New MetroPCS Customer - Advice Selecting Plan

[djslakor]

Greetings everyone from a first time poster!

I've just ordered a LG Motion 4G, which, for $49.99 seems like a great bargain. This is my first smartphone (late adopter!). For the price, it seems it compares very favorably to the iPhone 3, which was quite a bit more expensive than $49.99 upon release. Even if MetroPCS never sends the $50 Visa card, $99 for this phone seems worth it. Since I've never had a Smartphone before, I haven't been spoiled yet with high resolution displays or larger screens.

Regarding lans, I missed my chance to snag unlimited 4G LTE at $55/mth. Crap!

My options now are 1. $50/mth for 2.5GB 4G LTE thereafter throttled to 3G, or 2.) $60/mth for unlimited 4G LTE.

For my usage, it seems option 2 would only be worthwhile if I did a lot of Netflix streaming over 4G LTE. From the Terms & Usage agreement I read, it seems MetroPCS doesn't allow this anyways. Is that true?

I'm curious how throttled the 3G service is. If I plan to use the phone only for basic web browsing and google map navigation, would you recommend plan 1 or 2?

The final consideration is if it may be wiser to go option 2, unlimited at $60/mth since, since once the merger with TMobile is complete, price for this option may go up substantially, and this would grandfather me in ahead of time.

Any advice would be helpful!

 

[super squirrel]

Greetings everyone from a first time poster!

I've just ordered a LG Motion 4G, which, for $49.99 seems like a great bargain. This is my first smartphone (late adopter!). For the price, it seems it compares very favorably to the iPhone 3, which was quite a bit more expensive than $49.99 upon release. Even if MetroPCS never sends the $50 Visa card, $99 for this phone seems worth it. Since I've never had a Smartphone before, I haven't been spoiled yet with high resolution displays or larger screens.

Regarding lans, I missed my chance to snag unlimited 4G LTE at $55/mth. Crap!

My options now are 1. $50/mth for 2.5GB 4G LTE thereafter throttled to 3G, or 2.) $60/mth for unlimited 4G LTE.

For my usage, it seems option 2 would only be worthwhile if I did a lot of Netflix streaming over 4G LTE. From the Terms & Usage agreement I read, it seems MetroPCS doesn't allow this anyways. Is that true?

I'm curious how throttled the 3G service is. If I plan to use the phone only for basic web browsing and google map navigation, would you recommend plan 1 or 2?

The final consideration is if it may be wiser to go option 2, unlimited at $60/mth since, since once the merger with TMobile is complete, price for this option may go up substantially, and this would grandfather me in ahead of time.

Any advice would be helpful!

If you are going to use the data for web browsing and navigation then I would recommend the $50 plan. The average user will waste less than 2.5GB so I don't think you need the unlimited plan. Plus, when your not using data then just use the toggle in your statusbar or you can switch to 3G by using this: http://androidforums.com/lg-motion-4g/638374-how-access-hidden-menus.html

 

[Gman9831]

For my usage, it seems option 2 would only be worthwhile if I did a lot of Netflix streaming over 4G LTE. From the Terms & Usage agreement I read, it seems MetroPCS doesn't allow this anyways. Is that true?

The final consideration is if it may be wiser to go option 2, unlimited at $60/mth since, since once the merger with TMobile is complete, price for this option may go up substantially, and this would grandfather me in ahead of time.

Not true

Probably not true

 

[Joshb101]

You can stream netflix just if you stream or download too much you'll get throttled though I believe anyone who has been throttled was in the area of 100 to 150 gb. The 4G and 3G speeds honestly all depend on your area.

I don't expect the prices to go up even after the merger is finalized as it will still be 2 years or so until the companies are actually integrated and look T-Mobile's own prepaid plans they now offer unlimited everything for $70.

 

[alfick3]

Greetings everyone from a first time poster!

I've just ordered a LG Motion 4G, which, for $49.99 seems like a great bargain. This is my first smartphone (late adopter!). For the price, it seems it compares very favorably to the iPhone 3, which was quite a bit more expensive than $49.99 upon release. Even if MetroPCS never sends the $50 Visa card, $99 for this phone seems worth it. Since I've never had a Smartphone before, I haven't been spoiled yet with high resolution displays or larger screens.

