Save $ on cell service -- Ting Mobile / Solavei (+ other MVNOs) (2 Viewers)

[Mr. Ected]

FYI, iPhone 5 coming to Ting next week

Hey Hulk,

With this quote from Ting:

As of Tuesday afternoon next week (March 11, 2014), a compatible* iPhone 5 will be able to activate on Ting. Well be communicating all the gory details at that time. For right now, we only mention it so that if youre thinking of coming to Ting and youve got your eye on an iPhone 4 or 4S, youre aware that there will soon be other options. Forewarned is four-armed, as the saying almost goes.

and their definition of 'compatible' as 'an inactive, used Sprint device that hasnt been reported as lost, stolen or coming from a Sprint account in arrears.' Would an unlocked new sim-free phone from Apple work?

I like Ting, they would drop almost $20/month from 35orless with the tethering/high data option ($60) and something makes me think Sprint is a better option than T-Mobile. Is that correct?

I think so, but call them to be sure. FYI, they pick up when you call them, no automated robots.Whether Sprint or T-Mobile is better depends entirely where you live. Check out Root Metrics, Open Signal, or the FCC's new app to get a picture of your local coverage.

Wrote to ask about unlocked iPhone 5s from Apple. Here is depressing response.

Unfortunately not. The phone needs to come directly from Sprint to have a serial number that we are approved to activate. The ones sold by Apple have a different grouping of serial numbers that we do not have access to.

The positive side is they responded OK. (8 hours on a weekend.) You think that an unlocked phone would be an unlocked phone. Kinda stupid.

Can I buy an unlocked phone from Sprint that doesn't have a contract? Or would I have to buy one second hand?

 

[Polish Hammer]

Thanks for the help. Is there any way to choose between those options besides price/value? Any with better reputations than others? I am assuming that since they will work off the same towers they will have the same reliability and speeds.

 

[(HULK)]

Thanks for the help. Is there any way to choose between those options besides price/value? Any with better reputations than others? I am assuming that since they will work off the same towers they will have the same reliability and speeds.

strangely that group of at & t MVNOs is very similar. Same deal almost exactly at all of them. Customer service is probably the only differentiator and I don't have a ton of insight into that.

 

[(HULK)]

For AT&T coverage, what are the MVNO options? Ideally looking for unlimited texts, a reasonable number of minutes, and about 500 MB of data should be plenty (per user). Wife and I currently have a GS3 and N5 and like the coverage/speed we have now. LTE coverage would be a plus.

If you want LTE included, Net10 has a $40 unlimited calls/texts + 500 MB plan that use's AT&T's LTE. They also have free voice roaming too. Up to you if the extra $10 is worth LTE.

 

[the moops]

No idea, but approximately eleventy billion minutes of talk and text per month and probably about 500mb data.

FYI, the cheapest for this level of service is Republic Wireless ($25). Of course, wifi first for calls, but apparently their tech is pretty decent now. Sprint when off of wifi.

On AT&T's network, several come in @ the $30 price point with unlimited calls/texts + 500MB. AirVoice Wireless, Black Wireless, H20 Wireless, Skyview Wireless, and GHz Wireless.

On T-Mobile, best one would be 35orless, which costs $35 a month (or less, lol). Most months it runs in the high $20s.

If you need Verizon's network its $39.95 @ Page Plus (and their slow CDMA 3G also).

bump for polish hammer. None of them have LTE though. It's hspa+21, so it's about 6mbps real world download speed

how does this compare to t-mobiles 3g? or whatever it is they actually call it

 

[(HULK)]

No idea, but approximately eleventy billion minutes of talk and text per month and probably about 500mb data.

FYI, the cheapest for this level of service is Republic Wireless ($25). Of course, wifi first for calls, but apparently their tech is pretty decent now. Sprint when off of wifi.

On AT&T's network, several come in @ the $30 price point with unlimited calls/texts + 500MB. AirVoice Wireless, Black Wireless, H20 Wireless, Skyview Wireless, and GHz Wireless.

On T-Mobile, best one would be 35orless, which costs $35 a month (or less, lol). Most months it runs in the high $20s.

If you need Verizon's network its $39.95 @ Page Plus (and their slow CDMA 3G also).

bump for polish hammer. None of them have LTE though. It's hspa+21, so it's about 6mbps real world download speed

how does this compare to t-mobiles 3g? or whatever it is they actually call it

So, here is what all of the current technologies are out there and their expected download speeds:

CDMA: Slowest 3G. About 1.5 MBps

WiMax: Kinda 3.5G, Sprint used to call it 4G, its about 6 MBps

HSPA+21: Another 3.5G, about 6 MBps

HSPA+42: Kinda like 3.75G, about 12 MBps

LTE: Depends on implementation (5x5, 10x10, or 20x20). Rough estimate is 5x5=10MBps, 10x10=20MBps, 20x20=40MBps

Sprint's Networks:

3G: CDMA everywhere, WiMax in some areas (although this is being phased out and requires WiMax radios only available in older model phones)

LTE: I believe its 5x5 and only about 10 MBps typically

T-Mobile's Neworks:

3G: HSPA+42 in most places, +21 in a few areas

4G: LTE. They've deployed 10x10, expect about 20 MBps. May have put 20x20 in a couple of markets (Dallas I think)

AT&T:

3G: HSPA+21

4G: LTE. 10x10 everywhere, just lit up their first 20x20 market in Chicago.

Verizon:

3G: CDMA

4G: LTE. 10x10 everywhere. No 20x20 deployments that I'm aware of.

