Develop Bugs

can i text canada free

ive google this and i got mixed answers. am i able to text canada with my everythig data 450 plan free?

Calling Canada or texting costs you money ...it considered as an international ..there are many apps they allow to you to text Canada and US free ..but you will have a different number not the carrier number ..

scoobdubois said:
Calling Canada or texting costs you money ...it considered as an international ..there are many apps they allow to you to text Canada and US free ..but you will have a different number not the carrier number ..
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google voice allows calling and texting to canada/us/mexico for free. plus, google voice and sprint have some kind of partnership where your google voice number can be your main number.

I don't remember ever being charged for texting to Canada on SERO with my Treo. I would hope SERO P is no different.

Lol once again mixed answers but I'll use Google voice, thanks
Sent from hell using a jahovas witness

I'm from Canada. I call my family and text them like every day. With your sprint number ported to google voice you can simply text n call like normal from ur epic (don't have to do from GVoice app) no charges.
When i first ported to google voice they accidentally had some international charges, i called them and they immediately removed the charges no fuss or fight needed.
Sent from my Galaxy S2

ShinigamiH4ck3r said:
Lol once again mixed answers but I'll use Google voice, thanks
Sent from hell using a jahovas witness
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I no expert on the subject but Google voice texting uses data, which can be pricier than regular/roaming texting. I'm not sure about calling...

One thing i suggest checking out is kakao talk :]

schwab002 said:
I no expert on the subject but Google voice texting uses data, which can be pricier than regular/roaming texting. I'm not sure about calling...
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I'm pretty sure we are all on sprint which is unlimited data.
He's staying stateside and texting to Canada.
Sent from my SPH-D710 using XDA

ShinigamiH4ck3r said:
ive google this and i got mixed answers. am i able to text canada with my everythig data 450 plan free?
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Uh... did calling Sprint and asking them ever cross your mind? Seems the logical thing to do when you have a question about your plan.

cnstarz said:
google voice allows calling and texting to canada/us/mexico for free. plus, google voice and sprint have some kind of partnership where your google voice number can be your main number.
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I can't text or call Mexico for free using Google Voice.

_MetalHead_ said:
Uh... did calling Sprint and asking them ever cross your mind? Seems the logical thing to do when you have a question about your plan.
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I'm pretty sure sprint is closed at one in the morning. So take your negativity somewhere else
Sent from hell using a jahovas witness

[q]R800at on Straight Talk with HSPA+?

My line is reaching the end of the contract in my brother's AT&T family plan. I obtained my R800at by upgrading our mother's line (she is fine with our hand-me-down phones). My brother and I expect to jump ship thanks to their recent treatment of grandfathered "Unlimited" users (us). Screw them.
Anyway, Straight Talk is very appealing. Is there some catch to the unlimited talk, text, and data deal on AT&T's network?! Is it truly unlimited without throttling at 3GB? Is it higher latency? A lower-priority APN? No tethering?
Also appealing is the 5GB T-Mobile plan I see that Walmart says is exclusive, though I'm not sure I could deal with having only 100 minutes a month. Even so, I'd consider switching to it to save $15 once they get compatible 1900MHz HSPA+, especially if I can find a way to make calls via data. I have my doubts that it'll still be available when the time comes.
Oh: And will I get ICS OTA update? Very curious to know.

I don't know answers to any of your questions besides the one with ics. Ice cream sandwich will only be made available through Sony's pc companion software
Sent from my R800i using Tapatalk 2

CloudShepherd said:
I don't know answers to any of your questions besides the one with ics. Ice cream sandwich will only be made available through Sony's pc companion software
Sent from my R800i using Tapatalk 2
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Thanks, but what is with all the stuff about carriers needing to approve and test it first if they don't plan to offer it?

Straight Talk i've experienced is actually 7gb, It says clearly in the contract no tethering though. (Doesnt mean you cant though) plus I get 4-5 MBPS on speedtest, so its not a bad connection.
TMobile would be nice with HSDPA+, but out of luck right now.
Calls with data/wifi is possible, look on the play store for GrooveIP.

SirRudolph said:
Straight Talk i've experienced is actually 7gb, It says clearly in the contract no tethering though. (Doesnt mean you cant though) plus I get 4-5 MBPS on speedtest, so its not a bad connection.
TMobile would be nice with HSDPA+, but out of luck right now.
Calls with data/wifi is possible, look on the play store for GrooveIP.
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Thanks. What is the difference between the Light and normal (paid) version? They have the same description.