Regarding lans, I missed my chance to snag unlimited 4G LTE at $55/mth. Crap!

My options now are 1. $50/mth for 2.5GB 4G LTE thereafter throttled to 3G, or 2.) $60/mth for unlimited 4G LTE.

For my usage, it seems option 2 would only be worthwhile if I did a lot of Netflix streaming over 4G LTE. From the Terms & Usage agreement I read, it seems MetroPCS doesn't allow this anyways. Is that true?

I'm curious how throttled the 3G service is. If I plan to use the phone only for basic web browsing and google map navigation, would you recommend plan 1 or 2?

The final consideration is if it may be wiser to go option 2, unlimited at $60/mth since, since once the merger with TMobile is complete, price for this option may go up substantially, and this would grandfather me in ahead of time.

Any advice would be helpful!

For me, personally, I use less than 2 gig/month. I do a lot of gps/navigation and web surfing/email, etc when I'm out and about for my job (I'm mostly mobile during the day, going from data center to data center). I don't have a 4G phone yet, but have been tracking my data usage for the advent of when I do get my 4G phone. I don't do a lot of music/video streaming, so that's not much of a factor for me. I plan on getting the $50 2.5 gig plan when I do get a 4G phone.

I don't know where you live, but here in the Dallas area, 3G speeds are 500 to 1200 meg. Some areas are slower and some are faster. Overall, I've been pretty satisfied with the speeds. Sometimes it's a pain to wait for the website, but generally I'm happy.

Now, the great thing about Metro, you can change plans as often as you want. Try the $50 plan; if you end up going over it, then you can switch to the $60 plan.

 

[1Andrew]

Greetings everyone from a first time poster!

Greetings from a fellow newbie!

For my usage, it seems option 2 would only be worthwhile if I did a lot of Netflix streaming over 4G LTE. From the Terms & Usage agreement I read, it seems MetroPCS doesn't allow this anyways. Is that true?

This is false. I stream a lot and I never get any where near the limit on my plan (I have the old 5Gig + Rhapsody plan).

I'm curious how throttled the 3G service is. If I plan to use the phone only for basic web browsing and google map navigation, would you recommend plan 1 or 2?

It depends on the area, and if you plan to use the phone only for those things then I would just go ahead and save the extra $10.

The final consideration is if it may be wiser to go option 2, unlimited at $60/mth since, since once the merger with TMobile is complete, price for this option may go up substantially, and this would grandfather me in ahead of time.

The price will NOT be going up, here is a link to Metros FAQ regarding questions like that
Unlimited Wireless Service - MetroPCS T-Mobile Combo

I will quote them-
" Will my rate plan or mobile services change?

No. Your rate plan will not change as a result of the announcement of the T-Mobile combination. You will continue to receive an exceptional mobile experience at a great value and the price of your plan will stay the same.
Your mobile service will not be affected by the announcement of the T-Mobile combination. We will still provide the same mobile service you

 

[unnamedny]

get 2.5gb plan. if it's not enough, switch to a higher tier.

 

[Diego1593]

I had 24 gig of data usage and never being thortlle down before on the 55 unlimted plan

 

[Gman9831]

I will quote them-
" Will my rate plan or mobile services change?

No. Your rate plan will not change as a result of the announcement of the T-Mobile combination. You will continue to receive an exceptional mobile experience at a great value and the price of your plan will stay the same.
Your mobile service will not be affected by the announcement of the T-Mobile combination. We will still provide the same mobile service you’ve come to expect, choice in services and handsets – while still offering affordable unlimited talk, text and data.
Upon completion of the combination with T-Mobile, we will have the opportunity to offer you an even wider selection of affordable, cutting-edge handsets and mobile services. This will mean more coverage with greater access to a larger 4G network -- where you live and in more cities throughout the U.S."

That says the price will not go up because of the announcement of the merger but I still dont think price will go up after they merge.

 

[Gman9831]

But anyways in the slideshow they released a couple months ago how they showed they would gain a more steady revenue stream was by gaining new subscribers while keeping current subscribers, making more deals with MVNO's & savings by modernizing their networks, nowhere did they say they will increase profits by increasing price. That would probably go against their 1st point of gaining new subscribers