 

[the moops]

you the man hulk

 

[Jaysus]

Will take title change suggestions.

Maybe just a slight edit like this?

Save $ on cell service -- Ting Mobile / Solavei (+ other MVNOs)

or

Save $ on cell service -- Ditch your Contract / Go PrePaid

ETA: I do use the word "Ting" when searching for this thread

 

[(HULK)]

Used Jaysus's reversal for the title change. Focus is on saving money on cell service now, not really on any one MVNO (or carrier). Wanted to keep Ting in the title though since thats what people know the thread as.

 

[[icon]]

Okay I'm exploring my options now after a combination of my carrier refusing to roll out 4G LTE in the Memphis market, and regularly spotty coverage while traveling...

CURRENTLY: iPhone 5 on CSpire (Southeast Regional Carrier w/ nationwide roaming)

Paying $50/mo for 500 talk + unlimited text/data
+ Handset insurance ($6.95) and taxes it comes to $64.13 monthly

RECENT USEAGE:
FEB: 282min Talk (109 of Nights/Weekend) // 1.4GB Data Used

JAN: 256min Talk (30 of Nights/Weekend) // 1.1GB Data Used

DEC: 352min Talk (200 of Nights/Weekend) // 1.1GB Data Used

NOV: 226 min Talk (109 of Nights/Weekend) // 1.7GB Data Used

OCT: 216 Min Talk (167 of Nights/Weekend) // 1.6GB Data Used

Looking back over a year I peaked at 2.05GB on data one month.
Picture texts average 400-500 but peak at 1200ish.

A current generation 4G phone is a requirement for myself... lean iphone 6 coming out soon but willing to look at android.

 

[(HULK)]

Okay I'm exploring my options now after a combination of my carrier refusing to roll out 4G LTE in the Memphis market, and regularly spotty coverage while traveling...

CURRENTLY: iPhone 5 on CSpire (Southeast Regional Carrier w/ nationwide roaming)

Paying $50/mo for 500 talk + unlimited text/data

+ Handset insurance ($6.95) and taxes it comes to $64.13 monthly

RECENT USEAGE:

FEB: 282min Talk (109 of Nights/Weekend) // 1.4GB Data Used

JAN: 256min Talk (30 of Nights/Weekend) // 1.1GB Data Used

DEC: 352min Talk (200 of Nights/Weekend) // 1.1GB Data Used

NOV: 226 min Talk (109 of Nights/Weekend) // 1.7GB Data Used

OCT: 216 Min Talk (167 of Nights/Weekend) // 1.6GB Data Used

Looking back over a year I peaked at 2.05GB on data one month.

Picture texts average 400-500 but peak at 1200ish.

A current generation 4G phone is a requirement for myself... lean iphone 6 coming out soon but willing to look at android.

First off, handset insurance? Just get a case. Waste of money imo, especailly when you factor in the deductible you'll have to pay on top of the monthly charge, and that you'd probably want a new phone anyways (assuming you've had it for more than 3 months).

Does T-Mobile have LTE in Memphis yet?

I ran these parameters for all carriers that have LTE (in general, not necessarily in Memphis), likelihood of having the iPhone 6 available, free roaming, 275 minutes, 1000 texts, 1.5 GB minimums.

Results:

Net10 Wireless with an AT&T sim card. They have free roaming (voice/text only, not data though). Unlimited mins/texts + 2.5 GB of data (access to AT&T's LTE network). All for $50.

 

[(HULK)]

No idea, but approximately eleventy billion minutes of talk and text per month and probably about 500mb data.

FYI, the cheapest for this level of service is Republic Wireless ($25). Of course, wifi first for calls, but apparently their tech is pretty decent now. Sprint when off of wifi.

On AT&T's network, several come in @ the $30 price point with unlimited calls/texts + 500MB. AirVoice Wireless, Black Wireless, H20 Wireless, Skyview Wireless, and GHz Wireless.

On T-Mobile, best one would be 35orless, which costs $35 a month (or less, lol). Most months it runs in the high $20s.

If you need Verizon's network its $39.95 @ Page Plus (and their slow CDMA 3G also).

bump for polish hammer. None of them have LTE though. It's hspa+21, so it's about 6mbps real world download speed

how does this compare to t-mobiles 3g? or whatever it is they actually call it

So, here is what all of the current technologies are out there and their expected download speeds:

CDMA: Slowest 3G. About 1.5 MBps

WiMax: Kinda 3.5G, Sprint used to call it 4G, its about 6 MBps

HSPA+21: Another 3.5G, about 6 MBps

HSPA+42: Kinda like 3.75G, about 12 MBps

LTE: Depends on implementation (5x5, 10x10, or 20x20). Rough estimate is 5x5=10MBps, 10x10=20MBps, 20x20=40MBps

Sprint's Networks:

3G: CDMA everywhere, WiMax in some areas (although this is being phased out and requires WiMax radios only available in older model phones)

LTE: I believe its 5x5 and only about 10 MBps typically

T-Mobile's Neworks:

3G: HSPA+42 in most places, +21 in a few areas

4G: LTE. They've deployed 10x10, expect about 20 MBps. May have put 20x20 in a couple of markets (Dallas I think)

AT&T:

3G: HSPA+21

4G: LTE. 10x10 everywhere, just lit up their first 20x20 market in Chicago.

Verizon:

3G: CDMA

4G: LTE. 10x10 everywhere. No 20x20 deployments that I'm aware of.

