Develop Bugs

Should I go for Verizon touch pro 2 or something else??

Hi
I'm new to the US, and I'm not familiar with the wireless companies system here..
I have some question:
1. Which service provider is better? I'll be living in Berkeley, CA?? I keep hearing that At&T has bad reception.. which one should I go for??
2. The 30$ data plan: all companies say that this plan is unlimited, but I keep reading (at least for Verizon) it's 5 GB/month.. is this true?? and are there any companies that offer real unlimited data plan...
Because I was thinking of using my phone as a modem for my PC, I don't want to pay more 30-40$ for DSL if I already have a true unlimited data plan
3. Roll over minutes: does this apply only to AT&t, or all carriers?
Thanks in advance guys

duke911 said:
Hi
I'm new to the US, and I'm not familiar with the wireless companies system here..
I have some question:
1. Which service provider is better? I'll be living in Berkeley, CA?? I keep hearing that At&T has bad reception.. which one should I go for??
2. The 30$ data plan: all companies say that this plan is unlimited, but I keep reading (at least for Verizon) it's 5 GB/month.. is this true?? and are there any companies that offer real unlimited data plan...
Because I was thinking of using my phone as a modem for my PC, I don't want to pay more 30-40$ for DSL if I already have a true unlimited data plan
3. Roll over minutes: does this apply only to AT&t, or all carriers?
Thanks in advance guys
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I just left AT&T due to extremely poor customer service. AT&T is the only carrier that offers rollover minutes, but their 3G coverage is spotty, and when switching from 3G to Edge or vise versa, you will experience a lot of dropped calls. If you want to use your phone as a modem with AT&T you have to get a tethering plan which will run you $60/month. Verizon has a much larger 3G coverage area, and you don't have to worry about the network being burdened by iPhone users. Sprint has rolled out 4G coverage in some areas with plans to expand. Sprint has cheaper calling plans, but their subsidized phone prices are higher. All in all, do your research, and check online for reviews of coverage, network speed, and customer service.

1. reception obviously varies by location. VZW probably has the best claim to the best nationwide coverage--their business model has very much focused on network building, and up until very recently, their phone selection sucked because they didn't invest as much in securing great smartphones. Alternatively, ATT has focused investment heavily on having great phones, and haven't focused investment as much on building any of their networks.
That said, ATT has great phone reception in a lots of metropolitan areas. There might even be some areas where they have better coverage. And while their 3G data coverage isn't nearly as broad, where it exists, it has been tested as being the fastest (especially when you're not using an iPhone).
2. No, all wireless carriers have a cap of some kind. Further most will charge an extra $30ish a month on top of the $30ish a month for smartphone data for tethering (using your phone as a modem), and they'll still have a data cap.
3. I don't know VZW's plans.

ive been with ATT for YEARS and their costumer service can kiss my ass because i never use it. why? because they offer best reception where im at. why would i want to find out how good t-mobiles costumer service is? i just want a reliable network. all carriers have crappy prices and conditions here. just find the one that works for you and dont listen to what anyone else says. why would you care if verizon has 3g in montana and att doesnt if you live in LA?? its irrelevant. find the least crappy one for you and stick with it.

Do some research on the difference between CDMA and GSM networks. One may work better than another in certain situations.
T-Mobile has cheap rate plans and free tethering.
Sprint has a WiMax network rolling out, although all of the carriers are working on LTE or some other standard of 4G- Not really a concern at this point, since few phones support it.
Verizon has the best customer satisfaction ratings, but their phones are often locked down with software.
AT&T has a history of dropping calls, but has the fastest recorded data speeds.
No matter whom you may chose, you will end up disappointed over some facet or another. You will need to get DSL or some other form of land-based internet, unless you can keep yourself constrained to the 5GB data caps that ALL of the carriers have.

I guess I'm gonna go with verizon then..
I asked a Veizon representative today about the Touch Pro 2, and he said it's only CDMA ... although on their websitethey say it's GSM Quad Band!!! Is there anything that I'm missing?
Will I be able to use out side the US if travel home?
cheers

duke911 said:
I guess I'm gonna go with verizon then..
I asked a Veizon representative today about the Touch Pro 2, and he said it's only CDMA ... although on their websitethey say it's GSM Quad Band!!! Is there anything that I'm missing?
Will I be able to use out side the US if travel home?
cheers
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, it's kind of misleading. The Verizon Touch Pro2 is actually a CDMA/GSM hybrid device, which works on Verizon's CDMA network or any GSM network. In theory, you should be able to use it on any GSM network in any country as long as you have a valid SIM card.

you cant trust advertising. it makes it appear that all options are shiney. verizon claims all of its wireless technologies as 3g no matter what they are, whether they have speeds slower than atts 2g or worse. the verizon touch pro will not actually work in the us or canada on gsm. you also need to pay for vodofone service separately to get international coverage. you can flash a radio that will let you use atts network but youll loose the cdma network verizon uses. sprints 4g network is not as promising as i hoped. its slower than atts 3g network and to use it you have to buy a $10 1-day pass that will let you use 4g in about 10 or so cities. its also not on any phones. in terms of data or unlimited plans, i would probably have to recommend t-mobile. even though i think they have the ugliest version of the touch pro 2. verizon does limit there unlimited plans to 4gb a month i think. and yes att is the only one with roll over. i never use my minutes so i up to about 10000 minutes rolled over. i will never be charged overage as long as i live.

I was with ATT when they were known as Cingular for three years. One day I got a call and they said I was using it off their network too much and I had to stop it or they would cancel me. Since I was not even living in their area, it was not going to happen.
So I signed up with Verizon, which did not even sell phones within a hundred miles of where I would be using it. That was in March of 2007. I went to Alaska for 16 months where it roamed constantly. Not a peep from Verizon about not being on their network. When going to a remote village for more than a month where no cell phone would work, I would just call them and they would suspend my phone for the time I was there. No bill at all and no charge for turning it off. So I have to say the customer support from Verizon is the best there is and ATT is the absolute worst.

texascbx said:
I was with ATT when they were known as Cingular for three years. One day I got a call and they said I was using it off their network too much and I had to stop it or they would cancel me. Since I was not even living in their area, it was not going to happen.
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they wouldnt say something like that. the entire gsm network is theirs.
btw att, verizon, and sprint all have horrible customer service. youre going to always loose with any provider.

