Question about 4G pre-paid plan + throttling speed.

[someguy43210]

Hi, I'm interesting in T-mobile's $30 pre-paid plan (with unlimited text + web). I would like to know if anyone is on similar pre-paid plan can share their experience of the internet speed and if they get throttle and how slow is the throttle speed:

-How fast your regular 4G speed?

-After you go over the gigabytes limit, do you at least get 3G or is it 2G, and how fast it?

-Also does anyone know if people on prepaid plan gets the same network coverage/speed as people with contracts? (I'm asking because Virgin Mobile uses Sprint network, but outside of their coverage area, there are no data roaming/borrowing from other carriers.)

I'm debating between this plan and keeping my Virgin Mobile $25 unlimited data plan. I'm in South Florida / Pompano Beach and unfortunately the hotspots seem small, at work I get 2Mbps, but at home only 0.5Mbps which is too slow for video streaming. I had Sprint before here and the 3G speed isn't great either.

Ofcourse, I'm making the assumption that the TMobile buyout won't go through.

 

[John Jason]

Hi, I'm interesting in T-mobile's $30 pre-paid plan (with unlimited text + web). ...
How fast your regular 4G speed?

Once you hit the limit and are throttled you will probably get about 1 Mbps down. Before throttling it depends on your phone and whether T-Mobile has HSPA+42 in your area yet.

After you go over the gigabytes limit, do you at least get 3G or is it 2G, and how fast it?

It will be Edge (2G).

Also does anyone know if people on prepaid plan gets the same network coverage/speed as people with contracts? (I'm asking because Virgin Mobile uses Sprint network, but outside of their coverage area, there are no data roaming/borrowing from other carriers.)

The coverage and speed is exactly the same, regardless of whether you are on prepaid or postpaid.

Of course, I'm making the assumption that the TMobile buyout won't go through.

It doesn't matter if it goes through or not. If it goes through AT&T will maintain the T-Mobile towers and radios for many years. They have also publicly stated that they will honor all existing contracts and plans.

 

[someguy43210]

Thanks for all the good info. I'm now looking at reviews on which phone I should get. I'm wondering if anyone know if the HTC Amaze or other high end T-Mobile phone would work with T-Mobile prepaid plan if I buy the phone for full price separately and a separate activation kit for it. I can't see myself dropping $350~ for an old single core Galaxy S.

 

[John Jason]

Thanks for all the good info. I'm now looking at reviews on which phone I should get. I'm wondering if anyone know if the HTC Amaze or other high end T-Mobile phone would work with T-Mobile prepaid plan if I buy the phone for full price separately and a separate activation kit for it. I can't see myself dropping $350~ for an old single core Galaxy S.

The two phones at the top of the list are the Amaze and the Galaxy S2. They are the only phones in T-Mobile's current offerings that support the HSPA+42 network speeds. Your area may not be HSPA+42 enabled yet, but it will be, probably within a year. My city has HSPA+42 and I get 15-20 Mbps down with my SGS2, sometimes over 30 Mbps down. People with other T-Mobile 4G phones here get 6-7 Mbps down.

There are lots of online reviews and comparisons of these two phones. My first choice was the Amaze, but it is not nearly as popular as the SGS2, so I could not find any used ones.

I have the $70 per month 5G "unlimited" plan. I bought my SGS2 on the local Craigslist for $480 brand new in the box. The fellow had just become a new T-Mobile customer and had paid full price for the phone, but then discovered he needed the cash for other needs. T-Mobile would have charged him a $50 restocking fee, so by selling it to me for $480 he got the same price. That was his reasoning, and I didn't argue with it.

I was already a T-Mobile customer with a MyTouch 3G. I just took the SIM card out of the MyTouch 3G and put it in the SGS2. It came right up and worked fine. All I had to do was log in to Google so Google would transfer my contacts, and I had to reinstall all my apps. Plus I had to figure out Touchwiz, which I'm still working on.

