Develop Bugs

[Q] IMEI dependance???

Is access to marketplace and zune pass on the device dependant on the IMEI of the phone?
I had an unlocked TP2 with a $15 unlimited data plan from ATT, when I bought the focus, ATT input this new IMEI into their system and my data plan is now $15 for 200mb. If access to these features is not IMEI dependant I would like to get my unlimited plan back...
Thanks in advance for the help.

chizzwhizz said:
Is access to marketplace and zune pass on the device dependant on the IMEI of the phone?
I had an unlocked TP2 with a $15 unlimited data plan from ATT, when I bought the focus, ATT input this new IMEI into their system and my data plan is now $15 for 200mb. If access to these features is not IMEI dependant I would like to get my unlimited plan back...
Thanks in advance for the help.
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it only looks at your email (your phone is connected to your email,xboxlive )
it doesn't look at your imei

AT&T shafted you. This has nothing to do with Microsoft or even Windows Phone 7. Unless you gave them permission to change your plan, you should call back and get your old plan back.

chizzwhizz said:
Is access to marketplace and zune pass on the device dependant on the IMEI of the phone?
I had an unlocked TP2 with a $15 unlimited data plan from ATT, when I bought the focus, ATT input this new IMEI into their system and my data plan is now $15 for 200mb. If access to these features is not IMEI dependant I would like to get my unlimited plan back...
Thanks in advance for the help.
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$15 Unlimited Data Plans are for Feature Phones, not Smartphones.
You phone sends off your IMEI to AT&T whenever it connects to the network. Since you put a SIM Card from a Feature Phone into a Smartphone, they automatically upgraded you to a 200MB Smartphone data plan.
Call AT&T. If you're on a contract you HAVE to have a Smartphone data plan if you put that SIM in a Smartphone. There's no way to get around it. If you get them to change it back (i.e. tell them you're going to just use you feature phone), the minute your phone connects to the network again, it will check the IMEI and if the SIM is in the smartphone it will simply upgrade you to a smartphone data plan again.
I made a huge post about this in another thread talking about getting a WP7 device without a data plan in that forum. My mom did that and wondered why her bill went from $80 to $120 in less than a month a while back

RustyGrom said:
AT&T shafted you. This has nothing to do with Microsoft or even Windows Phone 7. Unless you gave them permission to change your plan, you should call back and get your old plan back.
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Incorrect. It's common knowledge that Feature Phone Data Plans are incompatible with smartphones and that a smartphone data plan is required if you use a smartphone on contract. It's in the contract. It's in you contract too. Might want to read it.
They reserve the right to change you service if you use an incompatible device with you contract (i.e. alter you contract to compliance), and they reserve the right to add services onto you contract if you use them (i.e. if you tether without a tethering plan, they will add the tethering plan to you contract).
AT&T didn't shaft him, he just got himself kapwnd trying to shaft AT&T.
Nice try, but no cigar.
T-Mobile would do the same thing, and CDMA carriers would require you to upgrade you plan if you try to swap out a feature phone for a smart phone. Call Sprint, smarty, and see what they tell you about this (I've had all 4 carriers ).
Do you seriously think carriers are so dumb as to leave such an odd profit-killing loophole in their systems?

N8ter said:
$15 Unlimited Data Plans are for Feature Phones, not Smartphones.
You phone sends off your IMEI to AT&T whenever it connects to the network. Since you put a SIM Card from a Feature Phone into a Smartphone, they automatically upgraded you to a 200MB Smartphone data plan.
Call AT&T. If you're on a contract you HAVE to have a Smartphone data plan if you put that SIM in a Smartphone. There's no way to get around it. If you get them to change it back (i.e. tell them you're going to just use you feature phone), the minute your phone connects to the network again, it will check the IMEI and if the SIM is in the smartphone it will simply upgrade you to a smartphone data plan again.
I made a huge post about this in another thread talking about getting a WP7 device without a data plan in that forum. My mom did that and wondered why her bill went from $80 to $120 in less than a month a while back
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it still amazes me how cheap people are with this. You will spend 600 bucks on a device but expect not to pay for the plan.
Y'all have been getting around the data for quite a while now and it finally looks like the cellular companies are catching up to you.

