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Basically, unless you're willing to pay an ETF, you'll have to wait u til your contract expires. At that point, you port it to Google Voice. You then sign up for a new contract which will get you a new number, however, you can just have Google Voice forward to it and no one will know the difference. Note that this may be a bad idea if you have an unlimited data plan, but I can't comment on that.
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Dec 5, 2011 04:07
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rockear posted:All the explanations I've seen about GV texting indicate that you have to train all your contacts to text you at a different number than they call you. Assuming you do that, SMSes to your old number now go through GV and are free. Phone calls also go through GV and you'll receive them, but calls from a mobile (on the same provider) will now count against your anytime minutes. As for placing calls, you can either do it directly, in which case they'll show up as coming from your new number, but don't count against your minutes on the same provider. Or you can place calls through GV which do count against your minutes. So yes, you'll have to "train" folks to call you at a different number than they text you, if you're trying to maximize your free SMSes and mobile-to-mobile minutes. In practice that's only worth doing with folks who are on your same provider, with whom you're actually likely to use a bunch of voice minutes talking to. Is that problematic? It shouldn't be, modern phones can store multiple numbers per contact. Also, with threaded SMS clients I almost always reply to an existing conversation than hunting around for a number to SMS. Same with phone calls, I almost always return calls from a missed call list instead of placing a new call through contacts. In the few instances someone uses "the wrong number", you'll still get the SMS or call, the SMS will just cost 20¢ and the call might eat a few minutes. If it's a big deal or happens frequently, correct them. The other big downside to GV is when your friends/family stuck on dumbphones who have unlimited SMS to numbers on the same provider but limited SMSes to GV. Honestly, that just sucks for them, and should encourage them to break free from the carriers' loving SMS racket.
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Dec 5, 2011 04:07
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rockear posted:I guess I'm out of luck in that case because I just signed a new contract and I don't really want to change my number. It's worth inconveniencing others to save $10+/mo.
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Dec 5, 2011 04:10
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ExcessBLarg! posted:It's worth inconveniencing others to save $10+/mo. Not to me really, but I do appreciate you guys clearing up how it works.
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Dec 5, 2011 04:12
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Depending on how lovely your carrier is or isn't, you might be able to ask them to let you cancel your line and then re-activate it the same day with a new phone number to avoid an ETF. AT&T and T-Mobile have both been able to do this for me over the years. When Google Voice first introduced the ability to port your number into them, I moved my poo poo over from AT&T so fast it wasn't even funny. I found a really cool CSR at my AT&T corporate store who was able to charge me a $200 ETF, credit the ETF back, give me a new phone number, and manually set the contract end date back to its original date (at the time, I still had about 15 months left on the contract). He had to get a manager to help him out with it, it took a day or two, and he admitted it was an "unconventional request," but all in all it worked out. I have also tried this with Sprint, and they have waved their hands in incompetence (through many, many CSRs) while professing unequivocally that such a thing couldn't be done without you getting an ETF forced on you. Post-SERO Sprint is a bad carrier for a lot of reasons. kbar fucked around with this message at 04:40 on Dec 5, 2011 |
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Dec 5, 2011 04:38
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rockear posted:Not to me really, but I do appreciate you guys clearing up how it works. The biggest advantage is that it liberates your phone number from carrier control. It gives you a lot of latitude when it comes to things like contract re-ups or transferring liability of a phone plan. If you don't care about what "real" number the carrier gives you -- and you shouldn't, since you're just going to use GV to forward your incoming calls to it anyway -- it's of little consequence to you whether or not a corrupt phone company tries to lord your phone number over your head. Here's a short story to illustrate. Sprint used to offer these really great "SERO" plans for $30/month. After awhile, they discontinued the plans and stopped allowing new smartphones to be activated on them for the same price (the ability to exert this type of authority on customers is another reason Sprint sucks, but whatever). For customers who already had SERO plans, there existed a fair market value of about $200 cash to transfer liability of the old grandfathered plan to someone who didn't need or care for a new smartphone, because hey, it's still a cheap plan with unlimited data. Since we were moving to another carrier, we wanted to sell my girlfriend's old SERO line for its fair market value. However, her phone number is really important to her -- she uses it for work, it's perfectly reasonable. So of course, Sprint offers no way whatsoever to port the phone number away but to retain the existing rate plan, because hey, "it's discontinued and you're lucky you still have it!" The end result is that we were unable to sell her account if we wanted to retain her phone number. So we effectively gave up 200 bucks because Sprint owned her identity. Today, she's happily a GV user.  There are other scenarios where it's in your best interest for your corrupt phone company not to control a critical piece of your identity. Moral of the story: run, don't walk, to Google Voice. kbar fucked around with this message at 05:00 on Dec 5, 2011 |
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Dec 5, 2011 04:56
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ExcessBLarg! posted:Amazingly well thought-out advice about Verizon phones I can't thank you enough. You answered all my questions and then some. I really appreciate the help!
