A good strategy? Buy high-end TMobile phone full price then use WalMart $30/mo plan.

[cowmix]

I *think* I'm going to buy the HTC One S outright from Tmo (for $600) and then do the WalMart $30 mo plan (5GB data / unlimited txt / 100 voice).

Is anyone else doing this for a 'high end' phone? How is it working out?

 

[mrsbelpit]

I have not done this yet, I still may, but the problem is I can't port my existing t-mo number to it

I have seen many people very happy with doing this, though.

A word of warning: If you have not been on pre-paid before, you may not know that you'll get a lot of calls that aren't really for you because those prepaid numbers are constantly recycled through the system.

 

[marc12868]

It works awesome. I have a HTC Mytouch 4G Slide on a prepaid plan (although it isn't the walmart/ online exclusive.) Just one thing to keep in mind is you are either going to have to buy a prepaid phone from walmart and have them activate it there under the $30 plan and then cut the sim to fit the one s since it uses a micro sim or order a prepaid micro sim online from T-mo and activate it online.

 

[rui-no-onna]

Wanted to go that route (GNex + T-Mobile $30). You don't really need to go to Walmart. You can just order a SIM pack (~$5) from T-Mobile and activate it yourself at home. You have to activate a new number, too, but you can work around that restriction by porting your current phone number to Google Voice. Unfortunately, I only get 2G where I work (30kbps down/up) so T-Mobile was a no go.

 

[marc12868]

Wanted to go that route (GNex + T-Mobile $30). You don't really need to go to Walmart. You can just order a SIM pack (~$5) from T-Mobile and activate it yourself at home. You have to activate a new number, too, but you can work around that restriction by porting your current phone number to Google Voice. Unfortunately, I only get 2G where I work (30kbps down/up) so T-Mobile was a no go.

You can port your number to T-Mo you don't need GVoice. I just ported my number to T-Mo from Virgin Mobile. To port it you may have to call T-Mo support though (which would be 611 on a T-Mo activated phone)

In fact it's against the federal law for a cell phone carrier to not allow you to port your number to them. Just for future reference.

 

[rui-no-onna]

You can port your number to T-Mo you don't need GVoice. I just ported my number to T-Mo from Virgin Mobile. To port it you may have to call T-Mo support though (which would be 611 on a T-Mo activated phone)

In fact it's against the federal law for a cell phone carrier to not allow you to port your number to them. Just for future reference.

You can port your number to T-Mobile but I don't think you'll be able to subscribe to the $30 100 minutes/unlimited text/unlimited data prepaid plan if you do so. At least, I don't remember that being an option when I did my trial run (to test coverage and connection speed).

 

[marc12868]

You can port your number to T-Mobile but I don't think you'll be able to subscribe to the $30 100 minutes/unlimited text/unlimited data prepaid plan if you do so. At least, I don't remember that being an option when I did my trial run (to test coverage and connection speed).

I'm pretty sure porting your number doesn't get rid of the plan it just overwrites the number with the one that is being ported over. I could be wrong and it would always be a good idea to call to find out I guess.

 

[rui-no-onna]

I'm pretty sure porting your number doesn't get rid of the plan it just overwrites the number with the one that is being ported over. I could be wrong and it would always be a good idea to call to find out I guess.

Calling won't help. Even the CSRs at T-Mobile stores won't be able to help. Only way to get the plan is through Walmart or online and when I did it last year when the plan was initially released, it wasn't available with number porting. Also, if you change the rate plan from $30 to something else, you can't switch back.

Edit:
Apparently, you can get your number ported but you do that after activating the plan. You definitely have to activate it on a new number. Once it's activated, though, you can call CSR and port your number over. I guess when I activated my SIM, the plan was just too new and the CSR I talked to probably wasn't trained to handle it just yet.

I still think porting it to Google Voice is a better idea. That way, the number is always yours and you can switch carriers as much as you like without the hassle of porting your number every time. Or heck, use a single number to forward to different carriers in case you use more than one (know some folks who have service with multiple carriers so they always have coverage).

 

[APSoft]

I *think* I'm going to buy the HTC One S outright from Tmo (for $600) and then do the WalMart $30 mo plan (5GB data / unlimited txt / 100 voice).

Is anyone else doing this for a 'high end' phone? How is it working out?

I did basically the same about a year ago. Bought MyTouch 4G from T-Mobile without a contract for a full price, asked them to unlock it, they didn't have any problem with that - got my information, and emailed me the code the same day. After that I just got a cheap phone with a SIM from another operator, sold that phone (brand new! ), put the card into MyTouch, and that's it!

