Develop Bugs

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Moving from T-mo to ATT, ATT Gnexus users pls offer suggestions?

Hi fellow nexus users, I have a UK handset that I got from handtec I've been using on tmobile for the past couple weeks and I really enjoy it.
However my family wants to move our plan to ATT asap for various reasons.
Is there anything I should know? We all have unlocked phones (and nobody but me cares about 3g/4g) so I want to go month to month, I don't want to get into a contract.
Any plans that you guys think are good, and will work well with the galaxy nexus?
We're lookin for about a 1000 minutes shared between the 4 of us, data plans on all phones, no texting (We all use google talk or bbm).

I just did the same thing. Switched from Tmo to ATT
Im on the 450min plan with unlimited messaging. Unlimited messaging gives you unlimited mobile to mobile minutes for any cell phone on any network. I rarely if ever call landlines so this plan works for me - all my calling is free and i barely dent the 450 min allotted for other calls.
Im also on the 2GB dataplan. ATT does not reject the IMEI in the GN: they just add a generic smartphone data plan to your phone. If you want a "4G" plan you need to have the ATT rep input the IMEI of a 4G phone such as the Atrix. With the non 4G plan in Miami Im getting around 3down and 1up pretty consistently whereas on TMo i was getting 3-4up and .8-1 down (only outside, never indoors).
If you bring your device in to the store you can sign up for service and not be on a contract. They only bind you if you get a subsidized phone. I am currently contract free. As an added benefit, I no longer drop coverage walking into buildings and ATT doesnt have the MMS bug that TMo does.

Wondering why would you ever switch from T-Mobile to AT&T if you're in a metro area. T-Mobile has much cheaper plans, better data speeds, and full duplex voice.
I'm not sure if you guys did the right thing, but good luck.

milan03 said:
Wondering why would you ever switch from T-Mobile to AT&T if you're in a metro area. T-Mobile has much cheaper plans, better data speeds, and full duplex voice.
I'm not sure if you guys did the right thing, but good luck.
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T-Mobile does have cheaper plans but does not always have better data speeds (location dependant). It's really hit or miss speed wise in Chicago. Both networks get bogged down by congestion. Recently I haven't seen large deviations in speed in Chicago, Charlotte, Newark, Atlanta or Denver, but YMMV.
I see almost identical data speeds usually between the two carriers with AT&T being a bit more consistent and T-Mobile peaking a little higher but overall being less consistent.
There are instances where T-Mobile's backhaul / lesser congestion has helped. Atlantic City saw around 7mbps with T-Mobile and only 3 mbps on AT&T at the airport but T-Mobile also had some nasty dead spots and tower issues there that caused AT&T to be a more effective option outside of the airport. I was stuck on a 3G connection that was slower than Edge (I literally forced the phone into Edge so that the data connection was usable).
The *much* bigger advantage that AT&T can offer is using the 850 Mhz spectrum over T-Mobile's 1700/2100 combo for 3G/4G. 850 penetrates building much better. With T-Mobile I'd often drop to edge inside of buildings whereas I'll stay on 3G/4G (HSPA) with AT&T. AT&T does not utilize 850 everywhere, but where they do the signal penetration is much appreciated.

krohnjw said:
T-Mobile does have cheaper plans but does not always have better data speeds (location dependant). It's really hit or miss speed wise in Chicago. Both networks get bogged down by congestion. Recently I haven't seen large deviations in speed in Chicago, Charlotte, Newark, Atlanta or Denver, but YMMV.
I see almost identical data speeds usually between the two carriers with AT&T being a bit more consistent and T-Mobile peaking a little higher but overall being less consistent.
There are instances where T-Mobile's backhaul / lesser congestion has helped. Atlantic City saw around 7mbps with T-Mobile and only 3 mbps on AT&T at the airport but T-Mobile also had some nasty dead spots and tower issues there that caused AT&T to be a more effective option outside of the airport. I was stuck on a 3G connection that was slower than Edge (I literally forced the phone into Edge so that the data connection was usable).
The *much* bigger advantage that AT&T can offer is using the 850 Mhz spectrum over T-Mobile's 1700/2100 combo for 3G/4G. 850 penetrates building much better. With T-Mobile I'd often drop to edge inside of buildings whereas I'll stay on 3G/4G (HSPA) with AT&T. AT&T does not utilize 850 everywhere, but where they do the signal penetration is much appreciated.
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I agree 100%. I could get faster speed tests with TMo standing outside - Inside buildings I can barely break 2mbps down. I get much more consistant results with ATT everywhere. The cost didn't seem worth the lesser service.
I drop from full bars coverage to 1 bar EDGE / no service the minute i walk into my one story office building at work. At my desk I often miss messages (i get them later than I need to) and cant make calls. With full 3G signal I type in a website and it takes a while to start loading, in comparison ATT is almost instant
Maybe theoretically TMo is a good deal but in South Florida I get much much better service with ATT. I've switched between them a few times (whenever I see a phone I like) and Im sure I made the right decision.

