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Why don't more people use Prepaid Wireless in America?

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Correct, I'm actually in a similar situation. I bought the Galaxy SII on Friday but haven't opened it up yet. Now I see the One V for $50 and I'm second guessing my S2 purchase if only for the price. I don't want to give up my $25 a month plan either, but my Triumph has the widely talked about me memory issue.

Yup I'm in the same boat. I want to upgrade my Triumph but $25 a month is so good. I'm considering going to T Mobile for the $30 and then picking up a Nexus.
 
Yup I'm in the same boat. I want to upgrade my Triumph but $25 a month is so good. I'm considering going to T Mobile for the $30 and then picking up a Nexus.

I've definitely considerd switching to TMobile on their $30 a month plan, but their 4g LTE doesn't extend out to my area and neither does their 3G. For that reason I'm heavily considering getting the EVO V 4G because Virgin has it for $149 today on their site and apparently reception signals for texts and calls that people were having were fixed via a patch that was released about 10 days ago for the phone.

Edit. Pulled the trigger on the EVO V 4G on the Virgin website for $149. Guess I'm taking the Galaxy S2 back to Radio Shack soon, and I saved $150.
 
I've definitely considerd switching to TMobile on their $30 a month plan, but their 4g LTE doesn't extend out to my area and neither does their 3G. For that reason I'm heavily considering getting the EVO V 4G because Virgin has it for $149 today on their site and apparently reception signals for texts and calls that people were having were fixed via a patch that was released about 10 days ago for the phone.

Edit. Pulled the trigger on the EVO V 4G on the Virgin website for $149. Guess I'm taking the Galaxy S2 back to Radio Shack soon, and I saved $150.

T-Mobile's current 4G solution is HSPA+ so their coverage area should closely mirror their 3G coverage area. and yeah, the most important thing is coverage. doesn't matter how great the price is if you have no service...
 
I've definitely considerd switching to TMobile on their $30 a month plan, but their 4g LTE doesn't extend out to my area and neither does their 3G. For that reason I'm heavily considering getting the EVO V 4G because Virgin has it for $149 today on their site and apparently reception signals for texts and calls that people were having were fixed via a patch that was released about 10 days ago for the phone.

Edit. Pulled the trigger on the EVO V 4G on the Virgin website for $149. Guess I'm taking the Galaxy S2 back to Radio Shack soon, and I saved $150.

Have you received order confirmation email from VM yet? I haven't received anything.
 
i know last year it took a few hours for me to get emails. i had them by now though...

I just checked last year's order (had to find my fourth email box to dig up the order), I ordered it 3:30pm last Black Monday, received "Order confirmation" email from Virgin Mobile at the same time, got the tracking number 2 days later.

So far I still haven't received my confirmation email....
 
Have you received order confirmation email from VM yet? I haven't received anything.

I have not, and that worried me quite a bit as 12 hours have now passed by. I checked my bank account and a charge for $157 went through for Virgin Mobile. I could have ordered from Amazon instead, when I got home from work this evening they were selling the Evo V 4g at $149 with free shipping. They have since raised it to $169.

As soon as I get the confirmation email I'll post back in this thread, I would think something like that would be instantaneous. Guess not?
 
One minor problem with the Kyocera Rise is the lack of focus on the camera. It makes barcode scanning apps mostly useless. :(

Ignoring that, if you want crazy fast photos snapped - yeah, good for that.
 
Good catch
Track Order

Thanks for buying direct from Virgin Mobile.

Order date: 11/26/2012 Order number: VM1F5xxxxxxx-CS Order status:Pending

Items Ordered VM HTC One V New Handset Kit (1) VM HTC One V New Handset Kit (1) VM HTC One V New Handset Kit (1)

Order Total $163.29

Donno what that meas :p
 
I signed up for Solavei today in anticipation of getting a Nexus 4. (God willing I'll be able to get one this afternoon when orders resume.)

Here's an explanation of how it works. It seems to be a pretty solid service.

If anyone wants a referral, let me know. I'm not going to be pushing it on here because I'm not an Amway type. I'll just PM you a referral link if you're interested.
 
I signed up for Solavei today in anticipation of getting a Nexus 4. (God willing I'll be able to get one this afternoon when orders resume.)

Here's an explanation of how it works. It seems to be a pretty solid service.

If anyone wants a referral, let me know. I'm not going to be pushing it on here because I'm not an Amway type. I'll just PM you a referral link if you're interested.

Do your referral need to be active account holder for you to continue receive the discount?

The fact that the discount take up such big part of the bill do remind me of Amway.
 