nrfitchett4 said:
it still amazes me how cheap people are with this. You will spend 600 bucks on a device but expect not to pay for the plan.
Y'all have been getting around the data for quite a while now and it finally looks like the cellular companies are catching up to you.
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The carriers have been doing that for years. I think it's too late to even consider ignorance a valid excuse, especially when you have other people sprouting around invalid information and posters are allergic to forum search (the thread I posted in probably would have popped up in the results).
The truth and the matter is, someone with an Unlimited Feature Phone plan probably never uses more than 200MB data a month anyways, and a smartphone can do 10x that easily. Can probably do over 200MB just with passive Syncing if you have busy email/facebook/twitter accounts. In that case, marketing the data plans for feature phones as "Unlimited" is nice from a strategic standpoint once the person is locked into a contract they either have to pay AT&T/Verizon's enourmous ETF Fee (which they increased from $200 to $325 or 350, one of the two) to move to another carrier, or simply upgrade to the smartphone data plans (and for anyone who even moderately uses their device - 200MB is NOT going to cut it on a fairly recent smartphone).
200MB smartphone data plans are for people who have smartphones but use them like feature phones - you know, the people who think the phone is pretty but don't even have an email/facebook/twitter/etc. acocunt linked up with it (except maybe a google or live account, but they never use it and just make and recieve calls on the phone, and maybe some texts).

Well i'm not on contract with att anymore, my two years ended about 4 months ago...didnt upgrade or anything. I bought my phone out of contract. But i got my unlimited plan for feature phones back so i'm happy. It's not about being cheap...i make more than enough money in a year. It just doesnt make sense to charge $15 for 200mb knowing full well that anyone with a smartphone will use over 200mb in a month and then charge $10 for every mb over...

chizzwhizz said:
Well i'm not on contract with att anymore, my two years ended about 4 months ago...didnt upgrade or anything. I bought my phone out of contract. But i got my unlimited plan for feature phones back so i'm happy. It's not about being cheap...i make more than enough money in a year. It just doesnt make sense to charge $15 for 200mb knowing full well that anyone with a smartphone will use over 200mb in a month and then charge $10 for every mb over...
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isn't that why they offer a 2gb plan???
what are y'all gonna due when sim cards become unremovable???
http://www.engadget.com/2010/11/17/gsm-association-proposes-embedded-sim-cards-with-remote-activati/

I am worried about the same thing.
I presently use HP Ipaq 614C and have 30USD a month unlimited data plan.. I want to buy unlocked HTC Surround since its almost the same price if I buy locked one from AtnT (I dont qualify for contract upgrade as I just renewed a two year contract with them 2 months back).
I am worried once I get unlocked HTC Surround from expansys-usa.. and put my SIM card in their.. wether they will change my 30USD per month unlimited data plan to 30USD per month 2GB LIMITED data plan..
I have read one more poster writing about it, about how once he put his sim, his data plan was changed from unlimited to 2GB limited data plan..

Purple11 said:
I am worried about the same thing.
I presently use HP Ipaq 614C and have 30USD a month unlimited data plan.. I want to buy unlocked HTC Surround since its almost the same price if I buy locked one from AtnT (I dont qualify for contract upgrade as I just renewed a two year contract with them 2 months back).
I am worried once I get unlocked HTC Surround from expansys-usa.. and put my SIM card in their.. wether they will change my 30USD per month unlimited data plan to 30USD per month 2GB LIMITED data plan..
I have read one more poster writing about it, about how once he put his sim, his data plan was changed from unlimited to 2GB limited data plan..
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if you already have a smartphone unlimited data plan, they shouldn't change it and if they do, I would call and make them change it back. The other poster had a featurephone data plan that was not compatible with the new phone.

Purple11 said:
I am worried about the same thing.
I presently use HP Ipaq 614C and have 30USD a month unlimited data plan.. I want to buy unlocked HTC Surround since its almost the same price if I buy locked one from AtnT (I dont qualify for contract upgrade as I just renewed a two year contract with them 2 months back).
I am worried once I get unlocked HTC Surround from expansys-usa.. and put my SIM card in their.. wether they will change my 30USD per month unlimited data plan to 30USD per month 2GB LIMITED data plan..
I have read one more poster writing about it, about how once he put his sim, his data plan was changed from unlimited to 2GB limited data plan..
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Different situation, buddy.
AT&T used to have $30 unlimited Data Plans before they changed it. If you upgrade your phone, you get to keep your $30 unlimited Data Plan.
They call this being "Grandfathered in." Sprint did the same with SERO plans, and other carriers do the same with older plans that they have phased out.
You don't have to do anything. You just put your SIM card in the new phone and you'll still have $30 unlimited data plan, until you cancel your contract/service, then for a new line you won't have that option.
We aren't even talking about what you're talking about.
We're talking about someone trying to use a cheap feature phone plan with a smartphone, not someone who thinks he's going to lose his grandfathered unlimited data plan if he switches phones.
To the OP, it doesn't matter if your contract is out. The AT&T system sees that you have x Minutes, x SMS/MMS, and Unlimited Feature Phone data plan. When you turn your phone on with your SIM card in it, it checks the phone's IMEI to make sure it's a feature phone or dumb phone (basically the same, feature phones just have bigger screans and oftentimes QWERTY keyboards or touchscreens). If you don't, they change it to the Smartphone plan.
Since a Smartphone cannot be used with that plan, they are potentially saving you money by automatically switching you over to a smartphone data plan, because otherwise all the data you use on the smartphone would count as overages. Fortunately for you, they have tiered data plans, and it's $15 instead of 30.
If they had just let you get all the overages, you'd be paying a lot more than $15 for it and since it's explicitely written in your contract/terms that you cannot use that phone with that data plan, you'd have no choice but to pay up. That is Cell Phone Service 101. Most people who pay attention know there is a distinct difference between feature phone and smartphone plans. They aren't even called the same thing on the AT&T website, or on your bill.

