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So check this out.... I am an AT&T user and back when the HTC HD2 came out for T-Mobile I bought it from a friend when they signed up for a new contract. Got an unlock code from Ebay and have been using it for the past 2 years without having to have a data plan, never got added automatically to my plan like i have heard happen to others? And I'm wondering why? Is it possibly cuz its a T-Mobile phone? Or is it cuz I still have an old "Cingular" SIM card? I am curious about this because right now, Wally World has a special sale on the phone at $249, plus a $100 gift card, which will bring the phone down to $150 basically, so a pretty damn good deal for a phone just out on the market. And I'm plan on getting it this week, I was wondering if any of you would be able to tell me if at some point if i was able to get a T-Mobile version of the Samsung Note 2 if i could slip my SIM card into it and then be able to cancel my DATA plan, if i told them i went back to a Motorola Razr or something, which worked when i got my HD2? Or will AT&T be able to see that i have a smartphone? Is it the newer smaller SIM card, that will tell AT&T that I have a smartphone, or will the phone it self be what sends info to the servers or whatever that tells AT&T I have a smartphone? Or do you think this method of getting a T-Mobile phone and using an AT&T SIM card will work and I won't get stuck with a DATA plan? Everywhere I go has Wi-Fi so I have no need for the Data plan it will be going to waste.
That offer of 249 is only for new contracts and upgrades
Sent from my SGH-T889 using xda premium
funziebear said:
That offer of 249 is only for new contracts and upgrades
Sent from my SGH-T889 using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yep, I am eligible for an upgrade, haven't upgraded in a few years or so... Just wondering if the new micro sim cards or the newer phone will alert at&t that i am using a smart phone, or if i will be able to do the same thing i did last time, by getting a tmobile phone with at&t service and not be required to have a data plan, if they don't know that i'm using a smart phone...?
Red-Dog said:
Yep, I am eligible for an upgrade, haven't upgraded in a few years or so... Just wondering if the new micro sim cards or the newer phone will alert at&t that i am using a smart phone, or if i will be able to do the same thing i did last time, by getting a tmobile phone with at&t service and not be required to have a data plan, if they don't know that i'm using a smart phone...?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
so you are going to start a tmobile contract to get the discounted price on the phone then switch back to att
So, you've been stealing data for 2 years now... Making my data cost go up. Stealing is a crime! Please turn yourself in and agree to pay back the last 2 years of stolen data....
I'm messing with you.
If you bring a phone to T-Mobile, they won't force a data plan on you. I'm assuming The Dark Side [AT&T] is the same.
If you use an upgrade, a 2GB Data Plan is required, and they will not let you remove your data afterwards. T-Mobile is weird like that.
dkb218 said:
So, you've been stealing data for 2 years now... Making my data cost go up. Stealing is a crime! Please turn yourself in and agree to pay back the last 2 years of stolen data....
I'm messing with you.
If you bring a phone to T-Mobile, they won't force a data plan on you. I'm assuming The Dark Side [AT&T] is the same.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
LOL, nice, but no, I'm saying I don't have any internet on my phone, only had the Wi-Fi, therefore wasn't having to pay for a data plan, because i wasn't required to have one since they didn't know i had a smart phone, just the regular cost of having a calling plan... I'm hoping it's something to do with the IMEI, if it isn't in the system, hopefully they won't know what phone i'm using...
iamtimmah said:
If you use an upgrade, a 2GB Data Plan is required, and they will not let you remove your data afterwards. T-Mobile is weird like that.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah AT&T requires you to have an added Data Plan also with any smartphone, but I don't need it, its a waste of money for me, I have Wi-Fi most of the places I go, and don't need to be connected to the net 24/7 ...lol But, I'm hoping I can get a Tmobile Note 2 and use it for a while, then tell them I went back to my Razr and hopefully be able to drop the data part of the plan, but i don't know if i could do that until the new contract is over
truthkillszz said:
so you are going to start a tmobile contract to get the discounted price on the phone then switch back to att
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No, originally it was just an impulse buy, cuz its such a kick ass phone...lol I would prefer just to buy a Tmobile version somewhere and use it on AT&T and hopefully not be required to have a data plan, but since the phone is so new, i'm probably not going to find one anywhere, less than $400 even on Ebay. So what I was thinking is, just upgrade my current AT&T plan to a new 2 year agreement, and get the phone for $250, plus the $100 gift card from Wally World, and that basically brings the price down to $150, and then possibly selling or trading the phone and getting a Tmobile version, so i can cancel the internet data plan. But, i'm not sure i could do that, i don't know if the contract terms say I'm required to keep the data part, even if i don't have a smartphone anymore say after a few months or year or so. Like for example, if I sign a new 2 year agreement, and after a couple of months, tell them I went back to a Razr phone, if i can drop the data, but i'm still on the 2 year agreement. And hopefully the Tmobile version phone won't be able to be detected so i'm not automatically enrolled into the data plan again....?
I don't get it. If you just want a feature phone then just get an feature phone. There are tablets that uses WiFi only just bigger. Then you can get a free basic phone for texting and calls only. Or get a feature phone for almost free for text, calling, and listening to your music. At this point PPCs (Pocket Personal Computers) aka "Smartphones", like Galaxy Note 2, are way too much for the purposes that you are wanting to use them for.
To make PPC aka "smartphones" truly mobile they need to be connected to the Internet at all times. That is why cellular data radio services is so important for these PPC devices. They are truly cellular mobile computers. That is why I coined them as CPPC (Cellular Pocket Personal Computer) and MPPC (Mobile Pocket Personal Computer).
MPPC (Mobile Pocket Personal Computer) is the best description of what these devices are. They are mobile in terms that you are always connected on the go with these devices. They fit in your pocket (at least your big pocket). They are very personal in the way you use them. And they are truly computers. They are your personalized pocket sized (big pockets) computers on the go with cellular radio and communication services. They are your MPPC (Mobile Pocket Personal Computer.
Samsung Galaxy Note 2 is not for you at all. You are just wasting money on the Galaxy Note 2. Get either a basic phone or feature phone as your phone device. And get a tablet as your WiFi media device. You can get both for less than or close to the cost of a Galaxy Note 2.
JaguarXT said:
I don't get it. If you just want a feature phone then just get an feature phone. There are tablets that uses WiFi only just bigger. Then you can get a free basic phone for texting and calls only. Or get a feature phone for almost free for text, calling, and listening to your music. At this point PPCs (Pocket Personal Computers) aka "Smartphones", like Galaxy Note 2, are way too much for the purposes that you are wanting to use them for.