The Jack of Clubs said:
they wouldnt say something like that. the entire gsm network is theirs.
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Last I checked, Tmobile's network isn't owned by ATT.

thanks a lot for your help guys, I really appreciae that.
I have one final question: Is there a way I can buy verizon touch pro 2 without a contract, and use it with verizon prepaid service (if that is possible in te first place)?
I'm new here and I don't have many people to speak with, and since I'm a student, I could use any some extra money
Cheers

duke911 said:
thanks a lot for your help guys, I really appreciae that. I have one final question: Is there a way I can buy verizon touch pro 2 without a contract, and use it with verizon prepaid service (if that is possible in te first place)? I'm new here and I don't have many people to speak with, and since I'm a student, I could use any some extra money
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I purchased my VZW off contract. Unsubsidized is probably about $500.
Different carriers have different rules for their prepaid services. With GSM carriers, TMo and ATT, it's easy to pop a prepaid sim into any phone. With CDMA (Sprint and VZW), I'm not sure. Best bet is to call and ask.

well i had sprint for ever...I switched to tmobile.. to get that tp2 free through wmdeals.com even though coverage sucks at my house im happy.. I have wifi for data when im home.. when i leave my home i have edge service everwhere.. til i start getting close to mesquite ( texas ) it goes to 3g.. but edge works great with opera mini.. and for updating certain things.. but so far tmobile rocks..

The Jack of Clubs said:
they wouldnt say something like that. the entire gsm network is theirs.
btw att, verizon, and sprint all have horrible customer service. youre going to always loose with any provider.
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Click to collapse
That's where you are wrong. They did cancel me and one of my brothers living in another town shortly after I got the call and letter. The explanation was they had contracts with other providers to cover you when your were roaming. And roaming was fine, as long as you did not do it too much. I roamed all the time, for about three years.

I called Verizon today, and the representative said that I can't use their prepaid service on a smart phone... although I'm not really sure about, as she sounded clueless, and I had to do lots of explanation until she got the basic idea..
anyway... I like really the verizon version of the Touch Pro 2..
If I go for month-to-month and get it for full retail (490$).. can I cancel with Verizon after that, and unlock my phone, then use it with some other network like T-mobile or At&T????
I never used CDMA before, and after reading some info, I think GSM is better for me, at least for now...

duke911 said:
I called Verizon today, and the representative said that I can't use their prepaid service on a smart phone... although I'm not really sure about, as she sounded clueless, and I had to do lots of explanation until she got the basic idea..
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Click to collapse
You never know with reps. I seem to recall that VZW's prepaid might have some unlimited data intended for dumbphones, which of course they wouldn't want you to use with a smartphone.
There are MVNOs, like Page Plus, that use VZW's network, but have prepaid plans where they probably wouldn't be concerned about smartphone usage (pay per kb instead of unlimited).
If I go for month-to-month and get it for full retail (490$).. can I cancel with Verizon after that, and unlock my phone, then use it with some other network like T-mobile or At&T????
Click to expand...
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You can get it unlocked here and use it on ATT or TMo (minus 3g, 2g data still works), and as to whether you can cancel after the fact without penalty, it depends on exactly what you signed up for at VZW.

texascbx said:
That's where you are wrong. They did cancel me and one of my brothers living in another town shortly after I got the call and letter. The explanation was they had contracts with other providers to cover you when your were roaming. And roaming was fine, as long as you did not do it too much. I roamed all the time, for about three years.
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fortunz said:
Last I checked, Tmobile's network isn't owned by ATT.
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well then double check because att hardware can not utilize tmobile 1700 band. if you in the country you are never going to use another carriers network. and roaming only applies to out of country. even if you stand anywhere on the canadian or mexican borders, you wont be charged roaming. the system isnt that fd up.

The Jack of Clubs said:
well then double check because att hardware can not utilize tmobile 1700 band. if you in the country you are never going to use another carriers network. and roaming only applies to out of country. even if you stand anywhere on the canadian or mexican borders, you wont be charged roaming. the system isnt that fd up.
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Well, that's not entirely true. AT&T devices can use T-Mobile's network, just not HSPA (3G), and vice versa. Before I got my 8925, my main phone was an old T-Mobile Blackberry 7200 which I unlocked to use on AT&T. It could make phone calls and browse at EDGE speeds just fine. The 3G bands are f*cked up internationally since they often differ by country and carrier, but the EDGE and basic GSM bands are pretty much compatible with any GSM phone (since most GSM phones are Tri-band or Quad-band capable).
In addition, it's perfectly possible to use another network in the same country. If a company like AT&T doesn't have infrastructure in a remote area and wants to add service there, they'll often strike a deal with a local carrier who does. It's usually a seamless transition for the user, and it doesn't generally cost the user a cent. Rather, AT&T is the one paying the local cellular operator for allowing the AT&T customers use the local carrier's network as opposed to the alternative of having no coverage in that area. AT&T got mad at texascbx because he was costing AT&T money by roaming on these local carriers, which AT&T had to pay.
Lastly, I know people who live near the borders and they always are careful to see which operator they are using. One of them lives near the Mexican border, and has to make sure he's on AT&T's network before he makes a call. If he doesn't check, he might be roaming on the TelMex network and will get billed outrageous fees for a simple call, even though he's in the US.