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Dec 5, 2011 07:51
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kalibar posted:Google Voice is a lot more useful than just the cash savings -- although admittedly, that's why I initially signed up. You can send and receive texts from any web browser and you can install the GV client on multiple Android devices if you have them (e.g. I'm able to send/receive GV texts from my phone, my tablet, or my computer when I'm at home). Fyi pretty sure you were either talking to the wrong people or it was just old policies at sprint. I don't usually have the request, but it is possible to port out a number and get a new number on sprint (retaining contract and whatnot). Otherwise I agree with Google voice.
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Dec 5, 2011 15:29
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kalibar posted:Google Voice is a lot more useful than just the cash savings -- although admittedly, that's why I initially signed up. You can send and receive texts from any web browser and you can install the GV client on multiple Android devices if you have them (e.g. I'm able to send/receive GV texts from my phone, my tablet, or my computer when I'm at home).
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Dec 5, 2011 16:03
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Country/Provider: US/AT&T Current contract status: Dunno! Budget (phone/plan): Family plan, not sure how many minutes, unlimited texting, no data. Features I know I want: I'm using a crappy old blackberry and it's started to break, so I was looking at upgrading. Without an unlimited data option I don't think I want to bother getting a data plan/smart phone because I definitely think I'd use a shitload of data. So my question is what phones should I be looking at for the greatest wireless internet functionality? I briefly had a newer blackberry that could load websites normally whereas the one I have now freezes on any non mobile sites. Am I out of luck for web browsing without a data plan?
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Dec 5, 2011 17:23
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US/Verizon Been on a no-contract dumbphone for a couple years. Budget: Tight but willing to pay for what I need. Features I Want: Probably iPhone. I use several apps on my MBP (Billings, Things, Mail, Calendar, etc.) that I'd like to be able to take with me on a phone. Mail and Calendar are already synced to Google so I could do those on Android just as well. I'm sure there are competing versions of invoicing software and to-do lists for Android as well, so I'm open to being persuaded. But my current setup leans me toward the iPhone. LTE would be nice and all but I'll be using mostly wireless except for occasional travel so it doesn't seem like a big pressure point. Neither does the free data upgrade for new Verizon LTE phones. Although both certainly look tasty. Would aficionados recommend waiting for the retail Galaxy reviews to come in before making the choice? The camera is better on the iPhone 4S, correct? As for the iPhone I'm currently tossed up between AT&T and Verizon. I'm seeing folks saying the former is a little cheaper, but also that I could maybe haggle down Verizon by threatening to switch? Staying on Verizon does have a marginal benefit for me (less hassle and reception in a rural area I visit once or twice a year).
