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
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda premium
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
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda premium
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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?
Click to expand...
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.
Related
Hey all.
I'm going to Florida in June for just over three weeks and am wondering about carriers.
What carrier will work best with a GSM Galaxy Nexus and provide sufficient coverage to where I'm going? (Miami / Key West / Daytona Beach / Hollywood / Tampa / Orlando and roads inbetween).
What I want is to get a refill card, stick it in my phone and have some kind of data plan on it as well. 500MB or so for the whole duration.
Where do I turn? AT&T ?
Somewhere else?
Data speed isn't the most crucial, better to have it working than working fast in limited areas if you know what I mean.
Thanx in advance
// Stefan
There's a big thread here about Prepaid service on the galaxy nexus.. you should check it out
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1455014
if you only going to be here for three weeks close to a month you might as well get a prepaid plan for like $30 bucks a month with 500mb-2gb a data then just cancel it. without that all carriers will charge you like 50cents per kbs.. its no credit check needed btw. just read that thread
YoungAceAtlanta said:
There's a big thread here about Prepaid service on the galaxy nexus.. you should check it out
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1455014
if you only going to be here for three weeks close to a month you might as well get a prepaid plan for like $30 bucks a month with 500mb-2gb a data then just cancel it. without that all carriers will charge you like 50cents per kbs.. its no credit check needed btw. just read that thread
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Thanx a bunch.
Sounds like what I should do!
// Stefan
$50 at ATT should get you unlimited nationwide text+ 250 minutes + 500MB data. Plus potentially the price of the sim card depending on where you get it activated.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda premium
If I were you, I'll go with AT&T.
I spend about 2 weeks in Orlando every year.
I have an AT&T GoPhone SIM that I load up. For $2/day, you get unlimited calls in the U.S., unlimited SMS (and long-distance to Canada is about 10c/min I think). You can add 500MB of data for $25.
Now, that said, I can tell you that, based on my personal experience, AT&T's coverage in/around Walt Disney World and Universal Studios sucks big time.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk
I live in south Florida and I have tmobile. I really like it down here, I never really lose service anywhere!
Sent from my GT-P7510 using xda premium
FWIW, i Live in Orlando.
i have friends on AT&T, T-mobile, and Sprint.....and no one ever complains about coverage. so you are pretty much all set in orlando no matter who you go with.
Att owns an enormous amount of spectrum in florida, most of any other carrier or state. So i think att typically is good there...
I travel to Florida regularly from the UK and I use t-mobiles's pre paid plan. $3 a day gets unlimited calls and texts - US numbers - and 200mb of data.
Its usually more than enough for emails, whatsapp, Google's excellent navigation etc.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda premium
Guys (and any potential girls)!
Thanx a lot for all the info and help you've given me.
From what I read here it's basically:
Go with either of the big two (AT&T/Tmobile) and choose whichever suits me best.
Look at prices in the thread linked in the beginning of this thread and pick one.
Can't be easier than that.
Probably gonna go with Tmobile's "$60/mo unlim min unlim text 2GB".
I'm assuming I can just pop into any Tmobile store (if they have stores?) ?
// Stefan
Go to Wal-Mart, electronics section and you can get the TMobile Unlimited pre paid for what is it $45 somebody help me out on price I think its $45 USD.
justanothernoob said:
Go to Wal-Mart, electronics section and you can get the TMobile Unlimited pre paid for what is it $45 somebody help me out on price I think its $45 USD.
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Walmart has TMobile prepaid unlimited text, 100 voice minutes, and unlimited days (5 GB 4 G speed, after at 3 Go believe) for $30.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk
_Dennis_ said:
Walmart has TMobile prepaid unlimited text, 100 voice minutes, and unlimited days (5 GB 4 G speed, after at 3 Go believe) for $30.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk
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Click to collapse
Thanx. That is an option as well. Hm. Do they have only that one at Walmart or do they have the other options as well ? (The $60 one I wrote about above for instance).
Now to find a Walmart somewhere between MIA and Key West and I'm set
EDIT: Walmart Supercenter
33501 S Dixie Hwy
Florida City, FL 33034
// Stefan
If you are looking for a budget go with T-Mobile, if you are looking for coverage, go with AT&T.
I live in Miami, and AT&T has better coverage than T-Mobile. I spend most of the summer at the Keys and AT&T has a lot more coverage down there as well. Is not that T-Mobile is bad but if you plan on going to the keys, you are going to find a lot of dead spots, while in Miami it is very solid.