Not to say the info is incorrect. But here in Oshkosh Wi I pull down between 3.5 to 9.5 peak Mbps on Verizon with a Note 2 using speedtest. I also had a buddy at work try it with his Sprint S3 and he was getting 7 to a peak of 10.5 Mbps. So in my area Sprint is the better choice for data speeds vs Verizon. I'm not sure what rootmetrics shows but this is real world experience.

Not suprising.

Despite commericials showing maps of the US and coverage, the truth of the matter is that it is all local. Local to where you live and work. That is 95% of your experience anyways.

Anxiously awaiting the FCC's speed test app data to be publically released. I will be tying that info into my database as soon as it is available.

ETA: I looked into buying some of the data from Ookla (the speedtest.net folks) and they wanted 6 figures for the data I requested. Lol. Now the FCC is going to give it away for free.

 

[[icon]]

Okay I'm exploring my options now after a combination of my carrier refusing to roll out 4G LTE in the Memphis market, and regularly spotty coverage while traveling...

CURRENTLY: iPhone 5 on CSpire (Southeast Regional Carrier w/ nationwide roaming)

Paying $50/mo for 500 talk + unlimited text/data

+ Handset insurance ($6.95) and taxes it comes to $64.13 monthly

RECENT USEAGE:

FEB: 282min Talk (109 of Nights/Weekend) // 1.4GB Data Used

JAN: 256min Talk (30 of Nights/Weekend) // 1.1GB Data Used

DEC: 352min Talk (200 of Nights/Weekend) // 1.1GB Data Used

NOV: 226 min Talk (109 of Nights/Weekend) // 1.7GB Data Used

OCT: 216 Min Talk (167 of Nights/Weekend) // 1.6GB Data Used

Looking back over a year I peaked at 2.05GB on data one month.

Picture texts average 400-500 but peak at 1200ish.

A current generation 4G phone is a requirement for myself... lean iphone 6 coming out soon but willing to look at android.

First off, handset insurance? Just get a case. Waste of money imo, especailly when you factor in the deductible you'll have to pay on top of the monthly charge, and that you'd probably want a new phone anyways (assuming you've had it for more than 3 months).

You've never met me apparently. I use a battery case (I am a POWER user who's iPhone 5 wouldn't last past lunch without one)... and I am HARD on my phones. My iPhone 5 is a replacement from a lost 4s this past spring. With CSpire's $7/mo rate and $100 replacement deductible, it's worth the peace of mind. Now, some carriers have $15-20/mo and $150-200 deductibles... not worth it IMO.

Does T-Mobile have LTE in Memphis yet?

It appears so

I ran these parameters for all carriers that have LTE (in general, not necessarily in Memphis), likelihood of having the iPhone 6 available, free roaming, 275 minutes, 1000 texts, 1.5 GB minimums.

Gotcha!

Results:

Net10 Wireless with an AT&T sim card. They have free roaming (voice/text only, not data though). Unlimited mins/texts + 2.5 GB of data (access to AT&T's LTE network). All for $50.

The no data roaming might be an issue. I travel a lot.

What are your experiences with these secondary carriers on primary networks. Do they get same quality/speed of 4G service as those using ATT registered phones?

Thanks GB!

 

[[icon]]

I looked into buying some of the data from Ookla (the speedtest.net folks) and they wanted 6 figures for the data I requested. Lol. Now the FCC is going to give it away for free.

wow.

 

[simsarge]

 

[(HULK)]

Okay I'm exploring my options now after a combination of my carrier refusing to roll out 4G LTE in the Memphis market, and regularly spotty coverage while traveling...

CURRENTLY: iPhone 5 on CSpire (Southeast Regional Carrier w/ nationwide roaming)

Paying $50/mo for 500 talk + unlimited text/data

+ Handset insurance ($6.95) and taxes it comes to $64.13 monthly

RECENT USEAGE:

FEB: 282min Talk (109 of Nights/Weekend) // 1.4GB Data Used

JAN: 256min Talk (30 of Nights/Weekend) // 1.1GB Data Used

DEC: 352min Talk (200 of Nights/Weekend) // 1.1GB Data Used

NOV: 226 min Talk (109 of Nights/Weekend) // 1.7GB Data Used

OCT: 216 Min Talk (167 of Nights/Weekend) // 1.6GB Data Used

Looking back over a year I peaked at 2.05GB on data one month.

Picture texts average 400-500 but peak at 1200ish.

A current generation 4G phone is a requirement for myself... lean iphone 6 coming out soon but willing to look at android.

First off, handset insurance? Just get a case. Waste of money imo, especailly when you factor in the deductible you'll have to pay on top of the monthly charge, and that you'd probably want a new phone anyways (assuming you've had it for more than 3 months).

You've never met me apparently. I use a battery case (I am a POWER user who's iPhone 5 wouldn't last past lunch without one)... and I am HARD on my phones. My iPhone 5 is a replacement from a lost 4s this past spring. With CSpire's $7/mo rate and $100 replacement deductible, it's worth the peace of mind. Now, some carriers have $15-20/mo and $150-200 deductibles... not worth it IMO.

Does T-Mobile have LTE in Memphis yet?

It appears so

I ran these parameters for all carriers that have LTE (in general, not necessarily in Memphis), likelihood of having the iPhone 6 available, free roaming, 275 minutes, 1000 texts, 1.5 GB minimums.

Gotcha!

Results:

Net10 Wireless with an AT&T sim card. They have free roaming (voice/text only, not data though). Unlimited mins/texts + 2.5 GB of data (access to AT&T's LTE network). All for $50.