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Dec 5, 2011 18:40
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Endless Mike posted:Multiple devices, period. The iOS client is pretty good, though not as well integrated as the Android one. I use it on both my iPhone and iPad. Not to mention I can do WiFi calling with Google Voice with both my computer and tablet (honeycomb). That Which Squeaks posted:Country/Provider: US/AT&T In a nutshell, yeah you need a web plan if you want a good phone. Check coverage in your area and find out when your contract is up. AT&T is not horrible, but you may want to look at TMobile for better rates. TMobile throttles internet, but way better than the $10 per GB overage bullshit from AT&T. You may also get a discount towards certain wireless providers based on where you work, so check around on that. Compare TMobile, Sprint, AT&T and Verizon. Phone wise do NOT buy Blackberry. Just don't do it. Less features and honestly its heading towards being a dead platform at this point. iPhone, Android and Windows phone are all great options. There are like a zillion posts in this thread on the differences between them, so research yourself which one you think is the best. The most important part is to buy the right phone. Android: Galaxy Nexus is available soon on contract with VZ and a great buy. Its available to buy unlocked for TMo or AT&T, which is unfortunately expensive. The Nexus S is the older generation, but is pretty cheap used and not a bad option. The main reason to get a Nexus is great software support. Otherwise, a dual core HTC phone on TMobile (I think the Amaze?) and Sprint (Evo 3D) are also good options. I'm pretty sure every keyboard android phone sucks, so just don't buy those. iPhone: 4S, Apple keeps things simple. Windows Phone 7: HTC Titan, Radar or Samsung Focus S. Windows is almost exclusive to AT&T. And remember, always deal hunt and barter with the companies (aka call AT&T and tell them you are thinking of canceling). If you want to buy the Galaxy Nexus out right you can buy an iPhone on contract ($200) and flip it for at least $450, iPhones are the one phone that always have the highest value. Shadowstar posted:US/Verizon Always try haggling. Carriers tend to have slim flexibility with iPhones and iPhone plans, but always try. AT&T has faster 3G when it works, Verizon has more consistent 3G. Also, if you qualify for a discount AT&T applies it towards the whole bill and features, Verizon does not always apply it towards data. Android vs iPhone is preference. Personally I would recommend at least trying both out and comparing them. The Verge has a pretty in depth review of the Nexus, although I'll admit the guy is a bit too in love with the phone. Duckman2008 fucked around with this message at 19:27 on Dec 5, 2011 |
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Dec 5, 2011 19:23
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Shadowstar posted:US/Verizon There's Billings on the iPhone and Things too. As in, the same app. You're already in the Apple ecosystem, why change. The to-do apps on Android aren't as nice as Things and that can be said for all Android apps and their iOS counterparts. AT&T and Verizon - check who's got better service for you. Generally data speeds are faster on AT&T and it's marginally cheaper, but I wouldn't go there if you use a good amount of voice. That Which Squeaks posted:Country/Provider: US/AT&T All modern smartphones don't suck at browsing the internet. Also, it's data plan or bust with a modern smartphone. If you don't want a data plan but want a smartphone, just get a regular phone and an iPod touch. You've got iOS, Android and Windows Phone 7. Windows Phone 7 is neat but there aren't that many apps out there. Though it seems the few apps they have are high-quality. If you want something smoother than Android, but hate Apple, get this. Android has three upsides: full customization, Gmail and Google Maps. On Android, you can customize every inch of your phone for better or worse. Gmail is great for heavy Gmail users, and Maps on Android includes free turn-by-turn navigation. With iOS, the two main upsides are great third-party apps and "it just works." Android despite its popularity is still a second-rate platform for development and it shows. You don't see anyone showing off third-party Android apps in Android device commercials, but Apple sure loves to show them off. That should say something. "It just works" meaning, you trade complete customization and control of the device for a guarantee that your phone will just work. This can be a pretty nice thing to have, just ask people who had a Galaxy S or a G2x. If you're gonna stay on your family plan which will probably be the best option, there's the Galaxy S II for Android, and the iPhone 4S of course. Don't get the Galaxy S II Skyrocket - 2 GB with LTE is laughable and it's not going to get very much support. If you're intrigued by Windows Phone, and since AT&T actually has decent Windows Phone options, the Focus S and Titan are cool.
