[Q] T-Mo-compatible recommendation for parent - Android Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting

I'm about to make the switch from my Sprint family plan to either StraightTalk or Net10 Wireless. Initially I wanted to put my mother on Republic Wireless because of its ridiculously cheap rate, but having read some recent reviews I suspect I'll just be setting myself up for frustration instead since I'll be her support. So instead I may swallow the higher monthly fee and bring her over with me to one of the aforementioned SIM-only services, allowing me to give her a better smartphone.
In that case I need to get her a T-Mobile-compatible Android smartphone that's likely to give me the least grief. I'm hoping to find one used and/or discontinued so I don't have to spend a lot of money initially (between contract cancellation, new phone for me [Nexus 4], and new service for both of us, I'm already in the $650 range), and can test out her ability to handle a smartphone before I even consider eventually getting her something better.
So what would you recommend that I could probably find used for relatively little money that's overall solid and reliable? One thing that might be nice is official CM9+ support so I can get her on an AOSP experience with Android 4.x without any of the headaches of semi-supported ROMs. But barring that, I'll settle for something that's already good enough with no fiddling. Preferably with minimal bloatware, especially considering the T-Mobile crap won't work on an MVNO anyway.
Any recommendations on specific models or ranges I should look at with these needs in mind?

Related

Looking for new phone/pda -(best price, wait for newer, etc)

Hello Everyone:
This site has been extremely informative, and I'm glad to have found it. I'd characterize myself as a pretty sophisticated computer and electronics user but as of yet I haven't made use of any sim card based phones/networks (I reside in the USA). I have also restrained myself from PDA's as I'm wired down in my life too much already. However, now that I'm running to meetings left and right, traveling a lot more, etc, I think I'm ready to finally leave the laptop at the hotel/dorm/room and have good functionality at my fingertips. Thanks to my educational institution I will be going abroad 3-4x in the next year or so. As you can see this builds up to what you guys probably love as much as me: decison time about what to get!
I like the Siemens X56 but am worried about the whole unlocking bit given some of the concerns with Radio 4.20, etc. Also then I just saw a post about a 64mb version (Not sure, but tmobile here offers a 32mb ROM, 32mb RAM version, is that the same or do you guys just look at ROM in the rating?). So with a few of these things here is my buying situation:
2 Weeks until I depart to London to study at LSE
-Will cancel existing plan/ditch phone (Ericsson T60D)
-Want to have unlocked and feature rich PDA/phone so I can use the prepaid SIM cards there
Will Return in Fall
-Would like to at that time use tmobile ($40plan)
-Will use PDA/phone to dial into a dialup connection in my dorm room for connectivity
Spring 04
-Participating in [email protected]
-Will do the same as London
Background Factors
-T-Mobile wants the service active for 90 days before unlocking
-T-Mobile has seasonality (where you keep open account but don't use it)
-Unable to take existing cell number with me (xingular) - damn U.S.!
-Would still like to keep existing number
-Looking for Windows CE based device (ala outlook integration, excel) that will last me until at least 2006.
So... what do I do?? I found a deal at amazon.com for $300 for the SX56 but then all the tmobile restrictions will haunt me. Reading this site it seems that I'm better off purchasing a SX56 elsewhere and unlocking, upgrading it to use abroad. I'm hoping to keep the price ~300USD. Also what's w/ the 4096colors, is there something on the market or just about to hit the market that I should wait for?
Any help would be appreciated, especially regarding upcoming products, and dealers/vendors that I can purchase from ASAP at good price.
Thanks for any and all help! I hope I didn't miss anything in the forum before reposting something by accident, if so I apologize!
patrick
I would make a huge recommendation for Dovid at On The Go Solutions. http://www.otgsolutions.com
He provides great service and the price is just $300 if you sign up for voice & data with him. Tell him I sent you. (No, I don't get any sort of kickback, but he usually tosses in a freebie for my referrals, such as a car cord.)
