Switching from Verizon.. T-Mobile or Sprint?

Jocelyn84 · Nov 1, 2013

noahj1102 said:
I've purchased a Nexus 5 from Google Play. We haven't used her upgrade. What I'm trying to do is get away from Sprint.

I'm wanting to do TMobile prepaid. However, I need to keep my number and to do that I would have to pay the early termination fee since my line isn't up for upgrade.

I could use my wife's phone to take my N5 to T Mobile, but it would need to use her number.

That's how I understand it.

You can upgrade her line, activate on your line, port out your number/pay etf, then be on your way with the Nexus 5 on T-Mobile. Her upgrade eligibility will then be available again in twenty months.

I have two lines and always activate/use the upgrade phone on line one of two.

jhawkkw · Nov 1, 2013

noahj1102 said:
I've purchased a Nexus 5 from Google Play. We haven't used her upgrade. What I'm trying to do is get away from Sprint.

I'm wanting to do TMobile prepaid. However, I need to keep my number and to do that I would have to pay the early termination fee since my line isn't up for upgrade.

I could use my wife's phone to take my N5 to T Mobile, but it would need to use her number.

That's how I understand it.

What I would recommend is port your number to Google Voice for the 20 dollar fee per line. That way you keep your number, and if you use T-Mobile and it doesn't work out that you can then go to another carrier and not worry about porting again. Google Voice can forward all calls/texts to your new number given to you.

noahj1102 · Nov 1, 2013

Hmm, that's a thought. I was also thinking of just playing the ETF with Sprint and be done with it.

She'd be cool with a Nexus 4.

Gekko · Nov 1, 2013

check out -

AT&T GOPHONE for $60/month for Unlimited Talk+Text + 2GB LTE. additional 1GB for $10 buy if needed.

runtmms · Nov 1, 2013

I really have to second the Google Voice thing. It's given us a lot of versatility. Just be aware of its limitations. The biggest one is no MMS with your GV number. But there's no telling how GV will get integrated with the new Hangouts - that could potentially add MMS.

We got an Obi100 VoIP bridge. That plus GV plus a multi-handset phone is like having a landline again.

bob60626 · Nov 1, 2013

Gekko said:
check out -

AT&T GOPHONE for $60/month for Unlimited Talk+Text + 2GB LTE. additional 1GB for $10 buy if needed.

AT&T prepaid also allows you to access AT&T wifi spots. That and the ability to add more data if needed might work for the poster wanting unlimited on AT&T.

Sandroidfan · Nov 1, 2013

twflys said:
I DONT like the idea of being limited on data usage... I need an unlimited plan. So, ATT is not an option for me. I travel to mostly large cities- 4 different ones a week. If stupid Verizon would have just gotten their heads out of their a@@.

They won't cut the data when going over 2Gb but will charge extra $10 per 1Gb after 2Gb. And like some others mentioned, GoPhone will let you access ATT Wifi points.

If that still doesn't work for you, then yeah it's Sprint or Tmo. I'd rather go with Tmo simply because it's also GSM carrier.

alfick3 · Nov 1, 2013

There's always MetroPCS. In one sense you actually going to be on T-Mobile, but with cheaper prices by $10.

Little Green Robot · Nov 1, 2013

For the $30 T-Mobile plan, how much data do you get before they start throttling? 500mb?

jamjr74 · Nov 1, 2013

Little Green Robot said:
For the $30 T-Mobile plan, how much data do you get before they start throttling? 500mb?

The $30 t-mobile plan gives you unlimited text and data and 100 talk minutes. Data is 5gb of 4g then throttled down. I plan on using this plan and I will port my number to Google voice. Then I can use hangouts or groove up for unlimited calls.

bob60626 · Nov 1, 2013

I'm all for folks sticking it to the man, but give VOIP a try before planning around it. Groove, Vonage,... all sucked for me on a strong hspa or wifi signal. Only LTE gave an acceptable lack of lag. I use Vonage on my Note 2 for outbound calls whenever I have a strong data signal. I still need to be able to use cellular minutes and texts; maybe when LTE is universal.

appleaj · Nov 1, 2013

I recommend T-Mobile, I've heard nothing but complaints from my friends that have Sprint. I've been using a Nexus 4 on T-Mobile for awhile now and haven't had any issues, LTE is pretty decent IMO (Yes, LTE, not HSPA+).

