paz1
Footballguy
I have Virgin Mobile up in the Wausau area. Works fine. I have no idea about data speeds or anything...I don't use much and have nothing to compare against. Only negative is no roaming.
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Save $ on cell service -- Ting Mobile / Solavei (+ other MVNOs) (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter (HULK)
- Start date
(HULK)
(Smash)
technically yes, but it will be a battle. They're supposed to charge more for smartphones.
Mr.Pack
Footballguy
BoltBacker
Footballguy
With no data I don't think you can beat Republic at $10/month for unlimited talk/text but if it's pay-as-you-go there is no incentive for them to subsidize your phone....
https://republicwireless.com/plans
For what it's worth, the Moto X for $300 isn't a bad deal at all. BTW, I've never actually used Republic but I'm tempted to make the switch.
(HULK)
(Smash)
Bear in mind the majority of your calls will go over wifi which has lower call quality. The rest go over Sprint's network.
BoltBacker
Footballguy
(HULK)
(Smash)
No. They go over all of the big 4. Sprint might have the most, but its not more than 1/2 of them total. T-mobile has a lot too, and AT&T has some, Verizon has the fewest.
Brony
Footballguy
Hulk -
I'm ready to make the switch over from iPhone w/ Verizon to Google Nexus 5 w/ Ting. Thanks for all the great info and I'll be sure to use your referral when I subscribe. I'm ordering the SIM and phone today and will cut over soon (I'm off contract with Verizon). I saw that you were advocating Google Voice and I don't have a lot of familarity with it. If I don't do that much voice (or data... or text), is this a big deal to do? I can't imagine saving that much money by doing this, so is there any non-monetary reason to do Google Voice over just porting my current number over to Ting? The pros/cons aren't clear to me.
Thanks GB!
I'm ready to make the switch over from iPhone w/ Verizon to Google Nexus 5 w/ Ting. Thanks for all the great info and I'll be sure to use your referral when I subscribe. I'm ordering the SIM and phone today and will cut over soon (I'm off contract with Verizon). I saw that you were advocating Google Voice and I don't have a lot of familarity with it. If I don't do that much voice (or data... or text), is this a big deal to do? I can't imagine saving that much money by doing this, so is there any non-monetary reason to do Google Voice over just porting my current number over to Ting? The pros/cons aren't clear to me.
Thanks GB!
(HULK)
(Smash)
I like it because once you port to Google Voice, you'll never have to port your number ever again. You can also set times when calls go straight to voicemail, block certain callers, etc etc.
In terms of saving money, its not a real biggie, but you use the google voice app instead of the hangouts app (for now anyways) and the texts go over data and you don't use any text messages. So, on Ting, that'd probably save you like $3 a month based on what you're saying you use.
It costs $20 to port your # to Google Voice.
Brony
Footballguy
rick6668
Footballguy
Sold my Verizon iphone4 and unlimited data plan on ebay. Was really easy to do and at least I got some $$$ for it instead of just cancelling.
Also activated another iphone4 for my son for Christmas (his first phone).
So with 5 phones, (2 iphones, 2 Optimus S and 1 dumb phone) my charges for this month will be $47 + taxes and fees, so ~$60 total. (Very small data usage)
So I went from 2 Verizon plans (4 phones) for ~$200/month to Ting with 5 phones for ~$60/month.
Even with an increase in Minutes/Texts and Data, I'm still likely looking at ~$80/month.
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Dragons
Delusions of Grandeur
Did you give up your phone # associated with the unlimited data line or did you transfer it out?
rick6668
Footballguy
I got a new number with my new phone. There is a way to keep it from what I've read on a few other forums, but I really didn't care. Got the new number, sent that out to my contacts for them to change it and done.
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Paulymaggs
Footballguy
Nice thread but is there a big list / compilation of all the MVNO's and the different providers (ATT, Tmo, etc) that they use? It seems like there's a new prepaid provider popping up every single day....