To make PPC aka "smartphones" truly mobile they need to be connected to the Internet at all times. That is why cellular data radio services is so important for these PPC devices. They are truly cellular mobile computers. That is why I coined them as CPPC (Cellular Pocket Personal Computer) and MPPC (Mobile Pocket Personal Computer).
MPPC (Mobile Pocket Personal Computer) is the best description of what these devices are. They are mobile in terms that you are always connected on the go with these devices. They fit in your pocket (at least your big pocket). They are very personal in the way you use them. And they are truly computers. They are your personalized pocket sized (big pockets) computers on the go with cellular radio and communication services. They are your MPPC (Mobile Pocket Personal Computer.
Samsung Galaxy Note 2 is not for you at all. You are just wasting money on the Galaxy Note 2. Get either a basic phone or feature phone as your phone device. And get a tablet as your WiFi media device. You can get both for less than or close to the cost of a Galaxy Note 2.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm not trying to buy the Galaxy Note 2 outright, I plan on going to Walmart sometime this week and upgrading my contract and getting the Note 2 for $249, and then on top of that Walmart will throw in a $100 gift card, that you can use on anything at the store, probably even gas at the Murphy USA station so basically, that brings the price of the phone down to $150.... I don't know of any decent tablet anywhere near that price. This phone is basically a phone and tablet all in one, I don't want to be carrying multiple devices around with me, a big 7" or 10" tablet everywhere I go everyday, plus my cell phone. I'm looking for an all in once device, and this is pretty much it. Most of the places I go have Wi-Fi, so I wouldn't, (and haven't), even hardly use(d) any data. And the extra, $15, $20 or $30 a month for a data plan could be used to help pay for other bills. I can still use the phone to its full potential without having a data plan... Except when I'm driving down the highway and I'm lost and need GPS? ...lol But, I still have my HD2 with tomtom on it, or eventually I might sell it and get a dedicated GPS, or use google navigation, I think I heard they have an option to download offline maps. If I'm bored waiting on my oil to get changed in my car somewhere, and want to watch a YouTube video, sure I'll be SOL if they don't have a public Wi-Fi, but I'll have plenty of apps and games to keep me entertained while I wait...lol IF I ever have an absolute need to use, mobile data, its a pay-per-use feature, per MB I think so I'll still have that, it just won't be a set monthly price.
Att requires you to keep a data plan for 6 months after an upgrade.
Here is what I would do:
If you upgrade then switch to the t-mo version, call att when you switch and tell them you are using a t mobile dumb phone and want your data removed. They may do it if its been 6 months since your upgrade. If they wont remove data completely, tell them you want the $10 media net package. It is unlimited and you will get hspa+ if your phone allows for it. That way you have data if you ever need it, and its cheap.
I used the $10 plan with my gsm razr, but switched back to unlimited so I wouldnt lose it. I know the $10 plan works for phones not in att's system.
Hope this helps
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I317 using xda premium
bfinch said:
Att requires you to keep a data plan for 6 months after an upgrade.
Here is what I would do:
If you upgrade then switch to the t-mo version, call att when you switch and tell them you are using a t mobile dumb phone and want your data removed. They may do it if its been 6 months since your upgrade. If they wont remove data completely, tell them you want the $10 media net package. It is unlimited and you will get hspa+ if your phone allows for it. That way you have data if you ever need it, and its cheap.
I used the $10 plan with my gsm razr, but switched back to unlimited so I wouldnt lose it. I know the $10 plan works for phones not in att's system.
Hope this helps
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I317 using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Exactly, thanks for the info, helps a lot. That is exactly what I planned to do, just wasn't for sure on how long I would have to keep the mobile data plan. So $150, plus $15 a month for the minimum plan, for 6 months = $240 total, phone and mobile data.... not too bad...
Red-Dog said:
I'm not trying to buy the Galaxy Note 2 outright, I plan on going to Walmart sometime this week and upgrading my contract and getting the Note 2 for $249, and then on top of that Walmart will throw in a $100 gift card, that you can use on anything at the store, probably even gas at the Murphy USA station so basically, that brings the price of the phone down to $150.... I don't know of any decent tablet anywhere near that price. This phone is basically a phone and tablet all in one, I don't want to be carrying multiple devices around with me, a big 7" or 10" tablet everywhere I go everyday, plus my cell phone. I'm looking for an all in once device, and this is pretty much it. Most of the places I go have Wi-Fi, so I wouldn't, (and haven't), even hardly use(d) any data. And the extra, $15, $20 or $30 a month for a data plan could be used to help pay for other bills. I can still use the phone to its full potential without having a data plan... Except when I'm driving down the highway and I'm lost and need GPS? ...lol But, I still have my HD2 with tomtom on it, or eventually I might sell it and get a dedicated GPS, or use google navigation, I think I heard they have an option to download offline maps. If I'm bored waiting on my oil to get changed in my car somewhere, and want to watch a YouTube video, sure I'll be SOL if they don't have a public Wi-Fi, but I'll have plenty of apps and games to keep me entertained while I wait...lol IF I ever have an absolute need to use, mobile data, its a pay-per-use feature, per MB I think so I'll still have that, it just won't be a set monthly price.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nexus 7 Tablet!!! Check it out.
To use Google Maps you will need Internet connection so that the device can download the maps while you are traveling. Yes you can do that off line. But the Google Maps function the best when you are connected. Just a good example of so many things within these devices that Must be connected at all times for.
Why not check out lower end Android devices or feature phones with these features? They will cost you even less. Much less.
Again, Galaxy Note 2 is way too much of a professional device than what you are look for. So much of Galaxy Note 2 will be wasted. And the complexity of Galaxy Note 2 is not going to make you happy in the long run.
Warning - Galaxy Note 2 WILL use your cellular data rather you want it to or not. Again, this is the nature of these devices. Everything from email, system backing up, your contacts gets checked and backup, any social apps WILL use your data in the background, Google PlayStore in check for updates, Google Maps in getting new maps (as you travel) and adding location accuracy (with cellular towers), Google Street View in downloading the street view for you, Calendar will check Google and update, free apps that have ads will download the ads, some apps will be running in the background checking stuff online and downloading from online, and so much more WILL be using your Cellular data throughout the day and night on everyday.
When it comes to free apps you can buy the paid ad-free apps. But by the time you do that with all apps you will end up spending as much as it would if you just get the $30.00 per month unlimited data plan. I know that because I hate ads so much that I spend money for the paid ad-free apps.
At the end you better off either going for the $30.00 unlimited data plan or go for a feature phone that does what you want it to. With what you want to do with the device you are better off with a feature phone.
But if you do go for Galaxy Note 2 go for the Unlimited data plan and try to learn the features of this device. Hopefully you will learn to love or at least like the features enough that you would never again think of not having data plan with the device. But my fear for you is that the experience in trying not to use data service is going to be a very bad experience for you. But at least you were forewarned.