When to buy? Well, there's always another great device just around the corner. As a highly mobile professional, I can tell you that the time to see the ROI on having this device and service was maybe a month or two. It really does save me that much time, not to mention aggravation, plus provides entertainment.

[Q] So torn!!!

I don't know how many of you have been in the same boat (or care, really) but I am just so torn as to what to do!! I have been with t-mobile for the last 10 years and haven't had too many problems other than small hiccups from time to time. And I got onto their no roaming charges plan fairly early on after i signed up. I don't travel very often, but it was nice to not worry about roaming charges. I would always look at verizon and see that they charged roaming fees and were generally more expensive than what I had. Then I got my first smart phone in 2006 and was hooked! However, t-mobile was pretty late in the game as far as 3G speeds were concerned, especially in my area. And sometimes, the "3G" speeds really suck!! Tho I have compared against people with AT&T and verizon, and when I have 3G speeds on my phone, they tend to be faster. Hell, I can even stream netflix movies through my phone! But now with the onset of 4G, verizon seems to be in a good position. Tho I just read that Salt Lake wasn't going to get complete LTE coverage until the end of the year. Which kind of bites. Anyway I am kind of wanting to jump ships now, however I would have to cut my allowed minutes in half (to 450), and service would STILL cost like 10-15 dollars more per month than what I already pay. But I really do have my eye on the thunderbolt. I have gone in like 3 times to the verizon store to play with it. I am a little bit concerned with battery life, and I don't want to pay extra for 2 GB worth for tethering. Yes, I understand you can root and put new ROMs on the device, but that process still confuses the crap out of me since I have never done it before. The other thing that i get stuck on is that I am a terrible decision maker, so I am kind of scared of making a bad move and regretting it (like buying an HD2.) So I guess that my question is (especially for you former t-mobile customers) is why do you like verizon? I'm not asking you to convince me to switch, I just want to know why you like verizon. Is there a reason you don't like verizon? I don't think I need to ask why you like or dislike the thunderbolt, since I have found plenty of posts for that. But hopefully a few of you will give your two cents
Well, from what I can say, I'd honestly say that if you main concern is speed, verizon is the way to go, if you lookin for a balance, maybe look into sprint. They have 4g phones (the evo, and the evo shift) being almost the same as the inc I just owned (I ran an evo rom, radios, and battery), as they have decent prices and coverage and 4g. T mobile I have never used or been a fan of, but if they work, why change? They will catch up in a bit I'm sure. I've always been with Verizon as I'm on someones plan, and could never afford the insane rates myself. really though I'l check to see what you need, what you want, and what you can afford. Assuming sprint is good in your area, I'd highly suggest an eve/evo shift as a balance, but I can't really give you a definite answer. I have a thunderbolt as of he last few days and like it. I can't say I love it even with the 4G speeds being impressive at the moment. Just waiting for some more hackers and HTC to give us the code we need then I may love it.
Hope that helps a bit and I didn't bore you.
I moved over from AT&T this past summer because well I really don't like AT&T and even as a priority customer on an iPhone I had terrible coverage/service. I made the move to Verizon initially for the superior network/service. I am paying significantly more as I'm no longer on a family plan w/ my brother who didn't want to leave his iPhone...
And if you do come to Verizon by the time the free mobile hotspot promo ends I'm quite sure the hacker/developer community will have greatly simplified the rooting process and there will be custom roms/kernels to optimize power. If not the extended battery add on doesn't cost too much and doesn't add to much to the overall size, I grabbed it for those days I'm traveling. And there are tethering options that don't require monthly payments/limits that don't require root.
I'm loving my thunderbolt, though I agree w/ kdb424 I'm looking forward to some further development on the custom roms/kernels front. I only have rooted currently to get rid of the bloatware & access to the root apps, but can't wait to have some more custom roms to play with. But well currently seemingly the community is waiting for HTC to release the kernel source.
But again I love Verizon for the service/quality of network/helpful employees & I am definitely liking the thunderbolt even though it is a significant change in size from my Droid Incredible.
Holy massive block of text!