Note: I was a T-Mobile customer for 5 years before switching to Verizon on November.
Curiosity mostly, but I plan on dumping verizon soon and getting on the prepaid train.
T-Mobile Prepaid.
My past experience with Pre-paid is the network signal is weaker, I use Cincinnati Bell wireless and they told me I had to get a contract plan to get better service. This was years ago, not sure how pre-paid is these days, would love to find out more anbout it.
Optimus pre paid
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda app-developers app
LibertyMonger said:
My past experience with Pre-paid is the network signal is weaker, I use Cincinnati Bell wireless and they told me I had to get a contract plan to get better service. This was years ago, not sure how pre-paid is these days, would love to find out more anbout it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1455014
martonikaj said:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1455014
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Click to collapse
That's a great post. I have a well paying job but even I can't justify 100+ bucks a month for verizon, much less the verizon gnex. I will probably be joining the GNex with straight talk. Even though I will miss verizon customer service, I think I can deal with paying half that.
martonikaj said:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1455014
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Click to collapse
Great article, thanks bud. But I don't think it's for me. I pay $260 a month for 3000 min. on 5 business phones shared and unlimited everything else, that includes insurance on all my phones,. Probably gonna drop the insurance. My contract is up in November and I am about to buy a GNex, so not sure what I'm gonna do.
T-Mobile: 2 lines, unlimited talk, text, and 5gb of data (before throttle) for both. Total after taxes comes to $124/month.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda app-developers app
LibertyMonger said:
Great article, thanks bud. But I don't think it's for me. I pay $260 a month for 3000 min. on 5 business phones shared and unlimited everything else, that includes insurance on all my phones,. Probably gonna drop the insurance. My contract is up in November and I am about to buy a GNex, so not sure what I'm gonna do.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
For large numbers of business phones (or large family plans), you're almost always better off with a shared/contract plan, unfortunately. When you need to manage multiple phones/upgrades/shared minutes, contract plans really help.
Has anyone had any experience with Pure Talk? I am out of luck with tmobile. AT&T is the only signal choice I get unfortunately.
bukithd said:
Has anyone had any experience with Pure Talk? I am out of luck with tmobile. AT&T is the only signal choice I get unfortunately.
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i use straight talk at&t. i had t-mo postpaid & made the switch. in my area, (westchester, ny), straight talk at&t provides me with service in places t-mo didn't, however, data speeds are considerably slower for me. t-mo i consistently saw speeds averaging 10mbps/3mbps vs. straight talk at&t averaging around 3-5mbps/1-2mbps. the speeds are bearable & for $45/month (vs. $100 on t-mo), i really can't complain. good price, good service. have had no problems refilling on a month-to-month basis via their website.
So I was browsing Expansys and I saw that I could have the $60 4G plan simcard without having to purchase a phone!! Did anybody try such a simcard and what are your thoughts?
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda app-developers app
*cough*
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda app-developers app
You've been able to buy the SIM card activation kit here for $0.99 (w/ free shipping). And activate it here for free. With any of these plans. For a very very very long time.
We've discussed these plans for hundreds of pages here....
The $60 plan is a great value for people who are looking to buy phones unlocked and not have a contract that costs more every month. On the $60 plan, you get 2GB of full speed HSPA+ data, then are throttled to about 60kbps down / 150kbps up (although you can switch to EDGE and get faster speeds). The $70 plan is the same but has a 5GB throttle threshold. If you have good T-Mobile coverage in your area, you should definitely give the Monthly 4G plans a look.
martonikaj said:
You've been able to buy the SIM card activation kit here for $0.99 (w/ free shipping). And activate it here for free. With any of these plans. For a very very very long time.
We've discussed these plans for hundreds of pages here....
The $60 plan is a great value for people who are looking to buy phones unlocked and not have a contract that costs more every month. On the $60 plan, you get 2GB of full speed HSPA+ data, then are throttled to about 60kbps down / 150kbps up (although you can switch to EDGE and get faster speeds). The $70 plan is the same but has a 5GB throttle threshold. If you have good T-Mobile coverage in your area, you should definitely give the Monthly 4G plans a look.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am starting to think you love repeating yourself.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda app-developers app
Alex8288 said:
I am starting to think you love repeating yourself.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Don't love it, but unless people start learning how to search and find things out for themselves, I don't mind helping (that much) people out.
martonikaj said:
You've been able to buy the SIM card activation kit here for $0.99 (w/ free shipping). And activate it here for free. With any of these plans. For a very very very long time.