Im using straight talk and love every minute of it! But its not unlimited data. Go to Howardforums.com to learn more about straight talk
Sent from my R800at using xda premium

just replaced my vzw with a gsm variant for prepaid. looking for voip tips.

So i got tired of paying 190 a month for my phones and made the plunge for the gsm nexus and tmobiles 30 a month plan. I am looking to use a voip system to hopefully not go over my new 100 min plan. I plan on trying this over 3g and am wondering what people recommend for voip solutions for there phone. I have tried groove ip but discovered I had terrible latency. Any tips? Thanks!

Just get the unlimited $50 plan from simple mobile. Either way every gsm company has a data limit of like 2-3gbs and then they slow u down
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda app-developers app

I cannot remember the name of it for the life of me, but they just added ICS/JB support
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda app-developers app

Bloodykiller86 said:
Just get the unlimited $50 plan from simple mobile. Either way every gsm company has a data limit of like 2-3gbs and then they slow u down
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda app-developers app
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Data is the reason to go with the $30 T-Mobile plan, you get 5gb before slow down.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda premium

VOIP is just never going to be as consistent or useful as the regular cell network calls, especially if you're talking about calls over HSPA+. Its unfortunate but it is how it is right now. Any VOIP solution you find will be a convoluted hack to help you get by if you're close to your monthly usage limit, and really shouldn't be relied on as your main source of calls. Don't get this plan expecting to make 800 minutes of calls every month using VOIP. The $30 T-Mobile plan is a fantastic value if you truly don't make a lot of calls (or have a land line at home), but its definitely not for everyone.
Hop over to a plan with unlimited calls if you need to make a lot of calls every month. Straight Talk $45, Net10 $50, Simple Mobile $50, T-Mobile $60/$70 are all good options, and are still drastically cheaper than carrier plans.
If you're interested in VOIP though, they've dove into it for dozens of pages here: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1646755

I can say that the call quality on Straight Talk Sim Att is great and its not that much more than Tmo per month. Calling is unlimited. Att coverage isn't as good as VZW but its pretty darn close for me. Well worth the $45+ per month I am saving over VZW.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus

well i bought a tmobile plan and I was going to try that with the VOIP but that sounds like it isnt the way to go. What is the data cap on simple mobiles plans? I just called there customer service and she told me its fully unlimited but I dont believe that for a second.
I thought about straight talk since theres is $45 but I can only get 2GB on there unlimited plan. Thanks

ml3000 said:
well i bought a tmobile plan and I was going to try that with the VOIP but that sounds like it isnt the way to go. What is the data cap on simple mobiles plans? I just called there customer service and she told me its fully unlimited but I dont believe that for a second.
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Really depends on your market and usage. People report 3GB-5GB.
I thought about straight talk since theres is $45 but I can only get 2GB on there unlimited plan. Thanks
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People keep saying Straight Talk has a 2GB cap like it's gospel. This really isn't the case. It depends on your usage over the month and the network saturation of other ST users in your area. Lots of people Regularly push 3GB per month. It's just not set in stone.

Well I need closer to 5 to make this usable. So straight talk or simple mobile? What are the recommendations? I can confirm... VOIP=Not really usable for day to day use.

ml3000 said:
Well I need closer to 5 to make this usable. So straight talk or simple mobile?
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Out of those two if you need 5GB I'd suggest Simple Mobile, but I doubt you'll be able to consistently go that high (Simple Mobile was bought by Straight Talk a couple months ago). If you need to have 5GB of guaranteed data you need to either use the $30 T-Mobile plan and pay for minute overages, or go with the $70 T-Mobile plan. No one else will guarantee that much data.
I can confirm... VOIP=Not really usable for day to day use.
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As is the case for most people.

