The future of wireless plans (Verizons new plans)

lol, well considering it's Sprint it probably throttles you down to 56kbps

 

Yeah, I use Calling Mart. There was some other site I saw recently that was similar (actually, I'm sure there is more than just one, but I only saw one). I want to say the prices were slightly cheaper, but Calling Mart is cheaper with with their promo discounts they always have every month (plus I guess their rewards build up to something). Not sure if there are any better options available, but I'd definitely recommend them for anyone going with a prepaid plan.

Prepaid is one of my best decisions too. Wish I was aware of it sooner, although not sure when they started offering such good plans. I know the plans used to be horrible, but they somehow became a great bargain overnight it seems. Or maybe carriers just got very greedy overnight (more so than usual).

 

Question, do these pre paid plans that piggy back off networks allow use of LTE for the networks that have LTE? I've also read about some people using VOIP apps with Google Voice with their data plans to make calls for plans that are low on minutes. Do any of you have experience with this?

 

Not sure if any of them let you use LTE.

I use Groove IP (with Google Voice) with my plan (it only offers 100 mins, but I call it unlimited since I can, and do, make calls using data instead). Works fine for the most part. A few issues here and there. I think I've discussed it in previous threads before, but I can go into greater detail if you have any questions.

 

Verizon shows my contract is ending 06-28. Is this because of the change, or an eery coincidence? I actually thought my contract had already ran out.

 

like Scionxa mentioned, i'm around wifi so i could prob get by with no data plan.


so do either of you use that red pocket service? is that decent enough? real easy to setup/pay for each month etc?

i think i'm looking at possibly getting the samsung galaxy S3 at some point that should work right? if i buy it through ATT it would work regardless (same network i think scionxa mentioned earlier), but if i were to go through someone else, like t-mobile i'd have to buy an unlocked S3, that right?

i'll prob think up more questions when the time comes, so i'll bookmark the thread.

thanks for the info RC and Scionxa

 

Posted this in other thread:

I see the Samsung Galaxy S3 is sold by Verizon with 2 year agreement for $199. Plus, they recently offered me a $30 credit towards the new phone if I upgrade.

I see the Samsung Galaxy S3 is sold online for $700-800 new.

I was thinking maybe I'll upgrade with this phone and then sell it. Good idea or no?

 

I'm usually around WiFi too, but I still like to use streaming services (Google Music) or some Cloud Apps (e.g., Google Drive/Docs) when I'm away from WiFi. Not a lot of data, but I'd like maybe 200MB-500MB at least. I've grown somewhat addicted to being "always connected" with smartphones, even if I don't actually use a lot of data all the time.

I haven't used Red Pocket, but I think Scionxa was talking about it earlier in the thread. Sounds good (I'd probably use it if I was wanting to use AT&T's network). T-Mobile prepaid is pretty easy to setup/pay, and I think it was also easy to use H2O wireless (another MVNO I briefly tried, for AT&T IIRC). I'd imagine Red Pocket is similar. Though keep in mind, like Scionxa and I were talking about earlier, you might want to go through Calling Mart for an added discount to your monthly plans. Slightly more involved, but still not difficult at all.

Galaxy S3 should work fine. AT&T model will only work on AT&T's network (so AT&T plan or AT&T MVNO, like Red Pocket I think). AT&T model won't work (unless unlocked) on T-Mobile or T-Mobile MVNO (e.g., Simple Mobile). You can buy the T-Mobile Galaxy S3 and use it with T-Mobile of course. Or get the International version, although I can't remember if it supports T-Mobile's bands (i.e., data usage might be slow on T-Mobile). The international one might be more expensive too. The AT&T model appears to go for $550 off-contract (when released), but as krnxsnoopy pointed out, the international model goes for a bit more (the hardware is a little different, so prices might continue to differ I guess).

Actually...I haven't followed it closely, but I don't know if the AT&T Galaxy S3 even supports T-Mobile's bands (so even if you unlocked it, it might not work as well as it should with T-Mobile). I don't think the International one does, so wouldn't be surprised if that one didn't too.

One thing to keep in mind (as I mentioned earlier) is that there are multiple versions of the Galaxy S3. The ones being sold online have different hardware than what Verizon will be selling (international one being arguably better, though depends on how you look at it). I'm not sure if a Verizon Galaxy S3 will sell for $700-$800.

 

hmm..let me see if i have this straight lol. MVNO's are basically your service like a red pocket, H20 wireless, or simple mobile?

if i were to say buy the galaxy S3 from ATT itself and used red pocket, i wouldnt have to worry about anything. just pop the sim card out and swap it right? because red pocket uses ATT's network, correct?

but if i were to use simple mobile, i'd have to buy the phone unlocked? or i guess i could buy the S3 from t-mobile (assuming they have the S3) and again just swap out sim cards? being that the simple mobile card uses t-mobile network, i have this right? lol

then again your last few sentences seem to suggest, this might not work at all with the S3. so i feel like the simplest option would be to just buy the phone from say t-mobile or att and use whatever MVNO that corresponds with that carriers network, no?

the phone is going to have to be bought at full price though, because the rebate locks you into a contract obviously, which is what you're trying to avoid by using the other service anyways. so hows the best way to go about that?

just buy it online?

maybe i'm just making this wayy to complicated lol

 

Yeah. AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, and T-Mobile are the big 4, and MVNOs basically piggyback on their networks.

