Save $ on cell service -- Ting Mobile / Solavei (+ other MVNOs) (4 Viewers)

[(HULK)]

So with Ting, if I'm already on Sprint, I (or more importantly my wife and MIL) would not see any difference in their experience?

It should be identical. Except customer service will be VASTLY improved. And your bill will be less.

But yes, in terms of coverage, speed, etc, yup, identical.

 

[Doctor Detroit]

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.

I'm going to try Consumer Cellular based on your recommendation, thanks.

I can't remember how old you are, but if you're as old as your avatar, they have AARP discounts...

Good luck and report back on the experience.

I'm not all that old. I got a iphone 4 given to me, now I just need to figure out how to move my current number over. It is a number that belongs to a government contract with t-mobile, but they are calling to see what the options are. I'd imagine I can just move it over and my BlackBerry would go dead until I got a new number. Not sure. I admittedly know very little about cell phones, I've used a blackberry exclusively since 2008. Fanciest phone I ever had was a Motorola Razor, lol.

 

[bweiser]

god this is making my head hurt

 

[heckmanm]

So with Ting, if I'm already on Sprint, I (or more importantly my wife and MIL) would not see any difference in their experience?

It should be identical. Except customer service will be VASTLY improved. And your bill will be less.

But yes, in terms of coverage, speed, etc, yup, identical.

I can confirm this.

 

[(HULK)]

god this is making my head hurt

How can I help it not hurt?

 

[Franknbeans]

Hey Hulk,

Wife just went to AT&T and they offered this deal...

unlimited talk/text (21.25/mo)

Her: Iphone 5C (21.15/mo), 1GB data plan, she can upgrade in 12 mos

Me: Basic phone, no data (20/mo) or Gophone (with only 3 phone options) (15/mo) and pay $55 up front on top of that for the phone. If I want to go with a smartphone, it's an additonal $5 per month

All totaled: ~87.50/mo

What say ye?

 

[Wilfredo Ledezma]

I have been with sprint for ages (because my ex still pays my phone bill so who am I to care) but I've just lost my galaxy S3 and even with the 11 bucks/mo they still want 150 deductible. and that sucks. So I am considering all options. Live in Decatur, Ga. I use the phone very little and could get by on a minimal amount of minutes. I do use apps/data/tether etc, but even looking back over my sprint data usage with their apps, I don't think I even crossed 1 G a month, but could easily see my self possibly needing something a lil more on the data front, especially with tethering. I live kinda in the hood so I have both an Aio and Metro PCS store within walking distance.

I was looking at Aio, and I haven't used a windows phone in a while (they offer both nokia 520/620 that i was toying with the idea of) I also kinda liked the Galaxy amp, anyone used that?

TIA for this awesome thread. I would've done i years ago but my ex was too 'brand conscious' and now likely feels the pain of dealing with sprint as I have over the last way too long (nearly 8 yrs)

 

[the moops]

Hey Hulk,

Wife just went to AT&T and they offered this deal...

unlimited talk/text (21.25/mo)

Her: Iphone 5C (21.15/mo), 1GB data plan, she can upgrade in 12 mos

Me: Basic phone, no data (20/mo) or Gophone (with only 3 phone options) (15/mo) and pay $55 up front on top of that for the phone. If I want to go with a smartphone, it's an additonal $5 per month

All totaled: ~87.50/mo

What say ye?

ATT offered a 21.25 a month for unlimited talk and text, with 1GB of data?

That is a hell of a deal

 

[bweiser]

god this is making my head hurt

How can I help it not hurt?

lol ... just find me a phone and a plan and sign me up.

 

[(HULK)]

Hey Hulk,

Wife just went to AT&T and they offered this deal...

unlimited talk/text (21.25/mo)

Her: Iphone 5C (21.15/mo), 1GB data plan, she can upgrade in 12 mos

Me: Basic phone, no data (20/mo) or Gophone (with only 3 phone options) (15/mo) and pay $55 up front on top of that for the phone. If I want to go with a smartphone, it's an additonal $5 per month

All totaled: ~87.50/mo

What say ye?

This includes phones? And the plans? I'm a little confused by your breakout, the numbers don't sum up. But, if you're getting 2 phones, unlimited calls/texts for both phones and 1 GB of data on your wife's phone... thats a pretty damn good deal. Especially when you figure an iPhone5c is worth like $650 to start.

If I tried to match that, you'd be looking @ $40 for an unlimited call/text + 1 GB plan on AT&T coverage, and @ $25 for one without data, so thats $65 right there. No phone subsidies though obviously. Is an iPhone5c and whatever phone you get worth an extra $22.50 a month? Probably, especially when you factor in things like LTE and full roaming.

I'd say go for it... but double check these numbers. I'm not at all familiar with this plan, it isn't advertised anywhere.

 

[(HULK)]

god this is making my head hurt

How can I help it not hurt?

lol ... just find me a phone and a plan and sign me up.

Sure. What are you looking for?

Smartphone or Dumbphone?

LTE or Fastish or Don'tcare?

Roaming Free or Don'tcare?

How many minutes?

How many texts?

How much data?

Where do you live so I can check coverage?

Any price limitations?

Answer that and I'll find you a couple of options that meet your criteria.