nrfitchett4 said:
isn't that why they offer a 2gb plan???
what are y'all gonna due when sim cards become unremovable???
http://www.engadget.com/2010/11/17/gsm-association-proposes-embedded-sim-cards-with-remote-activati/
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Rejoice that when someone steals a GSM smartphone it will no longer be equivalent to them hitting eBay lottery? They should have started doing this a long time ago, IMO.

i understand what you guys are saying but why was it that when i went from my razr to an unlocked touch pro 2 (feature phone to smartphone), my data plan didnt change? even when att introduced the tiered plans, my data plan didnt change.

chizzwhizz said:
i understand what you guys are saying but why was it that when i went from my razr to an unlocked touch pro 2 (feature phone to smartphone), my data plan didnt change? even when att introduced the tiered plans, my data plan didnt change.
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you were lucky???
I really don't know. Carriers are getting better at being able to tell what phone you are using these days. Used to be that they couldn't tell at all. Now, a lot of phones can transmit the imei number back to the carrier that they can now check against a database to see what type of phone it is.

More like "every phone."
nrfitchett4 said:
you were lucky???
I really don't know. Carriers are getting better at being able to tell what phone you are using these days. Used to be that they couldn't tell at all. Now, a lot of phones can transmit the imei number back to the carrier that they can now check against a database to see what type of phone it is.
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Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA App

ceesheim said:
it only looks at your email (your phone is connected to your email,xboxlive )
it doesn't look at your imei
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It checks a serial code stored in the device's rom for market, zune, xbl,.etc.
Live account is used to access services, ofc. Microsoft can ban phonea by serial though, which is exactly what will happen to every phone using a ported rom (i.e. Hd2s running wp7).
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA App

N8ter said:
It checks a serial code stored in the device's rom for market, zune, xbl,.etc.
Live account is used to access services, ofc. Microsoft can ban phonea by serial though, which is exactly what will happen to every phone using a ported rom (i.e. Hd2s running wp7).
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA App
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we don't know that for sure , I have 2 hd7 (direct from O2 online) and one of them couldn't be activated (email) so I called O2 for the code ( 5 times 5 numbers) but they couldn't help me .
they told me that the phone wasn't activated for some reason at Microsoft.
I called Microsoft and tolled the story and they say " gif us a email and wait 2 min , we are generating an code for you " LOL phone was unlocked and I could use the email.
I called again to activate that same phone with an different email and I got a different code and that one worked to
I think that if you have a hd2 with a ported rom you just have to call Microsoft and ask them to unlock your email for it and after that you can do the same as a real wp7 phone.