The no data roaming might be an issue. I travel a lot.

What are your experiences with these secondary carriers on primary networks. Do they get same quality/speed of 4G service as those using ATT registered phones?

Thanks GB!

The MVNOs typically have the same access. On occassion one will sell lesser access (I can think of one that advertises "LTE" yet then caps their data speeds at just 8 MBps). And, if there is a random network congestion thing going on (like at an NFL game or similar event with an unusually large crowd packed into a tight spot), you might have a harder time getting onto AT&T's network than someone who has AT&T proper... but those instances are incredibly few and far between.

As for data roaming, AT&T is pretty much everywhere. If you're travelling to cities mostly, should be a non-issue. If you're like the 4H national coordinator and you're traveling to farms scattered across the states, then yeah, you're going to have problems.

 

[[icon]]

Gotcha... good info. Thanks sir!

 

[Plorfu]

OK, HULK, looking to leave Sprint pretty soon. They just seem to have crappy coverage here so I may as well see if I can get something better and save money, too. I currently have a Galaxy S3. I'm willing to shop and possibly upgrade but it's not required. I still like the phone.

I'm in Phoenix.

I barely talk on the phone - Average less than 200 minutes a month for the past year.

I need unlimited text but can deal with 1000 if needed.

I need unlimited data - I use my phone for surfing quite a bit. It says I am averaging 800K kB a month as I use wifi whenever I can.

 

[the moops]

T-Mobile has their unlimited text and data (4G speeds up to 5GB),100 minute talk for 30 bucks. You can buy extra minutes.

I've been pretty damn happy with this plan

 

[Mr. Ected]

T-Mobile has their unlimited text and data (4G speeds up to 5GB),100 minute talk for 30 bucks. You can buy extra minutes.

I've been pretty damn happy with this plan

Link?

 

[the moops]

http://prepaid-phones.t-mobile.com/prepaid-plans

hard to see but look just below $3/day plan

 

[Mr. Ected]

http://prepaid-phones.t-mobile.com/prepaid-plans

hard to see but look just below $3/day plan

Interesting...

It says "This plan is only available for devices purchased from Wal-Mart or devices activated on T-Mobile.com" I am trying to get help from T-Mobile, but can you BYO phone? The phone that I want isn't listed (5s 32gb) as one when you go to buy your phone. Also, what do you pay for extra minutes? Is it the amounts listed above the daily plans?

TIA,

 

[the moops]

I have used an iPhone 4, nexus 4, nexus 5, and now a moto g on this plan. not sure about the 5s. I would Google it. I think it is 10 cents a minute.

you have to now buy the sim card activation kit online though. can't get it at T-Mobile store

 

[(HULK)]

OK, HULK, looking to leave Sprint pretty soon. They just seem to have crappy coverage here so I may as well see if I can get something better and save money, too. I currently have a Galaxy S3. I'm willing to shop and possibly upgrade but it's not required. I still like the phone.

I'm in Phoenix.

I barely talk on the phone - Average less than 200 minutes a month for the past year.

I need unlimited text but can deal with 1000 if needed.

I need unlimited data - I use my phone for surfing quite a bit. It says I am averaging 800K kB a month as I use wifi whenever I can.

if you're looking for different coverage you will have to buy a new phone, yours is only compatible with Sprint.You also probably do not need unlimited data, especially if you're only averaging 800 mb a month.

What is your zip code?

 

[toshiba]

I have a Galaxy S3, S4 and Stratosphere 2 I can use and am in the Ithaca, NY Area. Both these phones are previous Verizon phones and I probably use a little more than 1GB data a month and need about 400 minutes of talk.

Any thoughts?

 

[(HULK)]

OK, HULK, looking to leave Sprint pretty soon. They just seem to have crappy coverage here so I may as well see if I can get something better and save money, too. I currently have a Galaxy S3. I'm willing to shop and possibly upgrade but it's not required. I still like the phone.

I'm in Phoenix.

I barely talk on the phone - Average less than 200 minutes a month for the past year.

I need unlimited text but can deal with 1000 if needed.

I need unlimited data - I use my phone for surfing quite a bit. It says I am averaging 800K kB a month as I use wifi whenever I can.

Okay, looking at RootMetrics for Phoenix, it looks like Sprint is the worst and the other 3 are all pretty decent, so keeping that in mind:

It seems like the top 5 cheapest options for your usage are all Sprint coverage, lol. Lets ignore them, except 1 possibility: Republic Wireless. Their $25 plan would suit your needs... they work over WiFi first (even for calls/texts) and you indicated your using WiFi a lot in the first place. When WiFi isn't available, they use Sprint's network. So, up to you if you can live with that, but its the cheapest.

The $30 a month plan on T-Mo referenced above *might* work. It depends on what they charge for minutes past 100. Anyone know? Several of the guys here are on it as its a good value. If its $0.10 a minute, you're looking at an extra $10 though, so something else might work best. That puts it in the $40 range (where there are a bunch of others)

$39.88 Walmart Family Mobile (T-Mo's network).

$39.99 Spot Mobile (T-Mo's network).

At $40, you've got a bunch: Simple Mobile (on T-Mo) and AirVoice Wireless, Black Wireless, H2O Wireless, Jolt Mobile, SkyView Wireless, and Ghz Mobile (all on T-Mobile).