 

[(HULK)]

I have been with sprint for ages (because my ex still pays my phone bill so who am I to care) but I've just lost my galaxy S3 and even with the 11 bucks/mo they still want 150 deductible. and that sucks. So I am considering all options. Live in Decatur, Ga. I use the phone very little and could get by on a minimal amount of minutes. I do use apps/data/tether etc, but even looking back over my sprint data usage with their apps, I don't think I even crossed 1 G a month, but could easily see my self possibly needing something a lil more on the data front, especially with tethering. I live kinda in the hood so I have both an Aio and Metro PCS store within walking distance.

I was looking at Aio, and I haven't used a windows phone in a while (they offer both nokia 520/620 that i was toying with the idea of) I also kinda liked the Galaxy amp, anyone used that?

TIA for this awesome thread. I would've done i years ago but my ex was too 'brand conscious' and now likely feels the pain of dealing with sprint as I have over the last way too long (nearly 8 yrs)

Lesson 1: Phone insurance almost always ends up costing you more than it saves you. Just buy a case or bumper for your phone.

Could you get by with just 100 minutes of talk? Because T-mobile has a pretty sweet plan for $30 (100 minutes / unlimited texts / 5 GB of data).

If you can estimate your usage a bit more specifically (for min/text/data) I can run a database search for you.

 

[Mr. Ected]

I have been with sprint for ages (because my ex still pays my phone bill so who am I to care) but I've just lost my galaxy S3 and even with the 11 bucks/mo they still want 150 deductible. and that sucks. So I am considering all options. Live in Decatur, Ga. I use the phone very little and could get by on a minimal amount of minutes. I do use apps/data/tether etc, but even looking back over my sprint data usage with their apps, I don't think I even crossed 1 G a month, but could easily see my self possibly needing something a lil more on the data front, especially with tethering. I live kinda in the hood so I have both an Aio and Metro PCS store within walking distance.

I was looking at Aio, and I haven't used a windows phone in a while (they offer both nokia 520/620 that i was toying with the idea of) I also kinda liked the Galaxy amp, anyone used that?

TIA for this awesome thread. I would've done i years ago but my ex was too 'brand conscious' and now likely feels the pain of dealing with sprint as I have over the last way too long (nearly 8 yrs)

Lesson 1: Phone insurance almost always ends up costing you more than it saves you. Just buy a case or bumper for your phone.

Could you get by with just 100 minutes of talk? Because T-mobile has a pretty sweet plan for $30 (100 minutes / unlimited texts / 5 GB of data).

If you can estimate your usage a bit more specifically (for min/text/data) I can run a database search for you.

Can you add more minutes to that T-mobile plan?

 

[the moops]

I have been with sprint for ages (because my ex still pays my phone bill so who am I to care) but I've just lost my galaxy S3 and even with the 11 bucks/mo they still want 150 deductible. and that sucks. So I am considering all options. Live in Decatur, Ga. I use the phone very little and could get by on a minimal amount of minutes. I do use apps/data/tether etc, but even looking back over my sprint data usage with their apps, I don't think I even crossed 1 G a month, but could easily see my self possibly needing something a lil more on the data front, especially with tethering. I live kinda in the hood so I have both an Aio and Metro PCS store within walking distance.

I was looking at Aio, and I haven't used a windows phone in a while (they offer both nokia 520/620 that i was toying with the idea of) I also kinda liked the Galaxy amp, anyone used that?

TIA for this awesome thread. I would've done i years ago but my ex was too 'brand conscious' and now likely feels the pain of dealing with sprint as I have over the last way too long (nearly 8 yrs)

Lesson 1: Phone insurance almost always ends up costing you more than it saves you. Just buy a case or bumper for your phone.

Could you get by with just 100 minutes of talk? Because T-mobile has a pretty sweet plan for $30 (100 minutes / unlimited texts / 5 GB of data).

If you can estimate your usage a bit more specifically (for min/text/data) I can run a database search for you.

Can you add more minutes to that T-mobile plan?

Yes. 10 cents a minute.

And it is unlimited data. 5 GB is what you get at 4G speeds.

 

[Franknbeans]

Hey Hulk,

Wife just went to AT&T and they offered this deal...

unlimited talk/text (21.25/mo)

Her: Iphone 5C (21.15/mo), 1GB data plan, she can upgrade in 12 mos

Me: Basic phone, no data (20/mo) or Gophone (with only 3 phone options) (15/mo) and pay $55 up front on top of that for the phone. If I want to go with a smartphone, it's an additonal $5 per month

All totaled: ~87.50/mo

What say ye?

This includes phones? And the plans? I'm a little confused by your breakout, the numbers don't sum up. But, if you're getting 2 phones, unlimited calls/texts for both phones and 1 GB of data on your wife's phone... thats a pretty damn good deal. Especially when you figure an iPhone5c is worth like $650 to start.

If I tried to match that, you'd be looking @ $40 for an unlimited call/text + 1 GB plan on AT&T coverage, and @ $25 for one without data, so thats $65 right there. No phone subsidies though obviously. Is an iPhone5c and whatever phone you get worth an extra $22.50 a month? Probably, especially when you factor in things like LTE and full roaming.

I'd say go for it... but double check these numbers. I'm not at all familiar with this plan, it isn't advertised anywhere.

My wife checked it out at the store and (in)conveniently they didn't have it spelled out anywhere on paper. The part I was confused about was we have two prices for her smart phone. One price is $25 per month and another that adds $21.15 per month. I don't get why there are two separate prices so I'll have to get to the bottom of it and get back to you.