Do your referral need to be active account holder for you to continue receive the discount?

The fact that the discount take up such big part of the bill do remind me of Amway.

Not totally sure, but there's probably a decent likelihood that it does.

Honestly, I have very little interest in referrals. I signed up entirely for the plan, which seems very solid and appears to be a better deal than T-Mobile or StraightTalk.
 
Not totally sure, but there's probably a decent likelihood that it does.

Honestly, I have very little interest in referrals. I signed up entirely for the plan, which seems very solid and appears to be a better deal than T-Mobile or StraightTalk.

Remember to install a data counter to test their data cap limit. If you can get 5gb of 4G data in a month, its a good deal.
 
Remember to install a data counter to test their data cap limit. If you can get 5gb of 4G data in a month, its a good deal.

Will do, thanks.

Honestly, I rarely get anywhere close to 4GB in a month on my current phone (I wouldn't consider myself a super-heavy user), but I'm frequently in the neighborhood of 2GB, so Solavei seems like a much better option than T-Mobile.
 
well, i just got charged and the status changed from backorder to pending... ordered pretty late too, like 1/2hr before the deal ended, someone finally got back to me and said they wanted one.
 
I ordered a Micro Sim from T-Mobile, to sign up for their $30/100 minutes/unlimited text & data plan. That was two weeks ago.

Not sure what happened, but the tracking number they gave me doesn't work at all and the sim card was supposed to have been delivered a week ago.

I called their customer service and they couldn't track down the package, so they offered to send me another sim card with overnight shipping without me even demanding expedited shipping. Overall I liked their customer service (normally us prepaid customers get treated like filthy beggars by all big carriers), though the wait time to talk to anybody was longer than I liked.
 
Hey prepaid GAF, I have a question. I have an old droid incredible that I no longer use and my girlfriend is looking into getting a smartphone for her business and dropping her landline. Can she use my old phone with another prepaid carrier besides Verizon?
 
Hey prepaid GAF, I have a question. I have an old droid incredible that I no longer use and my girlfriend is looking into getting a smartphone for her business and dropping her landline. Can she use my old phone with another prepaid carrier besides Verizon?

Page Plus, you only option.
 
Sory to bump this thread but I'm unemployed and need some direction. I have a sony xperia x1 smartphone that I want to continue using but on prepaid wireless instead of the plan I'm currently on with T-Mobile. I've already ruled out virgin mobile as I have to use on of their phones, what else can I look into? Does anyone have experience with galaxy wireless.

Also, my main goal is to reduce my $70.00 bill as I'm unemployed.

Thanks.
 
Sory to bump this thread but I'm unemployed and need some direction. I have a sony xperia x1 smartphone that I want to continue using but on prepaid wireless instead of the plan I'm currently on with T-Mobile. I've already ruled out virgin mobile as I have to use on of their phones, what else can I look into? Does anyone have experience with galaxy wireless.

Also, my main goal is to reduce my $70.00 bill as I'm unemployed.

Thanks.

If you're happy with T-Mo's coverage and want to stay on their network, Straight Talk or Solavei would probably both be decent options. Either of those would save you at least $20 a month.

Straight Talk has a somewhat unclear throttling policy and Solavei has its referral system (though you don't really have to participate in it), so keep that in mind.

T-Mobile does have a 100 min. monthly voice plan for $30 a month. I'm guessing you need more minutes than that?
 
I heard the tmobile $30 plan requires you to use one of their phones , is that true?

Can i get an unlocked foreign gsm phone and still get there $30 plan?

If so how? Also how is tmobile in nyc?
 
I heard the tmobile $30 plan requires you to use one of their phones , is that true?

Can i get an unlocked foreign gsm phone and still get there $30 plan?

If so how? Also how is tmobile in nyc?

Signal in NYC is good. Better than Sprint and maybe ATT anyway.

If you have a non Tmo GSM phone, you get edge data, depends on the area in NYC you may get 3g HSPA+ speed too.
 
Signal in NYC is good. Better than Sprint and maybe ATT anyway.

If you have a non Tmo GSM phone, you get edge data, depends on the area in NYC you may get 3g HSPA+ speed too.

I dont really care about speed as long as it works. I really only need email.

Now the question about phones. Can i use any unlocked gsm phone or do i have to use the ones they sell? I heard from another site that u gotta use what walmart sells because its kinda their plan so u gotta use what phone they offer.

However if that is not true, and i can use any gsm phone, then i am on board.
 
Of course you can use any unlocked phone on TMobile or ATT.