Pretty much all of the plans above are unlimited calls and texts + 1 GB of data. Except the Walmart Family Mobile one, thats got 2.5GB of data. The difference is the speed of the data though.... the ones on T-Mo's network will probably be about 10MBps, the ones on AT&T will be about 5ish. And the Walmart one is throttled to exactly 1 MB per second. So, thats why its more data for the same price.

Good luck.

 

[(HULK)]

I have a Galaxy S3, S4 and Stratosphere 2 I can use and am in the Ithaca, NY Area. Both these phones are previous Verizon phones and I probably use a little more than 1GB data a month and need about 400 minutes of talk.

Any thoughts?

Lets narrow it down some.

Do you want/need free roaming? How fast do you want your data to be?

 

[Mystery Achiever]

Yes, it is 10 cents a minute over 100 minutes on the Tmo plan. I ended up returning my Moto X and not switching to this because of a bad experience with customer service trying to activate.(I had to call because I had a Tmo sim, but no activation code.) A couple different people told me they couldn't put me on the plan unless I went to Walmart and a couple of other told me that was a plan with their sister company Family Choice. I was also told that I could buy the activation kit at a store (but was fed up by that point). This was only about three weeks ago, so either this just changed, or is another example of their reps giving bad info.

 

[(HULK)]

Yes, it is 10 cents a minute over 100 minutes on the Tmo plan. I ended up returning my Moto X and not switching to this because of a bad experience with customer service trying to activate.(I had to call because I had a Tmo sim, but no activation code.) A couple different people told me they couldn't put me on the plan unless I went to Walmart and a couple of other told me that was a plan with their sister company Family Choice. I was also told that I could buy the activation kit at a store (but was fed up by that point). This was only about three weeks ago, so either this just changed, or is another example of their reps giving bad info.

I have a feeling T-Mobile doesn't like letting people onto this plan. They don't advertise it, they don't sell it in stores, and they bury it on their website.

 

[Mystery Achiever]

When you call their sales line, they love to talk about it (I checked thoroughly with them 1st about my ability to get the unlocked moto x and then call to activate) And they are all easy-to-understand. When you call to activate, not-so-much...on either count!

 

[Plorfu]

OK, HULK, looking to leave Sprint pretty soon. They just seem to have crappy coverage here so I may as well see if I can get something better and save money, too. I currently have a Galaxy S3. I'm willing to shop and possibly upgrade but it's not required. I still like the phone.

I'm in Phoenix.

I barely talk on the phone - Average less than 200 minutes a month for the past year.

I need unlimited text but can deal with 1000 if needed.

I need unlimited data - I use my phone for surfing quite a bit. It says I am averaging 800K kB a month as I use wifi whenever I can.

Okay, looking at RootMetrics for Phoenix, it looks like Sprint is the worst and the other 3 are all pretty decent, so keeping that in mind:It seems like the top 5 cheapest options for your usage are all Sprint coverage, lol. Lets ignore them, except 1 possibility: Republic Wireless. Their $25 plan would suit your needs... they work over WiFi first (even for calls/texts) and you indicated your using WiFi a lot in the first place. When WiFi isn't available, they use Sprint's network. So, up to you if you can live with that, but its the cheapest.

The $30 a month plan on T-Mo referenced above *might* work. It depends on what they charge for minutes past 100. Anyone know? Several of the guys here are on it as its a good value. If its $0.10 a minute, you're looking at an extra $10 though, so something else might work best. That puts it in the $40 range (where there are a bunch of others)

$39.88 Walmart Family Mobile (T-Mo's network).

$39.99 Spot Mobile (T-Mo's network).

At $40, you've got a bunch: Simple Mobile (on T-Mo) and AirVoice Wireless, Black Wireless, H2O Wireless, Jolt Mobile, SkyView Wireless, and Ghz Mobile (all on T-Mobile).

Pretty much all of the plans above are unlimited calls and texts + 1 GB of data. Except the Walmart Family Mobile one, thats got 2.5GB of data. The difference is the speed of the data though.... the ones on T-Mo's network will probably be about 10MBps, the ones on AT&T will be about 5ish. And the Walmart one is throttled to exactly 1 MB per second. So, thats why its more data for the same price.

Good luck.

Thanks, HULK! So, it looks like I'll be using T-Mobile's towers pretty soon. I'm actually surprised my data usage isn't more. I'm constantly online but I don't watch movies/shows on my phone much so that might be why.

Not surprised Sprint is last here. There are way too many areas where my coverage just disappears.

 

[(HULK)]

OK, HULK, looking to leave Sprint pretty soon. They just seem to have crappy coverage here so I may as well see if I can get something better and save money, too. I currently have a Galaxy S3. I'm willing to shop and possibly upgrade but it's not required. I still like the phone.

I'm in Phoenix.

I barely talk on the phone - Average less than 200 minutes a month for the past year.

I need unlimited text but can deal with 1000 if needed.

I need unlimited data - I use my phone for surfing quite a bit. It says I am averaging 800K kB a month as I use wifi whenever I can.

Okay, looking at RootMetrics for Phoenix, it looks like Sprint is the worst and the other 3 are all pretty decent, so keeping that in mind:It seems like the top 5 cheapest options for your usage are all Sprint coverage, lol. Lets ignore them, except 1 possibility: Republic Wireless. Their $25 plan would suit your needs... they work over WiFi first (even for calls/texts) and you indicated your using WiFi a lot in the first place. When WiFi isn't available, they use Sprint's network. So, up to you if you can live with that, but its the cheapest.