I would recommend checking out which carrier best serves your personal needs. Verizon is a little pricey if you cannot get any sort of discount (through work, family, etc.)... but they also have amazing coverage and an impressive start on their 4G LTE network.
I understand why you may not want Verizon though. Sprint is a tad more affordable and can offer great devices and service depending on your area.
I was with TMobile for about 8 years before switching to Verizon a week ago (relocated for work and had no data coverage with TMobile at my new location).
Well I have looked at the options. I might get a new job in Elko, Nevada in which case only Verizon and AT&T have any decent coverage. This is also another reason why i ask. And I doubt Elko would be getting 4G any time soon.
Oh, decisions decisions!!

Switch to Bionic?

I usually hate these threads, but given the short time on this deal I want to make sure I'm not overlooking anything.
Being able to get the Bionic for $0.01 with a new contract on verizon is very tempting. I had even contemplated paying the contract termination fee + the cost of a new phone around the holidays, but being able to just pay the termination fee makes it a much more appealing move.
I'm aware that there may be some new phones (such as nexus prime) coming out in the very near future, but waiting will essentially double my costs for any new phone.
Basics specs would seem to indicate that the bionic is the better phone and it seems like it has been well received. I know that 4G can be a bit more draining on the battery though. I know I'll be losing the fingerprint scanner, which is kind of cool, but I've never really used it. I know some would complain about the size of the Bionic, but I'll be fine with that. I know that the atrix is further along in terms of developer stuff, but I've fallen behind with that on this phone, so it wont really feel like a step back in that regard.
I know that it's a hefty bit of money for a relatively small upgrade, but getting off AT&T would also be quite a benefit in my eyes. I'd really appreciate any input about something I might be overlooking for this switch or any other (verizon) phones I should be considering. I appreciate any advice/further information on this!

Verizon's new prices

3 new android phones are coming to Verizon in November. I have been waiting it seems like forever for the new Nexus device. Now that its just on the horizon I find myself with a bit of a dilemma. All 3 new phones phones cost about the same to make as the previous models yet Verizon is now asking for $100 more for every high end android handset. After some poking around I still can't figure out a good reason for such a stiff increase. The only thing I can figure is that Verizon is just being greedy. They know they are the top carrier and have the best phones so they are going to keep tightening to screws to see how much money they can bleed out of us. The $100 isn't that big of a deal but when it comes down too it if we continue to support companies raising prices for no reason what so ever then where will it stop? We lost unlimited data and new every 2. If left unchecked these carriers will continue to remove features and increase prices. Verizon is the first to try these price hikes and they need to be made an example of before it spreads to the other carriers.
I'm strongly considering jumping ship to Sprint. The prices look better, they have Google Voice integration and they have unlimited data (as of now). The plan is to either get the Epic 4g Touch (Galaxy SII) or to cross my fingers and pray that the Galaxy Nexus makes its way over to Sprint.
Anyone have any thoughts on Verizon vs Sprint as far as quality of service, pricing and policies? Anyone else think that Verizon is going to regret this price hike?

[Q] Contract or Pay as you go?

Hi everyone, first thread and first post on this forum, i was really thinking about getting the new lumia .. but what i thought is... Contract or pay as you go??
We've seen so far that new phones with new hardware and new features are getting released pretty much every 6months, (iphone 5s? upcoming nexus?)..
so my question is, do you guys feel confident about being "stuck" 24 months with nokia lumia 920, or you will not risk and go for a pay as you go deal? :good:
Hi, end of 2008, I bought the HTC Touch HD because I thought it was quiet well competing with the iPhone 2, even though the iPhone 3 was already coming (but I hate so much the iTunes environment!).
Today, 4 years later, I'm still using my old Touch HD everyday, and I'm very happy of it even though it is getting quiet old now and I'm thinking of moving to the Lumia 920.
Anyway, just to say that the Lumia 920 will most probably no longer be the best one in 6 months of course, and probably no longer the Nokia's best one in one year when an upgrade of the Lumia series comes out with thinner, lighter, faster, stronger phones...