So, (her preliminary figures)

21.25 (the plan w/ 15% discount)

25 (smart phone)

20 (basic phone)

21.15 (smart phone again?)

=

87.40

 

[(HULK)]

Hey Hulk,

Wife just went to AT&T and they offered this deal...

unlimited talk/text (21.25/mo)

Her: Iphone 5C (21.15/mo), 1GB data plan, she can upgrade in 12 mos

Me: Basic phone, no data (20/mo) or Gophone (with only 3 phone options) (15/mo) and pay $55 up front on top of that for the phone. If I want to go with a smartphone, it's an additonal $5 per month

All totaled: ~87.50/mo

What say ye?

This includes phones? And the plans? I'm a little confused by your breakout, the numbers don't sum up. But, if you're getting 2 phones, unlimited calls/texts for both phones and 1 GB of data on your wife's phone... thats a pretty damn good deal. Especially when you figure an iPhone5c is worth like $650 to start.

If I tried to match that, you'd be looking @ $40 for an unlimited call/text + 1 GB plan on AT&T coverage, and @ $25 for one without data, so thats $65 right there. No phone subsidies though obviously. Is an iPhone5c and whatever phone you get worth an extra $22.50 a month? Probably, especially when you factor in things like LTE and full roaming.

I'd say go for it... but double check these numbers. I'm not at all familiar with this plan, it isn't advertised anywhere.

My wife checked it out at the store and (in)conveniently they didn't have it spelled out anywhere on paper. The part I was confused about was we have two prices for her smart phone. One price is $25 per month and another that adds $21.15 per month. I don't get why there are two separate prices so I'll have to get to the bottom of it and get back to you.

So, (her preliminary figures)

21.25 (the plan w/ 15% discount)

25 (smart phone)

20 (basic phone)

21.15 (smart phone again?)

=

87.40

I feel like something is off.

For 1, AT&T does not publically offer a plan with 1 GB of data.

They do offer a plan with 2GB, which if you're sharing with 2 phones on it, would be 1 GB per phone, so maybe that is what was meant?

Thing in, base price on that plan is $40 (unlimited calls/texts + 2GB of data). Then you have to pay a fee for the type of phones you add to the plan, $40 for a smartphone and $20 for a dumb phone.

So, if you're wife got an iPhone and you got a regular phone, this plan SHOULD run you $100 before the discount. So, $85. Thing is, this plan DOES NOT include free phones... so you'd be paying for that on top.

I'm near certain you're being sold something that doesn't exist. If it does, take it. But it is very inconsistant with what AT&T supposedly offers. Get it all spelled out IN WRITING before signing up.

 

[Franknbeans]

Thanks for the feedback HULK, I will definitely be looking into it further and get everything in writing. My wife did admit it got a little crazy in there and she had these numbers scrawled on a piece of paper.

 

[bweiser]

i haven't paid for a phone in years. i've had a free iPhone through work that i will be losing use of in 3 weeks when i leave my job.

it has 9GB and 3G as far as i can tell (i'm pretty naive when it comes to this stuff).

here's what i do on my phone:

i call. probably on average 300 minutes per month. i text. probably on average 600 texts per month. maybe even more.

i play a couple of games.

i take pictures.

i check sportscenter once a week or so.

i use the bravo poker application a few times a week.

and mostly i listen to spotify while sitting at a poker table for 4-6 hours. this will be increasing to 30-40 hours per week (or until the battery runs out on a given night).

i would like to have access to watch videos on my phone (was thinking iPad or tablet or something, but i need a phone first and foremost) on some nights at the poker table.

i will have access to wifi at one location, but not at the other i will be frequenting after i leave my job.

i live in zip code 19018.

i would like to purchase a phone and then find an affordable plan. i had figured $200 for the phone and $100/month for the plan. obviously, if i can spend less per month, that would be awesome.

HELP!!!

i haven't paid for a phone in years. i've had a free iPhone through work that i will be losing use of in 3 weeks when i leave my job.

it has 9GB and 3G as far as i can tell (i'm pretty naive when it comes to this stuff).

here's what i do on my phone:

i call. probably on average 300 minutes per month. i text. probably on average 600 texts per month. maybe even more.

i play a couple of games.

i take pictures.

i check sportscenter once a week or so.

i use the bravo poker application a few times a week.

and mostly i listen to spotify while sitting at a poker table for 4-6 hours. this will be increasing to 30-40 hours per week (or until the battery runs out on a given night).

i would like to have access to watch videos on my phone (was thinking iPad or tablet or something, but i need a phone first and foremost) on some nights at the poker table.

i will have access to wifi at one location, but not at the other i will be frequenting after i leave my job.

i live in zip code 19018.

i would like to purchase a phone and then find an affordable plan. i had figured $200 for the phone and $100/month for the plan. obviously, if i can spend less per month, that would be awesome.

HELP!!!

Hmmm.

Spend $350 on a phone and get a Nexus 5. Or $199 on a phone and get a Moto G. Either or. Can you keep your old iPhone?

For you, I think your data will likely be HIGH because of all of the streaming. This means you want unlimited.

If you want Sprint coverage, you have several options. I'd say Toto Wireless's 4G LTE plan (unlimited everything for $50).

