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z06ck
Dec 22, 2010

BoyBlunder posted:

I can't find anything on the site that says they use HSPA+.
It doesn't.

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Long Francesco
Jun 3, 2005
Of course it's hspa but it is throttled which is unfortunate. $45/mo for unlimited/unlimited/5gigs is still pretty good though.

Searching around it looks like people are only getting ~1mbps.

Long Francesco fucked around with this message at 01:20 on Feb 20, 2013

TraderStav
May 19, 2006

It feels like I was standing my entire life and I just sat down

BoyBlunder posted:

T-Mo has launched their Straight Talk competitior, GoSmartMobile: http://www.gosmartmobile.com

Plans are as follows:

$30 - Unlim Talk/Txt
$35 - Unlim Talk/Txt/Web
$45 - Unlim Talk/Txt/High Speed Web

$35 plan includes web at 2G speeds. $45 plan starts at 3G and upon 5GB of use in a cycle is reduced to 2G for remainder of cycle.

I can't find anything on the site that says they use HSPA+. I'm interested in bumping up from the $30 100min unlimited txt/data, but I don't want to go to Straight Talk due to their 2GB limit :ohdear:

I was just about to transition my wife over to the $50 tmobile plan. Assume I need a different sim? That $45 sounds juicy. Wonder if they have the same mms problems or other noteworthy limitations.

Stick100
Mar 18, 2003

TraderStav posted:

I was just about to transition my wife over to the $50 tmobile plan. Assume I need a different sim? That $45 sounds juicy. Wonder if they have the same mms problems or other noteworthy limitations.

As with TMO Mvno prepaids you most likely will not roam on ATT which means you have much less coverage for voice and text then you would on a direct TMO prepaid.

Please someone correct me if this will be different for this carrier.

FAUXTON
Jun 2, 2005

spero che tu stia bene

Long Francesco posted:

Of course it's hspa but it is throttled which is unfortunate. $45/mo for unlimited/unlimited/5gigs is still pretty good though.

Searching around it looks like people are only getting ~1mbps.

3-5x as fast as Sprint's 3G for half the price.

TraderStav
May 19, 2006

It feels like I was standing my entire life and I just sat down

TraderStav posted:

I was just about to transition my wife over to the $50 tmobile plan. Assume I need a different sim? That $45 sounds juicy. Wonder if they have the same mms problems or other noteworthy limitations.

More fine print:

Picture & other types of messages not included

edit: without HSPA+, does that mean iPhones would be hamstrung?

TraderStav fucked around with this message at 17:17 on Feb 20, 2013

Tedronai66
Aug 24, 2006
Better to Reign in Hell...

TraderStav posted:

More fine print:

Picture & other types of messages not included

edit: without HSPA+, does that mean iPhones would be hamstrung?

Without 1900 Mhz 3g period in your area, an iphone would be hamstrung.

TraderStav
May 19, 2006

It feels like I was standing my entire life and I just sat down

Tedronai66 posted:

Without 1900 Mhz 3g period in your area, an iphone would be hamstrung.

Just to clarify, on this service, you wouldn't be able to take advantage of the it if it were available in your area (as it is on T-mobile prepaid in mine right now).

Thanks!

mdh1975
Sep 4, 2011
I know the Nexus 4 is the going recommendation for the T-Mobile $30 monthly plan but what if I don't need that much phone? What mid-tier phones should I look at? Currently I'm on Boost and purchased the EVO Design last week but am not happy with Sense so my requirements are running Android 4.0, is NOT HTC and could be had for $150-$200.

Stick100
Mar 18, 2003

TraderStav posted:

More fine print:

Picture & other types of messages not included

edit: without HSPA+, does that mean iPhones would be hamstrung?

To confirm 1900

http://www.airportal.de/

TMOs done a great job and there is a good chance you are already covered by 1900. Withouth HSPA you won't be hamstrung, as long as you get better than Edge you'll have a pretty decent experience expect for streaming HQ video/downloading large files.

Stick100
Mar 18, 2003

mdh1975 posted:

I know the Nexus 4 is the going recommendation for the T-Mobile $30 monthly plan but what if I don't need that much phone? What mid-tier phones should I look at? Currently I'm on Boost and purchased the EVO Design last week but am not happy with Sense so my requirements are running Android 4.0, is NOT HTC and could be had for $150-$200.