But what is sure is that you will be able to have a lot of fun with it even maybe in 2 or 4 years when it is no longer the newest phone on the market.
Better example, the HTC Touch HD2 which is really know as a killer phone even though it is no longer that great compared to the new devices.
So the real question is if you are used to change your phone often or not.
Keep in mind you can always sell your Lumia 920 next year, probably at half of its current price... especially if Windows Phone 8 rocks .
Personnally, as my company is paying for my SIM card, I will for sure just buy the Lumia 920 as is, without any carrier contract or so.
hey finally a reply, well im not really changing phone so often, since i have no money ahah but yeah, just wanted to see what other people think about getting it in contract..i think i will anyway thanks for your reply
any other thoughts people?
bellasahbella said:
hey finally a reply, well im not really changing phone so often, since i have no money ahah but yeah, just wanted to see what other people think about getting it in contract..i think i will anyway thanks for your reply
any other thoughts people?
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With a data heavy device like a smartphone, it would be wiser (and cheaper) to go with contract. AT&T's prepaid options are rather expensive when it comes to using data on a smartphone. Windows Phone being such a connected device would not be very fun to use on a very limited data plan or on no data plan at all (or any phone really).
At the end of the day, you have to pay for service anyway. You may as well spend a little extra money for a little more convenience, a smaller upfront cost (phone wise), and better overall data options.
I could never go prepaid, no matter how cheap it is. There is little value in it, in my opinion.
prjkthack, you are right for the US market, but for instance, here, in Belgium, you can have much data with a prepaid offer with Mobile Vikings (€15 per month, so around $20 per month, for 2GB of non-restricted data + 1H phone calls + 1000 SMS + 1H phone calls per day to other Mobile Vikings phone numbers).
And as far as I'm concerned, I cannot go for a contract as my company is paying for my contract, so if I want another phone, I can just buy a new one...
That being said, I think it really depends on each person, case and country .
michoob said:
prjkthack, you are right for the US market, but for instance, here, in Belgium, you can have much data with a prepaid offer with Mobile Vikings (€15 per month, so around $20 per month, for 2GB of non-restricted data + 1H phone calls + 1000 SMS + 1H phone calls per day to other Mobile Vikings phone numbers).
And as far as I'm concerned, I cannot go for a contract as my company is paying for my contract, so if I want another phone, I can just buy a new one...
That being said, I think it really depends on each person, case and country .
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Oh yeah, I'm totally speaking from the perspective of purchasing a phone/plan in the US. I know little about other areas of the world, except that its far more common to purchase phones for full price and without a contract than it is here in the US. I wish the US were that way as well, as it certainly has more benefits than downsides (I try to purchase un-subsidized whenever I can), but sadly the market here and the overall mentality of how to purchase phones has been muddled with contracts and subsidization.
prjkthack said:
With a data heavy device like a smartphone, it would be wiser (and cheaper) to go with contract. AT&T's prepaid options are rather expensive when it comes to using data on a smartphone. Windows Phone being such a connected device would not be very fun to use on a very limited data plan or on no data plan at all (or any phone really).
At the end of the day, you have to pay for service anyway. You may as well spend a little extra money for a little more convenience, a smaller upfront cost (phone wise), and better overall data options.
I could never go prepaid, no matter how cheap it is. There is little value in it, in my opinion.
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You need to do the math. Buying on contract is a HUGE waste of money.
AnyMal said:
You need to do the math. Buying on contract is a HUGE waste of money.
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I never said it wasn't a waste of money.
Its definitely more expensive, but there is a tradeoff between using a prepaid service versus a contract.
There is value in both, and I'm looking for the best phones with the best coverage, services, and convenience. Contract is the only option that gives that.
Prepaid gives you low prices (on certain things) and flexibility.