 

[someguy43210]

Thanks, after your confirmation I went ahead and bought the Galaxy S II as well. I read some reviews on them, I would've prefer the Amaze for its qHD res actually. But I have used Sense interface in the past which I don't like and don't feel necessary, being used to Motorola's stock Android for its speed, even Samsung phones feel bloated by comparison. (Yes I know how to apply custom roms.) Also I've been impressed by the AMOLED's black level. My reasoning is with a large screen, I would be able to apply lower DPI and fit more stuff on the screens anyhow and the text will still be readable.

Being out of the loop with these high end phones, I haven't been doing my research and found out about the Galaxy Nexus right after bought the S II. I thought I made a huge mistake at first, but after researching the Nexus a bit seems it wasn't that bad. I wouldn't be able to justify paying $700+ for a phone. It seems the device adapt a bit of lock down purpose with no microSD slot, reminded me of Apple, most probably wanting me to use Google cloud services which I'm not interested in. Here I am looking to use SDXC cards.

 

[JaeWeb]

Great thing about T-Mobile are the SIM cards. I have multiple T-Mobile phones and like to switch between them like I do shoes. Depends on my mood. Just pop out my SIM card and into another phone it goes.

 

[pandabewr]

Thanks for all the good info. I'm now looking at reviews on which phone I should get. I'm wondering if anyone know if the HTC Amaze or other high end T-Mobile phone would work with T-Mobile prepaid plan if I buy the phone for full price separately and a separate activation kit for it. I can't see myself dropping $350~ for an old single core Galaxy S.

I am actually in the same boat as you were in and need to switch from Virgin Mobile to something with better phones. My samsung intercept is horrible !! I really want the HTC Amaze but also considering Samsung galaxy S2.

Can you give any feedback with the prepaid plan? Do you like it, reasonable speeds or Better than Virgin Mobile?

 

[Erik-_-Chavez]

I Am interested in the T-Mobile $30/ month plan can someone tell me how is it 2g 3g or 4g per month?

 

[marc12868]

I Am interested in the T-Mobile $30/ month plan can someone tell me how is it 2g 3g or 4g per month?

Which one? If you are talking about the Walmart/ online exclusive then you get 100 mins of talk and unlimited text and data with the first 5gb at up to 4g speeds. After that it is 2g. T-mo doesn't have 3g exactly... Their 3g is actually their 4g.

 

[Erik-_-Chavez]

yes im talking about that one. is it 5gb every month or the first month only or what?

 

[marc12868]

yes im talking about that one. is it 5gb every month or the first month only or what?

5GB every month not just the first one. well as long as you keep paying the $30 a month to stay on the plan. And if you happen to switch to another plan and want back you would have to buy a new sim FYI.

In short yes it's 5GB every month

 

[iTzKPanda]

2G speed for me was 0.1Mbps

 

[pandabewr]

The two phones at the top of the list are the Amaze and the Galaxy S2. They are the only phones in T-Mobile's current offerings that support the HSPA+42 network speeds. Your area may not be HSPA+42 enabled yet, but it will be, probably within a year. My city has HSPA+42 and I get 15-20 Mbps down with my SGS2, sometimes over 30 Mbps down. People with other T-Mobile 4G phones here get 6-7 Mbps down.

So the HTC Amaze would get the same speeds you mentioned as the SGS2 if HSPA+42 was available in my area?

 

[Carolina Media]

So the HTC Amaze would get the same speeds you mentioned as the SGS2 if HSPA+42 was available in my area?

^That's correct. The Amaze and GS2 have the same data speed capabilities.

 

[zachavm]

I switched from VM and the first day I got it I did a speed comparison at my house between T-Mobile and my Triumph. My Triumph got 150Kbs down (about what it's been averaging lately). My new T-Mobile phone got 7000Kbs down. Now that's a difference and well worth it!!! Sprint's 4G coverage is CRAP and in towns that don't have it their 3G network is now insanely bloated and thanks to Android and the iPhone.

 

[ValY2J]

I am on the $30/month plan.
My first 5gb at 4G I average between 4-7mbps down and 1-2mbps up in the Seattle area with my LG G2x.

After I have used up my 5gb or if i turn on 2G only i get 150K down and 100k up.. still fast enough to stream audio, get email and surf if needed. I have only gone over the 5gb one time my first month and that was more to see if i could and what kind of use got me there..