If you're willing to try T-Mobile's coverage, you could do the unlimited plan with 35orless. Starts at $60 and goes down from there each month (depends on how many new customers they get... most months it ends up being about an $8 discount).

god this is making my head hurt

god this is making my head hurt

How can I help it not hurt?

I just need a phone ... I am utterly confused on what or where to get one. I don't want to walk into a Sprint store and get 'snookered' into paying more than I wanted. Or get something I don't need.

Tell me where to go and how to get the plan I need ... PLEASE. Like as exact as possible.

 

[(HULK)]

Alright Bweiser, I'm going to make 2 plans for you, and you can just choose whichever works best. Really, it'll come down to how much video you want to stream, because 1 plan will have LTE and the other won't.

You're close to Philly, so I'm assuming you have decent coverage with all carriers, but also that Sprint is the worst and should probably be avoided due to the ammount of streaming you intend to do.

PLAN A: LTE

Buy this phone, the Nexus 5: Right Here Buy the 16 GB verison for $349. Comes in black, white, or red... you can pick a color without getting your head hurt

Buy this plan: T-Mobile Unlimited Data for $80 a month. For the easiest experience, wait for your Nexus 5 to get delivered, then walk into a T-Mobile store and have them activate it. You can also set it up for yourself via their website, but if you want less muss and fuss, just bring it to a T-Mobile store and say, "I want this Nexus 5 set up on an $80 unlimited data plan, thanks."

Plan B: HSPA+ (will stream audio great, but might be choppy when you do video over the cellular network)

Buy this phone, the Moto G: Here Buy the 16 GB verison for $199. Choose "USA GSM". You don't need to choose fancy color shells and earbuds unless you feel like spending extra money.

Buy this plan: The same one as above. For true unlimited data at fast enough speeds, your choices are only T-Mobile or Sprint (and Sprint MVNOs). Since we ruled them out due to coverage issues, your only choice is T-Mobile.

Good luck.

 

[BlueDredSo]

Hey Hulk, I've done some more research after you gave me a couple recommendations. There are 2 choices that I'm boiling it down to:

1. Straight Talk Unlimited for $45, I don't need roaming, AT&T has really good service around here

2. T-Mobile $30/month Unlimited data and text with 100 minutes

If I can talk less than 100 minutes/month the T-Mobile plan would be great. Even if I go up to 250 minutes that'd only add another $15 which is the same price I'd be paying to Straight Talk. However, if I'm gonna be using 300-350 minutes/month that'll cost me $50-$55/month with T-Mobile.

T-Mobile's 4G isn't great around here, just Ok. AT&T is the best followed closely by Verizon. I'd like your opinion as I'm really torn about this. Good thing is I could always just switch if I wanted to. Maybe I should go with T-Mobile first and see how it goes?

Oh yeah, and I'll be getting the Nexus 5. That thing is sweet.

 

[Jaysus]

You're close to Philly, so I'm assuming you have decent coverage with all carriers, but also that Sprint is the worst and should probably be avoided due to the ammount of streaming you intend to do.

Plan B: HSPA+ (will stream audio great, but might be choppy when you do video over the cellular network)

Buy this phone, the Moto G: Here Buy the 16 GB verison for $199. Choose "USA GSM". You don't need to choose fancy color shells and earbuds unless you feel like spending extra money.

Buy this plan: The same one as above. For true unlimited data at fast enough speeds, your choices are only T-Mobile or Sprint (and Sprint MVNOs). Since we ruled them out due to coverage issues, your only choice is T-Mobile.

Good luck.

His Zip code is real close to one of the places we use our phones at often - T-Mobiles HSPA+ flies there. I vote for Plan B for Bweiser.

 

[Kilgore Trout]

Alright Bweiser, I'm going to make 2 plans for you, and you can just choose whichever works best. Really, it'll come down to how much video you want to stream, because 1 plan will have LTE and the other won't.

You're close to Philly, so I'm assuming you have decent coverage with all carriers, but also that Sprint is the worst and should probably be avoided due to the ammount of streaming you intend to do.

PLAN A: LTE

Buy this phone, the Nexus 5: Right Here Buy the 16 GB verison for $349. Comes in black, white, or red... you can pick a color without getting your head hurt

Buy this plan: T-Mobile Unlimited Data for $80 a month. For the easiest experience, wait for your Nexus 5 to get delivered, then walk into a T-Mobile store and have them activate it. You can also set it up for yourself via their website, but if you want less muss and fuss, just bring it to a T-Mobile store and say, "I want this Nexus 5 set up on an $80 unlimited data plan, thanks."

Plan B: HSPA+ (will stream audio great, but might be choppy when you do video over the cellular network)

Buy this phone, the Moto G: Here Buy the 16 GB verison for $199. Choose "USA GSM". You don't need to choose fancy color shells and earbuds unless you feel like spending extra money.

Buy this plan: The same one as above. For true unlimited data at fast enough speeds, your choices are only T-Mobile or Sprint (and Sprint MVNOs). Since we ruled them out due to coverage issues, your only choice is T-Mobile.

Good luck.

I rarely have issues streaming videos on HSPA+, and I use the slower AT&T version. T-Mobile's HSPA+ should be fine for that. Biggest differences here that I see are the two phones. The Nexus 5 is bigger and will have a few more whistles and bells, while the Moto G is smaller and less expensive. Coming from the Iphone, the Moto G should not feel small at all. Having got used to my Nexus 4, my wife's Moto G does feel small. But the thing has super battery life, and is a phone I could definitely live with.