I was at the mall today, and I talked to a T-Mobile guy, and he said I can get the T-mobile version of touch pro 2 for full retail, and I can use it with their prepaid plan without any porblems.
Then I spoke with a Verizon representative, and he said that I can't do that on their network, however I can buy the device with out a contract and without any plan...
So my Final question (and I guess fortunz answered before,but I still feel like asking coz I don't want to through 500$ away)... If I get the Verizon Touch Pro 2, and get it unlocked here
http://rhodiumw.htc-unlocks.com/
or here
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=578642
will I be able to use it with any carrier?? prepaid or plan??
I don't really mind about the data, as I'll be using WiFi mainly
Thanks a lot

[Q] AT&T Non-smart phone plan...hmm?

I recently acquired an HTC Vision from overseas. Since the change AT&T's website is giving me the option to add an unlimited data plan for non-smartphones for $10 (I don't currently have any data plan because my prior smartphone was grandfathered into an excemption). I know that the reason they are offering the cheap plan is because they don't sell the phone so they can't detect the model I'm using from the IMEI - but...
* does anyone have experience doing this?
* Do they ever catch you and force you to change?
* Is there an unwritten cap to the unlimited non-smartphone data plan that I should be mindful of not exceeding or an amount that you think would raise flags?
* Is there anything I can do to make myself more under the radar - I was thinking maybe changing my device on the AT&T website to a non-smartphone made by another manufacturer so my old smart phone is no longer listed?

Well first off, make sure that the Desire Z you have has the proper frequencies for AT&T.
As far as running the unlimited featurephone data plan, I'm not sure. They might be able to not tell what type of phone you're using, but they will be able to tell that it isn't one of their list of featurephones the plans work for. I think this is the biggest hurdle, they will more than likely find out that you're using a phone that isn't an AT&T featurephone and kick you off of it.
As far as data usage goes, I'm assuming it will throw up a flag when your first month you use 4gb-5gb of data on your "featurephone" that isn't even supposed to have a full browser lol.
If this was that easy to do, don't you think there would be more people getting a free featurephone with a $10 unlimited data plan and buying their phones unsubsidized? lol. Dunno just never heard of anyone doing this before.

I don't get 3G but the phone works fine on the EDGE network. Since it isn't a phone from the US I'm thinking that it might be able to escape detection a lot easier than say, a phone from T-Mobile.

jessicax said:
I don't get 3G but the phone works fine on the EDGE network. Since it isn't a phone from the US I'm thinking that it might be able to escape detection a lot easier than say, a phone from T-Mobile.
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If it doesn't work on 3G then it has the same bands as a T-mobile G2 (or similar, either way it doesn't work on 850/1900 3G that AT&T uses) and you'd end up with the same result. If you're not even gonna use 3G, then why are you paying for a data plan at all?
The real question is, is there a specific reason why you're using AT&T? If you're just going to be using the phone on EDGE with AT&T, you might as well just pay for a data plan on T-mobile and get 3G/4G... maybe just my personal opinion but I have no idea why someone would choose to pay for a smartphone and use it on the EDGE network. I wanna gouge my eyes out when I'm on EDGE lol.

martonikaj said:
If it doesn't work on 3G then it has the same bands as a T-mobile G2 (or similar, either way it doesn't work on 850/1900 3G that AT&T uses) and you'd end up with the same result. If you're not even gonna use 3G, then why are you paying for a data plan at all?
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Right now I'm not paying for a data plan. However, if I did pay for one, I'd only be using it to do things like check my e-mail, use voice dial, or play ad-supported games - nothing that would be crippled by the slower data transfer. Basically stuff that is worth $10/month to me but not $30.

jessicax said:
Right now I'm not paying for a data plan. However, if I did pay for one, I'd only be using it to do things like check my e-mail, use voice dial, or play ad-supported games - nothing that would be crippled by the slower data transfer. Basically stuff that is worth $10/month to me but not $30.
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I see... But what I'm saying is why would you pay for an AT&T plan, are you somehow obligated to stay there? If you're bringing your own phone to T-mobile, their no contract plans are as low as $59.99/mo. Maybe AT&T has good service in your area, I'm not sure. But if you have no reason to stay on AT&T and service is comparable on T-mobile, I doubt you'll be paying more for 3G service on T-mo than you would for only 2G on AT&T.
T-mobile no contract (youre bringing your own phone) = $59.99 for 500min, unlim texts, and "unlimited" data.
AT&T phone plans = $39.99 450minutes, + $20 unlim texts + $10 for "featurephone data" = $69.99 and that doesn't get you 3G.
Not trying to convert, just trying to make sense of your situation.

martonikaj said:
I see... But what I'm saying is why would you pay for an AT&T plan, are you somehow obligated to stay there?
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I am obligated to stay with AT&T for various reasons. :-\

jessicax said:
I am obligated to stay with AT&T for various reasons. :-\
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Well that would explain a lot. As far as your original plan goes, I'm not sure how it works. They have to identify between their featurephones and smartphones somehow, and that means they may easily be able to identify that you're using a smartphone. Not sure.

From my understanding when i was about to try this smartphones have there own data set....and regular unlimited browsing is something else. But i can be wrong. Get back to me about this, very interested to see if this works.
Sent from my HTC Vision using XDA App

This does work.
I am using an unbranded/unlocked Desire Z on ATT with the $10/month basic data plan. Years ago, I purchased a 'dumb phone' from them and have had this data plan on my account since then.
I have used this data plan with a Touch Pro, Blackberry Bold and Nokia E71, all without any problems. All of them were ATT branded and they could see the device I was using. Only thing that didn't work was the Blackberry branded data apps.
With a phone that is not from ATT they cannot tell what device you are using. I've had the DZ since November and haven't heard anything from there. My data usage each month has ranged from 400-700 MB. Not sure what the cap is, but I don't tether or anything and use wifi when I'm at home as well.
This of course is not in line with their 'smartphone policy' so don't walk into a store and expect them to do this for you. You'll have to do it online... Not sure how closely they watch new additions on the basic plans but I would give it a shot and see if they let you keep going... My guess is that unless you're sucking up data at 2-3GB a month, it won't be a problem...
Let me know how it goes for you!