You can remove the data plan at anytime if you buy it from AT&T, not sure about other places.
There is a few problems with your plan. T-mobile version of the note 2 is worth more in the used market than AT&T version, so you may find it hard to do an even exchange.
Secondly AT&T do sweeps to detect smartphones more regularly now. It may be able to detect the Tmobile version of note 2 very soon.
Sent from my SGH-T999 using Tapatalk 2
Even if you can take out the data plan, your usage with Galaxy Note 2 would be hampered in a huge way. So huge that it is not worth removing the data plan or getting the Galaxy Note 2. I gave examples in a post above of some of stuff that uses the cellular data. Those and much more would be hampered by taking cellular data plan out. Again, not worth it. There are feature phones that would do what that user wants without hampering the usage.
You see that Droid X on my signature? That is not on the grid anymore. And I can tell you that I notice how much the device and I am hampered by not having data plan. It sucks in a huge way. I am talking with experience.
Android PPC aka "Smartphones" is at its best if on the grid all the way, including cellular data plan. Otherwise go for a feature phone.
JaguarXT said:
Even if you can take out the data plan, your usage with Galaxy Note 2 would be hampered in a huge way. So huge that it is not worth removing the data plan or getting the Galaxy Note 2. I gave examples in a post above of some of stuff that uses the cellular data. Those and much more would be hampered by taking cellular data plan out. Again, not worth it. There are feature phones that would do what that user wants without hampering the usage.
You see that Droid X on my signature? That is not on the grid anymore. And I can tell you that I notice how much the device and I am hampered by not having data plan. It sucks in a huge way. I am talking with experience.
Android is at its best if on the grid all the way, including cellular data plan. Otherwise go for a feature phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think this post was meant for the OP.
I have an unlimited data plan and I use a lots of it. I'm just telling the OP what he can expect in his situation.
Sent from my SGH-T999 using Tapatalk 2
whatsitsnamenow said:
Direct it towards the OP.
I have an unlimited data plan and I use a lots of it. I'm just telling the OP what he can expect in his situation.
Sent from my SGH-T999 using Tapatalk 2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sorry.
We are both trying to tell the OP what to expect in his situation.
I know it's a little bit of an inconvenience not having mobile data, but I have been using a T-Mobile HTC HD2 for the last 2 years without a mobile data plan, just fine. If there is something I need to do that requires internet, i'm patient enough to wait until I can get on Wi-Fi, make a reminder in the calender for when I have time and problem solved. I still have Windows 6.5, which kinda sucks, on it. And I also have Android ported onto it using the memory card. So if I'm traveling somewhere I restart the phone and boot into Windows and use my TomTom GPS program. Then after, I boot back into Android and in the settings there is a checkbox that I can check to keep my phone from using a mobile data connection, so I've been doing just fine. And the GN2 will be a step up from this phone and not that much money out of my wallet.
JaguarXT said:
Nexus 7 Tablet!!! Check it out.
To use Google Maps you will need Internet connection so that the device can download the maps while you are traveling. Yes you can do that off line. But the Google Maps function the best when you are connected. Just a good example of so many things within these devices that Must be connected at all times for.
Why not check out lower end Android devices or feature phones with these features? They will cost you even less. Much less.
Again, Galaxy Note 2 is way too much of a professional device than what you are look for. So much of Galaxy Note 2 will be wasted. And the complexity of Galaxy Note 2 is not going to make you happy in the long run.
Warning - Galaxy Note 2 WILL use your cellular data rather you want it to or not. Again, this is the nature of these devices. Everything from email, system backing up, your contacts gets checked and backup, any social apps WILL use your data in the background, Google PlayStore in check for updates, Google Maps in getting new maps (as you travel) and adding location accuracy (with cellular towers), Google Street View in downloading the street view for you, Calendar will check Google and update, free apps that have ads will download the ads, some apps will be running in the background checking stuff online and downloading from online, and so much more WILL be using your Cellular data throughout the day and night on everyday.
When it comes to free apps you can buy the paid ad-free apps. But by the time you do that with all apps you will end up spending as much as it would if you just get the $30.00 per month unlimited data plan. I know that because I hate ads so much that I spend money for the paid ad-free apps.
At the end you better off either going for the $30.00 unlimited data plan or go for a feature phone that does what you want it to. With what you want to do with the device you are better off with a feature phone.
But if you do go for Galaxy Note 2 go for the Unlimited data plan and try to learn the features of this device. Hopefully you will learn to love or at least like the features enough that you would never again think of not having data plan with the device. But my fear for you is that the experience in trying not to use data service is going to be a very bad experience for you. But at least you were forewarned.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I actually already bought the GN2 on black friday, from at&t as a contract upgrade, it was kind of an impulse buy, i'm a penny pincher... I know, kinda weird when we are talking about a $700 phone, right? ...LOL But, I try to save money where I can. I took it back on Tuesday night, because a co-worker told me about the deal at walmart. So I'm gonna go get it from them. From Saturday to Tuesday I was streaming football and basketball games for a few hours everyday, over wi-fi, just fine. I checked my data usage on the phone with the included apps and I was barely even using anything, it was only a few MB's or so, that is probably when I was playing around with it before I connected it to my home and work Wi-Fi, 4G at my work was extremely slow, so I connected to Wi-Fi and was much faster, and I was thinking to myself, if 4g is that damn slow, i don't need to be throwing money away at it... Me and another co-worker that works in my same department were wondering how fast the mobile data is so, I was trying to go to speedtest.net to test the speed and it would never even completely load the page up. I didn't even try the wi-fi speedtest at work, because i was ready to clock out and go home... I did the speedtest at my home from wi-fi and on 4g and my wi-fi kicked the **** out of the 4g, the 4g didn't even get over 1MB! I don't need to have my apps all connected to mobile data all the time, I've used facebook, ebay, craigslist, google play store, checked email and the apps that have the ads don't really bother me, not that big of a deal to me. Sometimes they are annoying, but for me I'd rather see the ad then racking up money by buying all the paid apps. I might buy a few apps that I really like but probably not very many, who knows.. ...And on a sidenote, i don't see a $30 unlimited data plan anywhere, is that a T-Mobile or AT&T plan?
I thought it might be helpful to share my experience getting my (now rooted, stock, with Google stuff added) Kindle Fire HD 8.9" 4G working on the T-Mobile network.
Getting the SIM card to eject using a paperclip was a royal pain in the ass.