 

[Jaysus]

Good thing is I could always just switch if I wanted to. Maybe I should go with T-Mobile first and see how it goes?

Oh yeah, and I'll be getting the Nexus 5. That thing is sweet.

That is a nice option with these pay as you go plans.

P.S. look into a WiFi calling app if you will be using a lot of your minutes from somwhere with WiFi Access.

 

[(HULK)]

Hey Hulk, I've done some more research after you gave me a couple recommendations. There are 2 choices that I'm boiling it down to:

1. Straight Talk Unlimited for $45, I don't need roaming, AT&T has really good service around here

2. T-Mobile $30/month Unlimited data and text with 100 minutes

If I can talk less than 100 minutes/month the T-Mobile plan would be great. Even if I go up to 250 minutes that'd only add another $15 which is the same price I'd be paying to Straight Talk. However, if I'm gonna be using 300-350 minutes/month that'll cost me $50-$55/month with T-Mobile.

T-Mobile's 4G isn't great around here, just Ok. AT&T is the best followed closely by Verizon. I'd like your opinion as I'm really torn about this. Good thing is I could always just switch if I wanted to. Maybe I should go with T-Mobile first and see how it goes?

Oh yeah, and I'll be getting the Nexus 5. That thing is sweet.

Yup, you can try out T-Mo first and if it doesn't pan out, switch to Straight Talk. All it costs you is 1 month of service and a SIM card... why not experiment?

PS: Word is Google Voice will enable wifi/data-voice calling before Spring is over... if that rumor pans out, you could use that along with your 100 minutes to go with the cheaper plan.

 

[(HULK)]

Alright Bweiser, I'm going to make 2 plans for you, and you can just choose whichever works best. Really, it'll come down to how much video you want to stream, because 1 plan will have LTE and the other won't.

You're close to Philly, so I'm assuming you have decent coverage with all carriers, but also that Sprint is the worst and should probably be avoided due to the ammount of streaming you intend to do.

PLAN A: LTE

Buy this phone, the Nexus 5: Right Here Buy the 16 GB verison for $349. Comes in black, white, or red... you can pick a color without getting your head hurt

Buy this plan: T-Mobile Unlimited Data for $80 a month. For the easiest experience, wait for your Nexus 5 to get delivered, then walk into a T-Mobile store and have them activate it. You can also set it up for yourself via their website, but if you want less muss and fuss, just bring it to a T-Mobile store and say, "I want this Nexus 5 set up on an $80 unlimited data plan, thanks."

Plan B: HSPA+ (will stream audio great, but might be choppy when you do video over the cellular network)

Buy this phone, the Moto G: Here Buy the 16 GB verison for $199. Choose "USA GSM". You don't need to choose fancy color shells and earbuds unless you feel like spending extra money.

Buy this plan: The same one as above. For true unlimited data at fast enough speeds, your choices are only T-Mobile or Sprint (and Sprint MVNOs). Since we ruled them out due to coverage issues, your only choice is T-Mobile.

Good luck.

I rarely have issues streaming videos on HSPA+, and I use the slower AT&T version. T-Mobile's HSPA+ should be fine for that. Biggest differences here that I see are the two phones. The Nexus 5 is bigger and will have a few more whistles and bells, while the Moto G is smaller and less expensive. Coming from the Iphone, the Moto G should not feel small at all. Having got used to my Nexus 4, my wife's Moto G does feel small. But the thing has super battery life, and is a phone I could definitely live with.

I very very rarely stream video on my phone (emergency porn situation is about it, lol). It works okay over HSPA+42 that I use. I wouldn't want to be depending on that regularly though... LTE would definitely be better.

 

[(HULK)]

Good thing is I could always just switch if I wanted to. Maybe I should go with T-Mobile first and see how it goes?

Oh yeah, and I'll be getting the Nexus 5. That thing is sweet.

That is a nice option with these pay as you go plans.

P.S. look into a WiFi calling app if you will be using a lot of your minutes from somwhere with WiFi Access.

Google is shutting these down in the immediate future (3rd party apps that call over wifi/data). The assumption is that hangouts/googlevoice will be adding that function.

 

[Super King]

Hey Hulk, I've done some more research after you gave me a couple recommendations. There are 2 choices that I'm boiling it down to:

1. Straight Talk Unlimited for $45, I don't need roaming, AT&T has really good service around here

2. T-Mobile $30/month Unlimited data and text with 100 minutes

If I can talk less than 100 minutes/month the T-Mobile plan would be great. Even if I go up to 250 minutes that'd only add another $15 which is the same price I'd be paying to Straight Talk. However, if I'm gonna be using 300-350 minutes/month that'll cost me $50-$55/month with T-Mobile.

T-Mobile's 4G isn't great around here, just Ok. AT&T is the best followed closely by Verizon. I'd like your opinion as I'm really torn about this. Good thing is I could always just switch if I wanted to. Maybe I should go with T-Mobile first and see how it goes?

Oh yeah, and I'll be getting the Nexus 5. That thing is sweet.

I live in the 716, and use Net 10 (same as ST, just with free roaming) with my Nexus 5. It's quite fast.I have LTE almost everywhere (except on the far Westside, where i work)

 

[Jaysus]

Good thing is I could always just switch if I wanted to. Maybe I should go with T-Mobile first and see how it goes?