The $30 a month plan on T-Mo referenced above *might* work. It depends on what they charge for minutes past 100. Anyone know? Several of the guys here are on it as its a good value. If its $0.10 a minute, you're looking at an extra $10 though, so something else might work best. That puts it in the $40 range (where there are a bunch of others)

$39.88 Walmart Family Mobile (T-Mo's network).

$39.99 Spot Mobile (T-Mo's network).

At $40, you've got a bunch: Simple Mobile (on T-Mo) and AirVoice Wireless, Black Wireless, H2O Wireless, Jolt Mobile, SkyView Wireless, and Ghz Mobile (all on T-Mobile).

Pretty much all of the plans above are unlimited calls and texts + 1 GB of data. Except the Walmart Family Mobile one, thats got 2.5GB of data. The difference is the speed of the data though.... the ones on T-Mo's network will probably be about 10MBps, the ones on AT&T will be about 5ish. And the Walmart one is throttled to exactly 1 MB per second. So, thats why its more data for the same price.

Good luck.

Thanks, HULK! So, it looks like I'll be using T-Mobile's towers pretty soon. I'm actually surprised my data usage isn't more. I'm constantly online but I don't watch movies/shows on my phone much so that might be why.

Not surprised Sprint is last here. There are way too many areas where my coverage just disappears.

Oh, one last thing... you'll need a new phone that works with T-Mobile's coverage. However, you won't need one with LTE (as none of those choices have it except for the $30 prepaid T-Mo plan). So, you could try out something like the Moto G which is a very decent phone and is just $179 (or $199, depending on storage). Good luck.

 

[the moops]

it was a simple activation for me

but you are right that they don't advertise it

 

[Super King]

Okay I'm exploring my options now after a combination of my carrier refusing to roll out 4G LTE in the Memphis market, and regularly spotty coverage while traveling...

CURRENTLY: iPhone 5 on CSpire (Southeast Regional Carrier w/ nationwide roaming)

Paying $50/mo for 500 talk + unlimited text/data

+ Handset insurance ($6.95) and taxes it comes to $64.13 monthly

RECENT USEAGE:

FEB: 282min Talk (109 of Nights/Weekend) // 1.4GB Data Used

JAN: 256min Talk (30 of Nights/Weekend) // 1.1GB Data Used

DEC: 352min Talk (200 of Nights/Weekend) // 1.1GB Data Used

NOV: 226 min Talk (109 of Nights/Weekend) // 1.7GB Data Used

OCT: 216 Min Talk (167 of Nights/Weekend) // 1.6GB Data Used

Looking back over a year I peaked at 2.05GB on data one month.

Picture texts average 400-500 but peak at 1200ish.

A current generation 4G phone is a requirement for myself... lean iphone 6 coming out soon but willing to look at android.

First off, handset insurance? Just get a case. Waste of money imo, especailly when you factor in the deductible you'll have to pay on top of the monthly charge, and that you'd probably want a new phone anyways (assuming you've had it for more than 3 months).

You've never met me apparently. I use a battery case (I am a POWER user who's iPhone 5 wouldn't last past lunch without one)... and I am HARD on my phones. My iPhone 5 is a replacement from a lost 4s this past spring. With CSpire's $7/mo rate and $100 replacement deductible, it's worth the peace of mind. Now, some carriers have $15-20/mo and $150-200 deductibles... not worth it IMO.

Does T-Mobile have LTE in Memphis yet?

It appears so

I ran these parameters for all carriers that have LTE (in general, not necessarily in Memphis), likelihood of having the iPhone 6 available, free roaming, 275 minutes, 1000 texts, 1.5 GB minimums.

Gotcha!

Results:

Net10 Wireless with an AT&T sim card. They have free roaming (voice/text only, not data though). Unlimited mins/texts + 2.5 GB of data (access to AT&T's LTE network). All for $50.

The no data roaming might be an issue. I travel a lot.

What are your experiences with these secondary carriers on primary networks. Do they get same quality/speed of 4G service as those using ATT registered phones?

Thanks GB!

This is what I roll with for my Nexus 5. No problems with it (except the building I work in hates my phone, apparently)

 

[toshiba]

I have a Galaxy S3, S4 and Stratosphere 2 I can use and am in the Ithaca, NY Area. Both these phones are previous Verizon phones and I probably use a little more than 1GB data a month and need about 400 minutes of talk.

Any thoughts?

Lets narrow it down some.

Do you want/need free roaming? How fast do you want your data to be?

I would prefer free roaming and 3G is fine

 

[Wingnut]

Been on AT&Ts prepaid service (GoPhone) for maybe 5 months now...$65 a month including taxes, unlimited talk and text and I think 2GB of data. No issues whatsoever with coverage or speed (Galaxy S3), and I'm in WiFi most of the time so data usage hasn't been a problem.

On WiFi I'm almost at 10gb this month, but I use my phone for all my internet. On network I'm a little over 1gb.

Highly recommend for those wanting to use AT&T and you're cool with not having 4G speeds.

 

[Franknbeans]

Believe it or not I am totally new to the cell phone game. My wife has a basic phone and basic plan with T-mobile but the coverage is certainly spotty in areas where she needs it. So that eliminates them from contention. I have had horrible customer service experiences with Verizon in the past so they're out. My wife is looking to upgrade to a smart phone and I am getting in the game with a basic phone with talk and text for emergencies. I am wondering if you would be so kind as to give me your opinion.

 

[Keerock]

Been on AT&Ts prepaid service (GoPhone) for maybe 5 months now...$65 a month including taxes, unlimited talk and text and I think 2GB of data. No issues whatsoever with coverage or speed (Galaxy S3), and I'm in WiFi most of the time so data usage hasn't been a problem.