Ting has been pretty damn good the last few months but I don't think I can stay with them anymore as my overseas biz picks up and I have to travel more. This CDMA/no sim usage just isn't going to cut it.
Ting has been pretty damn good the last few months but I don't think I can stay with them anymore as my overseas biz picks up and I have to travel more. This CDMA/no sim usage just isn't going to cut it.
(HULK)
(Smash)
Ihaveadatabase...If you want to switch, pm me your usage and I'll run it for you. Or maybe get a nexus 5 with Ting, which you could use a SIM with when traveling overseas.
(HULK)
(Smash)
BoltBacker
Footballguy
If you are willing to jump through the hoops of a rebate you can get it for $80 with a DC car charger(oh, and a ridiculous looking "case"). That is an insane deal for a phone of that quality off contract....
http://www.hsn.com/products/motorola-moto-g-45-quad-core-no-contract-smartphone/7347964?URL=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hsn.com%2Fproducts%2Fmotorola-moto-g-45-quad-core-no-contract-smartphone%2F7347964%3F&cm_mmc=cj-_-HSN+Product+Catalog-_-1225267-10386598-_-gO9tbnUiEeO1rkI0s_I9Fg0_a.Ou3_GAR_0_0-NA
http://img.hsni.com/images/content/pdf/HSN_Moto_Rebate_50Dollar_122313.pdf
This phone is going to be a game changer in two ways. It's going to drag up what a "lower end" phone looks like because why on earth would anybody buy those other phones for under $99? And, it's really going to make people question why they are signing up for two year contracts. Supposedly, people were signing up for for a $2k contract so they could get a $600 phone for "free".
Dragons
Delusions of Grandeur
At first look, it needs to be activated, but can probably be deactivated immediately thereafter. There also appears to be a way around the activation screen on other 3G phones, but I have not read confirmation that it works on the G.
Some discussion on activation here: http://www.droid-life.com/2014/01/03/moto-g-on-verizon-a-quick-look-at-a-99-prepaid-smartphone-flip-cases-too/
(HULK)
(Smash)
Asus unvieled its ZenFone line today, 3 phones that are pretty decent. Word is they'll be $100, $150, and $200 off contract.
Check them out.
The reasons for having a contract are evaporating before our eyes. The prices of decent phones are falling fast.
Check them out.
The reasons for having a contract are evaporating before our eyes. The prices of decent phones are falling fast.
BoltBacker
Footballguy
Didn't even notice these, thanks for posting. Big fan of Asus products so these certainly pique my interest.(HULK) said:
I really like these phones and the Moto G but I'm one of those people that have several apps open most of the time and I really wish 2014 would be the year where all new phones came with a minimum of 2gb of RAM. How much more could it possibly cost to use 2gb of RAM instead of 1gb of RAM!?
I'll be interested to see how long the 3230mAh battery lasts in real life tests on the ZenPhone6. For all these devices less than 7" I think 720p is fine despite the fact you see plenty of complaints. It will also be interesting to see how the new atom processors perform, although I don't need much power on my phone. My 10+' tablet on the other hand.....
Brony
Footballguy
I've got time to kill while I wait the 2 day delay trying to fly back to Chicago, so here's my review of the transfer from Verizon iPhone to Ting Nexus 5.
Cell Phone Reception / Service
I was expecting Sprint/Ting to be slightly worse than Verizon and that's about what I experienced. I don't travel that much and fortunately in Chicago Sprint has been good with coverage as good as Verizon. On the road, Sprint's been OK with just a couple of times not getting signals/roaming where that wouldn't have happened with Verizon.
I have one text message that won't send despite retries and it's unclear if it's the service here, the phone, or my recipient's phone. In any case, this happened rarely with iPhone, and as I'm new with the new setup, it's unclear if this is a pattern or a fluke.