I have an Australian HTC Desire as my personal line, and I pay the $10 data. AT&T employee line plans suck pretty bad...

martonikaj said:
If it doesn't work on 3G then it has the same bands as a T-mobile G2 (or similar, either way it doesn't work on 850/1900 3G that AT&T uses) and you'd end up with the same result. If you're not even gonna use 3G, then why are you paying for a data plan at all?
The real question is, is there a specific reason why you're using AT&T? If you're just going to be using the phone on EDGE with AT&T, you might as well just pay for a data plan on T-mobile and get 3G/4G... maybe just my personal opinion but I have no idea why someone would choose to pay for a smartphone and use it on the EDGE network. I wanna gouge my eyes out when I'm on EDGE lol.
Click to expand...
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Iirc you need data for mms
Sent from my HTC HD2 using XDA App

You are good to go.
I used a G2 on AT&T for a few months before switching to T-Mobile. I do not remember how much data I used but I know that AT&T had no clue what I was doing/using. I was on the $15 unlimited messaging data plan though, not sure about the $10 one. As long as the phone is not branded or specifically made for AT&T bands (like the AT&T N1) they have no clue what you have, that is the main reason I only use GSM networks.
Protip: You can suspend your line if you are on a family plan and switch to T-mobile which is what I am currently doing until my wife's iPhone contract runs out. They will still charge you $10/month though. $25 for 2GB is WAY overpriced.

For those of you who were interested in hearing if this worked: I've been on the data plan for about two weeks and have used about 200mb thus far. So far, so good. The EDGE network speeds can be a little slow but it is better than nothing.
I'm curious if I'll be detected now that AT&T has acquired T-Mobile, since the G2 is in T-Mobile's lineup, which is based on the HTC Vision just like the Desire Z that I am using.

my question is...
Why cant you use 3g if you have a DZ from overseas? the G2 is the phone with the weird 3g bands. the overseas phone should work like a charm on att.
jessicax said:
For those of you who were interested in hearing if this worked: I've been on the data plan for about two weeks and have used about 200mb thus far. So far, so good. The EDGE network speeds can be a little slow but it is better than nothing.
I'm curious if I'll be detected now that AT&T has acquired T-Mobile, since the G2 is in T-Mobile's lineup, which is based on the HTC Vision just like the Desire Z that I am using.
Click to expand...
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babyfacedkayos said:
Why cant you use 3g if you have a DZ from overseas? the G2 is the phone with the weird 3g bands. the overseas phone should work like a charm on att.
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Click to collapse
Unfortunately it does not have the 3G bands that ATT uses.

[email protected] 30/month for data I'm at 15 or 20 for unlimited data and texts with tmobile
Sent from my HTC Vision using XDA App

Lots of people do this. I have a Nokia E71 currently on this plan (and a Desire Z on the way). My only concern is with AT&T's new crackdown on tethering.

Can someone tell me if ATT can make the difference between the type of data transfer someone uses (like web browsing vs Market android download or google syncing)?

Yes they can catch you. Yes they can tell the differance between mms and web browsing....yes they can see every site and bit of information, every call made, every text sent, every minute of every day..... the questions is do they care? The simple answer is no. I have used my own phones on att for 8+ years. I not even sure if its agaisnt any policy they have anyway? Anyway if they ever did "catch" you the worst they would do is say stop that, pay more, or cancel your account. Then maybe you will be free to join tmo lol.
Sent from my T-Mobile G2 using XDA Premium App

[Q] 4G, Prepaid?

So I had a Droid 3 on Verizon on a prepaid line ($95 for 450 talk, unlimited text, and unlimited data) but that was 3G.
With the gNexi coming out, I was wondering if I would even be able to use it's 4g capabilities on my prepaid line? I'm obviously going to buy it at full-retail price but will the 4G even work or will I be stuck on 3G all the time?
I can't do contracts...
Should I wait for T-Mobile to get it and use their 4G prepaid instead?

I'm unsure if VZW has a LTE prepay service. That's something you have to look into separately. My guess is they don't. Unless they explicitly say that your prepay covers LTE I would expect to only get 3G.
As far as switching to a different carrier no one can tell you which is better. Its all about where you will use the phone and its your call.

I just did an online chat with a VZW rep, here it is:
Please hold for a Verizon Wireless sales representative to assist you with your order. Thank you for your patience.
You are now chatting with 'Kiara'
Kiara: Hello. Thank you for visiting our chat service. May I help you with your order today?
You: I was wondering if 4G phones like the Droid Bionic are eligible for the Prepaid Smartphone plans???
Kiara: I do apologize for the inconvenience, although the Bionic is not able to be pre paid
You: Are their any 4G phones available for the Prepaid plans?
You: And/or can you tell me if there are any plans to offer any???
Kiara: I do apologize although at this time there are not
You: Ok, thank you for your help
So, looks like you can't, at this time, use a 4G phone on their prepaid plans.
I currently have a Nexus S on T-mobile's $30 month prepaid plan (100 mins, unl. text, unl. data*throttled after 5GB), and I love it but I don't use my phone much for calls... I plan on getting the Galaxy Nexus and using it on this plan once it's available.

Yeah it looks like I'll have to wait for the galaxy nexus to drop on TMobile
WoW this sucksss.... It probably won't even come out until late December...
Maybe I should just import? No idea how it works but I want my nexus asap
Sent from the parietal lobe of your cerebral cortex.