Does anyone know of any official plans by att to offer the GN subsidized? I know that if anyone actually knew anything, it would be reposted everywhere, but even a glimmer of hope will be welcome.

In NYC metro area T-Mobile is running circles around AT&T's network in terms of data speeds, latency and especially voice quality. I've seen speeds approaching 30mbps on T-Mobile's 42mbps DC-HSPA handsets and 18mpbs on my GN using $30 PrePaid plan.
AT&T crawls down to EDGE speeds and sometimes time outs during the peak hours when the data becomes unusable. Dropped calls are day to day reality, and I've grown accustomed to that and never ever make important calls using AT&T's network. Plus the plans are almost twice as high. Not recommended.

What is the $30 prepaid plan you use? How many minutes do you get with that?

kinggheedora said:
What is the $30 prepaid plan you use? How many minutes do you get with that?
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100 minutes, unlimited data (5GB of 4G speeds then lowered to EDGE), unlimited texting, pre paid no commitment. It's honestly my dream plan.

milan03 said:
100 minutes, unlimited data (5GB of 4G speeds then lowered to EDGE), unlimited texting, pre paid no commitment. It's honestly my dream plan.
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Could you link me to this plan?
What do you mean by "Full Duplex Voice" on T-Mo vs ATT

milan03 said:
100 minutes, unlimited data (5GB of 4G speeds then lowered to EDGE), unlimited texting, pre paid no commitment. It's honestly my dream plan.
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Yeah it's the ONLY reason I was willing to buy an unlocked Nexus and go T-mobile, was going to wait for VZ.
I came from Virgin Mobile's 300min version, I would call the t-mobile plan perfect if it was 200 minute, but it's still an insane deal.
As is, I'm using groove IP to make calls out when I'm in wifi in order to save minutes in case I'm out and I need to use my voice minutes.
But $30 for 5GB of H+ is just awesome sauce!

http://prepaid-phones.t-mobile.com/prepaid-plans
I'm on $30 plan myself. At home I use GrooveIP on wifi for VOIP and no minutes used (technically only needing minutes outside of my place).
Saving HUNDREDS of dollars a year is worth it over the slightly slower speeds I get on Tmo over ATT. Also helps pay for the price of the GN easily.
Plus I'm using a company that is much more customer-friendly. Lower plan prices when off contract are something to be supported.

I just wish T-Mobile had International Data plans. I travel to Europe once a month, and $15/mb for international data roaming insane when you can buy 125mb international data plan from AT&T for $50/mo.

ksujace said:
What do you mean by "Full Duplex Voice" on T-Mo vs ATT
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It has to do with how the receive (RX) and transmission (TX) audio are handled. You can either have both RX and TX on 100% of the time or they can be multiplexed into one channel to save bandwidth. It's a misnomer because half-duplex usually means something like this:
Caller1: Hello. Over.
Caller2: Hello. Over.
Caller1: What are...(interrupted)
Caller2: Are you... oh, sorry... Go ahead.
Caller1: What?
Caller2: Huh? Oh. Go ahead! Over.
Caller1: I hate this AT&T half-duplex CB radio crap! When will they get full-duplex??? Over.
Caller2: Can you repeat that? Over.
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ksujace said:
I just wish T-Mobile had International Data plans. I travel to Europe once a month, and $15/mb for international data roaming insane when you can buy 125mb international data plan from AT&T for $50/mo.
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If you're there that often, I'd suggest a prepaid SIM. It's not as if AT&T international data plans are economical. I racked up close to $400 of roaming last month for a two week trip to London. All expensed, so no biggie. But it's still pants down, no lube.

ianwood said:
If you're there that often, I'd suggest a prepaid SIM. It's not as if AT&T international data plans are economical. I racked up close to $400 of roaming last month for a two week trip to London. All expensed, so no biggie. But it's still pants down, no lube.
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I'm in the same boat , all expensed , so don't really care. I don't like having multiple phone #'s when over there. (travel to Switzerland 1 week every month)

tmobile is awesome if i stay outside or never travel. But then, so is cricket.

milan03 said:
100 minutes, unlimited data (5GB of 4G speeds then lowered to EDGE), unlimited texting, pre paid no commitment. It's honestly my dream plan.
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Do you have any idea on how bad AT&T throttles speeds on their unlimited data plan?