ceesheim said:
we don't know that for sure , I have 2 hd7 (direct from O2 online) and one of them couldn't be activated (email) so I called O2 for the code ( 5 times 5 numbers) but they couldn't help me .
they told me that the phone wasn't activated for some reason at Microsoft.
I called Microsoft and tolled the story and they say " gif us a email and wait 2 min , we are generating an code for you " LOL phone was unlocked and I could use the email.
I called again to activate that same phone with an different email and I got a different code and that one worked to
I think that if you have a hd2 with a ported rom you just have to call Microsoft and ask them to unlock your email for it and after that you can do the same as a real wp7 phone.
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Yes we do.
That HD7 incident you're talking about has nothing to do with what I'm talking about.
Microsoft doesn't do that by eMail address.
It uses a serial in the device's ROM. It does the same for XBox 360s and they can ban a device by serial number. They can probably do it for Zune HDs as well. It has nothing to do with you email address, otherwise you can unban yourself simply by creating a new Live ID, master resetting the phone, and putting that Windows Live ID when setting the phone up. Obviously that's an elementary loophole. It would be embarassing if they left the system that easy to circumvent...
Think through these things a bit before you make such sweeping conclusions.
Microsoft already has the infrastructure up for this. These are known facts.
An HD2 with a ported WP7 ROM won't be useful at all, except as a feature phone with a cute UI, because the system would probably ban it the minute it checked in with Microsoft's servers and sent that phony certificate (or no certificate at all in the worse case).
WP7 phones send this serial (certificate, etc.) to Microsoft's servers whenever they connect to check for updates, etc. It's like a Windows Genuine Advantage for phones, except much stronger. Apple can also block iPhones/iTouches from iTunes via the Serial number if unsupported changes are made to the firmware or the firmware is ported to an unsupported device, so it's not like this has never been done or implemented before...
The Serial/Certificate and the IMEI is pretty much all Microsoft needs to ban a phone from all their cloud services automatically. The IMEI itself is enough to tell them that you're running WP7 on a non-WP7 device (i.e. HD2), which can result in an auto-ban on the first connection attempt.

N8ter said:
Different situation, buddy.
AT&T used to have $30 unlimited Data Plans before they changed it. If you upgrade your phone, you get to keep your $30 unlimited Data Plan.
They call this being "Grandfathered in." Sprint did the same with SERO plans, and other carriers do the same with older plans that they have phased out.
You don't have to do anything. You just put your SIM card in the new phone and you'll still have $30 unlimited data plan, until you cancel your contract/service, then for a new line you won't have that option.
We aren't even talking about what you're talking about.
We're talking about someone trying to use a cheap feature phone plan with a smartphone, not someone who thinks he's going to lose his grandfathered unlimited data plan if he switches phones.
To the OP, it doesn't matter if your contract is out. The AT&T system sees that you have x Minutes, x SMS/MMS, and Unlimited Feature Phone data plan. When you turn your phone on with your SIM card in it, it checks the phone's IMEI to make sure it's a feature phone or dumb phone (basically the same, feature phones just have bigger screans and oftentimes QWERTY keyboards or touchscreens). If you don't, they change it to the Smartphone plan.
Since a Smartphone cannot be used with that plan, they are potentially saving you money by automatically switching you over to a smartphone data plan, because otherwise all the data you use on the smartphone would count as overages. Fortunately for you, they have tiered data plans, and it's $15 instead of 30.
If they had just let you get all the overages, you'd be paying a lot more than $15 for it and since it's explicitely written in your contract/terms that you cannot use that phone with that data plan, you'd have no choice but to pay up. That is Cell Phone Service 101. Most people who pay attention know there is a distinct difference between feature phone and smartphone plans. They aren't even called the same thing on the AT&T website, or on your bill.
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Thanks for the reply..
I have paid Atnt for last 4 months 30USD a month just to keep this unlimited data plan.. my battery at Ipaq died and I have been using this cheap flip phone and absolutly no data.. but I know this December I will be getting WP7 back.. so I am just paying 30USD a month every month, just to keep the plan.. and zero use of data.. one cannot even stop it 'temporarily'.. once you get it off.. you can only get 2GB limited data plan max... which I usually finish in first 10-12 days when I used my HP Ipaq614c... I play a lot of streaming music.. and heck of a data intensive financial softwares on my phone..

Worth early contract cancellation and move to Verizon?

are any of you considering instead of buying the unlocked version for 750ish dollars instead just cancelling your current contract and moving to verizon for the supposed 200 dollar contract price?
I'm thinking the Pros so far would be LTE and verizon is currently having their 4GB for the price of 2GB data plan.

I thought about it briefly only because my fiance is on verizon and it would be nice to get a shared plan. However, I am on a very cheap legacy T-mobile plan with unlimited internet. I get anywhere from 5-10mbps down and 2 up in my area. It's not worth it for me.

I hadn't planned on buying the unlocked version at all. I'm currently on AT&T (and ridiculously on a contract...despite not initiating it) and I'm jumping ship when it's released for Verizon. Right now it's like a $230 ETF, but AT&T credited me $100 because it was their miscommunication that entered me onto a new contract, in the first place. Yes, I'll still end up paying $130, but I saved $300 when I bought my phone (I was planning on buying it outright, they gave me the contract pricing but started a new contract).
Pros:
*MUCH* faster internet. I have devices on both networks and the difference is massive from 4-6Mbps and 25-35Mbps (both of which are the average of what I've gotten on both networks)
*Much* better coverage. Inside of the city I have great 3.5G on AT&T. 30 minutes outside of the city things start dropping off *very* quickly.
Better group data connections. On AT&T, anytime I'm in a very crowded area (think baseball or football stadiums) my data connection drops off to nothing. I still have full service, but I get no data at all. This means I get very few texts, if any, and my internet is all but useless. This is the biggest annoyance I have with AT&T, and I've been true for years.

