take pictures and text, PERIOD!!! you can get a free phone for that. If your not going to utilize your smartphone with all it can do, why get it?
As for Data Plans, I have been to..........23 countries in the last 5 years. I took AT&T Tilt, flashed it, VodoPhone SIM from Airport, I'm good. I really only used data twice a day for a few minutes if that. But yes, phone only for your used minutes and what data you uses is subtracted from your minutes, no biggie. But also remember, they don't get the $100.00 up front and 2-year contract, they pay full then pick a plan. (For the record, no matter what phone I had, its not working in South Korea with WCDMA!)
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Yeah, sorry about that, didn't mean to hijack your thread.
I would gladly buy my phone at full price if they allowed me the freedom of choosing my plan. But they don't. So I end up paying $100-$200 for the phone and then $1800 over the next 24 months in service charges.
I check my phone for email several times a day (definitely less than 50) but I am an average user with regards to every day usage.
I am around Wi-Fi 95% of the time and so are most users, so I don't need or want their ($hitty & spotty) internet service.
My gripe is this: keep the unlimited plans for those who want it but allow those who don't want it to buy a cheaper plan.
The other thing that really p!$$#$ me off is the iPhone!
As everyone well knows, subsidies are the highest for the iPhones. And where do carriers recover their money, in the plans and contracts. I hate it that I pay money for services that I can never fully utilize so that others can have their iPhones. If iPhones were sold at retail without subsidies, we wouldn't have all the iDiots!
Coming back to your original topic: I'm definitely addicted. I need my phone and check it regularly for email, messages, clock, workouts etc.
I'm hooked and can't live without it now.
Hi everyone, first thread and first post on this forum, i was really thinking about getting the new lumia .. but what i thought is... Contract or pay as you go??
We've seen so far that new phones with new hardware and new features are getting released pretty much every 6months, (iphone 5s? upcoming nexus?)..
so my question is, do you guys feel confident about being "stuck" 24 months with nokia lumia 920, or you will not risk and go for a pay as you go deal? :good:
Hi, end of 2008, I bought the HTC Touch HD because I thought it was quiet well competing with the iPhone 2, even though the iPhone 3 was already coming (but I hate so much the iTunes environment!).
Today, 4 years later, I'm still using my old Touch HD everyday, and I'm very happy of it even though it is getting quiet old now and I'm thinking of moving to the Lumia 920.
Anyway, just to say that the Lumia 920 will most probably no longer be the best one in 6 months of course, and probably no longer the Nokia's best one in one year when an upgrade of the Lumia series comes out with thinner, lighter, faster, stronger phones...
But what is sure is that you will be able to have a lot of fun with it even maybe in 2 or 4 years when it is no longer the newest phone on the market.
Better example, the HTC Touch HD2 which is really know as a killer phone even though it is no longer that great compared to the new devices.
So the real question is if you are used to change your phone often or not.
Keep in mind you can always sell your Lumia 920 next year, probably at half of its current price... especially if Windows Phone 8 rocks .
Personnally, as my company is paying for my SIM card, I will for sure just buy the Lumia 920 as is, without any carrier contract or so.
hey finally a reply, well im not really changing phone so often, since i have no money ahah but yeah, just wanted to see what other people think about getting it in contract..i think i will anyway thanks for your reply
any other thoughts people?
bellasahbella said:
hey finally a reply, well im not really changing phone so often, since i have no money ahah but yeah, just wanted to see what other people think about getting it in contract..i think i will anyway thanks for your reply
any other thoughts people?
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With a data heavy device like a smartphone, it would be wiser (and cheaper) to go with contract. AT&T's prepaid options are rather expensive when it comes to using data on a smartphone. Windows Phone being such a connected device would not be very fun to use on a very limited data plan or on no data plan at all (or any phone really).
At the end of the day, you have to pay for service anyway. You may as well spend a little extra money for a little more convenience, a smaller upfront cost (phone wise), and better overall data options.
I could never go prepaid, no matter how cheap it is. There is little value in it, in my opinion.
prjkthack, you are right for the US market, but for instance, here, in Belgium, you can have much data with a prepaid offer with Mobile Vikings (€15 per month, so around $20 per month, for 2GB of non-restricted data + 1H phone calls + 1000 SMS + 1H phone calls per day to other Mobile Vikings phone numbers).
And as far as I'm concerned, I cannot go for a contract as my company is paying for my contract, so if I want another phone, I can just buy a new one...