Phone itself
Overall like the Nexus 5 over the iPhone. Much faster interface and lighter. The fact that the phone is bigger than the iPhone 4 is a little bit of a con - it doesn't slide in/out of a pocket as smoothly as the iPhone 4, but if you put the 2 side by side and asked me to pick one phone for the next year, I'd pick the Nexus 5. I'm waiting on a case & protective skin to arrive and will try that out. The lightness of the phone and its form factor makes it seem more fragile, but this is probably 90% mental.
I haven't tinkered much with trying to optimize battery life outside of the factory defaults with the phone. Battery life is a little better than iPhone 4, but it has not made any substantive change to how I manage the phone... like the iPhone, I have enough juice to get through a day without a worry about running out. If I don't charge overnight, I would have enough to cover the morning, but I'd have to be a power miser with it on Day 2. Looking forward to the wireless charging station which should be waiting for me at home.
iOS to Android
I posted elsewhere in FFA that I've had the same kind of difficulties getting things switched over (getting out of iMessage for example). Now that I'm pretty much set-up and things are humming along, I will say it's a mixed bag of pros/cons, but mostly the pros outweigh the cons. The speed at which I can do 'the basics' - text, read email and do quick google look-up is way better than iPhone. There is no app that I had on iOS that I miss (outside of Downcast for podcasts - I haven't found one as good as that). I like that things can be customized - for example, I wasn't a fan of the hangouts app, so... no problem; google other SMS apps, read the reviews and try a couple of other SMS text apps out for size. That couldn't be done on iOS.
There are still some cons with Android. I can't get attachments that come through Yahoo mail on the native mail app. I realize that the solution is "just use Gmail", which seems like not much of a solution since I have 15 years history with my Yahoo email address and I actually prefer Yahoo interface over Gmail on a PC. Another gripe is that html links don't always show up as clickable links. Sometimes they do, sometimes they don't. This was never an issue with iOS.
I know there's more that I could do with a smartphone, but I generally don't like the smartphone to alert/notify me of stuff. I look to the phone when I have time or have a pressing question.
If I was a heavy Google guy (Gmail, Google+), the switch would have been awesome. As I'm not, the switch is generally good, with some caveats.
I haven't had a full month's bill yet, but they are projecting me at $31/month, whereas I was at 95/month with Verizon. I will put my wife on our plan with Ting and expense the whole monthly bill. With that in mind, I'm glad I made the switch and would do it again.
Cell Phone Reception / Service
I was expecting Sprint/Ting to be slightly worse than Verizon and that's about what I experienced. I don't travel that much and fortunately in Chicago Sprint has been good with coverage as good as Verizon. On the road, Sprint's been OK with just a couple of times not getting signals/roaming where that wouldn't have happened with Verizon.
I have one text message that won't send despite retries and it's unclear if it's the service here, the phone, or my recipient's phone. In any case, this happened rarely with iPhone, and as I'm new with the new setup, it's unclear if this is a pattern or a fluke.
Phone itself
Overall like the Nexus 5 over the iPhone. Much faster interface and lighter. The fact that the phone is bigger than the iPhone 4 is a little bit of a con - it doesn't slide in/out of a pocket as smoothly as the iPhone 4, but if you put the 2 side by side and asked me to pick one phone for the next year, I'd pick the Nexus 5. I'm waiting on a case & protective skin to arrive and will try that out. The lightness of the phone and its form factor makes it seem more fragile, but this is probably 90% mental.
I haven't tinkered much with trying to optimize battery life outside of the factory defaults with the phone. Battery life is a little better than iPhone 4, but it has not made any substantive change to how I manage the phone... like the iPhone, I have enough juice to get through a day without a worry about running out. If I don't charge overnight, I would have enough to cover the morning, but I'd have to be a power miser with it on Day 2. Looking forward to the wireless charging station which should be waiting for me at home.
iOS to Android
I posted elsewhere in FFA that I've had the same kind of difficulties getting things switched over (getting out of iMessage for example). Now that I'm pretty much set-up and things are humming along, I will say it's a mixed bag of pros/cons, but mostly the pros outweigh the cons. The speed at which I can do 'the basics' - text, read email and do quick google look-up is way better than iPhone. There is no app that I had on iOS that I miss (outside of Downcast for podcasts - I haven't found one as good as that). I like that things can be customized - for example, I wasn't a fan of the hangouts app, so... no problem; google other SMS apps, read the reviews and try a couple of other SMS text apps out for size. That couldn't be done on iOS.