We've discussed these plans for hundreds of pages here....
The $60 plan is a great value for people who are looking to buy phones unlocked and not have a contract that costs more every month. On the $60 plan, you get 2GB of full speed HSPA+ data, then are throttled to about 60kbps down / 150kbps up (although you can switch to EDGE and get faster speeds). The $70 plan is the same but has a 5GB throttle threshold. If you have good T-Mobile coverage in your area, you should definitely give the Monthly 4G plans a look.
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But it says I need the IMEI of the phone from tmobile and activation code found with the phone. How am I suppose to get both? Is there a way to activate the sim without having to enter those 2 infos?
And let's say I buy it from Expansys, does Expansys give me the activation code and phone or what? how does it exactly work? Cause I have my prepaid AT&T number and I want to port it to T-mobile monthly 4g plan.
Thanks man I really appreciate you taking time to answer.
crazyalaa said:
But it says I need the IMEI of the phone from tmobile and activation code found with the phone. How am I suppose to get both? Is there a way to activate the sim without having to enter those 2 infos?
And let's say I buy it from Expansys, does Expansys give me the activation code and phone or what? how does it exactly work? Cause I have my prepaid AT&T number and I want to port it to T-mobile monthly 4g plan.
Thanks man I really appreciate you taking time to answer.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The IMEI is from YOUR phone that you want to use, and the activation code comes with the SIM card.
Obviously, since you can buy it from the T-mobile website (linked by martin's post earlier), it'll come with everything you need to activate. Why bother buying from a third party (Expansys) when you can get it direct for 99 cents?
Ah ok, I just bought T-mobile sim card. Thank you guys.
Hi, sorry i just want to know why a lot people like Note 2 US version? And they're waiting AT&T or T-Mobile version. So they want to sacrifice high money monthly bill to get LTE? Or something else? I'm apologize i dont mean to offend you guys, i just recommend using STRAIGHT TALK, it works because StraightTalk using AT&T network. Right now i'm using Note 1 with Straight Talk. Only $45 per month (clear without any taxes, by OnLine payment). If you buy 6 month/1 year package will be cheaper(total each month). Remember Straight Talk is NOT LTE/4G, but for me as long we can play smoothly HQ high quality YouTube then that's will be enough. So you guys can save money, instead HIGH monthly bill from AT&T. So we may get Note 2 International version using Straight Talk. Sorry my English is not perfectly. Peace out, dude.
There are a few reasons:
1) straight talk coverage isn't nearly as large as the coverage of AT&T
2) You don't want the AT&T network. There are plenty of areas where service X is better than AT&T.
I happen to live in an AT&T dead zone. And the international network basically only works on AT&T (unless you give up 3g for t-mobile)
3) Some people do do a lot of streaming and want LTE
4) AT&T doesn't give you a discount on plans if you are off contract,
So if you are going to be on AT&T anyway, you might as well have them help pay for the phone.
5) If you want repair/warranty work, it's much less hassle to buy it in a local store.
6) Local stores may let you try out a phone for 30 days, if you aren't sure.
7) Many people don't even know about straight talk
T-mobile has pay as you go plans which are cheaper than on-contract plans. Unfortunately the international note doesn't work on those plans.
If I didn't live in a dead zone, I would do simply mobile for sure. But I do, so I'm going to buy the t-mobile phone (in full),
and get the cheap monthly 4g plan. It's my cheapest option by far.
- Frank
I'm waiting for the T-Mobile version because from what I've read it is in the international version. I guess we'll have more details once the phones are actually out there.
LOL, I alone pay $35 a month on AT&T under a family plan. Which only includes the stupid 2GB Data allowance and unlimited text. With very little shared minutes (I don't talk to much unless the recipient is on AT&T and or on a mobile phone. And weekends is free on voice.).