On WiFi I'm almost at 10gb this month, but I use my phone for all my internet. On network I'm a little over 1gb.

Highly recommend for those wanting to use AT&T and you're cool with not having 4G speeds.

Same price for actual AT&T service...

 

[Wingnut]

Been on AT&Ts prepaid service (GoPhone) for maybe 5 months now...$65 a month including taxes, unlimited talk and text and I think 2GB of data. No issues whatsoever with coverage or speed (Galaxy S3), and I'm in WiFi most of the time so data usage hasn't been a problem.

On WiFi I'm almost at 10gb this month, but I use my phone for all my internet. On network I'm a little over 1gb.

Highly recommend for those wanting to use AT&T and you're cool with not having 4G speeds.

Same price for actual AT&T service...

I was paying $110 for the exact same plan before I went the prepaid route....is it now $60 for non-contract? And is it Lte?Eta: GoPhone is actual at&t service, bought directly from at&t. Its just prepaid.I can pay online or at an at&t store.

 

[the moops]

you say it is non 4g speeds? there are much better unlimited att prepaid plans. look back a few pages at hulks list. a bunch in the 30 dollar range I think.

 

[Keerock]

Been on AT&Ts prepaid service (GoPhone) for maybe 5 months now...$65 a month including taxes, unlimited talk and text and I think 2GB of data. No issues whatsoever with coverage or speed (Galaxy S3), and I'm in WiFi most of the time so data usage hasn't been a problem.

On WiFi I'm almost at 10gb this month, but I use my phone for all my internet. On network I'm a little over 1gb.

Highly recommend for those wanting to use AT&T and you're cool with not having 4G speeds.

Same price for actual AT&T service...

I was paying $110 for the exact same plan before I went the prepaid route....is it now $60 for non-contract? And is it Lte?Eta: GoPhone is actual at&t service, bought directly from at&t. Its just prepaid.I can pay online or at an at&t store.

$65 for non-contract WITH LTE

 

[(HULK)]

Been on AT&Ts prepaid service (GoPhone) for maybe 5 months now...$65 a month including taxes, unlimited talk and text and I think 2GB of data. No issues whatsoever with coverage or speed (Galaxy S3), and I'm in WiFi most of the time so data usage hasn't been a problem.

On WiFi I'm almost at 10gb this month, but I use my phone for all my internet. On network I'm a little over 1gb.

Highly recommend for those wanting to use AT&T and you're cool with not having 4G speeds.

Same price for actual AT&T service...

I was paying $110 for the exact same plan before I went the prepaid route....is it now $60 for non-contract? And is it Lte?Eta: GoPhone is actual at&t service, bought directly from at&t. Its just prepaid.I can pay online or at an at&t store.

$65 for non-contract WITH LTE

That definitely can be beaten.

 

[Keerock]

Been on AT&Ts prepaid service (GoPhone) for maybe 5 months now...$65 a month including taxes, unlimited talk and text and I think 2GB of data. No issues whatsoever with coverage or speed (Galaxy S3), and I'm in WiFi most of the time so data usage hasn't been a problem.

On WiFi I'm almost at 10gb this month, but I use my phone for all my internet. On network I'm a little over 1gb.

Highly recommend for those wanting to use AT&T and you're cool with not having 4G speeds.

Same price for actual AT&T service...

I was paying $110 for the exact same plan before I went the prepaid route....is it now $60 for non-contract? And is it Lte?Eta: GoPhone is actual at&t service, bought directly from at&t. Its just prepaid.I can pay online or at an at&t store.

$65 for non-contract WITH LTE

That definitely can be beaten.

Yeah... for sure.

Tough to beat the $175 I'm paying for 5 lines, unlimited text/talk and 10Gb LTE though. $35 per line...

 

[(HULK)]

I have a Galaxy S3, S4 and Stratosphere 2 I can use and am in the Ithaca, NY Area. Both these phones are previous Verizon phones and I probably use a little more than 1GB data a month and need about 400 minutes of talk.

Any thoughts?

Lets narrow it down some.

Do you want/need free roaming? How fast do you want your data to be?

I would prefer free roaming and 3G is fine

According to Root Metrics for Syracuse (closest major city they have) for voice and text you're pretty well covered by all 4 carriers. AT&T and Verizon are supposed to have excellent data coverage/speeds, T-Mo should be okay, and Sprint doesn't look that good. Has that been your experience? BTW, my mom's side of the family is from Geneva, just on the north side of the lakes from you. Love that area in summer.

Cheapest options:

Sprint Coverage: Republic Wireless's 3G plan. $25. Uses Wi-Fi primarily for calls/texts/data and Sprint when away from Wi-Fi... and roams on Verizon if necessary. This is for unlimited calls/texts and data. Worth looking into for you maybe.

T-Mobile Coverage: Walmart Family Mobile. $39.88. Unlimited calls/texts and 2.5GB of data (3G speeds only). Roams for free on AT&T's coverage.

AT&T Coverage: Black Wireless, H2O Wireless, Net10 Wireless, SkyView Wireless, and Consumer Cellular. All have $50 plans with roaming included that suit you. If you had to pick from this bunch, I'd either go with Net10 since they have LTE access OR Consumer Cellular since they consistantly are rated so highly by Consumer Reports.

Verizon Coverage: Ready Mobile PCS or Net10 (Verizon version). $50. Both meet your needs and have roaming. Both have INCREDIBLY limited phone selections, and only 3G (Verizon's 3G is MUCH slower than AT&T's and T-Mobiles).