Galaxy Nexus isn't bad but hold way too much value due to being a hobbyist phone. Besides that probably you're best bet would be an Ebay/Craiglist Galaxy S2 from someone who just bought a Nexus 4.

Honestly get the 8gb N4 (350 or so tax+shipping) and a TPU case. It'll still be worth $200 in a year or 2.

The reason it's the goto recommendation is nothing else has anything like the same value AT ALL. The N4 is so much cheaper than it should be that it's not worth looking at mid tier phones at all because thier values have not been recalculated in a post N4 world. The N4 is basically an Optimus G minus some storage and the N4 costs $350 while the Optimus G costs $589.99.

Although if you could find a TMO S2 for less than $100 that would be fair.

Stick100 fucked around with this message at 17:34 on Feb 20, 2013

Pivit
Oct 14, 2012

And the Itsy Bitsy Spider
went up the spout again.

I'm finally making the switch to the N4 with TMO's $30/month plan.

I've been using a LG Optimus V with Virgin Mobile for the last year or two, $35/month with a really super lovely phone (seriously, I hate this phone). Saw that they had the Galaxy SII on sale for $279 for Valentine's Day and looked appealing. Luckily I read the thread and found the N4 for $20 more, which I'll save over the first four months with TMO.

I just wish Google would give me a shipping date already.

Stick100
Mar 18, 2003

Pivit posted:

I'm finally making the switch to the N4 with TMO's $30/month plan.

I've been using a LG Optimus V with Virgin Mobile for the last year or two, $35/month with a really super lovely phone (seriously, I hate this phone). Saw that they had the Galaxy SII on sale for $279 for Valentine's Day and looked appealing. Luckily I read the thread and found the N4 for $20 more, which I'll save over the first four months with TMO.

I just wish Google would give me a shipping date already.

Yes get the N4, but it's actually more like $70 more because Google charges taxes (which Amazon still doesn't charge me) and they also require 2 day shipping.

Zero VGS
Aug 16, 2002
ASK ME ABOUT HOW HUMAN LIVES THAT MADE VIDEO GAME CONTROLLERS ARE WORTH MORE
Lipstick Apathy

mdh1975 posted:

I know the Nexus 4 is the going recommendation for the T-Mobile $30 monthly plan but what if I don't need that much phone? What mid-tier phones should I look at? Currently I'm on Boost and purchased the EVO Design last week but am not happy with Sense so my requirements are running Android 4.0, is NOT HTC and could be had for $150-$200.

I'd really recommend the Nexus 4 as well but if you're comfy flashing ICS, you can get used Galaxy Exhibit 4G's on eBay for under a hundo:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/SAMSUNG-EXHIBIT-II-SGH-T679-BLUE-TMOBILE-USED-TESTED-LK-S17155-/290862822959?pt=Cell_Phones&hash=item43b8c6762f

It's very nice a a girlfriend phone, etc. They are very durable and are small with a considerably high-res screen and full T-Mo bandwidth.

the kawaiiest
Dec 22, 2010

Uguuuu ~


Did anyone else get this message?

ilkhan
Oct 7, 2004

I LOVE Musk and his pro-first-amendment ways. X is the future.

the kawaiiest posted:



Did anyone else get this message?
No, but I'm guessing they just launched 1900 in Austin.

johnny sack
Jan 30, 2004

One day, this team will play to their expectations...

Just not this year..

Stick100 posted:

As with TMO Mvno prepaids you most likely will not roam on ATT which means you have much less coverage for voice and text then you would on a direct TMO prepaid.

Please someone correct me if this will be different for this carrier.

This is something I've been wondering about and want to know. I'm about to switch to Straight Talk or GoSmart. I'll be bringing a N4. Does this mean that if I were to be n the middle of, say, Iowa, that I wouldn't be able to make a phone call unless there was already TMobile coverage available there?



Also, on the ST coverage maps, it shows for android vs non android phones, with android phones having much less coverage. I assume that is referring to data coverage vs phone call coverage? If not, then it brings me back to my first question. Am I going to be able to make calls outside of major metropolitan areas? I'm much more worried about making calls than having data available everywhere.