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Dec 6, 2011 02:34
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Godzilla07 posted:There's Billings on the iPhone and Things too. As in, the same app. You're already in the Apple ecosystem, why change. The to-do apps on Android aren't as nice as Things and that can be said for all Android apps and their iOS counterparts. I'm aware of this. That's what I was talking about. I would have to change my current workflow to switch to Android but not on the iPhone because all my present apps exist across platform. quote:AT&T and Verizon - check who's got better service for you. Generally data speeds are faster on AT&T and it's marginally cheaper, but I wouldn't go there if you use a good amount of voice. Thanks. Mostly voice and texting - As far as I know I don't have a lot of data needs away from a known wireless access point. Though actually owning a smartphone might prove me wrong in that regard. Sounds like I'm going with Verizon.
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Dec 6, 2011 03:07
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Slightly different sort of question here - I live in Australia, and my girlfriend and I are heading to the US on holiday for four weeks just after christmas. My girlfriend will probably just pick up a crappy pre-paid burner in the airport or something, but my phone is an unlocked iPhone 4S and I think it would be really handy to have mobile internet while I'm over. So, basically what I want, is some kind of pre-paid SIM that would give me mobile internet (preferably with tethering) and maybe a small amount of calls and would work in the major north-east cities and potentially down in New Orleans. Does something like this exist?
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Dec 6, 2011 09:28
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Sebb posted:Slightly different sort of question here - I live in Australia, and my girlfriend and I are heading to the US on holiday for four weeks just after christmas. Barely. Tmobile or bust. Thankfully the one good prepaid plan is perfect for you: $30 a month, 100 minutes, unlimited text and 2GBs of data. Fyi you will only get 2g internet since its an iPhone, but better than nothing. Tmobile is nationwide.Avoid ATT like the plague. No official prepaid tethering, although with 2g it really wouldn't be worth it anyway.
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Dec 6, 2011 13:40
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T-Mobile EDGE is going to be a pretty horrible. If you can get AT&T to sell you an iPad SIM, you can get two gigs of 3G data for $25 USD. The iPad SIMs should work fine in an iPhone, but I'm not sure if you have to actually have a 3G iPad in-hand in order for them to sell it to you or if you can just say "it's at home" or whatever. The big downer with iPad SIM cards is the inability to make calls from that SIM (since, you know, they assume you're using an iPad). If you don't want to be swapping SIMs nonstop, AT&T's regular prepaid offerings will get you 500MB for $25 USD and then $0.10 USD per minute for calls. Humorously, the most effective way to get temporary service in America is to find a friend who already lives here that uses a family plan and have them add you on for $10/month (plus whatever data and text options you need), and then drop you when you leave. It's a hassle though. Sorry our country's wireless sucks.
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Dec 6, 2011 14:09
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What's the general consensus on Verizon's Samsung Stratosphere? My mother is looking for a new phone and that's the first thing she saw. This will be her first real smartphone. She doesn't need much, so speed isn't a big deal. I don't know if the physical keyboard is a big deal to her. The most important thing would be antenna quality, she's often in rural areas without much coverage. What phones have the best signal strength? I'll have her try an iPhone out as well. I think she also has a chance of grandfathering an unlimited data plan, but I don't know the specifics. zeekner fucked around with this message at 21:03 on Dec 6, 2011 |
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Dec 6, 2011 19:32
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Endless Mike posted:Multiple devices, period. The iOS client is pretty good, though not as well integrated as the Android one. I use it on both my iPhone and iPad. The iOS app actually is a lot better than the Android app in my experience. The Android one for whatever reason will tell me I have a voicemail a few days after I get it, whereas the iOS one tells me immediately. Geekner posted:What's the general consensus on Verizon's Samsung Captivate? My mother is looking for a new phone and that's the first thing she saw. This will be her first real smartphone. She doesn't need much, so speed isn't a big deal. I don't know if the physical keyboard is a big deal to her. The Captivate is really buggy, I would avoid it.