Oh yeah, and I'll be getting the Nexus 5. That thing is sweet.

That is a nice option with these pay as you go plans.

P.S. look into a WiFi calling app if you will be using a lot of your minutes from somwhere with WiFi Access.

Google is shutting these down in the immediate future (3rd party apps that call over wifi/data). The assumption is that hangouts/googlevoice will be adding that function.

Yep, May 15th - BOO!!! Hangouts has to be the replacement there though, it is already part of the iOS version of hangouts, and it can be used on Android with a workaround (for outbound calls).

Those 3rd party VOIP apps are working on work arounds as well - they look to be subscription work arounds at this point, but they may wind up being fairly cheap

 

[Mr. Ected]

Hey Hulk, I've done some more research after you gave me a couple recommendations. There are 2 choices that I'm boiling it down to:

1. Straight Talk Unlimited for $45, I don't need roaming, AT&T has really good service around here

2. T-Mobile $30/month Unlimited data and text with 100 minutes

If I can talk less than 100 minutes/month the T-Mobile plan would be great. Even if I go up to 250 minutes that'd only add another $15 which is the same price I'd be paying to Straight Talk. However, if I'm gonna be using 300-350 minutes/month that'll cost me $50-$55/month with T-Mobile.

T-Mobile's 4G isn't great around here, just Ok. AT&T is the best followed closely by Verizon. I'd like your opinion as I'm really torn about this. Good thing is I could always just switch if I wanted to. Maybe I should go with T-Mobile first and see how it goes?

Oh yeah, and I'll be getting the Nexus 5. That thing is sweet.

Yup, you can try out T-Mo first and if it doesn't pan out, switch to Straight Talk. All it costs you is 1 month of service and a SIM card... why not experiment?

PS: Word is Google Voice will enable wifi/data-voice calling before Spring is over... if that rumor pans out, you could use that along with your 100 minutes to go with the cheaper plan.

I am 99% onto T-mobile, where do I go to get the 100 minute plan. It says I have to buy a phone from Walmart or activated on T-Mobile. Do I just buy a phone and then call them and say I want this plan?

 

[Jaysus]

Hey Hulk, I've done some more research after you gave me a couple recommendations. There are 2 choices that I'm boiling it down to:

1. Straight Talk Unlimited for $45, I don't need roaming, AT&T has really good service around here

2. T-Mobile $30/month Unlimited data and text with 100 minutes

If I can talk less than 100 minutes/month the T-Mobile plan would be great. Even if I go up to 250 minutes that'd only add another $15 which is the same price I'd be paying to Straight Talk. However, if I'm gonna be using 300-350 minutes/month that'll cost me $50-$55/month with T-Mobile.

T-Mobile's 4G isn't great around here, just Ok. AT&T is the best followed closely by Verizon. I'd like your opinion as I'm really torn about this. Good thing is I could always just switch if I wanted to. Maybe I should go with T-Mobile first and see how it goes?

Oh yeah, and I'll be getting the Nexus 5. That thing is sweet.

Yup, you can try out T-Mo first and if it doesn't pan out, switch to Straight Talk. All it costs you is 1 month of service and a SIM card... why not experiment?

PS: Word is Google Voice will enable wifi/data-voice calling before Spring is over... if that rumor pans out, you could use that along with your 100 minutes to go with the cheaper plan.

I am 99% onto T-mobile, where do I go to get the 100 minute plan. It says I have to buy a phone from Walmart or activated on T-Mobile. Do I just buy a phone and then call them and say I want this plan?

buy the phone, buy the SIM from T-Mobile.com, activate online.

 

[the moops]

buy the phone, buy the SIM from T-Mobile.com, activate online.

Yep. Pretty seamless process. Slide the SIM in the phone and follow the directions on the SIM installation kit that it comes with.

 

[Mr. Ected]

Hey Hulk, I've done some more research after you gave me a couple recommendations. There are 2 choices that I'm boiling it down to:

1. Straight Talk Unlimited for $45, I don't need roaming, AT&T has really good service around here

2. T-Mobile $30/month Unlimited data and text with 100 minutes

If I can talk less than 100 minutes/month the T-Mobile plan would be great. Even if I go up to 250 minutes that'd only add another $15 which is the same price I'd be paying to Straight Talk. However, if I'm gonna be using 300-350 minutes/month that'll cost me $50-$55/month with T-Mobile.

T-Mobile's 4G isn't great around here, just Ok. AT&T is the best followed closely by Verizon. I'd like your opinion as I'm really torn about this. Good thing is I could always just switch if I wanted to. Maybe I should go with T-Mobile first and see how it goes?

Oh yeah, and I'll be getting the Nexus 5. That thing is sweet.

Yup, you can try out T-Mo first and if it doesn't pan out, switch to Straight Talk. All it costs you is 1 month of service and a SIM card... why not experiment?

PS: Word is Google Voice will enable wifi/data-voice calling before Spring is over... if that rumor pans out, you could use that along with your 100 minutes to go with the cheaper plan.

I am 99% onto T-mobile, where do I go to get the 100 minute plan. It says I have to buy a phone from Walmart or activated on T-Mobile. Do I just buy a phone and then call them and say I want this plan?

buy the phone, buy the SIM from T-Mobile.com, activate online.

OK, so if I buy a phone from Apple, just get it with the T-Mobile sim?

 

[the moops]

Buy the sim from t-mobile.