You need a paperclip that's thin enough to fit LOOSELY in the hole. If you try to squeeze one in that's fat, it will jam the SIM edges to the case. Once you find one that'll work, it'll bend...and bend some more. I finally managed to get enough of an edge to stick out that I pried it the rest of the way with a screwdriver, with some minor scarring in the process. It's not really noticeable, but *I* know it's there. (To be clear, you poke the paperclip into the hole, push, and it'll eject. Theoretically anyway )
Once it's out though, things get easy. Just pop in the SIM, insert, change APN info as appropriate, done. APN settings can be found easily with Google. Removing it later was easy as pie. Paperclip, poke, eject. I have no idea why, maybe it's initially glued in or something. Nothing came out stuck to the SIM tray though and it's since popped in and out with no problems.
Now, here's the REAL kicker... I had planned to put the SIM from my T-Mobile hotspot in it. It just didn't occur to me to check to see if the Kindle used the same size, it doesn't. It uses a Micro SIM. Well, I didn't want to cut my hotspot SIM (I'm not yet sure if I'm keeping the Kindle or not), but I do have a Nexus 4...with a Micro SIM. So I figured, what the heck...
Damn if the thing didn't work. As far as I understood things, you aren't supposed to be able to use a phone SIM with a tablet in T-Mobile land. Maybe it's because I'm using a T-Mobile reseller, Solavei, but it worked fine with the Solavei phone SIM and APN settings. No issues at all. (Solavei is great, exact same service as I got from T-Mobile as a contract customer, but no-contract, cheaper, with more data.)
I happened to have to drive to Webster today, so I kept running SpeedTest.net every so often as I was driving across Houston mostly down I45. Here are the results:
Code:
Down Up Ping
1704 2157 110
1053 2102 102
1391 988 111
2872 943 914
4641 2145 100
5794 2370 115
11191 2267 139
2228 1335 113
1219 1401 90
144 96 802
18755 995 25
The 11k and 18k are not typos. I don't think they are glitches in the SpeedTest.net app either.
To give it some context, I was driving through rush hour which might explain a couple of the download speeds being lower than the upload speeds (busy towers) I also WAS moving, anywhere from 10-70 depending on how bad the traffic was.
Houston is in the process of being "refarmed" for the iPhone. So I think the 2 particularly high numbers may have been towers that were completed. Although, I suppose that it's possible that I roamed onto AT&T. (I can roam with Solavei) because the 18k number with the really low ping time looks like what I'd expect from LTE. T-Mobile IS doing LTE in Houston, but I haven't checked to see if the Kindles bands are compatible.
Anyway, while the numbers are not spectacular, if you have some reason to want to use the Kindle HD on T-Mobile's network, the speeds are certainly usable for email, web browsing, GPS, etc. My hotspot is paid for by work, so "Free" is a good enough reason for me , and saving the hassle of having yet another device to make sure is charged, doesn't get lost, etc. while roaming all over the city is MAYBE worth the reduced speed. (I usually get numbers in the mid to upper teens with my hot spot.) The less stuff I have to plug and unplug from cigarette lighters each time I stop at a client the better.
Oh, a note on GPS. I initially had problems with it. It took a while to lock, and then wasn't accurate. After I let it update from 8.14 to 8.3 things worked fine. (I had rooted, installed Google stuff, etc, but not blocked updating figuring to just re-root at 8.3.) Google Maps / Navigation worked fine my whole drive. I'll try Co-Pilot tomorrow. (MUCH better live traffic data, or at least use of that data, than Google. Worth the $10 a year just for reasonably accurate ETA's.)
A couple further thoughts....
1) If the ability to use a phone SIM was NOT specific to my situation, that could give the Kindle some great options for mobile data service. T-Mobile has a $30 a month prepaid plan with 5GB of data, unlimited low speed data, and at the other extreme, a $70 plan with unlimited high speed data. Neither are offered for tablets.
2) It took a phone SIM. Gotta wonder... with the right ROM could you make calls? A data SIM blocks calls at the carrier level, but a phone SIM, well, as long as the hardware is there and the software supports it....
And before anyone goes off on the idea, OBVIOUSLY holding a 10" tablet up to your face doesn't work. But I don't hold my 4.8" phone up to my face either, it's called Bluetooth. The "tablet as phone" works as a second line. For example, as a work line. I have a couple of clients that do the "on call" thing, with a cellphone that get's passed from person to person at the start of each shift. That could actually work better with a phone-tablet, since they'd then have email, remote security camera access, etc. along with the ability to make calls. (Again, Bluetooth or just speakerphone works fine.) If you're going with the phone SIM for some other reason (cheap or unlimited data), why NOT take advantage of the ability to make calls?
Zanthexter said:
I thought it might be helpful to share my experience getting my (now rooted, stock, with Google stuff added) Kindle Fire HD 8.9" 4G working on the T-Mobile network.
Getting the SIM card to eject using a paperclip was a royal pain in the ass.
You need a paperclip that's thin enough to fit LOOSELY in the hole. If you try to squeeze one in that's fat, it will jam the SIM edges to the case. Once you find one that'll work, it'll bend...and bend some more. I finally managed to get enough of an edge to stick out that I pried it the rest of the way with a screwdriver, with some minor scarring in the process. It's not really noticeable, but *I* know it's there. (To be clear, you poke the paperclip into the hole, push, and it'll eject. Theoretically anyway )
Once it's out though, things get easy. Just pop in the SIM, insert, change APN info as appropriate, done. APN settings can be found easily with Google. Removing it later was easy as pie. Paperclip, poke, eject. I have no idea why, maybe it's initially glued in or something. Nothing came out stuck to the SIM tray though and it's since popped in and out with no problems.
Now, here's the REAL kicker... I had planned to put the SIM from my T-Mobile hotspot in it. It just didn't occur to me to check to see if the Kindle used the same size, it doesn't. It uses a Micro SIM. Well, I didn't want to cut my hotspot SIM (I'm not yet sure if I'm keeping the Kindle or not), but I do have a Nexus 4...with a Micro SIM. So I figured, what the heck...
Damn if the thing didn't work. As far as I understood things, you aren't supposed to be able to use a phone SIM with a tablet in T-Mobile land. Maybe it's because I'm using a T-Mobile reseller, Solavei, but it worked fine with the Solavei phone SIM and APN settings. No issues at all. (Solavei is great, exact same service as I got from T-Mobile as a contract customer, but no-contract, cheaper, with more data.)
I happened to have to drive to Webster today, so I kept running SpeedTest.net every so often as I was driving across Houston mostly down I45. Here are the results:
Code:
Down Up Ping
1704 2157 110
1053 2102 102
1391 988 111
2872 943 914
4641 2145 100
5794 2370 115
11191 2267 139
2228 1335 113
1219 1401 90
144 96 802
18755 995 25
The 11k and 18k are not typos. I don't think they are glitches in the SpeedTest.net app either.