Stick100
Mar 18, 2003

johnny sack posted:

This is something I've been wondering about and want to know. I'm about to switch to Straight Talk or GoSmart. I'll be bringing a N4. Does this mean that if I were to be n the middle of, say, Iowa, that I wouldn't be able to make a phone call unless there was already TMobile coverage available there?

If you go with Straight Talk TMO then yes, you won't be able to make calls. Omaha apparently has 0 Tmo coverage and they don't even have stores there. If you're going ST why not go ATT ST?

ThermoPhysical
Dec 26, 2007



johnny sack posted:

This is something I've been wondering about and want to know. I'm about to switch to Straight Talk or GoSmart. I'll be bringing a N4. Does this mean that if I were to be n the middle of, say, Iowa, that I wouldn't be able to make a phone call unless there was already TMobile coverage available there?

You won't get T-Mobile here in Omaha (if that's where you are). You also won't get roaming either so you'd be better off on AT&T where you'd get more coverage period. Keep in mind, the further into Iowa you go, the less signal you get (I've found this to be true even on postpaid Sprint). Des Moines and Cedar Rapids is okay but other than that, not that great.

Stick100 posted:

If you go with Straight Talk TMO then yes, you won't be able to make calls. Omaha apparently has 0 Tmo coverage and they don't even have stores there. If you're going ST why not go ATT ST?

There's no "apparently" about it. T-Mobile simply doesn't work here. :v:

johnny sack
Jan 30, 2004

One day, this team will play to their expectations...

Just not this year..

Stick100 posted:

If you go with Straight Talk TMO then yes, you won't be able to make calls. Omaha apparently has 0 Tmo coverage and they don't even have stores there. If you're going ST why not go ATT ST?

When I go to purchase a SIM it only gives me the option of TMo.

ThermoPhysical
Dec 26, 2007



johnny sack posted:

When I go to purchase a SIM it only gives me the option of TMo.

Straight Talk pretty much ran out of AT&T SIM cards are are waiting for more. I'd say see if Red Pocket still has some.

Stick100
Mar 18, 2003

johnny sack posted:

When I go to purchase a SIM it only gives me the option of TMo.

They announced that they ran out of SIM cards due to people buying them for Nexus 4s. They said they should have ATT SIMs shortly (a couple days) you can read back in a little in the thread where this was announced.

Stick100
Mar 18, 2003

ThermoPhysical posted:

You won't get T-Mobile here in Omaha (if that's where you are). You also won't get roaming either so you'd be better off on AT&T where you'd get more coverage period. Keep in mind, the further into Iowa you go, the less signal you get (I've found this to be true even on postpaid Sprint). Des Moines and Cedar Rapids is okay but other than that, not that great.


There's no "apparently" about it. T-Mobile simply doesn't work here. :v:

So if postpaid Sprint (which should roam to Verizon) has issues, what do most people around Omaha and Iowa use, even split AT&T/Verizon?

ThermoPhysical
Dec 26, 2007



Stick100 posted:

So if postpaid Sprint (which should roam to Verizon) has issues, what do most people around Omaha and Iowa use, even split AT&T/Verizon?

Omaha uses mostly Verizon, Sprint, Cricket, Boost Mobile, Virgin Mobile, and Straight Talk (CDMA Only as that's all Walmart seems to push). AT&T is used too but not as much as the previously mentioned carriers. It's pretty much CDMA all the way down here. In fact, I seriously think I'm the only one in Omaha on Straight Talk's GSM plans.

Out of all prepaid, I'd say that it'd be Cricket is the most popular around Omaha. This is probably because Cricket is the only carrier that will officially let you flash absolutely any old CDMA phone to their service without even caring about how you acquired it (Cricket technically had the iPhone before Sprint did because of this).

I used to have Cricket as my very first carrier. Last I checked, Cricket uses any CDMA towers they can find but I believe it's mainly Sprint. Their coverage is about on par with Boost Mobile's.

Iowa mostly uses Sprint and Verizon, GSM is pretty much non-existent in most places in the midwest but AT&T still works. What's weird is T-Mobile actually works in a few small Iowa towns like Vinton (well it did until the tornado a few years ago and the towers broke, now they get 2G instead of 3G).