That being said, I think it really depends on each person, case and country .
michoob said:
prjkthack, you are right for the US market, but for instance, here, in Belgium, you can have much data with a prepaid offer with Mobile Vikings (€15 per month, so around $20 per month, for 2GB of non-restricted data + 1H phone calls + 1000 SMS + 1H phone calls per day to other Mobile Vikings phone numbers).
And as far as I'm concerned, I cannot go for a contract as my company is paying for my contract, so if I want another phone, I can just buy a new one...
That being said, I think it really depends on each person, case and country .
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Oh yeah, I'm totally speaking from the perspective of purchasing a phone/plan in the US. I know little about other areas of the world, except that its far more common to purchase phones for full price and without a contract than it is here in the US. I wish the US were that way as well, as it certainly has more benefits than downsides (I try to purchase un-subsidized whenever I can), but sadly the market here and the overall mentality of how to purchase phones has been muddled with contracts and subsidization.
prjkthack said:
With a data heavy device like a smartphone, it would be wiser (and cheaper) to go with contract. AT&T's prepaid options are rather expensive when it comes to using data on a smartphone. Windows Phone being such a connected device would not be very fun to use on a very limited data plan or on no data plan at all (or any phone really).
At the end of the day, you have to pay for service anyway. You may as well spend a little extra money for a little more convenience, a smaller upfront cost (phone wise), and better overall data options.
I could never go prepaid, no matter how cheap it is. There is little value in it, in my opinion.
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You need to do the math. Buying on contract is a HUGE waste of money.
AnyMal said:
You need to do the math. Buying on contract is a HUGE waste of money.
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I never said it wasn't a waste of money.
Its definitely more expensive, but there is a tradeoff between using a prepaid service versus a contract.
There is value in both, and I'm looking for the best phones with the best coverage, services, and convenience. Contract is the only option that gives that.
Prepaid gives you low prices (on certain things) and flexibility.
More expensive? Yes, but you get more for your money on contract, versus the bare minimum on prepaid. There is a reason why you pay less on prepaid, and its simply because you get less. You don't need math to know that. For some people, that's enough, but I don't want enough, I want my money's worth, and I'm willing to spend a little more to get all the extras. Prepaid data is also commonly more expensive on prepaid services, and with all the data these smartphones use, the cost of it can easily meet or exceed the cost of contract-based smartphone/data plans. Prepaid is totally the way to go if all you want is a basic phone, but for quality smartphone hardware and service, only contract can provide that (with few exceptions).
prjkthack said:
I never said it wasn't a waste of money.
Its definitely more expensive, but there is a tradeoff between using a prepaid service versus a contract.
There is value in both, and I'm looking for the best phones with the best coverage, services, and convenience. Contract is the only option that gives that.
Prepaid gives you low prices (on certain things) and flexibility.
More expensive? Yes, but you get more for your money on contract, versus the bare minimum on prepaid. There is a reason why you pay less on prepaid, and its simply because you get less. You don't need math to know that. For some people, that's enough, but I don't want enough, I want my money's worth, and I'm willing to spend a little more to get all the extras. Prepaid data is also commonly more expensive on prepaid services, and with all the data these smartphones use, the cost of it can easily meet or exceed the cost of contract-based smartphone/data plans. Prepaid is totally the way to go if all you want is a basic phone, but for quality smartphone hardware and service, only contract can provide that (with few exceptions).
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Huh? With Straight Talk I am getting exactly same service I was getting with AT&T, all for a measly $45 per month. What am I missing?
AnyMal said:
Huh? With Straight Talk I am getting exactly same service I was getting with AT&T, all for a measly $45 per month. What am I missing?
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StraightTalk (TracFone) is nice, and is probably one of the better prepaid services out there, but there are still some downsides:
4G LTE - Currently, no access to AT&T, Verizon, or Sprint's 4G LTE network.
Customer Service - there is none. robots upon robots on the phone, then if you can get to someone, they are foreign people who are difficult to understand, and who ultimately have a toolset that does not allow many changes or much flexibility for them unless they speak to someone higher up. If you don't want to deal with someone on the phone, then you can go to Walmart, where you can... oh wait, there's no customer service there either. -_-'
Coverage and roaming - Exactly the same as TracFone (since it is TracFone). Depending on your phone, you get AT&T and/or T-Mobile, or Verizon and/or Sprint. You don't get access to these carrier's extended roaming agreements, which means that roaming is limited to non-existent. Not to mention
Online support - Abysmal. Nowhere near the amount of tools and options for managing your account as any contract carrier can provide you.