Jocelyn84 · Nov 2, 2013

appleaj said:
I recommend T-Mobile, I've heard nothing but complaints from my friends that have Sprint. I've been using a Nexus 4 on T-Mobile for awhile now and haven't had any issues, LTE is pretty decent IMO (Yes, LTE, not HSPA+).

Things like this are always dependant of where you live/work.

Sprint where I live

noahj1102 · Nov 2, 2013

OK, color me stupid, but I still don't know how Google Voice and Groove works for calls. I intend to go T Mobile and the $30 prepaid. However, I use alot more than 100 voice minutes, so I'd need Google voice.

I signed up for Google Voice and got a number. However, now I don't know where to go from here or how to use it.

Someone give me some simple instructions on how this works and how I use Google Voice but with my cell number?

Totally lost.

runtmms · Nov 2, 2013

noahj1102 said:
OK, color me stupid, but I still don't know how Google Voice and Groove works for calls. I intend to go T Mobile and the $30 prepaid. However, I use alot more than 100 voice minutes, so I'd need Google voice.

I signed up for Google Voice and got a number. However, now I don't know where to go from here or how to use it.

Someone give me some simple instructions on how this works and how I use Google Voice but with my cell number?

Totally lost.

I tested the GV GrooveIP solution a while back and wasn't happy with it - that's part of the reason I ended up with Solavei. Someone using it successfully might have a better response, but I'll give it a try. I do use GV, but not to get around limited minutes.

The easiest way to think of GV is as a call forwarding service. If someone calls your GV number you can control where it rings. This is why some of us pay the $20 to port a number we want to keep using to GV. It doesn't matter if you change carriers or numbers, if people call that GV number you can have your cell phone ring. It also works the other way, so calls from your cell phone can go through GV and look like they come from that number. But, all of that uses plan minutes. Fine on an unlimited plan, not the $30 plan. That's where GrooveIP, or other apps like it come in.

With GrooveIP, you can make and receive calls with your GV number using data. You have to make a few setting changes in your GV account - someone currently using it would do a better job explaining, I don't really remember. The GrooveIP app should have the instructions if someone else doesn't chime in. With this setup calls worked fine when I was on WiFi. But when using mobile data (required the paid version of the GrooveIP app) the call quality suffered. It was bad enough we decided it wasn't worth it. YMMV.

noahj1102 · Nov 2, 2013

Hmm, so Groove uses data. TMobile $30 really isn't unlimited and I'd probably burn through my data.

Guess I really need to look at my Sprint usage before I decide.

Out of curiosity, how much data we talking about it using for calls?

jhawkkw · Nov 2, 2013

noahj1102 said:
Hmm, so Groove uses data. TMobile $30 really isn't unlimited and I'd probably burn through my data.

Guess I really need to look at my Sprint usage before I decide.

Out of curiosity, how much data we talking about it using for calls?

It's not a lot, about 1MB per minute if I recall correctly. As for it not being good over mobile data, it's fine if done over lte. If done over hspa, it's not the greatest due to high latency. Doing so over edge is pretty rough.

chriseckman · Nov 3, 2013

Is there a soft data cap on the $30 Walmart T-mo prepaid cards? I clicked on the $50 and it has "unlimited data" and 4G the first 100mb. I would suspect that the $30 is the same deal, does any one know?

jhawkkw · Nov 3, 2013

chriseckman said:
Is there a soft data cap on the $30 Walmart T-mo prepaid cards? I clicked on the $50 and it has "unlimited data" and 4G the first 100mb. I would suspect that the $30 is the same deal, does any one know?