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Dec 6, 2011 19:36
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Very incorrect. The Captivate isn't a Verizon phone, it's a UMTS Galaxy S variant sold by AT&T and Rogers. The Fascinate is Verizon's version of the phone, and is the best phone in their lineup if you're willing to load CyanogenMod on it. And you should be -- it takes about an hour and makes the phone about 11,000% better. "Buggy" is the wrong characterization here, I explained the Galaxy S situation on the last page in pretty good detail.
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Dec 6, 2011 19:53
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Whats the best android phone on Sprint right now? I assume the Galaxy S II epic 4g extreeeeeem? Is there any chance of sprint getting the Nexus?
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Dec 6, 2011 20:52
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Oh, I meant Samsung stratosphere. I have no idea where I got captivate from.
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Dec 6, 2011 20:56
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Would it be bad advice to get your mom a Galaxy Nexus? It's expensive, but if your mom is anything like mine, she'll try to keep it as long as possible (her last phone lasted 3.5yrs). By that logic, the phone that is updated the longest is probably the ideal candidate? It lacks a keyboard, but then so does the iPhone. Actually, I'd probably just get her an iPhone. These two phones will likely be supported the longest.
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Dec 6, 2011 21:50
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chupacabraTERROR posted:Would it be bad advice to get your mom a Galaxy Nexus? It's expensive, but if your mom is anything like mine, she'll try to keep it as long as possible (her last phone lasted 3.5yrs). By that logic, the phone that is updated the longest is probably the ideal candidate? It lacks a keyboard, but then so does the iPhone. Actually, I'd probably just get her an iPhone. These two phones will likely be supported the longest. IPhone 4S or nexus, personally they both would be fine, both are pretty easy to use.
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Dec 6, 2011 21:54
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Well, the lock/unlock button on my Droid I has finally stopped working. Guess a trip to the Verizon store is in order. Is there word on the Galaxy S II yet?
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Dec 7, 2011 00:39
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Timby posted:Well, the lock/unlock button on my Droid I has finally stopped working. Guess a trip to the Verizon store is in order. Is there word on the Galaxy S II yet? Yeah, Verizon's not getting it.
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Dec 7, 2011 01:25
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•Country/Provider: USA (Charleston, SC area), No provider •Current contract status: None •Budget (phone/plan): I'd like to by an unlocked GSM phone (under $650 up front) and go month to month with as much internet, texting, and calling as I can get for up to $100/month. Texting and internet take priority over calling and a national calling plan is preffertable. •Features I know I want: Android, Navigation, Browser, Youtube, Flash, Google Goggles, Flashlight App, GPS. Basically I want everything that comes with a base android install and the ability to gently caress around with it. Physical keyboard is a plus but not a must. Also daylight readability and battery life as much as possible. Good coverage in the Charleston area is a must.
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Dec 7, 2011 01:34
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Timby posted:Well, the lock/unlock button on my Droid I has finally stopped working. Guess a trip to the Verizon store is in order. Is there word on the Galaxy S II yet? Galaxy Nexus is better and lands this Friday. By far the best Android phone to get.
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Dec 7, 2011 02:10
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Following up my question above - is there any reason not to go with something like this: http://www.ldpost.com/Prepaid-Wireless-H2O-Unlimited-Everyting-GSM.htm EDIT: other than, you know, it being kind of expensive.