To give it some context, I was driving through rush hour which might explain a couple of the download speeds being lower than the upload speeds (busy towers) I also WAS moving, anywhere from 10-70 depending on how bad the traffic was.
Houston is in the process of being "refarmed" for the iPhone. So I think the 2 particularly high numbers may have been towers that were completed. Although, I suppose that it's possible that I roamed onto AT&T. (I can roam with Solavei) because the 18k number with the really low ping time looks like what I'd expect from LTE. T-Mobile IS doing LTE in Houston, but I haven't checked to see if the Kindles bands are compatible.
Anyway, while the numbers are not spectacular, if you have some reason to want to use the Kindle HD on T-Mobile's network, the speeds are certainly usable for email, web browsing, GPS, etc. My hotspot is paid for by work, so "Free" is a good enough reason for me , and saving the hassle of having yet another device to make sure is charged, doesn't get lost, etc. while roaming all over the city is MAYBE worth the reduced speed. (I usually get numbers in the mid to upper teens with my hot spot.) The less stuff I have to plug and unplug from cigarette lighters each time I stop at a client the better.
Oh, a note on GPS. I initially had problems with it. It took a while to lock, and then wasn't accurate. After I let it update from 8.14 to 8.3 things worked fine. (I had rooted, installed Google stuff, etc, but not blocked updating figuring to just re-root at 8.3.) Google Maps / Navigation worked fine my whole drive. I'll try Co-Pilot tomorrow. (MUCH better live traffic data, or at least use of that data, than Google. Worth the $10 a year just for reasonably accurate ETA's.)
A couple further thoughts....
1) If the ability to use a phone SIM was NOT specific to my situation, that could give the Kindle some great options for mobile data service. T-Mobile has a $30 a month prepaid plan with 5GB of data, unlimited low speed data, and at the other extreme, a $70 plan with unlimited high speed data. Neither are offered for tablets.
2) It took a phone SIM. Gotta wonder... with the right ROM could you make calls? A data SIM blocks calls at the carrier level, but a phone SIM, well, as long as the hardware is there and the software supports it....
And before anyone goes off on the idea, OBVIOUSLY holding a 10" tablet up to your face doesn't work. But I don't hold my 4.8" phone up to my face either, it's called Bluetooth. The "tablet as phone" works as a second line. For example, as a work line. I have a couple of clients that do the "on call" thing, with a cellphone that get's passed from person to person at the start of each shift. That could actually work better with a phone-tablet, since they'd then have email, remote security camera access, etc. along with the ability to make calls. (Again, Bluetooth or just speakerphone works fine.) If you're going with the phone SIM for some other reason (cheap or unlimited data), why NOT take advantage of the ability to make calls?
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I discovered my t-mobile sim from my nexus 4 works in my kindle too. Not sure about the phone ability but it should work.
ant178 said:
I discovered my t-mobile sim from my nexus 4 works in my kindle too. Not sure about the phone ability but it should work.
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That's not too shabby a deal. Assuming you're on a T-Mobile family plan, you could add another line and get 2.5GB of medium-speed data for $20 or so a month. (less discounts, plus taxes and fees of course)
As they roll out the iPhone upgrade, the speeds ought to improve too.
Shame the phone ability isn't there. Nice to have it as a backup line, office line (Bluetooth/Speakerphone), or a "kids" line.
I ended up returning mine, and am just waiting on the refund to process before snagging a Nexus 10. I decided I could live without the Amazon Prime videos/books and just use the Sonic 4G hotspot (with better speeds). I also figure the sharper and larger screen will do better for Zinio, which is a big part of what I want to use it for at home. Why they insist on translating paper magazines to e-format as basically PDF files I do NOT understand....
Zanthexter said:
That's not too shabby a deal. Assuming you're on a T-Mobile family plan, you could add another line and get 2.5GB of medium-speed data for $20 or so a month. (less discounts, plus taxes and fees of course)
As they roll out the iPhone upgrade, the speeds ought to improve too.
Shame the phone ability isn't there. Nice to have it as a backup line, office line (Bluetooth/Speakerphone), or a "kids" line.
I ended up returning mine, and am just waiting on the refund to process before snagging a Nexus 10. I decided I could live without the Amazon Prime videos/books and just use the Sonic 4G hotspot (with better speeds). I also figure the sharper and larger screen will do better for Zinio, which is a big part of what I want to use it for at home. Why they insist on translating paper magazines to e-format as basically PDF files I do NOT understand....
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I wish I could return mine LOL.
I think the $50 for 12 months 250mb is okay, I just don't do anything but browse the web aside from when I am home. The development for this Kindle is also lacking as it's not very popular. If development was at a great place, I wouldn't be tempted to consider another device. Nexus 10 specs are definitely better but I like the screen size of this tablet more than 10 inch tablets but I still would prefer the nexus 10. I don't think the nexus 10 has much more over this tablet besides OS and screen resolution.
This looks pretty interesting, just noticed that a few news aggregators that I check had some info about the "Uncarrier 7" announcement. Apparently, starting on 9/17 for only a $25 DEPOSIT (easily reclaimed if I understand correctly) for what they're calling a "Personal CellSpot" wifi router. I'm super curious about the specifics of this device, this article http://www.geekwire.com/2014/t-mobi...nal-cellspot-wifi-router-boost-call-coverage/ reports that in the announcement Tmo said that it could even replace your current router... which is not something I'm at all interested in doing, but adding it to my network to get max LTE inside is something that I'm most definitely interested in doing. So just wanted to let you all know about this news, which I find quite interesting (particularly the literally unbeatable price). Anyone feel free to post any details that you can uncover about the device; I'll continue researching and do the same.
jazzmachine said:
This looks pretty interesting, just noticed that a few news aggregators that I check had some info about the "Uncarrier 7" announcement. Apparently, starting on 9/17 for only a $25 DEPOSIT (easily reclaimed if I understand correctly) for what they're calling a "Personal CellSpot" wifi router. I'm super curious about the specifics of this device, this article http://www.geekwire.com/2014/t-mobi...nal-cellspot-wifi-router-boost-call-coverage/ reports that in the announcement Tmo said that it could even replace your current router... which is not something I'm at all interested in doing, but adding it to my network to get max LTE inside is something that I'm most definitely interested in doing. So just wanted to let you all know about this news, which I find quite interesting (particularly the literally unbeatable price). Anyone feel free to post any details that you can uncover about the device; I'll continue researching and do the same.