Dmw017 said:
Yeah it looks like I'll have to wait for the galaxy nexus to drop on TMobile
WoW this sucksss.... It probably won't even come out until late December...
Maybe I should just import? No idea how it works but I want my nexus asap
Sent from the parietal lobe of your cerebral cortex.
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Look on the bright side... t-mo plans are cheaper than Verizon. So you'll save money if you switch. But then again tmo reception around your area would play a big role too.

ruthlesset said:
Look on the bright side... t-mo plans are cheaper than Verizon. So you'll save money if you switch. But then again tmo reception around your area would play a big role too.
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Yeah I looked into it and Tmobile is way better than Verizon. I live in NYC so reception shouldnt be a problem at all. Now I'm just trying to figure out if I should import the 16GB model or wait for the 32GB US model :/ bleh ... I wonder when Tmobile will be getting it

Dmw017 said:
Yeah it looks like I'll have to wait for the galaxy nexus to drop on TMobile
WoW this sucksss.... It probably won't even come out until late December...
Maybe I should just import? No idea how it works but I want my nexus asap
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you have T-mo service in the area then its sooo much better. Just wait, don't import. You'll probably have to buy it unlocked (probably best buy, just like Nexus S) but you'll be better off for it. You don't want to sign a 2year for a Nexus on VZW and get blocked tethering and crap on it.
---------- Post added at 07:13 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:12 PM ----------
Dmw017 said:
Yeah I looked into it and Tmobile is way better than Verizon. I live in NYC so reception shouldnt be a problem at all. Now I'm just trying to figure out if I should import the 16GB model or wait for the 32GB US model :/ bleh ... I wonder when Tmobile will be getting it
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its all up in the air. As I said above ^, they might not "get it" officially at all. Might have to buy unlocked from Google/Best Buy.
But the winner is that the T-mo plans can be as low as 1/2 the price of VZW.

martonikaj said:
its all up in the air. As I said above ^, they might not "get it" officially at all. Might have to buy unlocked from Google/Best Buy.
But the winner is that the T-mo plans can be as low as 1/2 the price of VZW.
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Actually they have a $30 Prepaid plan with 100talk/unlimited text/ and unlimited data (5gb of 4G) -- available only on new line activation.
Btw can you clarify the "unlocked from google/best buy" part? Would I still have to use a sim card if Tmobile wont officially sell it

Dmw017 said:
Actually they have a $30 Prepaid plan with 100talk/unlimited text/ and unlimited data (5gb of 4G) -- available only on new line activation.
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yea their prepay options are pretty epic. 100min is a bit low for most though. I was just referring to their postpay options that are pretty cheap too. I've looked into moving from my EM+ no-contract plan to a prepay lately actually.
Btw can you clarify the "unlocked from google/best buy" part? Would I still have to use a sim card if Tmobile wont officially sell it
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Well if you want my opinion I think they'll end up just selling it exactly like they did with the Nexus S. They sold it online, and they offered it via Best Buy unlocked. You'd buy the phone, then buy your service and get a SIM card from AT&T or T-mobile (or Simple Mobile, or whatever) separately and plug it in. The GN is pentaband HSPA+ and will work with pretty much any SIM in the world.

Dmw017 said:
Yeah I looked into it and Tmobile is way better than Verizon. I live in NYC so reception shouldnt be a problem at all. Now I'm just trying to figure out if I should import the 16GB model or wait for the 32GB US model :/ bleh ... I wonder when Tmobile will be getting it
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Speaking from personal experience, the problem with T-Mobile in NYC is that as soon as you are a few feet below ground level, you lose signal. When you can get 5 bars, it's great, T-Mobile probably has the least congested network of anyone, and you enjoy superb 3/4G speeds. But you will be frustrated by how spotty the coverage is. Go 20 miles North to Westchester or 20 miles east to LI and you'll often find yourself exiting buildings to get a signal.

Chirality said:
Speaking from personal experience, the problem with T-Mobile in NYC is that as soon as you are a few feet below ground level, you lose signal. When you can get 5 bars, it's great, T-Mobile probably has the least congested network of anyone, and you enjoy superb 3/4G speeds. But you will be frustrated by how spotty the coverage is. Go 20 miles North to Westchester or 20 miles east to LI and you'll often find yourself exiting buildings to get a signal.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Lol that's alright I don't leave the city anyways. What I am wondering is what happens when you deplete your limited use of the 4g data (I'll get 5gb). Someone told me that you get bumped down to EDGE(2G) speeds, but I thought you only go down to 3G.
Sent from the parietal lobe of your cerebral cortex.

Dmw017 said:
Lol that's alright I don't leave the city anyways. What I am wondering is what happens when you deplete your limited use of the 4g data (I'll get 5gb). Someone told me that you get bumped down to EDGE(2G) speeds, but I thought you only go down to 3G.
Sent from the parietal lobe of your cerebral cortex.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
As I (and many others) explained in the other thread about T-mobile:
- You get 5GB of data, that's 4g/3g/2g.
- Once you use all 5GB in a month, you get throttled.
- Throttled speeds are in the range of what EDGE is, even though your phone still says "3G" up in the status bar.
- Once your billing period ends, you get a new 5GB batch of data.
There's no discerning between 4G and 3G by T-mobile. HSPA+ is just a fast version of T-mobile's 3G network. Its not separate.