 

[the moops]

Just my opinion, but buying an iphone for 600 bucks is really a bad idea. The Nexus 5 or the Moto X are as good of phones as the 5C for almost half the price.

 

[BlueDredSo]

I live in the 716, and use Net 10 (same as ST, just with free roaming) with my Nexus 5. It's quite fast.I have LTE almost everywhere (except on the far Westside, where i work)

Can you speficy on the Westside? I live in Blasdell and work in Orchard Park, so more South than West. I've seen coverage tends to fade the more Southwest (towards Fredonia/Angola) you go.

 

[Mr. Ected]

Just my opinion, but buying an iPhone for 600 bucks is really a bad idea. The Nexus 5 or the Moto X are as good of phones as the 5C for almost half the price.

I have said before (copy below). I love my Mac and all of my family's Apple i-stuff (I have an iMac, an iPad, my kids all have iPod touches, all my media is on iTunes and I have a couple of Apple TVs.) I love how it all flows together (take a pic on the phone, and it is backed up to the Mac fairly automatically, etc.) , and I have far less problems with it than I ever did before switching, and that is worth some extra $$ up front. It doesn't make up all the difference, but I have spent a bunch of $$$ on apps for the iOS devices.

 

[the moops]

Cool.

SO yea, buy the GSM version of the iphone. Order the micro or nano sim activation kit (not sure what the 5C or 5S use) from t-mobile. Pop it in when it arrives and activate online.

 

[Mystery Achiever]

Order the micro or nano sim activation kit (not sure what the 5C or 5S use) from t-mobile. Pop it in when it arrives and activate online.

Yes, this is key since it is where I ran into trouble when I tried to do that plan. I bought a phone with a T-mo sim card, but I did not get an activation number to punch in, so had to call t-mobile vs activating online. The reps were not helpful, informed or intelligible,and I was too angry by that time to consider going to Wal-mart or buying a kit. ( Before I bought the phone, I was assured I could call them and activate as long as I had a sim card) Everyone else here, though, seems to have had a better experience.

 

[Wingnut]

So I found out what happens when you hit the 2GB data limit with AT&T prepaid...I was downloading a few podcasts at home on WiFi and left the house, not thinking about it...an hour later a msg pops up on my phone saying I hit 2GB and I need to add data to my phone...didn't think much of it since I use WiFi 90% of the time. A bit later I went to use the internet - no dice, no throttling. They cut it off. Stopped at a McDonalds parking lot, got online on their wifi and added a GB of data for $10.

Yes, I'm a moron. Lol

 

[Mr. Ected]

Order the micro or nano sim activation kit (not sure what the 5C or 5S use) from t-mobile. Pop it in when it arrives and activate online.

Yes, this is key since it is where I ran into trouble when I tried to do that plan. I bought a phone with a T-mo sim card, but I did not get an activation number to punch in, so had to call t-mobile vs activating online. The reps were not helpful, informed or intelligible,and I was too angry by that time to consider going to Wal-mart or buying a kit. ( Before I bought the phone, I was assured I could call them and activate as long as I had a sim card) Everyone else here, though, seems to have had a better experience.

Thanks for the info. Was trying to get on a chat at T-Mobile, but they are full and have closed the chat lines. May call to answer if I can get a Sim card at a store or if I need to order one from them. (Going near one this weekend, so if I can I will pop in and get one, faster!)

 

[Jaysus]

I am pretty sure that the T-Mo SIMs are on sale for 99cents online right now.

 

[the moops]

No need to go on to chat, no need to call anyone, no need to go to a store.

Go here and order the right size sim.

 

[(HULK)]

We've passed 2000 posts in this thread. How many of you guys knew very much about the cellular service industry a year ago? Now?

 

[Franknbeans]

Ok Hulk, I'm back with some answers. This is from Small World wireless, an authorized AT&T dealer...

Unlimited talk/text with 1 GB data shared between the two phones

21.25 for the "plan" includes my 15% discount.

20 basic phone but it is on a 2 year contract

21.15 for iPhone 5c which can be upgraded after 18 mos (27.50 if upgrade after 12 mos option)

=

62.40 per month.

At this price it probably makes sense for me to get the smart phone for a difference of another 1.15/mo

She also said we would get al of this in writing once we signed up and there is free porting of my wife's old number.

What say ye?

 

[(HULK)]

Ok Hulk, I'm back with some answers. This is from Small World wireless, an authorized AT&T dealer...

Unlimited talk/text with 1 GB data shared between the two phones

21.25 for the "plan" includes my 15% discount.

20 basic phone but it is on a 2 year contract

21.15 for iPhone 5c which can be upgraded after 18 mos (27.50 if upgrade after 12 mos option)

=

62.40 per month.

At this price it probably makes sense for me to get the smart phone for a difference of another 1.15/mo

She also said we would get al of this in writing once we signed up and there is free porting of my wife's old number.

What say ye?

From their website it looks like there is also a +$25 charge for your wife's off contract iPhone being added to the plan. Which would put it to the $87.40 you mentioned before.

So, they're an "AT&T Reseller". Not exactly an MVNO, but not AT&T either. I'm not sure what that distinction means though.

Saw this review of them on Yelp:

Dissappointed with the service i received. Was told one thing to my face and then i follow up a few days later, speak witht he same person and was told completely different information. Be careful to get all the facts in writing before you sign anything. I learned my mistake.