Why do you need 5 gigabytes to make it usable? Are you streaming a lot, do you not have access to WiFi, are you downloading large files? I was using 3 to 5 when I was on Verizon but found myself using way less when I started managing my data use.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus

Here's a wild idea...now bear with me here but wait for it......ONLY USE DATA WHEN YOU NEED IT!
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda app-developers app

Get the unlimited talk+text and the new truly unlimited data 4G speed(coming sept 5th) from T-Mobile for $74.99
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda premium

Smokeey said:
Here's a wild idea...now bear with me here but wait for it......ONLY USE DATA WHEN YOU NEED IT!
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That idea doesn't go over well in these forums lol.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda premium

ml3000 said:
Well I need closer to 5 to make this usable. So straight talk or simple mobile? What are the recommendations? I can confirm... VOIP=Not really usable for day to day use.
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If you can get by until next month you might try Solavei they are launching Sept 21 and have unlimited data, talk and text. You get 4 Gb of 4G data then unlimited at 2G/edge. Many other features and benefits as well. I'm using Solavei now and it is the best thing I have tried so far. I hope to do a full review next week sometime. If you have any questions feel free to PM me.

I do a lot of surfing, a lot of streaming of Pandora, I have a stupid long commute so I also download a lot of apps and ROMs via my connection. So between simple mobile and straight talk, everyone prefers simple mobile it looks like. I just don't want to be kicked off
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda premium

I drive an hour to work everyday so I can understand wanting to stream music. I just rip radio streams off the internet to my computer over WiFi then transfer to my phone as local music. Haven't tried with Pandora.
You are going to have to pick up a WiFi connection somewhere with straight talk or simple if downloading large rom files and streaming a lot. You could always just leave proxy blank in APN setting and hope they don't notice.
I would give the $30 tmo a try with VoIP. Its only $30. Maybe the call quality will be good enough for you who knows. You can use Google voice or talk for free messaging if you need too.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus

Most of my calls are unimportant (I.E., family/friends). So I was able to make PBxes.org + SipDroid work very well for outgoing calls reliably over 3g/4g and Wifi (if I wasn't moving past cell towers). For 'real' calls to the bank and such, I just used up the 100 minutes allocated to me.
Recently, I switched to paying ~$2-5/month extra through VOIP.MS for way better VOIP calling. I can even call on 2G (edge) reliably. Though I am still working on it a bit more to really configure it well and I might be using extra battery atm since it uses UDP instead of TCP connections... So again a work in progress.
This thread, as mentioned earlier is helpful:
[INFO][GSM] Own Your Cell Service ..with Prepaid and the Galaxy Nexus [UPDATED 5/24]
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1455014
However, this thread is the bread and butter for configuring VOIP imo. There was heavy discussion near the last 5-20 pages, but I would start with the first post and 6th post(the FAQ post).
[GUIDE] Smartphone Service for just $30/month
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1646755
VOIP works fine imo and worst case, they go to my GVoice voicemail and I call them right back, at least with my newer setup using VOIP.MS.
I've used the $30/mo plan since March and just recently picked up 4 months of prepay for $28.50/month (notice no tax and 5% more savings). The savings of a $45/mo plan for unlimited talk is ~$180/year (assuming a little more then 28.50/mo due to my VOIP.MS being another $2-5/month). I am willing to sacrifice a little on missed calls for that kind of extra savings.
Enjoy!

@stelv, please excuse my ignorance. What is the function of the APN on a gsm phone? I come from being on vzw forever.
Also, simple mobile use T-Mobile? I'm leaning towards straight talk att. Discovering T-Mobile really sucks in north Idaho :-/ hopefully I won't use over 3GB....
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda premium

ml3000 said:
So i got tired of paying 190 a month for my phones and made the plunge for the gsm nexus and tmobiles 30 a month plan. I am looking to use a voip system to hopefully not go over my new 100 min plan. I plan on trying this over 3g and am wondering what people recommend for voip solutions for there phone. I have tried groove ip but discovered I had terrible latency. Any tips? Thanks!
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I use Talkatone. In my experience, it works much better than Groove Ip. Used to use Talkatone on my iPod as well.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2

$30 unlimited text, web 5 gb unthrottled and 100 minutes

I currently use simple mobile $40 plan but I just saw this guy on walmart.com tmobile prepay plus you get tmobiles 4g up to 5 gb unthrottled for 30 bucks that totally beats paying 40 to get 3g and be cut off after 2-3 gb of data usage. Dont know if anyone has posted this before just figured I would put it out there for people because its a pretty damn good deal if you don't use many minutes
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Tmobile-30-Wireless-Airtime-Card/15443357

I'd seriously thought about moving to that... but ended up doing something different.

what did u end up going with?