However, Verizon pretty much trumps Sprint anywhere you go in the Midwest, even in the small Iowa and Nebraska towns.

Naffer
Oct 26, 2004

Not a good chemist

ThermoPhysical posted:

However, Verizon pretty much trumps Sprint anywhere you go in the Midwest, even in the small Iowa and Nebraska towns.

I know regular sprint customers can roam on Verizon. Am I right in recalling that Ting also has a roaming deal with Verizon?

gariig
Dec 31, 2004
Beaten into submission by my fiance
Pillbug

johnny sack posted:

This is something I've been wondering about and want to know. I'm about to switch to Straight Talk or GoSmart. I'll be bringing a N4. Does this mean that if I were to be n the middle of, say, Iowa, that I wouldn't be able to make a phone call unless there was already TMobile coverage available there?

T-Mobile prepaid will roam for talk and text but no mobile data. You can see this on their Prepaid coverage website. There are parts of Iowa that do not have any coverage.

ThermoPhysical
Dec 26, 2007



Naffer posted:

I know regular sprint customers can roam on Verizon. Am I right in recalling that Ting also has a roaming deal with Verizon?

Regular Sprint does roam on Verizon, but it's non roaming Sprint that's the real problem here. You'd pretty much have to roam to get a decent signal. I believe End of the Universe is doing this so he can probably vouch for it.

I'd personally stay away from anything using Sprint towers.

SB35
Jul 6, 2007
Move along folks, nothing to see here.

ThermoPhysical posted:

You won't get T-Mobile here in Omaha (if that's where you are). You also won't get roaming either so you'd be better off on AT&T where you'd get more coverage period. Keep in mind, the further into Iowa you go, the less signal you get (I've found this to be true even on postpaid Sprint). Des Moines and Cedar Rapids is okay but other than that, not that great.


There's no "apparently" about it. T-Mobile simply doesn't work here. :v:

I was about to say you're wrong, but I see you live in Omaha so you'd know better than I would. I was, however, in Omaha a couple weekends ago in the downtown area and had talk, text and EDGE data on my ST Tmo phone. So as far as I could tell, as long as you have the data roaming enabled you'll get something, not great, but it's something.

gariig posted:

There are parts of Iowa that do not have any coverage.

Truth. On Tmo, Iowa is like a barren wasteland of corn and zero bars.

ThermoPhysical
Dec 26, 2007



SB35 posted:

I was about to say you're wrong, but I see you live in Omaha so you'd know better than I would. I was, however, in Omaha a couple weekends ago in the downtown area and had talk, text and EDGE data on my ST Tmo phone. So as far as I could tell, as long as you have the data roaming enabled you'll get something, not great, but it's something.


Truth. On Tmo, Iowa is like a barren wasteland of corn and zero bars.

Corn, soy, roadkill, and zero bars. :v: So much fun.

However, I wouldn't be surprised about downtown Omaha. I think there may be an old Tmo tower down there somewhere.

You're right though, its better than nothing. And still probably better than Sprint.

johnny sack
Jan 30, 2004

One day, this team will play to their expectations...

Just not this year..

Stick100 posted:

They announced that they ran out of SIM cards due to people buying them for Nexus 4s. They said they should have ATT SIMs shortly (a couple days) you can read back in a little in the thread where this was announced.

I saw that, but honestly I didn't know what it meant.

TraderStav
May 19, 2006

It feels like I was standing my entire life and I just sat down

SB35 posted:

I was about to say you're wrong, but I see you live in Omaha so you'd know better than I would. I was, however, in Omaha a couple weekends ago in the downtown area and had talk, text and EDGE data on my ST Tmo phone. So as far as I could tell, as long as you have the data roaming enabled you'll get something, not great, but it's something.


Truth. On Tmo, Iowa is like a barren wasteland of corn and zero bars.

To that point, I'm on Tmobile prepaid and have Data roaming turned off. If I turn it on, will it just not access roaming data or will there be any fee if it does?

Naffer
Oct 26, 2004

Not a good chemist

TraderStav posted:

To that point, I'm on Tmobile prepaid and have Data roaming turned off. If I turn it on, will it just not access roaming data or will there be any fee if it does?