There are still some cons with Android. I can't get attachments that come through Yahoo mail on the native mail app. I realize that the solution is "just use Gmail", which seems like not much of a solution since I have 15 years history with my Yahoo email address and I actually prefer Yahoo interface over Gmail on a PC. Another gripe is that html links don't always show up as clickable links. Sometimes they do, sometimes they don't. This was never an issue with iOS.
I know there's more that I could do with a smartphone, but I generally don't like the smartphone to alert/notify me of stuff. I look to the phone when I have time or have a pressing question.
If I was a heavy Google guy (Gmail, Google+), the switch would have been awesome. As I'm not, the switch is generally good, with some caveats.
I haven't had a full month's bill yet, but they are projecting me at $31/month, whereas I was at 95/month with Verizon. I will put my wife on our plan with Ting and expense the whole monthly bill. With that in mind, I'm glad I made the switch and would do it again.
Abraham
Footballguy
Mystery Achiever
Footballguy
Well, I think I am finally going to make the move to smartphone via the T-Mobile $30/100min plan and Moto X. I did a search, but haven't found much on it here. I like the size better than Nexus 5 and, with free shipping and an included T-Mobile sim card, it should only cost about $30 more net. Anything I should consider in deciding for sure between the two? I am a low tech, light user who will not appreciate anything to do with customization, tech specs, etc. If anyone has one, would love to hear review and any input on a case.
Abraham
Footballguy
Make sure and sell them your current device and get your ETF paid (if you have one).
Mystery Achiever
Footballguy
No contract and my phone is so old it has no trade in value (at least on the Verizon site). Motorola E815. 
Mystery Achiever
Footballguy
Thx, Hulk, I just saw that when I was looking for more comparisons. I set up the Motorola account yesterday, which is when I saw the free shipping. The more I read, I think the Moto X is better for me, exc. that I have bad vision and the Nexus seems to be the sharper screen.
ETA- If anyone else is buying, the promo code for the free Chromecast is STREAM. (Purchase prior Jan 14)
ETA- If anyone else is buying, the promo code for the free Chromecast is STREAM. (Purchase prior Jan 14)
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Jaysus
Good times!
Mystery Achiever
Footballguy
Thx, Jaysus. I just took a look at X vs G and am willing to pay up for the X. It is a great price, though.
Mystery Achiever
Footballguy
Yes, those are the prices for the 16. Between free shipping, included sim card, and free chromecast, i can get X for same net price as Nexus. I do not care about the color customization.
Apple Jack
Footballguy
I don't think I ever thanked you Hulkster, for putting me onto Spot Mobile. That was some damn fine advice so far. Thanks! $25/mo. vs. $85. Not to mention customer service with somebody speaking in clear English in less than five minutes. It's like a miracle.
ETA: F T-Mobile
ETAM: In the FACE.
ETA: F T-Mobile
ETAM: In the FACE.
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I know this has been asked and answered several times but I am failing at search right now. Do any of the MVNOs have access to Verizon's LTE?
Hulk helped me out a while back and I got most of the family on t-mobile. But my brother lives in the middle of nowhere (51355) so he didn't get switched over. I think VZW is really the only major carrier with good 4G coverage out there. Trying to recall his usage, but its probably about 300 mins, 1000 text, 1gb data.
Hulk helped me out a while back and I got most of the family on t-mobile. But my brother lives in the middle of nowhere (51355) so he didn't get switched over. I think VZW is really the only major carrier with good 4G coverage out there. Trying to recall his usage, but its probably about 300 mins, 1000 text, 1gb data.