Currently it is cheaper to switch then it is to buy unlocked. I am on AT&T right now and my prorated termination fee is $235. If I switch to Verizon it will cost me the $235 + $199.99 or $299.99 (whatever the phone ends up costing). in other words I will be spending $435 or $535 for the phone vs. 700+ to import it. On top of that I can sell my current phone (atrix) for around $200 (with accessories) which will bring my costs to either $235, $335, or $500+ depending on what I do.
Long story short its currently a better deal to switch carriers unless they release the unlocked version here in the us for ~$500.

If you're switching from AT&T it's probably worth it considering the monthly plans are about the same price If you're switching from T-mobile it probably isn't considering your plan is probably much cheaper.
Obviously you can make your own call on your situation, if you have LTE in your area, if Verizon's voice service is better in your area, or if you have family members on Verizon, etc.
I think the answer is different for each case. There's definitely no 1 answer here.

I was considering doing the same thing until I looked at how much it would cost me on Verizon vs. the cost if I were to stick with my T-Mobile plan.
Right now I'm paying a nice $113/m for:
750 minutes split across four lines, all with unlimited texting, and unlimited data on my phone.
by my calculations, it would be at least $80/m with my student (15%) discount at Verizon for just me, never mind the fact that I would need to pay a $200 ETF and then $200 for a phone. By the time I have my GN in hand it would have cost me $400 to get there to a more expensive plan..
If I were to switch my entire family over to Verizon, it would cost so much more per month, and they would all need to buy new phones - it's not worth it.
Instead, I sold my old nexus one for $150, bought a SGS II for $275 and am currently about to sell it for $520 or so. By my calculations, that takes off about $400 of my GN, bringing it down to about $300 - a very reasonable price for this phone.
The speeds on T-Mobile here in Seattle are pretty awesome as well. I just did a speedtest and got 7mb down (for some reason only 300kb up), while LTE may be faster, the price and battery drain makes it completely not worth it.

Unlocked + $30 PrePaid unlimited 4G T-mobile plan = pure ownage.
I'll be also swapping my HTC Rezound for Verizon's Nexus as it's within the return policy frame. Two Nexi woot

I think it may be worth switching now after reading the comments from that youtube video of the Verizon version of the phone it's listed as having 32GB as opposed to the 16GB for the unlocked version.

I'm ETFing my 2-line family plan with T-Mobile and switching to Verizon. About 4 months ago, the data speeds in my neighborhood dropped from about 2.5 Mbps to 0.5 Mbps. T-Mobile has done nothing to rectify the issue, so I'd rather pay a bit more each month and actually get what I pay for. However, I am not interested in any phone other than the GNex.

And this why carriers continue to rule in the usa because the sheep like subsidies. Vomits.
Sent from my samsung gt i9250 which is in the wrong country.

pukemon said:
And this why carriers continue to rule in the usa because the sheep like subsidies. Vomits.
Sent from my samsung gt i9250 which is in the wrong country.
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Actually they rule because of coverage and devices. tmobile works for some people and doesn't for most which is why it is in the financial quagmire it currently is in.

I think it's totally worth it, and I almost did it. Ultimately, for now I think I will stick with the GSM version, but the lure of LTE is very tempting. Here are the factors you should consider:
1a) Verizon has (much) faster data speeds on their Nexus if you have LTE in your area.
1b) Verizon has slower data speeds on their Nexus if you do not have LTE in your area.
2) Verizon is much better for use in crowds, like at football games where AT&T doesn't work at all.
3) Verizon generally has better coverage in buildings.
4) AT&T and T-Mobile have (much) better international options. Verizon is basically unusable internationally because you will lose your double your data plan if you ever switch to an international plan and/or rent an international phone, even temporarily (and yes, I had something like 4 conversations with various Verizon representatives about this).
I have unlimited data on AT&T, so that plus the international issue (1-2 trips a year) made me decide to pass for now. It's still incredibly tempting, though, so I wouldn't blame you at all. Just do yourself a favor and don't let the carrier subsidy be the deciding factor.