T mobile sucks.

My AT&T contract is about to expire. I thought I would give a TMO monthly 4g a shot. I've driven 700 miles in the last 2 days along I-40, data coverage is non existent.
GNEX stays on G and sometimes R.
Any secret APN settings I need to know about?
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using XDA

My weekly commute between Austin and Houston is same - almost non-existent data coverage. Once in a major population area, then everything's good.
Too bad at&t break-up fees mostly went to DT, otherwise TMo could really use it to shore up the data coverage.

It would help if you stated where you lived or travel to so people within the same city could provide you a basis of comparison.

Oh man this reminds me of the days I was on Tmo. Its best to just sign back on with At&T or get VZW
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda premium

Tmo is really good if you're within their HSPA+ areas...but you can't beat $30 a month with unlimited text and Web (1st 5gb @ 4G) and 100 mins.

babymatteo said:
Tmo is really good if you're within their HSPA+ areas...but you can't beat $30 a month with unlimited text and Web (1st 5gb @ 4G) and 100 mins.
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Exactly. You need to be in a decent size city in order to utilize TMobile. Anywhere outside it's a hit or miss, more likely a miss.

Let's see, you're comparing a PREPAID (no roaming) vs a POSTPAID (roaming).
Of course it's not going to go well if you're travelling down highways in middle of nowhere.

I love tmobile - choose your carrier dependent on your needs. Check a coverage map before signing up.

wonshikee said:
Let's see, you're comparing a PREPAID (no roaming) vs a POSTPAID (roaming).
Of course it's not going to go well if you're travelling down highways in middle of nowhere.
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Bingo. You don't get to roam on AT&T like their Postpaid plans. You kinda had to know what you're getting into with Prepaid.
T-Mo is great in cities, but you're kidding yourself if you think you're gonna get HSPA+ (or even UMTS) on a freeway between cities. Just not how their coverage is.
You could look at Straight Talk, which is an AT&T MVNO. You could probably get a bit better coverage with that. Still doesn't roam but AT&T's footprint is probably better.

It all depends on where you're usually at. For the particular areas in So Cal where I typically travel, live, and work, AT&T is by far the worst of the carriers I've had (T-Mo, Verizon, ATT).

OK, I'll be a little more specific. I took a trip from Little Rock, AR to Knoxville, TN. I traveled along a major Interstate, Interstate 40. I recall seeing "4G", for a reasonable amount of time (maybe 2 minutes worth), in Nashville. I say that's reasonable because I drove through Memphis so quick I guess my phone never had a chance to find "4G" data service.
I spent the entire trip swapping out sim cards, mainly using the TMO. When I would become frustrated with the TMO service, mostly on "G", I would pop in my AT&T sim. Instant "4G" service. One second TMO "G", the next AT&T "4G". Not really sure how this is possible. They both charge about the same for their service, but their service is not the same.
I paid $60 for TMO unlimited talk, text, and data. Only later to find that, with those whopping 46 kilobytes per second download speeds, when I was lucky enough to get data, I would never even get close to my metering limit of 2 gigs. With those speeds I would be lucky to even use up 1 meg of data.
How can they charge so much for their "Nations largest 4G network"?
WHAT A JOKE.
I thought AT&T was ripping me off with their prices. I know feel like I have the greatest network provider on earth.
I did call the StraighTalkSIM folks to ask about data speeds. They were kind enough to let know that the fastest speeds I would see would be equivalent to AT&T's "3G". I can live with that for a cell phone bill that would be about 40% of what I pay now. I'll probably give them a try.