Devices - StraightTalk's selection of phones is typical of a prepaid carrier. Poor choices for basic phones and older/slower hardware for whatever small amount of smartphones they offer. To get a real phone, you need to BYOD and that costs a pretty penny (that most people are unwilling to pay).
Additional features - StraightTalk is, like most other prepaid carriers, barebones. Individual line service (no family plans), less international/roaming options, less extra features (stuff like FamilyMap, roadside assitance, AT&T Navigator, A-List, Insurance, etc.), little to not infrastructure to sort out issues coverage wise or technical issues with your cellular service, advanced billing/tracking/history functionality, no official support for wireless hotspot/tethering, and a long list of common data activities that are not supported by StraightTalk (violation of the terms can lead to the end of your service with StraightTalk), etc.
And really this goes for all prepaid carriers. None of them offer the depth and comprehensiveness as a contract carrier can. There is a reason why the prepaid carriers piggyback off of the big carriers, they simply don't have the infrastructure or support (or money) to really provide you a fleshed out mobile service. MVNOs also come and go very frequently, so while you can be pretty sure that AT&T and Verizon (and maybe Sprint and T-Mobile) will be around for a while, you can't say the same for prepaid carriers. So many pop-up every year and die off shortly (RIP Helio). Its a tough business.
prjkthack said:
StraightTalk (TracFone) is nice, and is probably one of the better prepaid services out there, but there are still some downsides:
4G LTE - Currently, no access to AT&T, Verizon, or Sprint's 4G LTE network.
Customer Service - there is none. robots upon robots on the phone, then if you can get to someone, they are foreign people who are difficult to understand, and who ultimately have a toolset that does not allow many changes or much flexibility for them unless they speak to someone higher up. If you don't want to deal with someone on the phone, then you can go to Walmart, where you can... oh wait, there's no customer service there either. -_-'
Coverage and roaming - Exactly the same as TracFone (since it is TracFone). Depending on your phone, you get AT&T and/or T-Mobile, or Verizon and/or Sprint. You don't get access to these carrier's extended roaming agreements, which means that roaming is limited to non-existent. Not to mention
Online support - Abysmal. Nowhere near the amount of tools and options for managing your account as any contract carrier can provide you.
Devices - StraightTalk's selection of phones is typical of a prepaid carrier. Poor choices for basic phones and older/slower hardware for whatever small amount of smartphones they offer. To get a real phone, you need to BYOD and that costs a pretty penny (that most people are unwilling to pay).
Additional features - StraightTalk is, like most other prepaid carriers, barebones. Individual line service (no family plans), less international/roaming options, less extra features (stuff like FamilyMap, roadside assitance, AT&T Navigator, A-List, Insurance, etc.), little to not infrastructure to sort out issues coverage wise or technical issues with your cellular service, advanced billing/tracking/history functionality, no official support for wireless hotspot/tethering, and a long list of common data activities that are not supported by StraightTalk (violation of the terms can lead to the end of your service with StraightTalk), etc.
And really this goes for all prepaid carriers. None of them offer the depth and comprehensiveness as a contract carrier can. There is a reason why the prepaid carriers piggyback off of the big carriers, they simply don't have the infrastructure or support (or money) to really provide you a fleshed out mobile service. MVNOs also come and go very frequently, so while you can be pretty sure that AT&T and Verizon (and maybe Sprint and T-Mobile) will be around for a while, you can't say the same for prepaid carriers. So many pop-up every year and die off shortly (RIP Helio). Its a tough business.
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None of your points are compelling or even valid to begin with.
4G LTE - even for AT&T customers it's only available in handful of locations. Heck, even if it was widely available, HSPA is plenty fast for all data applications.
Customer service - only used once. Filled out an online form and was contacted back in few hours. I also hear that you can get a hold of them even quicker through Facebook.
Coverage and Roaming - not an issue. I am covered no matter where I am as long as I am on AT&T. I travel extensively and my service is identical to what it was when I was paying to AT&T, but at the fraction of the cost.
Online support - covered above.
Devices - not an issue. Tons of smartphones are available on the secondary market for any budget.
Additional Features - Two all-you-can-eat lines with ST cost me exactly the same as a single line with AT&T. Nobody in their right mind should pay AT&T (or any other carriers) for "ripsurance". It's a rip off, plain and simple. All other services you mention should not be obtained from AT&T either; they can be obtained for free or for a lot less elsewhere. I do not know what "data activities" you're referring to, but I stream audio and video all the time, and use the hotspot frequently, but I am yet to run into any issues. Sure, you can get throttled or even cut off if you abuse your data plan, but the same goes for AT&T as well.