I have to admit, I didn't think of this angle. I still have a contract from AT&T from the original iPhone 4 (sold long ago). I believe my ETF currently is around $180 or so. I bought the unlocked GN two weeks ago and have been loving it, but Verizon's (expensive) network is tempting as is LTE.
But I look at it this way. I don't need more than 5 down. I mean 25-30 would be nice, but I just don't see the need for that type of bandwidth on a phone. Perhaps if I had a tethering plan, but add that in and you will burn through 4-6 gigs/month fast...so then you look at the 10 gig plan, which is a fortune. Next thing you know, your monthly bill for one line is like $130, and that's with only 450 non-rollover minutes and no texts. Not for me.
I have two lines on ATT, both with unlimited data and 200 SMSs. After my company discount, it only costs us $117 after taxes. We have like 4,000 rollover minutes.
I just can't justify it, but I do fully agree Verizon is a much better network than ATT. And then there's the "toss any pre-paid SIM" international angle...
It's just sensible to stay where I am for now. If Verizon ever did an unlimited data promotion again, I'd join in a heartbeat. They already tested the waters with double data, so I'd say it's always possible for a short-running unlimited data promo.
Ball's in your court VZW!

Also if you think the GSM nexus is going to be at this price forever you are nuts. As soon as more supply opens up and other retailers start selling it the price is going to fall rapidly. I'd just wait a month and be perfectly happy buying it from Amazon for much less.

Aridon said:
Also if you think the GSM nexus is going to be at this price forever you are nuts. As soon as more supply opens up and other retailers start selling it the price is going to fall rapidly. I'd just wait a month and be perfectly happy buying it from Amazon for much less.
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What do you consider "much less?" I'd bet it holds above $550 for many, many months.
For reference, the SGSII is still $552 on Amazon. It's been out for quite a while...
I don't think a single person thinks the GNEX will be $750 "forever."

ericshmerick said:
What do you consider "much less?" I'd bet it holds above $550 for many, many months.
For reference, the SGSII is still $552 on Amazon. It's been out for quite a while...
I don't think a single person thinks the GNEX will be $750 "forever."
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$200 less and no etf is a lot of change.

ericshmerick said:
I have to admit, I didn't think of this angle. I still have a contract from AT&T from the original iPhone 4 (sold long ago). I believe my ETF currently is around $180 or so. I bought the unlocked GN two weeks ago and have been loving it, but Verizon's (expensive) network is tempting as is LTE.
But I look at it this way. I don't need more than 5 down. I mean 25-30 would be nice, but I just don't see the need for that type of bandwidth on a phone. Perhaps if I had a tethering plan, but add that in and you will burn through 4-6 gigs/month fast...so then you look at the 10 gig plan, which is a fortune. Next thing you know, your monthly bill for one line is like $130, and that's with only 450 non-rollover minutes and no texts. Not for me.
I have two lines on ATT, both with unlimited data and 200 SMSs. After my company discount, it only costs us $117 after taxes. We have like 4,000 rollover minutes.
I just can't justify it, but I do fully agree Verizon is a much better network than ATT. And then there's the "toss any pre-paid SIM" international angle...
It's just sensible to stay where I am for now. If Verizon ever did an unlimited data promotion again, I'd join in a heartbeat. They already tested the waters with double data, so I'd say it's always possible for a short-running unlimited data promo.
Ball's in your court VZW!
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Just found out they are offering Microsoft Employees unlimited data for 20 dollars, so looks like i'm definitely switching over to verizon and just cancelling AT&T

True2TheGame said:
Just found out they are offering Microsoft Employees unlimited data for 20 dollars, so looks like i'm definitely switching over to verizon and just cancelling AT&T
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...so basically MSFT is incenting their employees to go to VZW for, well, Android phones?
Sounds like a great deal! (/sarcasm)

pukemon said:
And this why carriers continue to rule in the usa because the sheep like subsidies. Vomits.
Sent from my samsung gt i9250 which is in the wrong country.
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I like options. Sometimes its cheaper to buy outright and other times its cheaper to go on contract if you plan to be with a carrier for a couple years. In the US we only have 4 carriers really, 2 of which are GSM... so we don't switch carriers often and prices are about the same.
Buy now, pay later is the American dream.
G2x - 2.3.7 CM7
Transformer - 3.2 Revolver OC/UV

Any benefit to buying Sprint gn @ full price?

When I bought my iphones and t-mbole nexus s, I reasoned buying at full price would save me money in the long-run. Then t-moble blocked the nexus s from using my old 5.99 Tzones plan and I had to call numerous times to get the 20 dollar android data plan.
Now I want to buy the Galaxy Nexus Sprint phone for my girlfriend. She has a very old plan with cheap unlimited internet. I don't know the name of her plan (yet).
Will buying a full price phone have any benefit? unlike SIM card phones, I think you have to call to activate Sprint (cmda?) phones. Therefore, I am assuming they will make you pay for a 4g plan... even though it doesn't exist in Los Angels, yet... right?
Do you have to suck it up and take their discounted phone and 2 year contract? I hate contracts...
Thanks,

i would call and ask sprint.

