which one do i get?

[logicalotus]

I am looking to buy a Note 3. I want to pay for one so i don't have to have a contract. Which one will work on straight talk? I was looking at one on a website site and it is confusing because straight talk is verizon towers but they say they work with tmobile phones. this particular one says it works for tmobile but not cdma? WTF?

Seriously though, what do I look for to know whether or not it will be compatible with straight talk?

Thanks

the website i saw it on - Samsung Galaxy Note 3

also.... if anyone knows where i can get the best price for one that will also work on straight talk? that would be helpful.

 

[El Presidente]

Moved to the Note 3 section, the guys here should be in the best position to help.

 

[Rukbat]

Straight Talk allows you to use your own phone on AT&T, TMobile and Verizon towers (but not LTE phones on Verizon towers, unless they've changed that). The way you decide which phone to get is by determining which of the carriers has the best coverage where you need coverage. Then get a phone for that carrier and get a Straight Talk SIM (micro, in the case of a Note 3) for that carrier. You can use either AT&T or TMobile Note 3s on the other one's towers, but your high speed data will suffer - how much depends on where you are. Since the cost is going to be about the same, buy the phone for the towers you want to use.

(They also use Sprint, but the last time I looked, they only allow you to use their Sprint phones.)

Don't depend on the carriers' maps - they're as accurate as a good guess. Talk to people you know who are on TMobile and on AT&T and see what kind of coverage they get - especially if there are any bad spots where you need coverage. (I'm not ruling out Verizon, but a) make sure you can use an LTE phone on ST on Verizon if you choose them and b) personally, when the signal "goes digital", I can't stand a bad CDMA signal - it sounds like the person is under water. GSM is closer to a noisy signal, and that doesn't bother me. (I also like the fact that I can switch phones by just switching the SIM card, and AT&T is fine with it - I'm not doing something I can "get caught" doing.) Switching phones on Verizon is more complicated, and if you're on ST ... I don't want to think about having to deal with their support people.

When I moved down here from up north, I had great coverage with Sprint on ST, except for one place - my daughter's house. Since we spend a lot of time there, it was time to change carriers. With my current carrier, there's a large part of town that has poor coverage - a part I'm never in, so I don't care.

That's how you choose your carrier.

 

[logicalotus]

I had Verizon for years. Hated every minute of it. It was ok as for coverage, but when I wanted to walk I couldn't. It was more than just that though. I live in the south and the city is about 65k but all the towers work here. planning to move out west later this year so i don't want to get tied down to a contract.

I hear bad stuff about T-mobile but i had them for years and never had bad service. my brother has ATT and seems to be satisfied. I guess I just need to be able to find the best priced phone for tmobile or Att. So would that be the N9000/N9005/orN900V?

I've always unlocked/rooted/etc... my phones in the past but it's always a long learning experience first. Where can I find the best priced phone to use on either of those carriers?

Thanks

 

[logicalotus]

another question... will an unlocked international version work on either att or tmobile?

 

[dynomot]

another question... will an unlocked international version work on either att or tmobile?

This is the SM-N9005 ( Samsung Galaxy Note 3 international) frequencies for 4G (LTE) and 3G (HSPDA/HSPA+) frequencies:

LTE (800 / 850 / 900 / 1800 / 2100 / 2600MHz)
3G
HSPA+ (850 / 900 / 1900 / 2100MHz)

Here are the T-Mobile and AT&T frequencies in the US



So using the 850MHz frequencies it should work. I would do more checking if I were you, but it does look as though it should work.

 

[Rukbat]

Coverage varies by location. Move first, then ask people where you live, work, shop - in your new location - what carrier they use and whether they have any coverage problems. Then you'll know the best carrier for the area. I used Sprint up north - couldn't find a dead spot. Then I moved south. Aside from a single windowpane in my daughter's house, the house had no Sprint coverage. The front lawn did, the back yard did, but the house didn't. There's what's called a "knife effect" from the only Sprint tower in the area from a ridge between her house and the tower (and probably some reflections, but I don't get paid to di this sort of stuff any more so it was easier to just switch to AT&T which has solid coverage everywhere I need it). Tmobile, OTOH, has spotty coverage here, but covers a large chunk that AT&T misses (and I never plan on being, so I don't care).

 

[dan330]

yeah.. location of service is HUGE affect on quality of signal. every carrier has good and bad areas!!! so don't base your current location as the rule for others!

if you like to root and all.. then T-Mobile Note3 has the least security.
ATT Note3 is locked down hard!

 

[JSanchez41]

Maybe im too small or maybe this phone is too big, either way not my forte!

 

[dontpanicbobby]

Maybe im too small or maybe this phone is too big, either way not my forte!

It is a big phone but that's what makes it so good! Movies are a dream on this thing.

 

[ScandaLeX]

Maybe im too small or maybe this phone is too big, either way not my forte!

I wish it were bigger--maybe the next version will be. I couldn't imagine ever using a small phone again.

What's the optimal size for you?

 

[logicalotus]

I ended up getting the T-Mobile Note 3. When it's paid off completely, since theres no contract, I'm switching to straight talk. I love it! I love love love this phone. The only thing is the screen can be easily shattered. I did get another one bc it just so happened that I was having problems with the camera from the time I unboxed it, but other than that, I love it. The refurbished one I got from them is awesome. Havent' had any trouble with it yet.

 

[dan330]

how did you scratch it? it is NOT easy to do!

unless you use broken glass, sand... or a diamond

 

[logicalotus]

i didn't scratch it. the corner broke. it slid out of my case and across the counter and the corner barely grazed the wall. maybe it just had to hit it just right but it barely hit it. other than it getting cracked, there wasn't a scratch on it.