I use net10 with there tmobile sim... 4g is fast and unlimited calling and text... First month i used close to 5gb and my data was never throttled... I used the tmobile $30 plan but when i got throttled i could not deal with the slow speeds so i switched to net10

Only 100 minutes of talk for a whole month? Can't do. I use around 450. Not including nights and weekends
Sent from my SGH-T999 using xda app-developers app

Does net10 cut you off after 5gb or throttle?
Sent from my SPH-L710 using xda app-developers app

I'm using simple but I never go over 2 GB so never had an issue with them. Going to check net 10
Sent from my Rooted Gameboy

wow that is a good deal if you dont use many minutes for calls.
osmosizzz said:
I'm using simple but I never go over 2 GB so never had an issue with them. Going to check net 10
Sent from my Rooted Gameboy
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I have this plan on S3 After 5Gigs boom ''Up to 2G Speeds'' You won't be able to load a website, seriously, but when on HSPA+ I got as high as 18Mbit near tower

I switched to this from Sprint. You can also get it on T-Mobile's website - but not in stores.
Very happy. I looked at my average minutes per month and it was about 100 each month when including ones that didn't "count" toward my stated pool. Now I can pay a lower monthly fee and be able to not only do the calling I did before, but have a phone that does so much more than just make calls and text.
I get 4G in the city, only GPRS at work - although it's sometimes more reliable than our WIFI - so I'm not complaining (need to speed test it, it's slow but not unbearable).
When I was looking into it, one thing people mentioned was that you can use calls over data/wifi (VOIP etc) to make up for the 100 minute limit.

i've been using this plan($30 5gb unl txt 100 minutes) for over a year and i use skype for the voice calling(IIRC is a little under $3) for a total of about $33 and change a month. absolutely loving it. you can also just use just about any kind of voip but skype seems to be the most maintstream.

I actually used GooveIP on a loaner phone from a friend while I had no actual cell service - and on the SG3 before activating it.
Free and easy - you use Google Voice along with it as well, essentially making it a fully-featured phone just only able to function with a wifi connection. I know people that have gone "all the way" and dropped cell service for a wifi-only device, but I'm a bit too paranoid for that.

Pennycake said:
I actually used GooveIP on a loaner phone from a friend while I had no actual cell service - and on the SG3 before activating it.
Free and easy - you use Google Voice along with it as well, essentially making it a fully-featured phone just only able to function with a wifi connection. I know people that have gone "all the way" and dropped cell service for a wifi-only device, but I'm a bit too paranoid for that.
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How would I change to this plan from the T-Mobile website?

I was entertaining this $30/mo 100/5GB plan, but have decided to go nearly all wifi. I only use the phone for checking voicemails, very rarely for calls, as I've tended towards Skype and GrooveIP for calls, but honestly I have nearly all my contacts using Heytell (voice 'walkie-talkie' uses data only) and they LOVE it...it's practically the only way we talk to one another anymore. I'll use my pay-as-you-go SIM with cheap minutes(Gold Membership already, my 1000+minutes are good for a year), for the rare cellphone call, and buy the Hotspot from Wallyworld, giving me 60 day data access (3.5GB) for $35...making my monthy cost around $20 month (approx. 17 data, 3 on SIM). Obviously, I'll use my wifi at home for music/Netflix, pretty much as I always have.
http://www.walmart.com/ip/T-Mobile-35-Prepaid-Mobile-Broadband-Pass-Email-Delivery/21191046

First month free unlimited Voice, text, web. Second month free if you share with others. Then $49 a month with no contract. Runs on T-Mobile. www.howcanisignup.org/10-31
Sent from my SGH-T999 using xda app-developers app

I'm on the $60 per month plan. I would change to the $30 but I don't want to get a new number, too much of a hassle n I'm pretty sure I need more than 100 minutes a month

garyx24 said:
I'm on the $60 per month plan. I would change to the $30 but I don't want to get a new number, too much of a hassle n I'm pretty sure I need more than 100 minutes a month
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You can port your number over, and additional minutes are only 10 cents, just keep a tenner in your account balance in case you go over.

danielrod said:
How would I change to this plan from the T-Mobile website?
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For the $30/mo plan, it's for new activations only - so you'd need to get a new SIM card and new account.
garyx24 said:
I'm on the $60 per month plan. I would change to the $30 but I don't want to get a new number, too much of a hassle n I'm pretty sure I need more than 100 minutes a month
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You can also port your number to Google Voice - thus, no matter what your number through the carrier changes to, you can ALWAYS have the same number with freedom to change whenever you want.