I buy my 30 dollar refill cards at Best Buy, though it doesn't make a difference where you get them. As long as you're on the correct 30 dollar plan (there's two of them), the soft cap should be 5GB.

mogelijk · Nov 3, 2013

chriseckman said:
Is there a soft data cap on the $30 Walmart T-mo prepaid cards? I clicked on the $50 and it has "unlimited data" and 4G the first 100mb. I would suspect that the $30 is the same deal, does any one know?

The $30 Walmart plan has 100 minutes talk, unlimited texts, and 5GB of full speed (non-throttled) data; 2G after the first 5GB. Additional minutes are 10 cents per minute.

And a slight correction, the $50 plan has unlimited talk, text, and 500MB of full speed data, again throttled to 2G after the first 500MB.

mihalich · Nov 4, 2013

FYI, the TMobile web site in general is horrendous.

For the $30 a month plan, you have to go to the prepaid version of the tmobile site here:

Prepaid Cell Phone Plans, No Credit Check | Monthly 4G | T-Mobile

Scroll down about halfway and you'll see the $30/mo plan. I ordered my sim for free online, waiting for it to get here along with my N5.

Also, if you order the sim starter kit from the prepaid site there (click around you'll find it), it's free. The sim on the regular tmobile site is currently 0.99 cents. And yeah, in case you want it faster i saw the starter kit in target for $10 over the weekend...you can get it at walmart too.

Also Also, just saw this on the groove ip app description on
On May 15, 2014 Google will no longer allow XMPP based calling through Google Voice. Since GrooVe IP uses that interface, this app will stop functioning on May 15, 2014.

Joe

jhawkkw · Nov 4, 2013

mihalich said:
FYI, the TMobile web site in general is horrendous.

For the $30 a month plan, you have to go to the prepaid version of the tmobile site here:

Prepaid Cell Phone Plans, No Credit Check | Monthly 4G | T-Mobile

Scroll down about halfway and you'll see the $30/mo plan. I ordered my sim for free online, waiting for it to get here along with my N5.

Also, if you order the sim starter kit from the prepaid site there (click around you'll find it), it's free. The sim on the regular tmobile site is currently 0.99 cents. And yeah, in case you want it faster i saw the starter kit in target for $10 over the weekend...you can get it at walmart too.

Also Also, just saw this on the groove ip app description on
On May 15, 2014 Google will no longer allow XMPP based calling through Google Voice. Since GrooVe IP uses that interface, this app will stop functioning on May 15, 2014.

Joe

Yeah, T-Mobile really doesn't want people to find that plan. But it's just so awesome.

As for Google Voice, I pray and hope that loosing the VoIP apps won't matter if we can make calls in Hangouts using our G-Voice number by that point in time. If not, then it will really suck to lose that feature.

noahj1102 · Nov 4, 2013

Well, by May I'll know for sure how T Mobile works for me.

But Ya, I'm hoping hangouts incorporates it by then.

fourex60 · Nov 5, 2013

I am considering signing up for a Straight-Talk plan (AT&T) or with AT&T's new AiO. Which means they will be asking for an IMEI number, which won't be in their system for my Nexus 5 which will arrive later today. Suggestions on what I should provide them with? I do have an HTC One, which is under contract...but I may drop if the aforementioned MVNO plans have good coverage.

mogelijk · Nov 5, 2013

fourex60 said:
I am considering signing up for a Straight-Talk plan (AT&T) or with AT&T's new AiO. Which means they will be asking for an IMEI number, which won't be in their system for my Nexus 5 which will arrive later today. Suggestions on what I should provide them with? I do have an HTC One, which is under contract...but I may drop if the aforementioned MVNO plans have good coverage.

Just give them the IMEI number of your phone. It should't matter that they don't have the IMEI of the phone in their system. Although GSM carriers, for some reason, often ask for the IMEI, they don't actually have to have it and don't always require it. I believe in many cases, they are only trying to verify that the phone is compatible with their network.

The difference, perhaps oversimplified, is that GSM uses the serial number of the SIM to determine who is authorized to use the network, whereas CDMA carriers need the ESN (similar to the IMEI) of the phone to determine if that phone can use the network.

Switching from Verizon.. T-Mobile or Sprint?

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