Pay as you go.

[kmand]

I'm in the US, and currently use T-mobile pay as you go for voice on a basic cell phone. It suits me because my usage is tiny.

I would like to get an Android phone mostly for use on WIFI. I would probably use the cell data as little as I use the cell voice. Still I would want it for emergencies.

Is there any prospect of getting an Android phone in the US where I could do pay as you go for both voice and data? I don't mind paying the full price for the phone.

As far as I know T-mobile is the only Android carrier, and the G1 (either the consumer or developer model) is the only US hardware. If its not possible with this combination is there any sign of other options that would allow prepaid?

 

[punkzanyj]

I'm in the US, and currently use T-mobile pay as you go for voice on a basic cell phone. It suits me because my usage is tiny.

I would like to get an Android phone mostly for use on WIFI. I would probably use the cell data as little as I use the cell voice. Still I would want it for emergencies.

Is there any prospect of getting an Android phone in the US where I could do pay as you go for both voice and data? I don't mind paying the full price for the phone.

As far as I know T-mobile is the only Android carrier, and the G1 (either the consumer or developer model) is the only US hardware. If its not possible with this combination is there any sign of other options that would allow prepaid?

According to the website, they don't do prepaid data. They don't even advertise any prepaid phones that use data. And with T-Mobile if you don't have a data plan, you can't use data. I had a T-Mobile Wing with no data plan and every once in awhile I would do something that prompted a data connection....the phone would try and try to connect, but nothing ever happened, and there were never any extra charges on my phone. With T-Mobile if you don't pay for data, you can't use data, not even by accident.

It's unlikely that T-Mobile would sell you a G1 without insisting on setting you up with a data plan.

One thing I will tell you about the G1 and data. If you don't have a semi-regular data connection, the phone is severly handicapped. My data connection was out for one day and a lot of things did not work:

-Contacts disappeared, they stored with your google account, no data connection and your contacts go bye bye. I don't know if it gives you a few hours before this happens (that would be reasonable) but you contacts don't stay intact if you don't have a periodic data connection.

-Location info disappeared. Couldn't use Locale's location-based profiles as the phone couldn't find me. It uses data/wifi to help it triangulate your position. If you don't have data, you can't use this, and keeping GPS turned on will run your battery down in a matter of 2-3 hours.

-Any program that needs a data connection (many do) will malfunction or simply not work when you are not on WiFi.

This is device is a "cloud" device, your data(Gmail, Calendar, contacts) are in the cloud and the phone pulls that info every so often. Unlike windows mobile, Android is made to run with a data connection, going without is not advised.
Also, WiFi is almost as big a battery drain as GPS -- especially in comparison to 3G. Sure, the WiFi is faster, but at the cost of battery.

Good luck, sorry I couldn't be more helpful.

 

[Troglodad]

I was in your boat in January. I didn't want the data plan as my home wifi is way faster, and I don't really go anywhere.

So I ponied up $400 for the Developer phone. It was a nightmare...

First off, it doesn't come with a SIM card, and you have to have a data plan going to activate the phone- or maybe borrow a friend's sim card to activate it.

Don't bother trying to call in or use the internet to set up your ADP1/Dev 1 (which the right name- I see it called both online). The idiots at Tmobile's customer service academy in Sri Lanka or whereever the hell they are, haven't even heard of a Dev 1. In fact, they argued with me, telling me I couldn't get service without a contract- despite the fact the phone was in my hand and the Dev1 is mentioned on their own forums!

A supervisor did no better- and had a worse accent. I think Charlie Brown's teacher is easier to understand.

Finally, I gave up and went to the TMobile store. The gal there knew the Dev1 as her husband wants one. She got me set up... until it came time to get the one month of prepaid data plan set up. See I was able to get the flex plan on the phone despite the geniuses at the CSR center.

Alas, the Dev1 has every possible connection known to man already set up on it. It's like a James Bond phone or something. Anywhere on Earth, just pop in a Sim card and pick the right data access point. But which access point did I need? The tech support people also were of little help- the first one also oblivious to what a Dev1 was. Luckily they finally figured it out and I got my phone working.

I pay $70 a month for the basic talk plan and the unlimited data plan (which doesn't include texts and apparently treats emails as messages). I can drop the data plan whenever I want, but since I'm going out of town this month, I'll keep it for the GPS functionality.

But wait, there's more...

You can't access paid apps on the Dev1, as it's not got the right software. This week a new 1.1 op system was released. Despite simple instructions on the HTC site, I can't seem to get any of the downloaded programs to work (you need to use the SDK program and something called Fastboot).

So no paid apps for me.

But it's a great phone, and I love the no contract service that I can change at my whim whenever I want, via theinternet. Works great with my home router too. I can read my emails, one handed in bed, bath, and beyond.

Just no bookreader yet, dangit. I want to read some PDFs so I can fully retire my palm pilot.

 

[punkzanyj]

I pay $70 a month for the basic talk plan and the unlimited data plan (which doesn't include texts and apparently treats emails as messages). I can drop the data plan whenever I want, but since I'm going out of town this month, I'll keep it for the GPS functionality.

That's bizzare, as both data plans include text messages, the $35 is unlimited and the $25 just includes 400.

 

[kmand]

Do you think I will ever be able to buy in the US a generic Android phone (not from a cell network provider) and get free WIFI voice/data and pay as you go cell voice/data?

Android is currently only T-mobil in the US, but would you expect the second tier providers (net10, boost, metro pcs, cricket, virgin ..) who target pay as you go to get involved?

$70-80/month is just too much for occasional cell use.

 

[dkaufman1]

Weird this same discussion is going on here:

http://androidforums.com/android-news-talk/4269-android-pda.html

Basically the answer is, in the near future I am sure someone will release an "AndroidTouch" type of device. Wifi only.

 

[kabbie_mcfeely]

Yes you can pre-pay data and voice.

I have the pre-paid service through T-MO. I have unlimited internet 3G and text with my G1. I also have the 1000 anytime and unlimited nights weekends and t-mo to t-mo. My bill is a little more than I like but the minutes plan I have they dont offer any more.

I thought there was an HTC Android phone on AT&T now ?

 

[dkaufman1]

Yes you can pre-pay data and voice.

I have the pre-paid service through T-MO. I have unlimited internet 3G and text with my G1. I also have the 1000 anytime and unlimited nights weekends and t-mo to t-mo. My bill is a little more than I like but the minutes plan I have they dont offer any more.

What do you pay? And how do you have 1000 minute package when you said first you are pay as you go? Don't you just buy whatever you choose?

 

[dkaufman1]

I thought there was an HTC Android phone on AT&T now ?

I would be very surprised if you could find a link for that anywhere. There is 1 Android phone the G1 and in the USA it is only on Tmobile today.