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This actually looks pretty cool. Reminds me of the AT&T 3G thingy that they have, except full LTE
Just thought "Hmm, I wonder if there's any info about it on the TMo site... durrr." Here's a like to the overview of the device on their support site: https://support.t-mobile.com/docs/DOC-15754
After looking through that info: the setup instructions basically tell you to replace your current router with it (plug into modem, web setup gui), but there has to be a way to set it up as a bridge. Interestingly, In the troubleshooting section they link to the Asus support page for the (newer version) of the router that I have for advanced configuration, which seems promising. The device itself definitely has solid specs though: AC wifi, dual band, USB input etc. If my current router didn't have the same features, I'd definitely consider upgrading to it (after learning about it's firmware, config capabilities) if I didn't currently have an Asus RT-AC66U running Merlin's custom AsusWRT firmware (adds many features to the router, and I actually thought the stock AsusWRT wasn't bad... builds of DD-WRT ect. seem kind of iffy for it though). Anyways, if putting it in bridged mode isn't possible, I would look into attaching it via an ethernet splitter at my modem... that would actually work well (if it would work, continually trying to expand my knowledge in the complex realm of networking) because I almost always connect to a VPN client on my desktop machine... if I could set up an additional router, then I could just connect all the devices I wanted on the VPN to the Asus router which I would configure with OpenVPN, and my phone on other devices that I prefer I straight connection on to the T-Mo router.
However it ends up working, getting a device with those specs that also gives you strong LTE for approximately zero dollars and zero cents flat out kicks ass (unless it has some kind of backdoor to intercept all packets or something, that's my fear about using it as a solo router). Keep on un-carrying TMo!
toastido said:
This actually looks pretty cool. Reminds me of the AT&T 3G thingy that they have, except full LTE
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Yeah, back during the lengthy time that I paid ATT excessively due to the flat out false impression that my "grandfathered unlimited" plan still resembled the plan that I initially signed up for in any way... AT&T actually sent me one of those ($300 I believe) devices completely gratis because inside my old apartment, my phone could barely touch a mobile network other than AT&T's and still, the signal was super weak. They never asked for it back after I ditched them after finding out in an emergency situation just how "unlimited" my data plan really was, when I hit 5 gigs for the first time in years, and was immediately throttled down to "can't load a webpage" unusable. Calling CS several times, I had NO option to regain usable data until the month rolled over short of changing to a new plan where I would be *allowed* to buy additional data (and of course, signing a fresh contract, when my prior two years had just ended). But wait! there's more! Despite no-longer being an ATT sucker.. er, customer, I still receive a monthly bill for $16 from them. It's because of the fact that at one point, I had to buy a new un-subsidized phone, and they had this deal where you could get an S4 or something and an LTE tablet for the price of just the phone (but the tablet needed a data plan). That sounded pretty good, so I grabbed a Note 8 (i467, not realizing how crippled it was vs. the wifi 5110 version). So that tablet got stolen soon after purchase, and I replaced it with the wifi only model (in retrospect, MUCH better device... quite dev friendly vs AT&T model w/ obligatory locked bootloader which took forever to even find a working root method but custom ROMs pretty much out of the question). So I obviously didn't need want the tablet data anymore... well, they did me a huge favor, and changed my tablet plan to this one that costs $16 / month, which they clearly plan on charging me for the duration of 2 years, unless I can figure out how to void it or something.
Man, a totally OT tirade in my own thread! Actually that thought was sparked by your mention of the AT&T device, which I seriously need to sell on eBay! That could quite possibly cover this BS data-less data plan that AT&T insists that I owe them...
Slightly back on topic, this device appears to beat the pants off of the AT&T thing on every level. Spec-wise, it really does look like a very solid router available for only a refundable deposit! Good job TMo, this is definitely one of the more interesting un-carrier announcements...
This could be T-Mobile's replacement for their cell phone signal booster. They were $500 but giving them away free if you were in a bad area. Idk how much these cost to make but at least they arent giving them away for free.
A little more relevant detail (bolded) from a BGR link w/ more info about the whole announcement:
"T-Mobile’s second big announcement is a clear effort to work past any real or perceived indoor coverage issues by offering subscribers a free WiFi cell tower of sorts that can be used in their homes or offices.
Dubbed the “T-Mobile Personal CellSpot,” the device is basically a WiFi router that can work alongside or in place of your existing router. The CellSpot will allow all devices to connect to it, but it will prioritize WiFi calling voice traffic in order to ensure that calls are always as clear as possible.
A free Personal CellSpot can be obtained from a T-Mobile store or by calling the carrier’s customer service department, and a refundable $25 hardware deposit will be required."
http://bgr.com/2014/09/10/t-mobile-wifi-unleashed-announcement/
This would be great if your home network is good. Pointless if it's not. It sucks that I get LTE in one part of our house and then 4g/2g in another. An lte signal Booster would be more useful. I have an older signal Booster but it only boost 4g.
Sent from my SM-N900T using Tapatalk
Please don't get me started on ATT, it took 4 months, about 8 calls and 4 trips to different att stores to cancel expired contract account. Spoke to many different agents and managers, so it was company wide. On top of that they stole $150 (overpayments on cancelled account they promised refund, never did). I would take those gangsters to court, but just too busy and not worth my time. However I will never ever use their service, even if it was for free. Got great satisfaction when they paid billions to support my current cell company, T-mo. Sorry for my rant, couldn't resist.
Back to topic: Let us know how it works, I have LTE service at home, (about 10Mb down, 2Mb up) but this could speed things up a little.
jazzmachine said:
Yeah, back during the lengthy time that I paid ATT excessively due to the flat out false impression that my "grandfathered unlimited" plan still resembled the plan that I initially signed up for in any way... AT&T actually sent me one of those ($300 I believe) devices completely gratis because inside my old apartment, my phone could barely touch a mobile network other than AT&T's and still, the signal was super weak. They never asked for it back after I ditched them after finding out in an emergency situation just how "unlimited" my data plan really was, when I hit 5 gigs for the first time in years, and was immediately throttled down to "can't load a webpage" unusable. Calling CS several times, I had NO option to regain usable data until the month rolled over short of changing to a new plan where I would be *allowed* to buy additional data (and of course, signing a fresh contract, when my prior two years had just ended). But wait! there's more! Despite no-longer being an ATT sucker.. er, customer, I still receive a monthly bill for $16 from them. It's because of the fact that at one point, I had to buy a new un-subsidized phone, and they had this deal where you could get an S4 or something and an LTE tablet for the price of just the phone (but the tablet needed a data plan). That sounded pretty good, so I grabbed a Note 8 (i467, not realizing how crippled it was vs. the wifi 5110 version). So that tablet got stolen soon after purchase, and I replaced it with the wifi only model (in retrospect, MUCH better device... quite dev friendly vs AT&T model w/ obligatory locked bootloader which took forever to even find a working root method but custom ROMs pretty much out of the question). So I obviously didn't need want the tablet data anymore... well, they did me a huge favor, and changed my tablet plan to this one that costs $16 / month, which they clearly plan on charging me for the duration of 2 years, unless I can figure out how to void it or something.