Bottom line, OP asked about the most economical way, and there is absolutely no denying that PAYGo IS the way to go, even if you have to pay full price of the device up front. There is no way of fooling the simple math.
AnyMal said:
None of your points are compelling or even valid to begin with.
4G LTE - even for AT&T customers it's only available in handful of locations. Heck, even if it was widely available, HSPA is plenty fast for all data applications.
Customer service - only used once. Filled out an online form and was contacted back in few hours. I also hear that you can get a hold of them even quicker through Facebook.
Coverage and Roaming - not an issue. I am covered no matter where I am as long as I am on AT&T. I travel extensively and my service is identical to what it was when I was paying to AT&T, but at the fraction of the cost.
Online support - covered above.
Devices - not an issue. Tons of smartphones are available on the secondary market for any budget.
Additional Features - Two all-you-can-eat lines with ST cost me exactly the same as a single line with AT&T. Nobody in their right mind should pay AT&T (or any other carriers) for "ripsurance". It's a rip off, plain and simple. All other services you mention should not be obtained from AT&T either; they can be obtained for free or for a lot less elsewhere. I do not know what "data activities" you're referring to, but I stream audio and video all the time, and use the hotspot frequently, but I am yet to run into any issues. Sure, you can get throttled or even cut off if you abuse your data plan, but the same goes for AT&T as well.
Bottom line, OP asked about the most economical way, and there is absolutely no denying that PAYGo IS the way to go, even if you have to pay full price of the device up front. There is no way of fooling the simple math.
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Read your Terms of Service. StraightTalk specifically prohibits many common data activities. Have you even used LTE before? A world of a difference. I do agree that AT&T's HSPA+ network can't be beat, but dropping from LTE to HSPA (or even worse) is just not fun. And when it comes to devices, I'm not talking about the hundreds of below-average smartphones that you can of course get for bargain basement prices. These are computers after all, you don't want to be caught with a below-average device. I'm talking about getting the best of the best (such as the Lumia 920, which is what the OP is talking about). Speaking about the average consumer, dropping $700 to $900 for a top of the line device is just not an option. A contract gives you the option to get great service and awesome devices. So while dropping a wad of cash for a phone may not be an issue for you, it is for most of the country. Facebook does not equal online support. It compliments it, but does not replace it. You can get your issue resolved in a few hours, I can take care of it in a few minutes. Be glad that you only had to use customer service once, because when you have any real issues, it won't be fun. And insurance can be a rip-off for some, and a life-saver for others. Really all depends on what's going on.
Bottom line, OP didn't ask for a math lesson. OP wanted our opinions of postpaid vs prepaid, and while we can all agree to disagree, there is no doubt that both sides have their advantages and disadvantages regardless of whether you pay a little more or a little less. Value is subjective. Its up to the OP to decide what is more valuable to him/herself.
I am with Rogers Canada with 2 years left on my contract. I do not want to renew my contract for another 3 years yet so that I can get the 920 for the subsidized price.
Given that Rogers will offer the 920 off-contract for $600+ and having to wait for them to release the updates, it seems my best option will be to buy the 920 factory unlocked from eBay or so and use it on the Rogers network.
When it gets old or when I want to change phones, I can easily sell it. That is a much better option than locking yourself up with your provider for longer if you don't have a hardware upgrade to use.
Hi Bella welcome to the forums,
As for your question there are both pluses and minuses to contract/prepaid. Personally I find it better for me to go the prepaid route. I will be purchasing this phone internationally unlocked (screw you AT&T and your branding also hoping international phone is pentaband like fcc papers state) for about ~$600 USD +/-.
I really like T-Mobo's monthly 4G thingy they have (100 mins/ultd text/ultd data (throttled after 5GB) for only 30.00/month. Lucky me T-mobile has refarmed my area so I'll be getting 3G speeds instead of 2G speeds b/c of lack of AWS band on L920. I'll be saving a bunch compared to contract in the long haul but initially will cost quite the penny b/c of phone purchase (but hey that's why I've been saving :laugh
I'm really not a big fan of Carriers and their plans Hope you make the right choice for you and enjoy your upcoming Lumia 920
prjkthack said:
Read your Terms of Service. StraightTalk specifically prohibits many common data activities. Have you even used LTE before? A world of a difference. I do agree that AT&T's HSPA+ network can't be beat, but dropping from LTE to HSPA (or even worse) is just not fun. And when it comes to devices, I'm not talking about the hundreds of below-average smartphones that you can of course get for bargain basement prices. These are computers after all, you don't want to be caught with a below-average device. I'm talking about getting the best of the best (such as the Lumia 920, which is what the OP is talking about). Speaking about the average consumer, dropping $700 to $900 for a top of the line device is just not an option. A contract gives you the option to get great service and awesome devices. So while dropping a wad of cash for a phone may not be an issue for you, it is for most of the country. Facebook does not equal online support. It compliments it, but does not replace it. You can get your issue resolved in a few hours, I can take care of it in a few minutes. Be glad that you only had to use customer service once, because when you have any real issues, it won't be fun. And insurance can be a rip-off for some, and a life-saver for others. Really all depends on what's going on.