Just curious has any one looked into metroPCS they say they allow any cdma phone on their network and they have lte. There speeds may not be the greatest and not the best coverage but the price is spot on and unlimited!

robertlawson225 said:
Just curious has any one looked into metroPCS they say they allow any cdma phone on their network and they have lte. There speeds may not be the greatest and not the best coverage but the price is spot on and unlimited!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Don't think it'll work. You'd have to unlock it somehow, and even then I think theres going to be inconsistencies with the LTE frequencies they use, etc.

martonikaj said:
Don't think it'll work. You'd have to unlock it somehow, and even then I think theres going to be inconsistencies with the LTE frequencies they use, etc.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I thought that all nexus devices where unlocked developer phones. also i just talked to metroPCS and they did say hardware wise any cdma ohone will work and so will the LTE but, there might be a problem with software incompatibilities. but if that is true i would think our fellow xda members would figure out how to fix any software problems

robertlawson225 said:
I thought that all nexus devices where unlocked developer phones. also i just talked to metroPCS and they did say hardware wise any cdma ohone will work and so will the LTE but, there might be a problem with software incompatibilities. but if that is true i would think our fellow xda members would figure out how to fix any software problems
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It won't be unlocked from the factory because 1) its CDMA/LTE with VZW specific bands, and 2) its being made to order for Verizon to subsidize it (which means they will SURELY dictate that its locked).
The Nexus devices have historically been sold full price without a carrier subsidy (and therefore are unlocked) because google wants them to be used anywhere in the world with any SIM card. This is different because there are carriers involved from the start (and the device is CDMA).
Also, I'm pretty sure the LTE won't be interoperable between the two carriers. Verizon will have their own proprietary network stack for use with their LTE service, and it uses slightly different frequencies from other carriers for LTE, specifically so that their devices won't be interoperable with other networks. They want you to buy a VZW phone and stay on VZW (dirty play, but that's how they roll).
Hope that clarifies things a little bit. Now no one knows for sure how much of the issues can be fixed with new firmware flashes, so I guess we'll see when it comes out. For example I know a lot of people use Sprint and Verizon phones with different custom firmware to run on networks like Virgin, Boost, and Cricket in order to cut down the monthly bill.

martonikaj said:
It won't be unlocked from the factory because 1) its CDMA/LTE with VZW specific bands, and 2) its being made to order for Verizon to subsidize it (which means they will SURELY dictate that its locked).
The Nexus devices have historically been sold full price without a carrier subsidy (and therefore are unlocked) because google wants them to be used anywhere in the world with any SIM card. This is different because there are carriers involved from the start (and the device is CDMA).
Also, I'm pretty sure the LTE won't be interoperable between the two carriers. Verizon will have their own proprietary network stack for use with their LTE service, and it uses slightly different frequencies from other carriers for LTE, specifically so that their devices won't be interoperable with other networks. They want you to buy a VZW phone and stay on VZW (dirty play, but that's how they roll).
Hope that clarifies things a little bit. Now no one knows for sure how much of the issues can be fixed with new firmware flashes, so I guess we'll see when it comes out. For example I know a lot of people use Sprint and Verizon phones with different custom firmware to run on networks like Virgin, Boost, and Cricket in order to cut down the monthly bill.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
well lets just hope some one out there can figure out how to make a phone like this run on a reasonabale priced carrier well other than t-mobile

[Q] Should I Go with AT&T GoPhone/Net10/Or Straight Talk??

Hey Guys,
I'm planning on buying the HTC One X International Version and I can't decide on which service provider to go with. I want to find the best provider with the best speeds and a decent "unlimited" data program. Any suggestions??

Definitely Straight Talk. Not unlimited data as advertised, more in the area of 2.5gb per month. People have claimed they've gone through a lot of data a month, but I would keep it reasonable when you're a new customer.
Only true unlimited mvno I can think of is
Boost Mobile, but not an option since they're cdma. Straight Talk has the best coverage and speeds.
Sent from my HTC One X using Tapatalk 2

UnlockedNand said:
Definitely Straight Talk. Not unlimited data as advertised, more in the area of 2.5gb per month. People have claimed they've gone through a lot of data a month, but I would keep it reasonable when you're a new customer.
Only true unlimited mvno I can think of is
Boost Mobile, but not an option since they're cdma. Straight Talk has the best coverage and speeds.
Sent from my HTC One X using Tapatalk 2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I see that you are using Straight Talk how well does your service do with the phone? Good speeds?? Does straight talk connect with AT&Ts Faux(4)G network HSPA?? Sorry for all the questions just want to find the best deal, had verizon but got fed up with the 103/month bill.

felicitygrad2010 said:
I see that you are using Straight Talk how well does your service do with the phone? Good speeds?? Does straight talk connect with AT&Ts Faux(4)G network HSPA?? Sorry for all the questions just want to find the best deal, had verizon but got fed up with the 103/month bill.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Coverage is good, I live outside of major cities. Haven't done a speedtest, but load webpages, email, and other miscellaneous content fast. 3g, no 4g. I'm on WiFi 85% of the time, so this unlimited plan is great. Also to note, Straight Talk has me under AT&T since the coverage was better than T-Mobile in my area.
The T-Mobile prepaid $30 unlimited plan (5gb 4g data - throttled, 100 minutes, unlimited text) really got me interested until I later learned their bands still aren't upgraded for 850/1900 mhz. If you're fine with fast edge speed and mediocre coverage, than that might be of interest to you.
Sent from my HTC One X using Tapatalk 2

I just use my Verizon WiFi hotspot for data when not at home or work WiFi. Tmo for voice... Let's me use any intl gsm phone without worrying about bands.
Sent from my HTC One X using xda premium

UnlockedNand said:
Coverage is good, I live outside of major cities. Haven't done a speedtest, but load webpages, email, and other miscellaneous content fast. 3g, no 4g. I'm on WiFi 85% of the time, so this unlimited plan is great. Also to note, Straight Talk has me under AT&T since the coverage was better than T-Mobile in my area.
The T-Mobile prepaid $30 unlimited plan (5gb 4g data - throttled, 100 minutes, unlimited text) really got me interested until I later learned their bands still aren't upgraded for 850/1900 mhz. If you're fine with fast edge speed and mediocre coverage, than that might be of interest to you.
Sent from my HTC One X using Tapatalk 2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah T-Mobile coverage in my area sucks too. I live in a major city so speeds should be relatively good for me, I had ATT as a Go-Phone before and service coverage was awesome around here didn't ever drop a call but didn't have a data plan so can't speak on the speeds. Yeah, when I heard about T-mobile updating to the 890/1900 mhz band it made me think about going to them but I don't think I'd be able to deal with their edge network speeds.