Good luck.

 

[siffoin]

Just paid my Ting bill and have now had the service now for 12 months. My account has 3 smart phones. Because we use google voice and on wifi most of the time the bills with Ting are pretty low. Typically we are charged at the Med Rate for minutes; the Small Rate for texts; and the Med rate for data. Total for the past 12 months= $474.18.

To compare- we had been on Verizon for many years. Having 2 smart phones the 12 month total from March 2012-March 2013 was $1817.16.

I don't really notice any difference in call quality or service from Verizon to the Sprint networks. A lateral move in cell phone service quality AND a huge improvement is cost savings.

Anyway - real savings and thanks to Hulk and this thread.

 

[(HULK)]

Believe it or not I am totally new to the cell phone game. My wife has a basic phone and basic plan with T-mobile but the coverage is certainly spotty in areas where she needs it. So that eliminates them from contention. I have had horrible customer service experiences with Verizon in the past so they're out. My wife is looking to upgrade to a smart phone and I am getting in the game with a basic phone with talk and text for emergencies. I am wondering if you would be so kind as to give me your opinion.

I would consider Ting. If you're getting a basic phone for just emergency talk/text... you're phone will just be an additional $6 a month on her plan. Since she's going to be going with her first smartphone, she probably won't use a ton of data... and Ting ends up being very cheap for everyone who is a light to medium user. They use Sprint's network.

Its hard to give a better answer than that without knowing your usage patterns for talk/text/data.

 

[(HULK)]

Been on AT&Ts prepaid service (GoPhone) for maybe 5 months now...$65 a month including taxes, unlimited talk and text and I think 2GB of data. No issues whatsoever with coverage or speed (Galaxy S3), and I'm in WiFi most of the time so data usage hasn't been a problem.

On WiFi I'm almost at 10gb this month, but I use my phone for all my internet. On network I'm a little over 1gb.

Highly recommend for those wanting to use AT&T and you're cool with not having 4G speeds.

Same price for actual AT&T service...

I was paying $110 for the exact same plan before I went the prepaid route....is it now $60 for non-contract? And is it Lte?Eta: GoPhone is actual at&t service, bought directly from at&t. Its just prepaid.I can pay online or at an at&t store.

$65 for non-contract WITH LTE

That definitely can be beaten.

Yeah... for sure.

Tough to beat the $175 I'm paying for 5 lines, unlimited text/talk and 10Gb LTE though. $35 per line...

Nope, thats the absolute best you can do (for 5 lines using unl/unl and 2 GB of data each). Its $50 cheaper than the next best choice (FRamily w/ Sprint).

 

[(HULK)]

Just paid my Ting bill and have now had the service now for 12 months. My account has 3 smart phones. Because we use google voice and on wifi most of the time the bills with Ting are pretty low. Typically we are charged at the Med Rate for minutes; the Small Rate for texts; and the Med rate for data. Total for the past 12 months= $474.18.

To compare- we had been on Verizon for many years. Having 2 smart phones the 12 month total from March 2012-March 2013 was $1817.16.

I don't really notice any difference in call quality or service from Verizon to the Sprint networks. A lateral move in cell phone service quality AND a huge improvement is cost savings.

Anyway - real savings and thanks to Hulk and this thread.

Woot woot.

 

[Wingnut]

Been on AT&Ts prepaid service (GoPhone) for maybe 5 months now...$65 a month including taxes, unlimited talk and text and I think 2GB of data. No issues whatsoever with coverage or speed (Galaxy S3), and I'm in WiFi most of the time so data usage hasn't been a problem.

On WiFi I'm almost at 10gb this month, but I use my phone for all my internet. On network I'm a little over 1gb.

Highly recommend for those wanting to use AT&T and you're cool with not having 4G speeds.

Same price for actual AT&T service...

I was paying $110 for the exact same plan before I went the prepaid route....is it now $60 for non-contract? And is it Lte?Eta: GoPhone is actual at&t service, bought directly from at&t. Its just prepaid.I can pay online or at an at&t store.

$65 for non-contract WITH LTE

Link?

 

[(HULK)]

Been on AT&Ts prepaid service (GoPhone) for maybe 5 months now...$65 a month including taxes, unlimited talk and text and I think 2GB of data. No issues whatsoever with coverage or speed (Galaxy S3), and I'm in WiFi most of the time so data usage hasn't been a problem.

On WiFi I'm almost at 10gb this month, but I use my phone for all my internet. On network I'm a little over 1gb.

Highly recommend for those wanting to use AT&T and you're cool with not having 4G speeds.

Same price for actual AT&T service...

I was paying $110 for the exact same plan before I went the prepaid route....is it now $60 for non-contract? And is it Lte?Eta: GoPhone is actual at&t service, bought directly from at&t. Its just prepaid.I can pay online or at an at&t store.

$65 for non-contract WITH LTE

Link?

Umm, AT&T.com? ETA: Here

For unlimited calls/texts and 2GB of data (yes, LTE), its $80 on contract or $65 off contract.

However, a bunch of AT&T MVNOs now offer LTE. Straight Talk is the cheapest @ $45 for unlimited talk/text and 2.5 GB, but no roaming allowed. Net10 is the same for $50, and they include free roaming. Both have LTE just the same, on the same damn network. I'm not sure what you gain by going no-contract through AT&T themselves other than the joy of knowing you're financing those cute commericials with the guy and the little kids at a table.