Bottom line, OP didn't ask for a math lesson. OP wanted our opinions of postpaid vs prepaid, and while we can all agree to disagree, there is no doubt that both sides have their advantages and disadvantages regardless of whether you pay a little more or a little less. Value is subjective. Its up to the OP to decide what is more valuable to him/herself.
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Just my two cents, I get 4g LTE on straight talk using an ATT device... I pay $45 a month and bought an HTC One X brand new for 300 online. Over the course of two years that's $1380 as opposed to $2355 through ATT. With taxes and other applicable fees that difference increases even moreso making prepaid a pretty obvious choice.
Poecifer said:
Just my two cents, I get 4g LTE on straight talk using an ATT device... I pay $45 a month and bought an HTC One X brand new for 300 online. Over the course of two years that's $1380 as opposed to $2355 through ATT. With taxes and other applicable fees that difference increases even moreso making prepaid a pretty obvious choice.
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How did you get LTE on your device? You need a special SIM in order to do that, and right now, per AT&T's company policy, only AT&T has those special LTE SIM cards. StraightTalk only officially distributes regular AT&T 3G SIM cards rebranded for StraightTalk. I imagine sometime in the future they'll allow MVNOs to use the LTE network, but right now, they are not.
Not that I don't believe you, but are you sure you are getting 4G LTE? The One X (and any 4G LTE device really) specifically has a 4G LTE icon in the top tray when you are on it (at least on an official ROM, if you are on a custom ROM, then who knows what you are really on, lol). An icon that says 4G is not the same as 4G LTE, just so you know.
If you are getting 4G LTE, I'm sure sharing how is good because a lot of people would love to know how, as that is one of the big downsides of any MVNO at the moment.
I'm currently on a Prepaid deal, whereby I get $1000 talk and text + 2gb (or so) data, for $60 per month with Telstra in Australia.
Compare that to the $60 plan, which currently, in nokia terms, gets you a Lumia 800 $0 upfront and $0 extra per month, with $600 worth of bonuses and 1.5gb of data. There isn't that much between them.
In the end, $60 per month is still $60 per month, and it'd be nice to get a phone out of it too.
Sent from my LT26i using xda app-developers app
Prepay is a better alternative.
Sent from my HTC Glacier using xda premium
Well, look at this from the overall standpoint. $60 contract is $1440 over 24 months, phone included. Spending $60 per month prepaid plus a, for argument's sake, $500 outright phone is $1940 per 24 months.
I barely touch the $1000 talk&text, as most of my expenditure is mobile data, and what's 500MB less a month anyway?
In short, for me, with my usage, the Contract probably wouldn't be such a bad move.
In full, that's just me. Your choice of carrier, phone, plan/prepaid, etc. needs to be decided based on HOW you will use your phone, not what people say in a forum.
Sent from my LT26i using xda app-developers app
prjkthack said:
How did you get LTE on your device? You need a special SIM in order to do that, and right now, per AT&T's company policy, only AT&T has those special LTE SIM cards. StraightTalk only officially distributes regular AT&T 3G SIM cards rebranded for StraightTalk. I imagine sometime in the future they'll allow MVNOs to use the LTE network, but right now, they are not.
Not that I don't believe you, but are you sure you are getting 4G LTE? The One X (and any 4G LTE device really) specifically has a 4G LTE icon in the top tray when you are on it (at least on an official ROM, if you are on a custom ROM, then who knows what you are really on, lol). An icon that says 4G is not the same as 4G LTE, just so you know.
If you are getting 4G LTE, I'm sure sharing how is good because a lot of people would love to know how, as that is one of the big downsides of any MVNO at the moment.
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Not sure really, I used a sim card provided by StraightTalk allocated for ATT's phones. I specifically ordered the micro rather than cutting it like myself as I've done in the past and now I get the 4g LTE symbol and I regularly get about 38-43 mbps download speeds. This is much better than 4-9 I was getting prior.