Man, a totally OT tirade in my own thread! Actually that thought was sparked by your mention of the AT&T device, which I seriously need to sell on eBay! That could quite possibly cover this BS data-less data plan that AT&T insists that I owe them...
Slightly back on topic, this device appears to beat the pants off of the AT&T thing on every level. Spec-wise, it really does look like a very solid router available for only a refundable deposit! Good job TMo, this is definitely one of the more interesting un-carrier announcements...
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pete4k said:
Please don't get me started on ATT, it took 4 months, about 8 calls and 4 trips to different att stores to cancel expired contract account. Spoke to many different agents and managers, so it was company wide. On top of that they stole $150 (overpayments on cancelled account they promised refund, never did). I would take those gangsters to court, but just too busy and not worth my time. However I will never ever use their service, even if it was for free. Got great satisfaction when they paid billions to support my current cell company, T-mo. Sorry for my rant, couldn't resist.
Back to topic: Let us know how it works, I have LTE service at home, (about 10Mb down, 2Mb up) but this could speed things up a little.
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Yo, strictly on topic man! JUUUUST KIDDING! Actually, it's rather shocking how many topics "Yes, AT&T seriously pulled this BS" stories are at least tangentially related to! I imagine that I would have had a similar experience, had T-Mobile not only kindly handled the entire process for me, but then also gave me money! That has worked out VERY well.
No need for this of you have a asus rt-n66u or higher router with qos(quality of service). If your have a cheap comcast or att router this is for you.
Sent from my SM-N900T using Tapatalk
How would a router increase your LTE signal? I don't think it's a cell phone reception booster so it wouldn't increase our signal strength. I think T-Mobile would rather give out cheap routers so we will leave our wifi on for wifi calling/texting/surfing instead of using their cell towers.
It's both. LTE and Wi-Fi. At least that's what I got out of it.
Sent from my leanKernel 3.8 powered stock 4.4.2 (NF9) SM-N900T
Here's a hands-on account: http://www.phonearena.com/news/T-Mobiles-Personal-CellSpot-hands-on_id60587 In addition to a little more hardware info (USB 2 & 3 port... not too shabby), there's some decent discussion, particularly re: QoS being configured heavily for optimal VoIP, and who knows if that can be re-configured. It also answers a question that I couldn't help but wonder about...
So you throw down $25 bucks for this thing, then strip it for parts that you need for your legit A.I. quantum computer... are there any consequences other than being down $25 (and obviously the inevitable outcome which follows the Terminator movies plot lines precisely, including dialogue)? This article states that you can just straight up buy the device for $99, so I imagine that you'd be on the hook for an additional $75 if you can't return it... when the time comes (? whatever than ends up meaning). That is unless you use that new QC to travel back to before you ever picked it up... as long as you're willing to risk almost certainly causing several tears in the space / time continuum in order to save $99 (which could VERY possibly actually be worth $99.01 due to reverse inflation). Either way, you win!
If I'm not mistaken that tmo-ac1900 is a asus rt-ac68u(that I own) selling for real cheap.... The only router better on the market is the rt-ac87u
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Folks, this is a QOS modified Asus router. IT does NOT increase or rebroadcast ANY cell frequencies. LTE, 3g, 4g, nada.
It's purely QOS enhanced to give you WIFI calling QOS settings which most NORMAL users have no clue how to set up.
That being said, if you do not have a quality sim dual band router or only B/A/G/N and want a high quality router with AC standards, this is an extremely nice device.
For those of us who are professional engineers in the field and already have a quality router, you can always get this and add it as a signal repeater for wifi elsewhere in your home/office.
I shall probably get it just to have it on hand in case Netgear dumps a bad firmware and wipes my current router.
Admiral2145 said:
If I'm not mistaken that tmo-ac1900 is a asus rt-ac68u(that I own) selling for real cheap.... The only router better on the market is the rt-ac87u
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OK, hmm... thanks for that interesting info! I have the previous model of that router (rt-ac66u). Have you ever come across Merlin's AsusWRT firmware? I found it it because the stock gui tool to update the download and flash firmware upgrades is just broken (at least for my model). Apparently AsusWRT is open-sourced, which is pretty excellent, particularly for router firmware, and I later came across other customized builds but it looks like Merlin's is the most popular (at least that was what Google told me when I was inquiring about that built-in firmware update tool constantly failing), and it adds some nice additional settings. The hardware itself is also solid; only power-cycled it a handful of times over several months of ownership (it was pretty new when I got it), and that likely wasn't even the issue some of those times. Well, actually, I suppose it did kind of start resetting itself at one point... the power adapter is crap for some reason, and I eventually noticed that a little bit of the wire had gotten stripped, so i put electrical tape around that part, but if I touched the wire after that point the messed up part would lose alignment until I messed with it and saw the router reboot. The adapter I replaced that with feels much better; plug connection (in router) is perfectly tight vs. stock which is slightly loose, and it's both significantly longer and thicker. Actually, that Just reminded me that that I had broken one of the stock antennae, so I bought a replacement set (made for the router) that are a bit longer/thicker and did improve the signal strength. So, two thumbs up for the router itself, but just one sideways thumb for the quality of the included additional components.
This deal would be particularly killer if you're able to flash alternative firmware, which I would imagine they at least attempt to prevent, particularly if you just drop the temporary $25 to use it vs. the $99 to own it. However, even if it requires a JTAG and some skills, one can now get a high end router for only $99. If you want to experiment, ya think you could just throw down $25 to grab one, brick it quickly, return to store, "The one I got is defective, I tried to set it up and it won't turn on! Now I can't even access the cloud tube!! Blah, blah, obviously I'm not technical enough to have messed it up, can I get a different one?" So I guess we'll find out how locked down this thing is... using a router that needs to be "rooted" is a major red flag IMO...
jazzmachine said:
OK, hmm... thanks for that interesting info! I have the previous model of that router (rt-ac66u). Have you ever come across Merlin's AsusWRT firmware? I found it it because the stock gui tool to update the download and flash firmware upgrades is just broken (at least for my model). Apparently AsusWRT is open-sourced, which is pretty excellent, particularly for router firmware, and I later came across other customized builds but it looks like Merlin's is the most popular (at least that was what Google told me when I was inquiring about that built-in firmware update tool constantly failing), and it adds some nice additional settings. The hardware itself is also solid; only power-cycled it a handful of times over several months of ownership (it was pretty new when I got it), and that likely wasn't even the issue some of those times. Well, actually, I suppose it did kind of start resetting itself at one point... the power adapter is crap for some reason, and I eventually noticed that a little bit of the wire had gotten stripped, so i put electrical tape around that part, but if I touched the wire after that point the messed up part would lose alignment until I messed with it and saw the router reboot. The adapter I replaced that with feels much better; plug connection (in router) is perfectly tight vs. stock which is slightly loose, and it's both significantly longer and thicker. Actually, that Just reminded me that that I had broken one of the stock antennae, so I bought a replacement set (made for the router) that are a bit longer/thicker and did improve the signal strength. So, two thumbs up for the router itself, but just one sideways thumb for the quality of the included additional components.