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Im poor until tax time
Sent from my DROID4 using Tapatalk 2
L.T.E. (It's worth the wait, even throttled.)
bongbongcong said:
Hi, sorry i just want to know why a lot people like Note 2 US version? And they're waiting AT&T or T-Mobile version. So they want to sacrifice high money monthly bill to get LTE? Or something else? I'm apologize i dont mean to offend you guys, i just recommend using STRAIGHT TALK, it works because StraightTalk using AT&T network. Right now i'm using Note 1 with Straight Talk. Only $45 per month (clear without any taxes, by OnLine payment). If you buy 6 month/1 year package will be cheaper(total each month). Remember Straight Talk is NOT LTE/4G, but for me as long we can play smoothly HQ high quality YouTube then that's will be enough. So you guys can save money, instead HIGH monthly bill from AT&T. So we may get Note 2 International version using Straight Talk. Sorry my English is not perfectly. Peace out, dude.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
gsm is crap. we need cdma. otherwise there's nothing! just a phone and never any signals.
bongbongcong said:
Hi, sorry i just want to know why a lot people like Note 2 US version? And they're waiting AT&T or T-Mobile version. So they want to sacrifice high money monthly bill to get LTE? Or something else? I'm apologize i dont mean to offend you guys, i just recommend using STRAIGHT TALK, it works because StraightTalk using AT&T network. Right now i'm using Note 1 with Straight Talk. Only $45 per month (clear without any taxes, by OnLine payment). If you buy 6 month/1 year package will be cheaper(total each month). Remember Straight Talk is NOT LTE/4G, but for me as long we can play smoothly HQ high quality YouTube then that's will be enough. So you guys can save money, instead HIGH monthly bill from AT&T. So we may get Note 2 International version using Straight Talk. Sorry my English is not perfectly. Peace out, dude.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am thinking of going to straight Talk myself. So I was going to buy a gsm phone and buy there sim card. I guess I am confused on which version of the note 2 I should get it know at&tt just opened new 4G in my area but I am sick of contracts and high prices. I am willing to pay 4-5 hundred usd and still save money over a two year period.
So does the note2 international version get released before the USA version?
Sent from my vivow using xda premium
Have too
I have too for now.
I am on Verizons network
and dont pull in a whole lot of change monthly,so its a wait for me for bigred to announce,I figure monday or tuesday they will,they had to wait till apple got the opening sales out of the way,..
I'm on Sprint SERO-P plan. $50+tax a month for 500mins, unlimited text, data(3g &4g), night&weekend, data roaming. Sure I will get suck with another 2years contract but I'm not sure if there is a better plan?
is there any chance of the Find 7 being on Sprint? If so, will it be subsidized? I know for sure my parents won't be willing to let me buy the phone subsidized. Thanks!
I would confidently say no. They haven't seem to be breaking that much into American market and it would be a big step, but even if they did it probably would be for aGSM carrier first.
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S1lv3r_DrAg0n said:
is there any chance of the Find 7 being on Sprint? If so, will it be subsidized? I know for sure my parents won't be willing to let me buy the phone subsidized. Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No,the Find 7 is a GSM device and will not work on Sprints CDMA network. Same for Verizon. It'll work on AT & T and T Mobile though, and seems to have Verizon's LTE band,if you have good coverage with that.
OPPO sell their phones unsubsidized on their site and Amazon,no carrier agreements. Works great on AT&T strait talk unlimited.
Allanitomwesh said:
No,the Find 7 is a GSM device and will not work on Sprints CDMA network. Same for Verizon. It'll work on AT & T and T Mobile though, and seems to have Verizon's LTE band,if you have good coverage with that.
OPPO sell their phones unsubsidized on their site and Amazon,no carrier agreements. Works great on AT&T strait talk unlimited.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yup. There's plenty of math that supports an unsubsidized device on Straight Talk being FAR cheaper by the end of your 2-year contract than any subsidized device on AT&T.
In general, an AT&T contract subsidy is usually about $200-300 discount.
The cost premium of an AT&T plan over a Straight Talk one is usually on the order of $25/month
$25/month times 24 months (well, let's just say 18 since that's when most AT&T customers are eligible for early upgrade...): $450
Entropy512 said:
Yup. There's plenty of math that supports an unsubsidized device on Straight Talk being FAR cheaper by the end of your 2-year contract than any subsidized device on AT&T.
In general, an AT&T contract subsidy is usually about $200-300 discount.
The cost premium of an AT&T plan over a Straight Talk one is usually on the order of $25/month
$25/month times 24 months (well, let's just say 18 since that's when most AT&T customers are eligible for early upgrade...): $450
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
And f course on straight talk you can upgrade any time you want without charges.
Since it will work on AT&T, does that mean it will work on all major Canadian carriers? Lte included?
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