More expensive? Yes, but you get more for your money on contract, versus the bare minimum on prepaid. There is a reason why you pay less on prepaid, and its simply because you get less. You don't need math to know that. For some people, that's enough, but I don't want enough, I want my money's worth, and I'm willing to spend a little more to get all the extras. Prepaid data is also commonly more expensive on prepaid services, and with all the data these smartphones use, the cost of it can easily meet or exceed the cost of contract-based smartphone/data plans. Prepaid is totally the way to go if all you want is a basic phone, but for quality smartphone hardware and service, only contract can provide that (with few exceptions).
prjkthack said:
I never said it wasn't a waste of money.
Its definitely more expensive, but there is a tradeoff between using a prepaid service versus a contract.
There is value in both, and I'm looking for the best phones with the best coverage, services, and convenience. Contract is the only option that gives that.
Prepaid gives you low prices (on certain things) and flexibility.
More expensive? Yes, but you get more for your money on contract, versus the bare minimum on prepaid. There is a reason why you pay less on prepaid, and its simply because you get less. You don't need math to know that. For some people, that's enough, but I don't want enough, I want my money's worth, and I'm willing to spend a little more to get all the extras. Prepaid data is also commonly more expensive on prepaid services, and with all the data these smartphones use, the cost of it can easily meet or exceed the cost of contract-based smartphone/data plans. Prepaid is totally the way to go if all you want is a basic phone, but for quality smartphone hardware and service, only contract can provide that (with few exceptions).
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Huh? With Straight Talk I am getting exactly same service I was getting with AT&T, all for a measly $45 per month. What am I missing?
AnyMal said:
Huh? With Straight Talk I am getting exactly same service I was getting with AT&T, all for a measly $45 per month. What am I missing?
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StraightTalk (TracFone) is nice, and is probably one of the better prepaid services out there, but there are still some downsides:
4G LTE - Currently, no access to AT&T, Verizon, or Sprint's 4G LTE network.
Customer Service - there is none. robots upon robots on the phone, then if you can get to someone, they are foreign people who are difficult to understand, and who ultimately have a toolset that does not allow many changes or much flexibility for them unless they speak to someone higher up. If you don't want to deal with someone on the phone, then you can go to Walmart, where you can... oh wait, there's no customer service there either. -_-'
Coverage and roaming - Exactly the same as TracFone (since it is TracFone). Depending on your phone, you get AT&T and/or T-Mobile, or Verizon and/or Sprint. You don't get access to these carrier's extended roaming agreements, which means that roaming is limited to non-existent. Not to mention
Online support - Abysmal. Nowhere near the amount of tools and options for managing your account as any contract carrier can provide you.
Devices - StraightTalk's selection of phones is typical of a prepaid carrier. Poor choices for basic phones and older/slower hardware for whatever small amount of smartphones they offer. To get a real phone, you need to BYOD and that costs a pretty penny (that most people are unwilling to pay).
Additional features - StraightTalk is, like most other prepaid carriers, barebones. Individual line service (no family plans), less international/roaming options, less extra features (stuff like FamilyMap, roadside assitance, AT&T Navigator, A-List, Insurance, etc.), little to not infrastructure to sort out issues coverage wise or technical issues with your cellular service, advanced billing/tracking/history functionality, no official support for wireless hotspot/tethering, and a long list of common data activities that are not supported by StraightTalk (violation of the terms can lead to the end of your service with StraightTalk), etc.
And really this goes for all prepaid carriers. None of them offer the depth and comprehensiveness as a contract carrier can. There is a reason why the prepaid carriers piggyback off of the big carriers, they simply don't have the infrastructure or support (or money) to really provide you a fleshed out mobile service. MVNOs also come and go very frequently, so while you can be pretty sure that AT&T and Verizon (and maybe Sprint and T-Mobile) will be around for a while, you can't say the same for prepaid carriers. So many pop-up every year and die off shortly (RIP Helio). Its a tough business.
prjkthack said:
StraightTalk (TracFone) is nice, and is probably one of the better prepaid services out there, but there are still some downsides:
4G LTE - Currently, no access to AT&T, Verizon, or Sprint's 4G LTE network.