On another note, I placed two orders from Virgin Mobile on Monday. First with my wife's name and then with my credit card.

I got the package delivery of my order today, and then tonight I got the email from VM that they going to send out my wife's order. Totally backwards.

I remember last year I had to call VM to get a tracking number too.
 
and it shipped, got a FedEx tracking number!

Thanks for the update I still haven't received an email at all and I ordered around noon on Monday. I was hoping it would be here by now. I got a refurb Triumph that I sold on Amazon Monday as well so I have to send my current Triumph back by the end of next week to avoid problems. Sure would be nice if Virgin got my phone here!
 
Thanks for the update I still haven't received an email at all and I ordered around noon on Monday. I was hoping it would be here by now. I got a refurb Triumph that I sold on Amazon Monday as well so I have to send my current Triumph back by the end of next week to avoid problems. Sure would be nice if Virgin got my phone here!

How many did you ordered? Was the credit card an often used cc?
 
How many did you ordered? Was the credit card an often used cc?

I just ordered 1 Evo V at $149. My debit card was billed immediately for $157 (tax) which I can see in my online bank account billing. I've got an Galaxy S2 sitting here that I bought from Radio Shack but I was going to return that when the EVO V came in as a I never opened the GS2.

I'm a little worried because there is a 14 day window to return your old phone when they replace it for you.
 
I was thinking about doing a prepaid plan with t-mobile, but then they released the unlimited 4g contracts, and with 2 lines on a family plan it comes out to $120/month total for UNLIMITED talk, text, and 4g, no throttling. Granted, you don't get a subsidized phone, but you dont get that with prepaid anyways. I just got a used htc amaze for 180 and called it a day. Killer deal. Also, corporate discount with t-mobile brings it down to $111/month with taxes included for two lines! I can't think of a better deal.
 
I've been following this thread just to see all the good deals and setup possibilities. I currently have Cricket...but that's neither here nor there.

My mom and dad are getting ready to go out on the road trucking. They live in a "sweet" spot where DSL and cable Internet do not reach them. I set them up with the Virgin Mobile BB2Go because they actually were in a Sprint 3G coverage area.

They're going to be mobile all the time now, so it'd be best for them to drop their landline and go all mobile. They're going to be together almost all the time, so they don't both need a lot of/unlimited minutes. But at least one of them does. And they also need some 3G mobile broadband.

Can anyone think of the best setup for this situation? It would be awesome to get Straight Talk or similar that had an unlimited data plan that also allowed tethering. Their Internet access on the road is going to be through a Kindle Fire. I know Android devices don't play well with ad hoc networks, but I believe a phone acting as a mobile hotspot shouldn't show up as an ad hoc network but a regular infrastructure AP.

But I'm certainly open to a separate mobile broadband, as well. Thanks for all the informative posts and thanks in advance for the help!
 
I've been following this thread just to see all the good deals and setup possibilities. I currently have Cricket...but that's neither here nor there.

My mom and dad are getting ready to go out on the road trucking. They live in a "sweet" spot where DSL and cable Internet do not reach them. I set them up with the Virgin Mobile BB2Go because they actually were in a Sprint 3G coverage area.

They're going to be mobile all the time now, so it'd be best for them to drop their landline and go all mobile. They're going to be together almost all the time, so they don't both need a lot of/unlimited minutes. But at least one of them does. And they also need some 3G mobile broadband.

Can anyone think of the best setup for this situation? It would be awesome to get Straight Talk or similar that had an unlimited data plan that also allowed tethering. Their Internet access on the road is going to be through a Kindle Fire. I know Android devices don't play well with ad hoc networks, but I believe a phone acting as a mobile hotspot shouldn't show up as an ad hoc network but a regular infrastructure AP.

But I'm certainly open to a separate mobile broadband, as well. Thanks for all the informative posts and thanks in advance for the help!

Just a few comments, I would go with 2 carriers for maximum coverage.

First one would be a CDMA phone either Sprint or Verizon/Page+. I won't use any of Sprint's MNVO. Actual Sprint can roam on Verizon but the Sprint MNVOs can't. P+ has Verizon signal so its pretty good coverage on its own. From my experience Sprint signal in the country side is just not very good.

The 2nd phone I would go with a GSM carrier. If you use Straight Talk, at lease you can keep a TMo prepaid sim to pop in for emergency.

As far as data goes, I would start out with both a Clear mobile modem and the TMo Walmart plan first, use them for a one month and test the coverage. Both of them are the cheapest options. After testing you can get rip of one of them and make decision on the 2nd phone at that time.