It won't let you roam on data at all. Unfortunately this also means you can't use MMS while roaming.

johnny sack
Jan 30, 2004

One day, this team will play to their expectations...

Just not this year..

Stick100 posted:

They announced that they ran out of SIM cards due to people buying them for Nexus 4s. They said they should have ATT SIMs shortly (a couple days) you can read back in a little in the thread where this was announced.

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Straight-Talk-AT-T-Compatible-SIM-w-45-AirTime-Card-Bundle-5-Savings/21923980

So this would be what I need to use my N4 with ST using the ATT network, which is better than TMobile? Sorry for asking such simple/dumb questions but I've never done anything more than just pay my Sprint bill before and never concern myself with roaming/coverage/etc.

Stick100
Mar 18, 2003

johnny sack posted:

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Straight-Talk-AT-T-Compatible-SIM-w-45-AirTime-Card-Bundle-5-Savings/21923980

So this would be what I need to use my N4 with ST using the ATT network, which is better than TMobile? Sorry for asking such simple/dumb questions but I've never done anything more than just pay my Sprint bill before and never concern myself with roaming/coverage/etc.

Yes that will work. You could wait until the ST website had ATT sims back but there isn't a point. Order that, drop it in go to the ST website to register and you should be good.

ST on ATT has "unlimited" data but they watch it pretty carefully and will get angry with you if you use more than a couple GB per month or even a decent bit in a day.

TraderStav
May 19, 2006

It feels like I was standing my entire life and I just sat down

Stick100 posted:

Yes that will work. You could wait until the ST website had ATT sims back but there isn't a point. Order that, drop it in go to the ST website to register and you should be good.

ST on ATT has "unlimited" data but they watch it pretty carefully and will get angry with you if you use more than a couple GB per month or even a decent bit in a day.

How does ST on AT&T handle LTE? I have AT&T LTE in my area, or would I just be using 4g?

Also, has there been any sufficient 'hacks' or workarounds to get MMS working on ST? Seems like a huge gap to have in an offering in 2013.

johnny sack
Jan 30, 2004

One day, this team will play to their expectations...

Just not this year..

TraderStav posted:

How does ST on AT&T handle LTE? I have AT&T LTE in my area, or would I just be using 4g?

Also, has there been any sufficient 'hacks' or workarounds to get MMS working on ST? Seems like a huge gap to have in an offering in 2013.

Wait, ST doesn't have MMS? In other words I won't be able to send or receive pictures via text with ST?


Goddammit I just placed my order.

Stick100
Mar 18, 2003

johnny sack posted:

Wait, ST doesn't have MMS? In other words I won't be able to send or receive pictures via text with ST?


Goddammit I just placed my order.

I believe ST has MMS, the specific statement was if you are roaming from TMo prepaid to ATT towers you have voice and text but no data and therefore no MMS.

ST however doesn't roam at all between TMo/ATT so if you're going ST most people should probably go ST ATT unless they know that have TMo everywhere they would want to use it.

TraderStav
May 19, 2006

It feels like I was standing my entire life and I just sat down

johnny sack posted:

Wait, ST doesn't have MMS? In other words I won't be able to send or receive pictures via text with ST?


Goddammit I just placed my order.

I should have been more specific, issues with IPHONES and MMS.

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/4299384?start=0&tstart=0

More googling is showing it isn't that big of a deal though. Especially with jailbreak options out now.

Duckman2008
Jan 6, 2010

TFW you see Flyers goaltending.
Grimey Drawer

TraderStav posted:

How does ST on AT&T handle LTE? I have AT&T LTE in my area, or would I just be using 4g?

Also, has there been any sufficient 'hacks' or workarounds to get MMS working on ST? Seems like a huge gap to have in an offering in 2013.

Straight talk doesn't do LTE last I checked, so HSPA+ is it.

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SeaborneClink
Aug 27, 2010

MAWP... MAWP!

Duckman2008 posted:

Straight talk doesn't do LTE last I checked, so HSPA+ is it.

Correct. AT&T has explicitly stated they will not be opening up their LTE network to MVNO's until their own GoPhones have had LTE access for a while.

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