I'd say read the fine print, think hard before signing a contract...

The reality of it is this: Your phone is free. You're wife's is financed really, @ 21.15 you're still paying for it. 18 months in you'll have paid $380 for it. If you were to buy a new iPhone5c today for $650, you'd be able to sell it in 18 months for probably around $300... so that is close to a wash.

So, really, you've got an offering for "service" for 66.25 (21.25 plan, 20 add your phone, 25 add your wife's phone). The service includes unlimited calls/texts and 1 GB of data shared between you two. Thats not a bad deal at all. Thing is, do you really need unlimited calls and texts? If you needed more like 700 minutes there are other options, like Consumer Cellular.

I'd say give it a whirl, but really look hard for hidden fees or weird restrictions. Read the fine print.

 

[bweiser]

Alright Bweiser, I'm going to make 2 plans for you, and you can just choose whichever works best. Really, it'll come down to how much video you want to stream, because 1 plan will have LTE and the other won't.

You're close to Philly, so I'm assuming you have decent coverage with all carriers, but also that Sprint is the worst and should probably be avoided due to the ammount of streaming you intend to do.

PLAN A: LTE

Buy this phone, the Nexus 5: Right Here Buy the 16 GB verison for $349. Comes in black, white, or red... you can pick a color without getting your head hurt

Buy this plan: T-Mobile Unlimited Data for $80 a month. For the easiest experience, wait for your Nexus 5 to get delivered, then walk into a T-Mobile store and have them activate it. You can also set it up for yourself via their website, but if you want less muss and fuss, just bring it to a T-Mobile store and say, "I want this Nexus 5 set up on an $80 unlimited data plan, thanks."

Plan B: HSPA+ (will stream audio great, but might be choppy when you do video over the cellular network)

Buy this phone, the Moto G: Here Buy the 16 GB verison for $199. Choose "USA GSM". You don't need to choose fancy color shells and earbuds unless you feel like spending extra money.

Buy this plan: The same one as above. For true unlimited data at fast enough speeds, your choices are only T-Mobile or Sprint (and Sprint MVNOs). Since we ruled them out due to coverage issues, your only choice is T-Mobile.

Good luck.

Thank you. That's exactly what I needed.

 

[paz1]

Hulk,

Hoping you can recommend a plan for Mrs Paz...

Smartphone or Dumbphone? Smart

LTE or Fastish or Don'tcare? Fastish(not nec. LTE)

Roaming Free or Don'tcare? Roaming available, hopefully free or at least not highway robbery

How many minutes? 250

How many texts? 500

How much data? 1 GB? She likely won't use much, wifi at home, etc.

Any price limitations? Would like to be at about the $30/mo range or less

Zip is 54476.

I was looking at Ting because I'll probably need to add another line in the not to distant future.

I'm on V Mobile's $25/unlimited(no longer available at that price). It uses Sprint towers which can be spotty here, most notably at our house, but for the price I'm ok with it.

Thanks for the thread, research, time and help!

 

[Franknbeans]

Thanks Hulk for all the help. The only part I don't get is the 25 for her off- contract iPhone mainly because it is their phone. I mean she doesn't have an iPhone that she is moving onto the plan. At least today when I asked, the representative made it sound like that 25 would not be part of the monthly charge but I will double check before signing anything.

 

[bweiser]

Alright Bweiser, I'm going to make 2 plans for you, and you can just choose whichever works best. Really, it'll come down to how much video you want to stream, because 1 plan will have LTE and the other won't.

You're close to Philly, so I'm assuming you have decent coverage with all carriers, but also that Sprint is the worst and should probably be avoided due to the ammount of streaming you intend to do.

PLAN A: LTE

Buy this phone, the Nexus 5: Right Here Buy the 16 GB verison for $349. Comes in black, white, or red... you can pick a color without getting your head hurt

Buy this plan: T-Mobile Unlimited Data for $80 a month. For the easiest experience, wait for your Nexus 5 to get delivered, then walk into a T-Mobile store and have them activate it. You can also set it up for yourself via their website, but if you want less muss and fuss, just bring it to a T-Mobile store and say, "I want this Nexus 5 set up on an $80 unlimited data plan, thanks."

Plan B: HSPA+ (will stream audio great, but might be choppy when you do video over the cellular network)

Buy this phone, the Moto G: Here Buy the 16 GB verison for $199. Choose "USA GSM". You don't need to choose fancy color shells and earbuds unless you feel like spending extra money.

Buy this plan: The same one as above. For true unlimited data at fast enough speeds, your choices are only T-Mobile or Sprint (and Sprint MVNOs). Since we ruled them out due to coverage issues, your only choice is T-Mobile.

Good luck.

Thank you. That's exactly what I needed.

Went with the Nexus. Will take it to the T-Mobile store and ask for the $80 plan when I get it.

Thanks for your help.

 

[Super King]

I live in the 716, and use Net 10 (same as ST, just with free roaming) with my Nexus 5. It's quite fast.I have LTE almost everywhere (except on the far Westside, where i work)

Can you speficy on the Westside? I live in Blasdell and work in Orchard Park, so more South than West. I've seen coverage tends to fade the more Southwest (towards Fredonia/Angola) you go.

I work on the upper Westside in the city proper. Dont hang around the south towns much. have never had a problem in the northtowns though. even out in bum#### Pendleton, full bars