Customer Service - there is none. robots upon robots on the phone, then if you can get to someone, they are foreign people who are difficult to understand, and who ultimately have a toolset that does not allow many changes or much flexibility for them unless they speak to someone higher up. If you don't want to deal with someone on the phone, then you can go to Walmart, where you can... oh wait, there's no customer service there either. -_-'
Coverage and roaming - Exactly the same as TracFone (since it is TracFone). Depending on your phone, you get AT&T and/or T-Mobile, or Verizon and/or Sprint. You don't get access to these carrier's extended roaming agreements, which means that roaming is limited to non-existent. Not to mention
Online support - Abysmal. Nowhere near the amount of tools and options for managing your account as any contract carrier can provide you.
Devices - StraightTalk's selection of phones is typical of a prepaid carrier. Poor choices for basic phones and older/slower hardware for whatever small amount of smartphones they offer. To get a real phone, you need to BYOD and that costs a pretty penny (that most people are unwilling to pay).
Additional features - StraightTalk is, like most other prepaid carriers, barebones. Individual line service (no family plans), less international/roaming options, less extra features (stuff like FamilyMap, roadside assitance, AT&T Navigator, A-List, Insurance, etc.), little to not infrastructure to sort out issues coverage wise or technical issues with your cellular service, advanced billing/tracking/history functionality, no official support for wireless hotspot/tethering, and a long list of common data activities that are not supported by StraightTalk (violation of the terms can lead to the end of your service with StraightTalk), etc.
And really this goes for all prepaid carriers. None of them offer the depth and comprehensiveness as a contract carrier can. There is a reason why the prepaid carriers piggyback off of the big carriers, they simply don't have the infrastructure or support (or money) to really provide you a fleshed out mobile service. MVNOs also come and go very frequently, so while you can be pretty sure that AT&T and Verizon (and maybe Sprint and T-Mobile) will be around for a while, you can't say the same for prepaid carriers. So many pop-up every year and die off shortly (RIP Helio). Its a tough business.
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None of your points are compelling or even valid to begin with.
4G LTE - even for AT&T customers it's only available in handful of locations. Heck, even if it was widely available, HSPA is plenty fast for all data applications.
Customer service - only used once. Filled out an online form and was contacted back in few hours. I also hear that you can get a hold of them even quicker through Facebook.
Coverage and Roaming - not an issue. I am covered no matter where I am as long as I am on AT&T. I travel extensively and my service is identical to what it was when I was paying to AT&T, but at the fraction of the cost.
Online support - covered above.
Devices - not an issue. Tons of smartphones are available on the secondary market for any budget.
Additional Features - Two all-you-can-eat lines with ST cost me exactly the same as a single line with AT&T. Nobody in their right mind should pay AT&T (or any other carriers) for "ripsurance". It's a rip off, plain and simple. All other services you mention should not be obtained from AT&T either; they can be obtained for free or for a lot less elsewhere. I do not know what "data activities" you're referring to, but I stream audio and video all the time, and use the hotspot frequently, but I am yet to run into any issues. Sure, you can get throttled or even cut off if you abuse your data plan, but the same goes for AT&T as well.
Bottom line, OP asked about the most economical way, and there is absolutely no denying that PAYGo IS the way to go, even if you have to pay full price of the device up front. There is no way of fooling the simple math.
AnyMal said:
None of your points are compelling or even valid to begin with.
4G LTE - even for AT&T customers it's only available in handful of locations. Heck, even if it was widely available, HSPA is plenty fast for all data applications.
Customer service - only used once. Filled out an online form and was contacted back in few hours. I also hear that you can get a hold of them even quicker through Facebook.
Coverage and Roaming - not an issue. I am covered no matter where I am as long as I am on AT&T. I travel extensively and my service is identical to what it was when I was paying to AT&T, but at the fraction of the cost.
Online support - covered above.
Devices - not an issue. Tons of smartphones are available on the secondary market for any budget.