Kilgore Trout
Footballguy
If you can live without LTE, the Moto G on AT&T or T-Mobile is an awesome phone. Bought one for my wife, and am extremely impressed. Great looking screen, runs smoothly and has great battery life. It also just got updated to KitKat. Not as big as the X or Nexus, which is good ir bad depending on your tastes. I personally don't feel like I am missing much without having LTE (I have the Nexus 4).
On a side note, H2O wireless so far is not a bad MVNO, but we are in our first month so I cant report on customer service yet.
On a side note, H2O wireless so far is not a bad MVNO, but we are in our first month so I cant report on customer service yet.
(HULK)
(Smash)
yup, Verizon MVNOs do not have LTE yet. AT&T has several that do now. T-Mobile has 1 with LTE now. Spring has tons with it.
Dragons
Delusions of Grandeur
An update on what I was trying to do: I managed to sell my Verizon grandfathered unlimited data plan on ebay for $295. It took 2 weeks for ebay to release the money, but I was able to transfer to my checking account today. I really have ZERO proof that the guy owns the new plan (hello Verizon, send me an email telling me the AOL went through??), so I still have concerns ebay may claw back the money, but for now it looks like I'm in the clear.
One major difficulty I had was in keeping the phone number from that line. I was at the end of the contract (month to month) and Verizon would still not allow me to transfer the number to a new line, said the phone # was tied to the grandfathered plan and I would lose it. There is a method using Google Voice (transfer # to google voice and request a new number on the verizon website at the same time), but I found out after I started down this path that you can not transfer a corporate account to Google Voice. Gah! My wife wasn't happy about getting a new number, but she did like getting a new phone and $295.
So I have 1 more grandfathered unlimited data plan I can sell, but first I need to try to get a phone # off a non-data phone line. Hopefully I can transfer to Page Plus (where I failed with Google Voice), because this is my MIL's line and would be annoying to have to change it. My line is the last grandfathered line and I don't mind getting a new number.
One major difficulty I had was in keeping the phone number from that line. I was at the end of the contract (month to month) and Verizon would still not allow me to transfer the number to a new line, said the phone # was tied to the grandfathered plan and I would lose it. There is a method using Google Voice (transfer # to google voice and request a new number on the verizon website at the same time), but I found out after I started down this path that you can not transfer a corporate account to Google Voice. Gah! My wife wasn't happy about getting a new number, but she did like getting a new phone and $295.
So I have 1 more grandfathered unlimited data plan I can sell, but first I need to try to get a phone # off a non-data phone line. Hopefully I can transfer to Page Plus (where I failed with Google Voice), because this is my MIL's line and would be annoying to have to change it. My line is the last grandfathered line and I don't mind getting a new number.
(HULK)
(Smash)
Jaysus
Good times!
In the big picture it does... seems like there is a fair amount of value there compared to other Verizon options for those who need their coverage.
Yeah, I think it's not bad for me. I switched to Ting and probably average about a $30 monthly (before tax). $15 more for a better network and a new phone? I may be going back.
Now if you are a bigger data user, maybe not.
(HULK)
(Smash)
I looked into this a bit more. Is for a limited time only, and has a $15 data overage charge per 250 mb. Lol.
Mystery Achiever
Footballguy
Moto X down to $330/380 until Valentine's Day. Guess I need to finally go order one. Still paid to wait, since I'll take the $70 over the free Chromecast.
(HULK)
(Smash)
FYI, Moto was just sold to Lenovo 2 days ago. So, if you're thinking this will be a 2 year phone, you'll be stuck with Lenovo doing updates (or not doing them rather) for the 2nd year of it at least.
Mystery Achiever
Footballguy
Thx, I knew about the sale, but didn't think about the update side. Oh well, not in stock until Feb 11, so more time to decide and drag my feet.
Hey, Hulk, all due respect - but I think you are being dismissive just because it's Verizon. This has a market. A 1k-1k-250MB on Ting would run you $45 a month - before purchasing a phone.
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