What network does WalMart actually use? I don't think they have their own, do they? The thing is you have to be sure the phone is compatible. Most (all?) T-Mobile phones use AWS(UMTS) frequency for 3G connection. AT&T, for example, uses different frequency.

 

[APSoft]

I *think* I'm going to buy the HTC One S outright from Tmo (for $600)

So, it comes out next week? Nice!
And it does work in that T-Mobile-specific UMTS Band IV frequency supported by my operator. I noticed this model when it was announced a while ago, but wasn't sure about its compatibility, now got it confirmed.
Well, seems like I've finally found a new phone for myself.
Thanks for the info!

PS. I feel a trip to the US is coming. :driver:

 

[marc12868]

I did basically the same about a year ago. Bought MyTouch 4G from T-Mobile without a contract for a full price, asked them to unlock it, they didn't have any problem with that - got my information, and emailed me the code the same day. After that I just got a cheap phone with a SIM from another operator, sold that phone (brand new! ), put the card into MyTouch, and that's it!

What network does WalMart actually use? I don't think they have their own, do they? The thing is you have to be sure the phone is compatible. Most (all?) T-Mobile phones use AWS(UMTS) frequency for 3G connection. AT&T, for example, uses different frequency.

Walmart has their family plan which runs off of T-mo's network iirc.

Easy way to know if your phone is compatible with their 3g/ 4g network is if it is either a T-mo phone (so yes I do think all T-mo phones have the 3g bands... Maybe some older ones don't not sure though, but all newer ones do), or if it isn't a T-mo phone but has the 1700 and 2100 frequency bands (like the AT&T galaxy note).

 

[APSoft]

Walmart has their family plan which runs off of T-mo's network iirc.

Oh, I see. I just wasn't aware of this as I live a bit further to the North.
So it's like 7-Eleven here in Canada - their SpeakOut Wireless simply works on Rogers network.

Easy way to know if your phone is compatible with their 3g/ 4g network is if it is either a T-mo phone (so yes I do think all T-mo phones have the 3g bands... Maybe some older ones don't not sure though, but all newer ones do), or if it isn't a T-mo phone but has the 1700 and 2100 frequency bands (like the AT&T galaxy note).

Exactly!
Sometimes it's difficult to find this exact info though. When I heard about HTC One series, I tried to look for the specs about what bands they support, and didn't find 1700 there. Even now GSMArena, for example, doesn't mention 1700 for the HTC One S.

 

[marc12868]

Oh, I see. I just wasn't aware of this as I live a bit further to the North.
So it's like 7-Eleven here in Canada - their SpeakOut Wireless simply works on Rogers network.

Well the plan that the OP is talking about is actually a T-mo plan that is a Walmart/ online exclusive.

Exactly!
Sometimes it's difficult to find this exact info though. When I heard about HTC One series, I tried to look for the specs about what bands they support, and didn't find 1700 there. Even now GSMArena, for example, doesn't mention 1700 for the HTC One S.

True... Although if you go to HTC website it says it's available for T-mo and runs on their HSPA network which needs those bands. Other sites like GSMarena I usually use, but they sometimes are way off and they don't necessarily get updated...

 

[APSoft]

True... Although if you go to HTC website it says it's available for T-mo and runs on their HSPA network which needs those bands.

Heh... This is exactly what I did, and HTC website did not have this information at that time. Frankly speaking even now I couldn't find this info on their web-site. There seems to be a T-Mobile-specific page there, but it's not accessible for some reason. T-Mobile site itself does mention "UMTS: Band IV (1700/2100)". Well, if they release this phone, it must support that band of course.

Other sites like GSMarena I usually use, but they sometimes are way off and they don't necessarily get updated...

Yes, I always double-check.

 

[considerately]

I am looking to do this as well but I bought a t-mobile ready unlocked phone on eBay and now I want to activate it through walmart for the $30 plan. The problem is that the phone I bought didn't come with original packaging so I don't have an activation code for t-mobile, any ideas on what to do?

 

[zuben el genub]

You need a SIM card.

I've bought used, unlocked, you name it, just popped in SIM and could use the phone.
Data depended on bands offered.

 

[marc12868]

I am looking to do this as well but I bought a t-mobile ready unlocked phone on eBay and now I want to activate it through walmart for the $30 plan. The problem is that the phone I bought didn't come with original packaging so I don't have an activation code for t-mobile, any ideas on what to do?

buy a prepaid activation kit from T-mo online. It's like $2 from their website. And then just activate it online and choose the right$30 plan since it's an online and Walmart exclusive.