This deal would be particularly killer if you're able to flash alternative firmware, which I would imagine they at least attempt to prevent, particularly if you just drop the temporary $25 to use it vs. the $99 to own it. However, even if it requires a JTAG and some skills, one can now get a high end router for only $99. If you want to experiment, ya think you could just throw down $25 to grab one, brick it quickly, return to store, "The one I got is defective, I tried to set it up and it won't turn on! Now I can't even access the cloud tube!! Blah, blah, obviously I'm not technical enough to have messed it up, can I get a different one?" So I guess we'll find out how locked down this thing is... using a router that needs to be "rooted" is a major red flag IMO...
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Already asked merlin he said no lol... Even still I would get it and try flashing merlins on it. I use the fork version for my ac68u (it allows all channels and unlimited power). http://forums.smallnetbuilder.com/showthread.php?t=18914
[Fork] Update for 374.43 available
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This was listed under the "Personal Cellspot" section as well:
http://support.t-mobile.com/docs/DOC-14947
toastido said:
This was listed under the "Personal Cellspot" section as well:
http://support.t-mobile.com/docs/DOC-14947
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ya who knows but we all here will know soon I know i will get one as soon as i can :silly:
Tried to con the rep into pre-ordering the Cellspot today but no luck. Said they will be up for ordering on the 17th.
Not sure if this would really require it's own area, but this is the official thread for the T-Mobile Cellspot.
It has been released today 9/17/2014 and most, including myself, are reporting a delivery date of 9/26/2014.
I think most of us here are wondering how much work will need to be done to customize it the way we normally customize our routers, as well as anything that can be done to work better with the work many of our favorite developers have been gracious enough to bestow upon us!
Anyone else order one today?
I must say, I do love it. Much faster than my last E2000 router for obvious reasons and much better when it comes to the settings. I am very pleased.
I got mine from the store when they activated my phone on Monday. It replaced my Cisco E3200, but I only have 15Mb down and 1Mb up service with Time Warner, so I don't notice any speed difference. In fact I've had a lot of trouble getting it to work consistently. My Windows 7 64 bit PC sometimes takes over a minute to connect after I log in. With Speedtest, a lot of my pings are over half a second, and a lot of tests have been under 1Mb/sec down and up. I'm tempted to reset it and start over, but it's been working fine today.
Here's the thing I'm wondering...just how necessary is the cellspot?
I briefly had a TMobile phone last year, and that phone supported an apparently early version of what they're pushing now; the only difference being I don't think it would hand a voice call back over to the cell network. However, that feature ran perfectly on my standard wifi gear without any additional help from me. It even worked pretty well on just about any wifi connection I was able to jump on.
It seems the only advantage to the cellspot is it's a rebadged Asus 802.11ac router for cheap. What's TMobile's angle on offering it so cheap?
dewdude420 said:
Here's the thing I'm wondering...just how necessary is the cellspot?
I briefly had a TMobile phone last year, and that phone supported an apparently early version of what they're pushing now; the only difference being I don't think it would hand a voice call back over to the cell network. However, that feature ran perfectly on my standard wifi gear without any additional help from me. It even worked pretty well on just about any wifi connection I was able to jump on.
It seems the only advantage to the cellspot is it's a rebadged Asus 802.11ac router for cheap. What's TMobile's angle on offering it so cheap?
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I used Wifi calling on Sprint with my old router and haven't noticed any difference in call quality with T-Mobile and their cellspot router yet. With Sprint, the call wouldn't automatically transfer when I got in or out of range. T-Mobile says theirs does switch mid-call, but I haven't tried it yet. They also say that calls have priority, so a big download in the background won't affect call quality.
As for the cheap price, I paid the $25 deposit, but will have to return it if/when I leave T-Mobile or pay full price for it. I suppose it's great advertising for both T-Mobile and Asus.
I've always used the Bluetooth version of any smartwatch I've owned. I'm considering getting the LTE pixel watch. I almost always have my phone near by but having the watch have autonomy is more intriguing to me for a couple of use case I've recently ran into.
Who uses LTE watches? Do you find them more convenient?
My prior Samsung Galaxy 1,2,4,& 5 all used TMobile usa LTE esim. Extremely convenient and standalone usage.
I've yet to use mine in that regard, but it doesn't hurt to have that option/convenience if the need arises.
Knowing I was likely never going to use it I didn't bother paying the extra for it, but if you can/don't care afford the extra cost then it could be worth it, it all depends on if you can see it suiting/fitting your daily usage/habits. I never go anywhere without my phone so for me personally it's not worth it.
That is one of the main reasons that I got the Pixel Watch LTE. I go on twice daily walks/runs along with other workouts. I don't like taking a big phone (Pixel 7 Pro) with me. I can use the watch for music, phone calls, texting, and GPay. For Verizon, the LTE version also means $10 each month extra. For me, this convenience is worth the extra costs. You have to weigh the costs for yourself.
Since Google have me 200 off, I got the LTE version. I pay 10 per month for the addition but I'm also cancelling at tablet line so that cost washes. I may start leaving the phone for short trips out.
I use the 4g lte watch for Verizon customers we only pay 5 dollars more but at anytime I can leave my phone home and text and make calls with no issues but will say I keep my pixel buds on me at all times so voice text and calls
I have GoogleFi service and unlimited plus which got me Watch coverage for free.
It has been useful when at work and I'm charging my phone and go out of range of the Phone BT or when I'm doing a show and have to put the phone on silent or otherwise not close enough to hear it.
wingtytn said:
I can leave my phone home
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I wholeheartedly understand your idea of leaving your phone at home.
The idea of leaving your phone at home begs the question of how you would be able to handle real world situations when you only have the watch to rely on e.g.;
-- Active Shooter(s)
-- Tornado/Hurricane
-- Flash Flooding
-- Wildfire