*Bump* Sorry just bumping so its not 3 pages into the forum.

have you checked on the recent at&t prepaid plan? it looks as though you still have to buy a data package on $50 unlimited with a smartphone. i'm on at&t prepaid: i picked the $2/day usage only option and bought a data package, but i've heard the data package portion will not be renewable. i have a mobile hotspot i could fall back on, so it may not be much of an issue for me. but it's something to think about.
i have a suspicion straight talk may be your best bet if you're a heavy user of talk/text as well as data. just check and make sure it runs off the att network where you live.

1earful said:
have you checked on the recent at&t prepaid plan? it looks as though you still have to buy a data package on $50 unlimited with a smartphone. i'm on at&t prepaid: i picked the $2/day usage only option and bought a data package, but i've heard the data package portion will not be renewable. i have a mobile hotspot i could fall back on, so it may not be much of an issue for me. but it's something to think about.
i have a suspicion straight talk may be your best bet if you're a heavy user of talk/text as well as data. just check and make sure it runs off the att network where you live.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, I'm really confused with the new data plans, cause they have the new unlimited for $50 and it doesnt say anything against smart phones using it and now android are not allowed on the pay for what you use plans. As for straight talk here runs both AT&T and Tmobile they give they choice to us.

it does say smartphone users must purchase a data package. there a few people on the boards who say they have been able to fly under the radar and not have to do that with an unlimited plan. i only switched to att prepaid recently, so i wouldn't know for sure, but you should check around the boards to see what user experience is. in any case, my first fallback is my mobile hotspot, then i may eventually move to straight talk if att doesn't let me continue as is. i'm such a minimal user that i don't even want to pay $45/month if i don't have to.

1earful said:
it does say smartphone users must purchase a data package. there a few people on the boards who say they have been able to fly under the radar and not have to do that with an unlimited plan. i only switched to att prepaid recently, so i wouldn't know for sure, but you should check around the boards to see what user experience is. in any case, my first fallback is my mobile hotspot, then i may eventually move to straight talk if att doesn't let me continue as is. i'm such a minimal user that i don't even want to pay $45/month if i don't have to.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, thats what I'll most like do is use WiFi most of the time, since straight talk is capped at around 2.5gb I a huge data user but I barely use talk, and text i have upwards of 5,000 a month xD

i wouldn't count on ATT GoPhone. they will probably start checking what phones are used and telling you to update your sim and plan. if you can afford it, 499/year at Straight Talk is the best plan i've seen. i'm waiting for college loans and switching.
Straight Talk may be capped/throttled after 2.5 GB like ATT does, but you are getting everything cheaper. i pay 70 AFTER a 7% discount for 450 mins, 2 GB, and no text/mms. i'm taking 42-45/month to Straight Talk when i get out of contract.

brent8577 said:
i wouldn't count on ATT GoPhone. they will probably start checking what phones are used and telling you to update your sim and plan. if you can afford it, 499/year at Straight Talk is the best plan i've seen. i'm waiting for college loans and switching.
Straight Talk may be capped/throttled after 2.5 GB like ATT does, but you are getting everything cheaper. i pay 70 AFTER a 7% discount for 450 mins, 2 GB, and no text/mms. i'm taking 42-45/month to Straight Talk when i get out of contract.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, thats most likely what I'll end up doing in the long after trying the service out first to see how it runs. Now if only the wireless companies could figure out that they are just hurting themselves by not offering unlimited data to customers xD

Go with ATT pay as you go, or goto a corporate not retail and have them activate a non contract line with 15 non smartphone data, which is the same BTW, and whatever messaging plan, one comes with unlimited any mobile and all this without showing your phone or call 18003310500 and they'll ship out a sim card. The imei is not a registered one with AT&T.
Guaranteed not bsing.
Sent from my HTC Desire using XDA

mayad79 said:
Go with ATT pay as you go, or goto a corporate not retail and have them activate a non contract line with 15 non smartphone data, which is the same BTW, and whatever messaging plan, one comes with unlimited any mobile and all this without showing your phone or call 18003310500 and they'll ship out a sim card. The imei is not a registered one with AT&T.
Guaranteed not bsing.
Sent from my HTC Desire using XDA
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So $15 unlimited data? What are the speeds like? And they have unlimited messaging? What about minutes?

I was able to fly under the radar for my AT&T go prepaid for unlimited data for about 4 months and then one day data was shut off. I was able to put my sim in my V3xx and data works. I guess I can go to straight talk or tmobile now lol

carangelover said:
I was able to fly under the radar for my AT&T go prepaid for unlimited data for about 4 months and then one day data was shut off. I was able to put my sim in my V3xx and data works. I guess I can go to straight talk or tmobile now lol
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What kind of phone were you using? Was it an AT&T branded smartphone?

Liking where this thread is going. Subbed.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 2

Data cap Rumor

I was in tmobile when I switched from att and a representative told me that if I unlocked my s4 I wouldn't be affected by the data speed cap on the unlimited data plan, is that true? (Im on a verizon rom atm)
Sent from my SCH-I545 using xda premium

Tyler.Boston1 said:
I was in tmobile when I switched from att and a representative told me that if I unlocked my s4 I wouldn't be affected by the data speed cap on the unlimited data plan, is that true? (Im on a verizon rom atm)
Sent from my SCH-I545 using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If there is such a data cap throttle then it's a rumor. I use approximately 10 gigs. And never reach any throttle
Sent from my SGH-M919 using Tapatalk 2

Ive used 75gb this month with no throttle whatsoever.
You get throttled on unlimited data after 9,999gb.
Friend that works at T Mobile said that.
Sent from my SGH-M919 using xda app-developers app

I've just realized that tmobile messed up our plan when I signed for unlimited I got the 2.5 gb of data, sorry mistake on my part. I should have had unlimited to begin with.
Sent from my SCH-I545 using xda premium

...