Hard to say. Buying cdma phones full price is bad deal. They don't have as good resale value compared to unlocked GSM versions.
bow chicka wow wow.

Buying a CDMA device full price gives you no benefit whatsoever. Sprint doesn't give you any deal on service, and the resale value of locked CDMA devices is really low.
The only reason to buy full price is if there is no way to upgrade or re-sign a contract.
If she has an old "sero" plan, you can still upgrade and keep the plan. You WILL pay for a 4G data plan, but that's been true for the last 2 years of WiMax too. You should go talk to the Sprint people in the threads about the device. Plenty of people in there are upgrading on the old plan.

How do I find sprint people who upgraded?
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You will probably have to call numerous times to get that phone activated on an old sero plan out wait till the phone had been out for awhile until they allow you too put it on your plan
Or buy the unlocked gsm one off Amazon and just go pre paid
That's what I'm doing Wednesday it will be here with my Sim card kit. Can't wait t mobile I'd pretty good around here so I'm set can't wait
Now just to force roam Pandora to end my contract
Sent from my Nexus S 4G using Tapatalk 2

There's no benefit whatsoever to getting a full price CDMA phone
BrianDigital said:
You will probably have to call numerous times to get that phone activated on an old sero plan out wait till the phone had been out for awhile until they allow you too put it on your plan
Or buy the unlocked gsm one off Amazon and just go pre paid
That's what I'm doing Wednesday it will be here with my Sim card kit. Can't wait t mobile I'd pretty good around here so I'm set can't wait
Now just to force roam Pandora to end my contract
Sent from my Nexus S 4G using Tapatalk 2
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You will love T-Mobile, they are so much faster than Sprint I feel robbed to have been shelling out $70+ for 2000 DSL-like 3G speeds

Culex316 said:
There's no benefit whatsoever to getting a full price CDMA phone
You will love T-Mobile, they are so much faster than Sprint I feel robbed to have been shelling out $70+ for 2000 DSL-like 3G speeds
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm actually getting giddy, IM figuring the best way out of my contract, I'd to torrent Ubuntu all day everyday till they drop me, and possibly use a Verizon prl to speed up the process
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[Q] GSM...how does it work?

Currently I'm on Verizon and to be honest, I hate it. I'm in an area where Verizon doesn't have 4G and AT&T HSPA+ speeds are much higher at my house on my girlfriend's phone.
I'm thinking about going GSM when my Verizon contract is up in August.
Here's my question/s:
How does GSM work and how do you pay for your phone service?
How much data do you pay for?

Just pop my t mobile sim card in and go. I'm on contract with them and pay 30 bucks for 5 gb
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Exodian said:
Just pop my t mobile sim card in and go. I'm on contract with them and pay 30 bucks for 5 gb
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But you don't have to be on contract with a carrier to use a GSM phone correct?

nklenchik said:
But you don't have to be on contract with a carrier to use a GSM phone correct?
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Click to collapse
Correct, if you provide your own phone, they will provide a sim card and you pick your plan
Don't bait the trolls.

Depends if you subsidize and sign a contract. Best deal right now is get $30 T-Mobile plan, gnex $400 goggle play and get best phone ever. The catch with T-Mobile plan is 100 voice minutes and 10c minute overages which isn't bad if you don't talk a lot or use Google voice or something. T-Mobile also offers very competitive regular plans. If T-Mobile isn't great in your area Atnt has some decent alternatives especially if you can get a corporate discount. Or try the other carriers. There's a good thread on it somewhere in gnex forums.
teach a man to fish, you feed him for life. teach a man to fastboot, and you create competency. and less threads on xda.