I'm actually not 100% sure if buying a phone from AT&T and sticking a Red Pocket sim will work, but I'm pretty sure (say 90%). All my phones have been unlocked and/or used with the service they were "designed" for. I've read that they should work, but I suppose there could always be weird complications in certain cases (and AT&T is involved). Maybe Scionxa knows for sure, or someone else on the board. Can also check with the Howard Forums for actual people who have done so (I might check myself out of curiosity). With this stuff, I always feel more comfortable reading from people online who are doing the same thing I want to do.

T-Mobile is getting the S3 (pretty much everyone is). Pretty sure they did PR and all that, although I haven't followed it. And yeah, I think you could just use a Simple Mobile SIM with that (pretty sure I saw people saying they did that with their devices). May want to double-check online, like with the above though.

I wouldn't get an AT&T S3 and use it with T-Mobile's network (or vice versa), but I don't really see why you'd want to do that anyway. I'd assume they'd be priced about the same, and probably pretty identical (I guess AT&T S3 would have LTE for its network though). You could do that though, but you'd have to unlock the device, and as I mentioned earlier, the AT&T model would be slow on T-Mobile's network I believe (2G speeds). If you use AT&T or AT&T MVNO, get AT&T model or International version. If you use T-Mobile or T-Mobile MVNO, get the T-Mobile model.

I'd suggest buying online (if you want the International one, you'll have to anyway I think...unless Best Buy or some place is selling it). Probably best to buy from Amazon, eBay, or some place like that. Guess you could go in-store (AT&T or T-Mobile) and see if they'll sell you one with no contract though.

edit: Guess you can also look into Straight Talk. They're a MVNO who use both AT&T and T-Mobile's network (basically depending on what phone you have). We discussed them earlier, and I don't like how they handle data usage, but I guess that might not matter for you.

 

alright so what is it exactly you use? simple mobile? i'm just like you, i'd prefer to find someone doing the same exact thing i might do so i know how the process works, run into a hiccup and the whole thing could go haywire lol

 

I use T-Mobile, but I do the $30 100 minutes, unlimited texts and unlimited data (5GB at 4G) plan:
http://prepaid-phones.t-mobile.com/prepaid-plans
Not sure you want to do exactly what I do. As I've mentioned before, I use VOIP services to get around the limited minutes (I've maybe used 4-5 minutes since I've started this plan last December). I have an unlocked Galaxy Nexus right now, but I also used a LG G2X and Exhibit II 4G (both "locked" to T-Mobile I believe). I have some family that are setup for the $50 unlimited plan (unlimited minutes/texts, 100MB at 4G speeds IIRC). No issues there, though we all get pretty good coverage with T-Mobile (certain areas might not be so good, and AT&T's network could be better)

There are better "normal" plans available from others (Simple Mobile has an unlimited plan starting at $40, and Straight Talk has the $45 plan). But neither have the $30 plan, which is why I'm going directly through T-Mobile.

Maybe the $30 1500 minutes/texts could be an option, but that might not be enough (guess you could pay $10-$20 whenever you occasionally need more minutes/texts). It always feels better to have unlimited, even if you will never come close to using the number they set.

 

That's a sweet plan. How much when you go over your minutes?

 

I think it is 10 cents a minute generally, though I don't know if you could buy them in bulk if you're expecting to go way over (maybe get 1000 minutes for $10-$20 or something).

 

oh wow...i didnt know t-mobile offered those monthly pre paid plans. that might be the easiest thing to do really

also i have google voice as well...so thats a way to work around the minutes issue as well.

 

You need more that just Google Voice (although that's maybe half...or 3/4 of the battle). Google Voice lets you get around text limits I guess (think that's just used as data), but by itself, it won't get around limited minutes. You'll need to use an app like Groove IP:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.gvoip&hl=en
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.snrblabs.grooveip&hl=en (lite version, WiFi only but free)

If you have an Android device already (including a tablet), I guess you can play with it already (use the Lite one just to get used to it, then decide if you think you'd like to pay for the full version).

Actually, if you get that all setup and seem to like it, guess you might as well do the $30 plan like I'm doing. I don't usually recommend it because people need to setup Google Voice, Groove IP, have WiFi (for best results), etc., but if you have all that anyway...

 

absolutely. yeah no android device, but seriously considering getting one after my contract is up with ATT.

 

As a low-minute rare talker, Google Voice texter and mostly data user (5 GB is more than enough), your plan is perfect. What worries me is T-Mobile can yank the rug out with no notice since it's prepaid.

 

True, but I could easily go to some other plan (either at T-Mobile or elsewhere, thank you Pentaband Galaxy Nexus!), and would still be doing pretty good (not as good as my current plan, but much better that non-prepaid). Plus, carriers seem to love changing things, even with their contract plans (yeah, not the same, but still).

Like I mentioned earlier, I'm curious how that plan works out for T-Mobile. They likely make lots of money off of me (I actually use very little of their network). I wonder if the others on the plan are the same.

I'm hoping we see more of these plans with prepaid, not less. Some of the CDMA MVNOs offer similar plans (e.g., Virgin Mobile), but I never really considered them.