Rumor has it.............
Most likely propaganda put out by other carriers, and double agents posing as reps working for T-Mobile stores
No 4G LTE data throttling here. Last month used 42gb
When I hit 9,999GB, I'll let ya know lol!

So if you have the 4G unlimited you wont get throttled but if you get lets say the 2gig data plan and go over you will right?
im getting T-Mobile since ATT rapes you with data charges and stuff.
i want to know how slow will you get throttled down?
2G or 3G??
i wouldnt mind 3G... its unlimited so who cares but if they go all the way down to 2G then might as well get the 4G unlimited right?

jayRokk said:
So if you have the 4G unlimited you wont get throttled but if you get lets say the 2gig data plan and go over you will right?
im getting T-Mobile since ATT rapes you with data charges and stuff.
i want to know how slow will you get throttled down?
2G or 3G??
i wouldnt mind 3G... its unlimited so who cares but if they go all the way down to 2G then might as well get the 4G unlimited right?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm unsure about the 2G, 3G but for $20/mo. for Unlimited 4G LTE, you can't go wrong.
I left Sprint after 14 years, a few months or so ago because their data speeds sucked where I was, and LTE was non existent, in addition to always dropping voice calls, and getting really tired of their empty promises and excuses. I went over to Verizon for a few months knowing that they crap on you with their data pricing, but I had heard negative things about T-Mobile, and Atnt would be like Verizon re pricing. I decided to check out T-Mobile for myself because the negative comments were from a while ago, and Verizon was crapping all over me with their outrageous pricing.
So I went into a T-Mobile store, purchased an S4 to try out in the real world for their 14 day trial period, and after 2 days, ported over.
In my experience, T-Mobile has been the best regarding their plan pricing.
Coverage for the areas I frequent has been excellent, and that is what is most important. Once you see you have excellent coverage, T-Mobile is a done deal

jayRokk said:
So if you have the 4G unlimited you wont get throttled but if you get lets say the 2gig data plan and go over you will right?
im getting T-Mobile since ATT rapes you with data charges and stuff.
i want to know how slow will you get throttled down?
2G or 3G??
i wouldnt mind 3G... its unlimited so who cares but if they go all the way down to 2G then might as well get the 4G unlimited right?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It goes down to 2G I had the 2GB and I went over... so slow... but now I have the unlimited 4g lte. Im at 28 gigs no throttle
Unrooted Samsung Galaxy S4 Up and Running
Rooted Mytouch 4G Slide retired
Rooted T-Mobile Sidekick Touch Obliterated
Rooted Mytouch 3G Slide Lost
Rooted T-Mobile G1 Dead

Biker1 said:
I'm unsure about the 2G, 3G but for $20/mo. for Unlimited 4G LTE, you can't go wrong.
I left Sprint after 14 years, a few months or so ago because their data speeds sucked where I was, and LTE was non existent, in addition to always dropping voice calls, and getting really tired of their empty promises and excuses. I went over to Verizon for a few months knowing that they crap on you with their data pricing, but I had heard negative things about T-Mobile, and Atnt would be like Verizon re pricing. I decided to check out T-Mobile for myself because the negative comments were from a while ago, and Verizon was crapping all over me with their outrageous pricing.
So I went into a T-Mobile store, purchased an S4 to try out in the real world for their 14 day trial period, and after 2 days, ported over.
In my experience, T-Mobile has been the best regarding their plan pricing.
Coverage for the areas I frequent has been excellent, and that is what is most important. Once you see you have excellent coverage, T-Mobile is a done deal
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah im upgrading to an S4 (from an s3 on ATT) and getting the Mrs an S4 as well (from an iPhone on Sprint)
ATT coverage is good, but damn 200$ a month alone with ATT with limited data and with dropped calls and crappy service/coverage from sprint
we had enough lol
with 210$ i can have the two lines on T-Mo with unlimited 4G LTE (Since Phoenix is covered :good: ) ........yeah im switching now as i type lol

jayRokk said:
Yeah im upgrading to an S4 (from an s3 on ATT) and getting the Mrs an S4 as well (from an iPhone on Sprint)
ATT coverage is good, but damn 200$ a month alone with ATT with limited data and with dropped calls and crappy service/coverage from sprint
we had enough lol
with 210$ i can have the two lines on T-Mo with unlimited 4G LTE (Since Phoenix is covered :good: ) ........yeah im switching now as i type lol
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Even though the map says your covered, you really have to try out the service in the areas you most frequent, either with someone else's S4 (which you may have done already) or during your trial period. But I'm sure you're already aware of that.
I go with the carrier with the best coverage and pricing that will benefit me the most.
I gotta say that if T-Mobile continues on the path they are now regarding overage, plans, pricing, etc., I'd like to see them pull more Verizon, Atnt, and Sprint customers away from their carriers.
The T-Mobile of today is not the T-Mobile of yesterday, and that's the albatross they have to shake off, but I think they're well on their way.
I think they're already shaking up the industry with their no contract plans, upgrading availability 2x a year, etc, as the other carriers are following their lead.

Biker1 said:
Even though the map says your covered, you really have to try out the service in the areas you most frequent, either with someone else's S4 (which you may have done already) or during your trial period. But I'm sure you're already aware of that.
I go with the carrier with the best coverage and pricing that will benefit me the most.
I gotta say that if T-Mobile continues on the path they are now regarding overage, plans, pricing, etc., I'd like to see them pull more Verizon, Atnt, and Sprint customers away from their carriers.
The T-Mobile of today is not the T-Mobile of yesterday, and that's the albatross they have to shake off, but I think they're well on their way.
I think they're already shaking up the industry with their no contract plans, upgrading availability 2x a year, etc, as the other carriers are following their lead.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I will give the trial period a chance but im more than sure ill stay with T-Mo.
i do agree T-Mo isnt what it used to be. Back then there was so much negativity, and bat talk about it, but it seems like theyre on a better track
and the whole no contract is a plus!