Additional Features - Two all-you-can-eat lines with ST cost me exactly the same as a single line with AT&T. Nobody in their right mind should pay AT&T (or any other carriers) for "ripsurance". It's a rip off, plain and simple. All other services you mention should not be obtained from AT&T either; they can be obtained for free or for a lot less elsewhere. I do not know what "data activities" you're referring to, but I stream audio and video all the time, and use the hotspot frequently, but I am yet to run into any issues. Sure, you can get throttled or even cut off if you abuse your data plan, but the same goes for AT&T as well.
Bottom line, OP asked about the most economical way, and there is absolutely no denying that PAYGo IS the way to go, even if you have to pay full price of the device up front. There is no way of fooling the simple math.
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Read your Terms of Service. StraightTalk specifically prohibits many common data activities. Have you even used LTE before? A world of a difference. I do agree that AT&T's HSPA+ network can't be beat, but dropping from LTE to HSPA (or even worse) is just not fun. And when it comes to devices, I'm not talking about the hundreds of below-average smartphones that you can of course get for bargain basement prices. These are computers after all, you don't want to be caught with a below-average device. I'm talking about getting the best of the best (such as the Lumia 920, which is what the OP is talking about). Speaking about the average consumer, dropping $700 to $900 for a top of the line device is just not an option. A contract gives you the option to get great service and awesome devices. So while dropping a wad of cash for a phone may not be an issue for you, it is for most of the country. Facebook does not equal online support. It compliments it, but does not replace it. You can get your issue resolved in a few hours, I can take care of it in a few minutes. Be glad that you only had to use customer service once, because when you have any real issues, it won't be fun. And insurance can be a rip-off for some, and a life-saver for others. Really all depends on what's going on.
Bottom line, OP didn't ask for a math lesson. OP wanted our opinions of postpaid vs prepaid, and while we can all agree to disagree, there is no doubt that both sides have their advantages and disadvantages regardless of whether you pay a little more or a little less. Value is subjective. Its up to the OP to decide what is more valuable to him/herself.
I am with Rogers Canada with 2 years left on my contract. I do not want to renew my contract for another 3 years yet so that I can get the 920 for the subsidized price.
Given that Rogers will offer the 920 off-contract for $600+ and having to wait for them to release the updates, it seems my best option will be to buy the 920 factory unlocked from eBay or so and use it on the Rogers network.
When it gets old or when I want to change phones, I can easily sell it. That is a much better option than locking yourself up with your provider for longer if you don't have a hardware upgrade to use.
Hi Bella welcome to the forums,
As for your question there are both pluses and minuses to contract/prepaid. Personally I find it better for me to go the prepaid route. I will be purchasing this phone internationally unlocked (screw you AT&T and your branding also hoping international phone is pentaband like fcc papers state) for about ~$600 USD +/-.
I really like T-Mobo's monthly 4G thingy they have (100 mins/ultd text/ultd data (throttled after 5GB) for only 30.00/month. Lucky me T-mobile has refarmed my area so I'll be getting 3G speeds instead of 2G speeds b/c of lack of AWS band on L920. I'll be saving a bunch compared to contract in the long haul but initially will cost quite the penny b/c of phone purchase (but hey that's why I've been saving :laugh
I'm really not a big fan of Carriers and their plans Hope you make the right choice for you and enjoy your upcoming Lumia 920
prjkthack said:
Read your Terms of Service. StraightTalk specifically prohibits many common data activities. Have you even used LTE before? A world of a difference. I do agree that AT&T's HSPA+ network can't be beat, but dropping from LTE to HSPA (or even worse) is just not fun. And when it comes to devices, I'm not talking about the hundreds of below-average smartphones that you can of course get for bargain basement prices. These are computers after all, you don't want to be caught with a below-average device. I'm talking about getting the best of the best (such as the Lumia 920, which is what the OP is talking about). Speaking about the average consumer, dropping $700 to $900 for a top of the line device is just not an option. A contract gives you the option to get great service and awesome devices. So while dropping a wad of cash for a phone may not be an issue for you, it is for most of the country. Facebook does not equal online support. It compliments it, but does not replace it. You can get your issue resolved in a few hours, I can take care of it in a few minutes. Be glad that you only had to use customer service once, because when you have any real issues, it won't be fun. And insurance can be a rip-off for some, and a life-saver for others. Really all depends on what's going on.