dmappdev said:
OK, I'll be a little more specific. I took a trip from Little Rock, AR to Knoxville, TN. I traveled along a major Interstate, Interstate 40. I recall seeing "4G", for a reasonable amount of time (maybe 2 minutes worth), in Nashville. I say that's reasonable because I drove through Memphis so quick I guess my phone never had a chance to find "4G" data service.
I spent the entire trip swapping out sim cards, mainly using the TMO. When I would become frustrated with the TMO service, mostly on "G", I would pop in my AT&T sim. Instant "4G" service. One second TMO "G", the next AT&T "4G". Not really sure how this is possible. They both charge about the same for their service, but their service is not the same.
I paid $60 for TMO unlimited talk, text, and data. Only later to find that, with those whopping 46 kilobytes per second download speeds, when I was lucky enough to get data, I would never even get close to my metering limit of 2 gigs. With those speeds I would be lucky to even use up 1 meg of data.
How can they charge so much for their "Nations largest 4G network"?
WHAT A JOKE.
I thought AT&T was ripping me off with their prices. I know feel like I have the greatest network provider on earth.
I did call the StraighTalkSIM folks to ask about data speeds. They were kind enough to let know that the fastest speeds I would see would be equivalent to AT&T's "3G". I can live with that for a cell phone bill that would be about 40% of what I pay now. I'll probably give them a try.
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Sorry that T-Mobile Prepaid doesn't have service in your area (no roaming + leave the city = no service)...
Try Straight Talk because it uses AT&T. You still don't get roaming though, so the footprint is smaller than the actual AT&T coverage map. You'll get full HSPA+ speeds where available with Straight Talk.

Has anyone switched from Verizon to Sprint?

If so, why? My friend who lives on my block has a GS3 on Verizon and has FULL BARS of 4G LTE. Me on the other hand on Sprint, I need an Airave at my house (got it from Sprint for free; that's how bad the service is lol) or I'll just be roaming on Verizon's network. I wanna switch to Verizon, but their family plan is like DOUBLED the cost of Sprint's family plan. Anyone have any recommendations?
P.S.- Sorry if I posted this in the incorrect place.

Joe0113 said:
If so, why? My friend who lives on my block has a GS3 on Verizon and has FULL BARS of 4G LTE. Me on the other hand on Sprint, I need an Airave at my house (got it from Sprint for free; that's how bad the service is lol) or I'll just be roaming on Verizon's network. I wanna switch to Verizon, but their family plan is like DOUBLED the cost of Sprint's family plan. Anyone have any recommendations?
P.S.- Sorry if I posted this in the incorrect place.
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Mainly it's the struggle between cost and service quality. For my area, Sprint is doing pretty well in terms of upgrading their signal and providing LTE. Yes, it's still a bit slower than Verizon, but in my case the lower price point is well worth the hit in service. We're currently trying to get my mother-in-law on the family plan with us. She's currently with Verizon.

topherk said:
Mainly it's the struggle between cost and service quality. For my area, Sprint is doing pretty well in terms of upgrading their signal and providing LTE. Yes, it's still a bit slower than Verizon, but in my case the lower price point is well worth the hit in service. We're currently trying to get my mother-in-law on the family plan with us. She's currently with Verizon.
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Definitely +1
And same. 3G is okay-ish in places I frequent, but you can't beat the unlimited data. I have friends who are on AT&T and Verizon and they get LTE way farther out than I do. But their data for the month gets used up in a matter of hours, while I can use however much I want.
Not to mention that the LTE rollout is also going well here. But I think Sprint is trolling me because LTE dies right as I'm passing the sign that indicates the entrance to my neighborhood LOL.

how did you get double the cost in verizon?
we have 3 smart phone and when I compare it to verizon it's only about 10~20 difference at the max (with 6gb data)
(currently with Sprint everything data 1500)
I guess you are using LOTS of data?
btw, I'm going to switch to Verizon sometime later this year and pay ETF. I too have airave at home and LTE is not coming for a while.

Has anyone here come over from Sprint?

Im in the Los Angeles area and after 10 years of being with Sprint, Ive finally come to my wits end. The data is awful. Ive had a ppc6600, ppc 6700, HTC Diamond, Treo 800w, Palm Pre, Samsung Moment, HTC Evo, Evo3d, Galaxy S2, and S3. Ive been a sprint advocate for years now, probably gotten at least 6 people to switch to sprint. But I cant just deal with the dropped calls and slow data. No, its not my phone, my rom, etc. Its just Sprint. I called cust service to cancel and based on my call-connection ratio, they've decided to let me out of my contract without paying the ETF. I had to bring in my phone for one last diagnostic check, and the tech said its not my phone, its the network, and he totally understands me leaving. Im seriously considering T-Mobile for obvious reasons, but I was just wondering if anyone could share their experience with switching from Sprint. Preferably in the L.A. area, but Im open to hear other experiences. Are you happy? Is the cust service good? Mainly is the 4g data as fast/faster/more consistent?