Subscribed!
Sent from my XT912 using xda app-developers app

I am on this plan and use groove ip so I don't use all my mins. Works pretty well for me.
Sent from my SGH-T999 using xda premium

T-Mobile Unlimited GLOBAL data and text!!!

T-Mobile is changing its service starting on October 31st. Unlimited global data and text will be free, but voice calls will be 20¢ a minute. Link below.
Discuss.
http://mobile.theverge.com/2013/10/...imited-global-data-roaming-at-no-extra-charge
Sent from my SGH-M919 using Tapatalk 4

Very Awesome!!!!

they just dropped a bomb on the other big 3. Lets see how quickly they copy this like they copied jump!. cuz we all know if tmobile would of never introduced it, the other 3 wouldnt of either

This has me thinking.
What about an International Rom with a cool boot animation
like the regular one but with a globe spinning in the background.
Then, add some kind of control panel that tells you all sorts of info about the carrier you are roaming on.

TheAtheistOtaku said:
they just dropped a bomb on the other big 3. Lets see how quickly they copy this like they copied jump!. cuz we all know if tmobile would of never introduced it, the other 3 wouldnt of either
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Oh yeah, definitely. I give it less than a month.
xPwn said:
This has me thinking.
What about an International Rom with a cool boot animation
like the regular one but with a globe spinning in the background.
Then, add some kind of control panel that tells you all sorts of info about the carrier you are roaming on.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This sounds really neat actually. It'd be pretty cool if T-Mobile themselves did that for all phones.

Lets Assume said:
Oh yeah, definitely. I give it less than a month.
This sounds really neat actually. It'd be pretty cool if T-Mobile themselves did that for all phones.
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tmobile could be the "world" carrier. not literally of course, since they have no choice but to roam on other carriers. but it would make a great marketing campaign and bring in allot of international business customers

T-Mobile is deff becoming a contender for the top spot. They also are doing another LTE rollout. Happy I left Verizon. Saving 150$ and I feel like my carrier works for my money.
Sg4

And I'm about to dump them because of terrible coverage. I was at a restaurant in downtown Chicago where people with att and Verizon got data and I couldn't even place a call.
Sent from my SGH-M919 using xda app-developers app

"Free" international data, but only at 2G speed. Ever tried to get anything done with 2G data? Pointless.
Sent telepathically

RiverCity.45 said:
"Free" international data, but only at 2G speed. Ever tried to get anything done with 2G data? Pointless.
Can you provide a source where you got this from? Thanks
Sent from my SGH-M919 using Tapatalk 4
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princeasi said:
RiverCity.45 said:
"Free" international data, but only at 2G speed. Ever tried to get anything done with 2G data? Pointless.
Can you provide a source where you got this from? Thanks
Sent from my SGH-M919 using Tapatalk 4
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Sure. I wasn't able to find the article I read earlier, so here it is from TMO: http://www.t-mobile.com/simple-choi...CzczywEwllCjC_Dn5kzElLCjCfFBjkzEpbET5zTwj5kzE
Scroll to find the link: see all countries and coverage
In the pop up, scroll to the fine print at the bottom: "Data at up to 2g speeds. No tethering."
Edit: found one. http://news.cnet.com/8301-1035_3-57...ffer-free-unlimited-international-data-texts/
The article states, "While the data is free, it won't be particularly fast. Customers can expect network speeds at around the same level that they get in the US after they are throttled. Chief Marketing Officer Mike Sievert said the average speed customers would get would be around 128 kilobits a second."
Sent telepathically
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Isn't this still better than not having any free international data at all. It doesn't cost you anything more, so I really don't see what you all are complaining about.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I717 using xda app-developers app

Meh, this doesn't matter to me because I never venture outside of the USA.

I think its great. Can now use whatsapp and magicjack app without having to find wifi. Especially in a place like central america where its very scarce
Sent from my SGH-M919 using Tapatalk 4

iakeco said:
Isn't this still better than not having any free international data at all. It doesn't cost you anything more, so I really don't see what you all are complaining about.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I717 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I agree. It is fast enough to communicate through Google hangouts.
Sent from my SGH-M919 using Tapatalk 4

When roaming, you will be on HSPA+ that's throttled to 128kbps. Ping won't be too bad.