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Dec 7, 2011 13:11
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Cost and the unknown factor, yeah. H2O Wireless is a (very new) AT&T MVNO so "theoretically" you'd get the same service. Some MVNOs seem to mysteriously offer worse service than their parent carriers, but I don't have anything other than anecdotal evidence to back that up. If you end up trying them, please take the time to follow up and let us know how it went. Some quick Googling shows mixed results; Stefan at IntoMobile loves their business model, but I saw a user comment saying they throttle data speeds to 500kbps which is basically unacceptable. If it were me and I couldn't be fussed to screw with getting an iPad SIM, I'd do AT&T prepaid and get 500MB for $25 alongside $0.10/minute for voice. I guess it's a different story if you need to pay for SMS; savvy Americans get free SMS-over-data via Google Voice. Then again, there's no reason you couldn't also do this for the purposes of your stay. It sucks that we don't have any kind of reasonably straightforward plan for travelers. EDIT: Also, YouTube turned up this. kbar fucked around with this message at 14:11 on Dec 7, 2011 |
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Dec 7, 2011 13:52
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kalibar posted:If it were me and I couldn't be fussed to screw with getting an iPad SIM, I'd do AT&T prepaid and get 500MB for $25 alongside $0.10/minute for voice. I guess it's a different story if you need to pay for SMS; savvy Americans get free SMS-over-data via Google Voice. Then again, there's no reason you couldn't also do this for the purposes of your stay. Thanks for the help. I reckon I'll just do the AT&T pre-paid route. The website's a bit terrible, but I should be able to just head into a shop, buy a sim, load it up with a few minutes and pay $25 for 500MB? That sounds like a reasonable option.
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Dec 7, 2011 14:52
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Country/Provider: US/Verizon Current contract status: Family Plan under my parents, will be under that plan for the foreseeable future. It's upgrade time yo. Budget (phone/plan): I really don't care that much about the price but I'm really looking for the best value. I'd rather not waste money when I can spend it on something worth caring about. Features I know I want: A sweet calender is important to me but I guess apps can handle that. GPS is cool I guess too. I need to people to tell me what to do so please tell me what to do, tia.
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Dec 7, 2011 18:42
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Country/Provider: US/Sprint Current contract status: Old timey SERO 500 plan. Budget (phone/plan): I got drunk and dropped my phone in a urinal.  I have six more months before my contract is up, so I just need a cheapy refurb that will last me for that time. Something in the $50-$80 range would be nice.Features I know I want: Email is more or less essential. GPS and web would be nice. Has to be able to work with my SERO plan.
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Dec 8, 2011 19:56
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If I'm OK with their selection of phones, what are the disadvantages of choosing a low-cost provider like Cricket?
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Dec 8, 2011 21:31
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Trig Discipline posted:Country/Provider: US/Sprint Get the blackberry tour refurbished on sprint for $79 (km contract), you can find the lg Optimus for $70ish used on craigslist, or the Evo for $100-150 if you really dig. Your plan will go to sero premium, which is $40 for 3g phones, $50 a month for 4g (higher end) phones like the Evo. You will eventually have to do it, might as well be now. CatchrNdRy posted:If I'm OK with their selection of phones, what are the disadvantages of choosing a low-cost provider like Cricket? Cricket has poo poo coverage, poor customer support and is outclassed by both virgin mobile and tmobile prepaid wise on price, coverage and phones. There is pretty much slim reasoning to go with cricket. Duckman2008 fucked around with this message at 03:09 on Dec 9, 2011 |
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Dec 9, 2011 03:06
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Duckman2008 posted:Get the blackberry tour refurbished on sprint for $79 (km contract), you can find the lg Optimus for $70ish used on craigslist, or the Evo for $100-150 if you really dig. I was under the impression that the Blackberry required a special data service separate from my regular data plan, is that not the case?
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Dec 9, 2011 03:13
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Trig Discipline posted:I was under the impression that the Blackberry required a special data service separate from my regular data plan, is that not the case? Beyond the $10 that all smartphones require, not anymore. It used to, but it has now changed.
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Dec 9, 2011 05:00
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Oh awesome! Thanks!
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Dec 9, 2011 05:09
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Duckman2008 posted:Cricket has poo poo coverage, poor customer support and is outclassed by both virgin mobile and tmobile prepaid wise on price, coverage and phones. There is pretty much slim reasoning to go with cricket. That's what I wanted to hear thanks!
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Dec 9, 2011 06:17
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Not sure if this is asked a lot here, but does anyone have some info about Republic Wireless? Like is the service actually any good and how staunch are they about not using the 3g? I signed up to be in the next beta program, but lord knows when that will be!
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Dec 9, 2011 15:23
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