I've recently had a few trips to L.A. and didn't have any issues with dropped calls or signal strength. The customer service is decent.
You could always go to T-Mobile's website and check the coverage map if your worried about the coverage.
I've had sprint....never going back lol.
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I'm not with tmo, but I have my son on their $30 plan. Also not in the LA area, but some 40 miles north. I can say up here in the desert, tmo is awful. He can't make phone calls inside our house. can't judge data cuz he's using tmo service with skyrocket so only receives edge. Even when we go down to that area for any reason, he has at most 3-4 bars while my at&t s3 has full with lte. Good luck in your choice.

Been w T-Mobile for 13-14 years (since the voicestream days!). Never have had an issue, customer service has always been good to me too. Far far from your area, but I for one have no intention of leaving anytime soon.
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I've been with T-Mobile since AT&T bought out Cingular. In my experience, T-MOBILE service has been great in all large centers I've lived and traveled through including San Diego through to L.A.
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Thanks for all the responses! In the past 2 days I heard negative feedback about t-mobile from radioshack, target, and best buy. They all said its worse than sprint, and that's why they don't carry T-Mobile anymore. I do realize that of course they are going to badmouth the company they don't sell, but I must admit I'm more confused now than ever on what to do.

vinscuzzy said:
Thanks for all the responses! In the past 2 days I heard negative feedback about t-mobile from radioshack, target, and best buy. They all said its worse than sprint, and that's why they don't carry T-Mobile anymore. I do realize that of course they are going to badmouth the company they don't sell, but I must admit I'm more confused now than ever on what to do.
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Best bet is to find people around you with tmo. Friends, family, coworkers. Anyone, just ask around.

I had sprint and switched. Sprint's coverage along pch is better than tmo, but Sprint's data sucks ass. By default tmo phones have built in WiFi calling to help with bad coverage in the mountain areas. Without WiFi calling you'll still have good coverage in most populated areas. Tmos customer service is better and their prices are comparable.
Long story short, switch dude. Tmo is better in LA.

I semi gave up on Sprint. By that I mean I dumped them and went to Ting. No, it doesn't change the piss poor data rates but the lower cost makes it a bit more acceptable.
Testing TMo right now, actually its mvno Solavei. Data rates are much better BUT coverage isn't as widespread as Ting (Sprint). For now I'll keep both in case I find myself out of territory on either.

DocHoliday77 said:
Been w T-Mobile for 13-14 years (since the voicestream days!). Never have had an issue, customer service has always been good to me too. Far far from your area, but I for one have no intention of leaving anytime soon.
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+1 I have had T-Mobile in San Diego. Decent Coverage Decent Data. LA has quiet a lot of coverage from them. I have been with T-mobile for 9 years. I have made others switch to T-mo as well. I will not even think about switching to others.
As to the Radioshack and others crappy feedback, know this, These Sales guys get hefty commission for pushing VZW and Sprint. They don't probably get as much commission from T-Mo. So it is in their interest that you don't switch to T-Mo.
Here's T-Mo's Coverage map. Enter your address and it will tell you what kind of coverage you will get.

Lol! That just reminded me....
Anyone see Verizon's recent commercial? They had the coverage maps and theirs was the only one you could tell was for the US. When they show T-Mobile's LTE coverage it's this tiny little bit, less than anyone else, but you have to pay very close attention! It's not T-Mobile's coverage, it's labeled T-Mobile/Metro PCS!
So their only showing metros LTE coverage, but since T-Mobile bought them, Verizon labeled it with T-Mobile to trick people into thinking they were showing tmo's coverage instead!
To me this says a few things!
T-Mobile LTE is more of a competitor than people give credit for.
Verizon must be getting desperate to resort to tactics like this!
Sorry to go a little OT. But it can be relevant in that the other carriers don't want to show T-Mobile's actual LTE offerings. They have been expanding and upgrading like crazy the past few years, and are continuing to do so. So don't write them off if someone says their service was terrible a few years ago. It may be completely irrelevant now.
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