Couple of points.
1. It's free if you're already paying extra for a postpaid plan. Those start at $50/mo for 500Mb of data. If you're on the $30/mo 5Gb prepaid plan, which is not included in this new international freebie, you'd have to start paying $70/mo, or an extra $480 per year, to get your 5Gb and "free" 2G international roaming .
2. As noted by others the "free" roaming speed is 2G. For the apps I use when traveling that's useless. So I'd have to pay for the extra 3G/4G speed anyway. And the prices they quote are not close to competitive with buying a local SIM in other countries.
3. If you use little data, don't care about speed, rely mostly on text, calls and email, and are already on a postpaid plan, then it's a nice addition when traveling. Otherwise, not so much.
I'm happy they're doing this as it could begin opening up the competition for real, usable universal coverage, but it's not there yet.

samnada said:
Couple of points.
1. It's free if you're already paying extra for a postpaid plan. Those start at $50/mo for 500Mb of data. If you're on the $30/mo 5Gb prepaid plan, which is not included in this new international freebie, you'd have to start paying $70/mo, or an extra $480 per year, to get your 5Gb and "free" 2G international roaming .
2. As noted by others the "free" roaming speed is 2G. For the apps I use when traveling that's useless. So I'd have to pay for the extra 3G/4G speed anyway. And the prices they quote are not close to competitive with buying a local SIM in other countries.
3. If you use little data, don't care about speed, rely mostly on text, calls and email, and are already on a postpaid plan, then it's a nice addition when traveling. Otherwise, not so much.
I'm happy they're doing this as it could begin opening up the competition for real, usable universal coverage, but it's not there yet.
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Click to collapse
No prepaid plans work with this offer. Also, the $70/mo plan is unlimited everything (no throttling either). None of the other carriers have anything like this. I remember the good ol' days when EDGE on a blackberry was very usable for basic web overseas. Unless you are watching Netflix, or using skype, you'll be fine. Save the Netflix for the hotel, and use 2G for basic web browsing. One thing you didn't mention was the $0.20/min local calling rate. This is BIG. Most prepaid local sims are around 7 to 12 cents a minute anyway. This plan is seamless, you keep your number, and no crazy bills.

xPwn said:
No prepaid plans work with this offer. Also, the $70/mo plan is unlimited everything (no throttling either). None of the other carriers have anything like this. I remember the good ol' days when EDGE on a blackberry was very usable for basic web overseas. Unless you are watching Netflix, or using skype, you'll be fine. Save the Netflix for the hotel, and use 2G for basic web browsing. One thing you didn't mention was the $0.20/min local calling rate. This is BIG. Most prepaid local sims are around 7 to 12 cents a minute anyway. This plan is seamless, you keep your number, and no crazy bills.
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I'm just trying to put this in a bit of perspective. I realize the $70/mo plan is unlimited, but the next plan down is still $60/mo for only 2.5Gb unthrottled. So to get just half the data limit I have now I'd have to pay $360 more per year to qualify for the "free" international roaming.
I'm quite aware of how 2G speed works with my apps. I don't watch movies on my phone. Even cached Google Maps just dies if you do a search or try navigating. Try standing in front of someone waiting 2-3 minutes for the translation of a word to come up. 2G is simply not fast enough for my needs, period. So this new "free" feature makes no practical or economic sense for me. But we each have our own needs and usage patterns, and I'm happy they've done it as it's a good deal for some users.

samnada said:
I'm just trying to put this in a bit of perspective. I realize the $70/mo plan is unlimited, but the next plan down is still $60/mo for only 2.5Gb unthrottled. So to get just half the data limit I have now I'd have to pay $360 more per year to qualify for the "free" international roaming.
I'm quite aware of how 2G speed works with my apps. I don't watch movies on my phone. Even cached Google Maps just dies if you do a search or try navigating. Try standing in front of someone waiting 2-3 minutes for the translation of a word to come up. 2G is simply not fast enough for my needs, period. So this new "free" feature makes no practical or economic sense for me. But we each have our own needs and usage patterns, and I'm happy they've done it as it's a good deal for some users.
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As I explained earlier, the 2G speeds are actually HSPA+, but throttled. So ping probably won't be an issue. Apps that are transferring small amounts of data that need a quick response will be just fine (such as map directions, translators). The plan requirement is somewhat dumb, but they aren't asking you to pay an additional $10/mo for roaming. In my opinion, $60 for 2.5GB data and UL talk/text is a great price. But as you said, you can't please everyone.