If you are going mobile full time, you don't want to be too stingy on the mobile signal.
 
From what I've read, it's possible to use a Verizon unlocked smartphone on Straight Talks network. I guess I'm just not understanding what you meant by illegal.

Verizon made its goons in the senate pass the law. It's a federal crime to clone/modify the ESN in a CDMA phone. It's legal in other countries.
 
If you're happy with T-Mo's coverage and want to stay on their network, Straight Talk or Solavei would probably both be decent options. Either of those would save you at least $20 a month.

Straight Talk has a somewhat unclear throttling policy and Solavei has its referral system (though you don't really have to participate in it), so keep that in mind.

T-Mobile does have a 100 min. monthly voice plan for $30 a month. I'm guessing you need more minutes than that?


I think I'm looking into the 100 min. plan though I would prefer more minutes. I'm set on canceling the account early and paying the $200 fee as there's no way around it I just need to figure out how to best approach this.

Do I sign up for google voice then cancel to buy the prepaid at 30 a month?

Solavei look's good but 50 may be too much now.
 
sprint and verizon don't use sim cards. with a sim card you can pop it in any phone and it works. basically that is what unlocked means. i used to have t-mobile and my sim card worked in any phone. i could switch phones weekly.

that... i... uh... what?



From what I've read, it's possible to use a Verizon unlocked smartphone on Straight Talks network. I guess I'm just not understanding what you meant by illegal.

you can use some Verizon phones on Page Plus or any other carrier that will authorize and add the IMEI to their network, but not Straight Talk as they don't offer that service. the only way to get a Verizon Phone on there is to clone the ESN from a Sprint or Verizon based Straight Talk device.
 
Just a few comments, I would go with 2 carriers for maximum coverage.

First one would be a CDMA phone either Sprint or Verizon/Page+. I won't use any of Sprint's MNVO. Actual Sprint can roam on Verizon but the Sprint MNVOs can't. P+ has Verizon signal so its pretty good coverage on its own. From my experience Sprint signal in the country side is just not very good.

The 2nd phone I would go with a GSM carrier. If you use Straight Talk, at lease you can keep a TMo prepaid sim to pop in for emergency.

As far as data goes, I would start out with both a Clear mobile modem and the TMo Walmart plan first, use them for a one month and test the coverage. Both of them are the cheapest options. After testing you can get rip of one of them and make decision on the 2nd phone at that time.

If you are going mobile full time, you don't want to be too stingy on the mobile signal.

Thanks for the suggestions, tino! I'll look into these.
 
Nice, how well does it perform speed wise? I was going to hold out for the EVO V delivery, but I ended up opening up the GS2 I had sitting on the table. I was amazed at the speed difference between the Triumph and GS2. The Galaxy S2 is just leagues faster than the Triumph. My EVO V should be here tomorrow, but I'm gonna put it up for sale on Amazon since the price went back up to $249 on the Virgin website. I figure I can make about $15 selling it on Amazon.
 
Nice, how well does it perform speed wise? I was going to hold out for the EVO V delivery, but I ended up opening up the GS2 I had sitting on the table. I was amazed at the speed difference between the Triumph and GS2. The Galaxy S2 is just leagues faster than the Triumph. My EVO V should be here tomorrow, but I'm gonna put it up for sale on Amazon since the price went back up to $249 on the Virgin website. I figure I can make about $15 selling it on Amazon.

I might save up for the GSII, but if I get ansy, I might just spring for the EVO V 4G...choices, choices. I would rather have the GSII, so definitely let me know how you like it over time.
 
welp i got an Optimus Elite for $50 on black friday. its a nice cheapy phone, way better than my last VM phone. stayed on the $25 plan as well

but looks like i got one with the data issues. with full bars it just flips back and forth between 3g and 2g, and when it does the data completely dies for about 30 seconds before you can connect at all.

sucks! im going to swap it for another one today, hope that solves the problem. otherwise im going either have to switch to a new phone and lose he $25 plan, or just deal with the issue.

pain in the ass.
 
Nice, how well does it perform speed wise? I was going to hold out for the EVO V delivery, but I ended up opening up the GS2 I had sitting on the table. I was amazed at the speed difference between the Triumph and GS2. The Galaxy S2 is just leagues faster than the Triumph. My EVO V should be here tomorrow, but I'm gonna put it up for sale on Amazon since the price went back up to $249 on the Virgin website. I figure I can make about $15 selling it on Amazon.

and the GS2 should be getting JellyBean since the Sprint version is getting it, while the EVO V and EVO 3D are most likely not.
 
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