nklenchik said:
Currently I'm on Verizon and to be honest, I hate it. I'm in an area where Verizon doesn't have 4G and AT&T HSPA+ speeds are much higher at my house on my girlfriend's phone.
I'm thinking about going GSM when my Verizon contract is up in August.
Here's my question/s:
How does GSM work and how do you pay for your phone service?
How much data do you pay for?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You have some serious reading to do. I think you're confusing "GSM" and "Prepaid"... GSM is a network technology used around the world on hundreds of carriers. Prepaid is a type of service.
nklenchik said:
But you don't have to be on contract with a carrier to use a GSM phone correct?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No, its your choice. You don't have to have a contract with Verizon or Sprint either... You just have to buy a phone full price and no one will force you.
If you're going to pay full price for a device, I would recommend going with an MVNO (Mobile Virtual Network Operator) which runs off of AT&T or T-Mobile's network, but saves you about 50% of the cost of running on AT&T or T-Mobile proper. These are "Prepaid" with no contract. You save money because they're not subsidizing prices of phones, and they often have little or no customer service.
As @rbiter mentioned above, there is a great service plan (which I use) from T-Mobile that is only $30 monthly but of course has severely limited minutes. The other front runner on AT&T's network is "Straight Talk" which offers UL Talk/Text and "Unlimited" (actually like 2gb) data for $45. Above that, T-Mobile offers similar prepaid plans with 2gb throttles for $60 or 5gb throttles for $70. Other options include Simple Mobile which has similar plans/pricing.
I recommend reading the Prepaid thread in General. LOTS of people are doing this with the Galaxy Nexus. Read through and ask in there we'd be happy to help with the specifics.

T-Mobile REQ Pref Android Web

So I am in a great grandfathered plan (myfaves 800 family) and I now wanted to add unlimited $30 to my line. They will not put the real unlimited plan on my line because it is only for new rate plans. So they put me on the Preferred android web plan that is throttled at 5gb. They claim that there is no option to put me on a full unlimited plan because I am in a grandfathered plan that no longer exists.
I have heard about people with this data plan not getting throttled, is this true?
Also, is there a way to get a truly unlimited data plan even though I am in a grandfathered myFaves plan?
Thanks friends.... this has been pissing me off now for a while as I wanted the $30 real unlimited (knowing I can still tether)

I've been throttled once, on my current 2 gig plan. They do it.
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The $20 android preferred plan definitely gets throttled. I'm on it.

Cricket, not ATT, TMOBILE, VERIZON, SPRINT, but even a less reputable carrier like Cricket, for years now have offered better services(edge, 3G, 4G, and even their version of 4G LTE) that force "grandfathered customers" into switching up their entire service rates or miss out on the upgrade... long story short...
Years ago, my sister had a friend buy her a tmobile nokia that had clear plated cases with internal lights that flashed on que and was willing to pay her first few months service... therefore my sister gave her old $20/mo cricket phone to my mom and paid her bill as my mom was old school and didnt care about cell phones
Fast forward a better part of a decade (to about 2008 and my mom (being grand fathered into her 20/mo payment had switched phones tons of time without ever increasing her bill)
Fast forward to 2008 and I was really intrigued by a cricket preAndroid phone and my mom offered to add me to her service (cricket had a promotion, keep your rate while adding additional services like caller ID, call waiting, etc. with any new Family plan) so we bit and no hitch). Even down the road we were able to add my step-dad and my brother to the family plan all at no additional monthly charge ($20 per line)
Here is where, I think, your problem lies...
Finally, fast forward to 2011, cricket came out with the Huawei Ascend and I bit (as I needed a cheap replacement).. we went in and upgraded my phone (I bought the phone outright but was forced into the new "Android" plan at $45/mo) and that then forced the "Grand Father Reset" as my mom, stepdad and brothers plans were all increased to $35/mo for basicaly the same service (actually even less as the 35/mo plan didnt include some of the original 20/mo nationwide min/txt freebies)...
Essentially I had a weak-ass android (crickets very first and nothing compared to market value at the time like the EVO) while also, very inefficiently, increasing 4 lines of service from 80/mo, up to 150/mo for the same 4 lines...
At the end of that same year of increase, cricket came out with a ZTE Score for cheap and my Mom, brother, and stepdad all purchased resulting in all 4 lines increasing the family plan to 45/mo each and at that rate, 200/mo total, I effectively defected to TMO.... lol
Smart decision on my part but with your 30 dollar plan I would suggest, or atleast advise, you anticipate rate increases to better service packages!!
Believe me, if cricket found a way, so has TMO, ATT, Verizon, etc
73/mo after I pay off the GN2 with hopes for a moderately priced LTE in the future... im so stoked... crickets LTE is a joke compared to TMO AWS... just saying
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tmobile is still telling me that there is no way to get the unlimited without throttle plan because I have an older myfaves plan at it will not allow them to add real unlimited.

Thats my point, even crick has been pushing the cheaper rate customers onto more expensive plans to experience an upgraded service plan... just something that we all need to get used to as chances are when lte rolls out, all of us who have chosen the unlimted packages (no throttle) will be forced into paying even more for the unlimited LTE or for the same 70/mo be stuck with LTE throttles... its inevitable at this point
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