Bottom line, OP didn't ask for a math lesson. OP wanted our opinions of postpaid vs prepaid, and while we can all agree to disagree, there is no doubt that both sides have their advantages and disadvantages regardless of whether you pay a little more or a little less. Value is subjective. Its up to the OP to decide what is more valuable to him/herself.
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Just my two cents, I get 4g LTE on straight talk using an ATT device... I pay $45 a month and bought an HTC One X brand new for 300 online. Over the course of two years that's $1380 as opposed to $2355 through ATT. With taxes and other applicable fees that difference increases even moreso making prepaid a pretty obvious choice.
Poecifer said:
Just my two cents, I get 4g LTE on straight talk using an ATT device... I pay $45 a month and bought an HTC One X brand new for 300 online. Over the course of two years that's $1380 as opposed to $2355 through ATT. With taxes and other applicable fees that difference increases even moreso making prepaid a pretty obvious choice.
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How did you get LTE on your device? You need a special SIM in order to do that, and right now, per AT&T's company policy, only AT&T has those special LTE SIM cards. StraightTalk only officially distributes regular AT&T 3G SIM cards rebranded for StraightTalk. I imagine sometime in the future they'll allow MVNOs to use the LTE network, but right now, they are not.
Not that I don't believe you, but are you sure you are getting 4G LTE? The One X (and any 4G LTE device really) specifically has a 4G LTE icon in the top tray when you are on it (at least on an official ROM, if you are on a custom ROM, then who knows what you are really on, lol). An icon that says 4G is not the same as 4G LTE, just so you know.
If you are getting 4G LTE, I'm sure sharing how is good because a lot of people would love to know how, as that is one of the big downsides of any MVNO at the moment.
I'm currently on a Prepaid deal, whereby I get $1000 talk and text + 2gb (or so) data, for $60 per month with Telstra in Australia.
Compare that to the $60 plan, which currently, in nokia terms, gets you a Lumia 800 $0 upfront and $0 extra per month, with $600 worth of bonuses and 1.5gb of data. There isn't that much between them.
In the end, $60 per month is still $60 per month, and it'd be nice to get a phone out of it too.
Sent from my LT26i using xda app-developers app
Prepay is a better alternative.
Sent from my HTC Glacier using xda premium
Well, look at this from the overall standpoint. $60 contract is $1440 over 24 months, phone included. Spending $60 per month prepaid plus a, for argument's sake, $500 outright phone is $1940 per 24 months.
I barely touch the $1000 talk&text, as most of my expenditure is mobile data, and what's 500MB less a month anyway?
In short, for me, with my usage, the Contract probably wouldn't be such a bad move.
In full, that's just me. Your choice of carrier, phone, plan/prepaid, etc. needs to be decided based on HOW you will use your phone, not what people say in a forum.
Sent from my LT26i using xda app-developers app
prjkthack said:
How did you get LTE on your device? You need a special SIM in order to do that, and right now, per AT&T's company policy, only AT&T has those special LTE SIM cards. StraightTalk only officially distributes regular AT&T 3G SIM cards rebranded for StraightTalk. I imagine sometime in the future they'll allow MVNOs to use the LTE network, but right now, they are not.
Not that I don't believe you, but are you sure you are getting 4G LTE? The One X (and any 4G LTE device really) specifically has a 4G LTE icon in the top tray when you are on it (at least on an official ROM, if you are on a custom ROM, then who knows what you are really on, lol). An icon that says 4G is not the same as 4G LTE, just so you know.
If you are getting 4G LTE, I'm sure sharing how is good because a lot of people would love to know how, as that is one of the big downsides of any MVNO at the moment.
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Not sure really, I used a sim card provided by StraightTalk allocated for ATT's phones. I specifically ordered the micro rather than cutting it like myself as I've done in the past and now I get the 4g LTE symbol and I regularly get about 38-43 mbps download speeds. This is much better than 4-9 I was getting prior.

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