Related
I had people asking me what kind of phone it is, or who made it, and I never heard of it. Some even question who is the provider and so on. A couple of time, I answered that it's not just a phone, it's a Pocket PC. Even then they don't know what Pocket PC is. They ask if it's Palm.
Of course, that's when I told them, it's more powerful, I can watch full 2 hours+ movie in this, browse the internet with IE. One person was so awe about this device, he's willing to pay premium for it and he works in a Cellphone place.
It really tickles me how I have to explain about this device and seeing their face changes as I explain the things I can do by showing them. It doesn't even look like a phone.
I want to hear what people say about the XDA II or similar device that's not available in the U.S. Maybe you guys wants to share? Or even places where XDA II or similar device isn't available in that country.
Yeah, that's been my experience too. It's even worse now with the XDA II and a Bluetooth headset. I guess I'm kinda used to it, since I had an Apple Newton since they were released. Handhelds just didn't exist at all then, so it was a real attention-grabber.
Even helped with dates. If a lady of appropriate specifications asked about how it worked, I'd pop open a "new contact" form and let her have a go. Usually I'd get a knowing smirk and a number.
If you think it's like that in the US, you would have fallen on the floor laughing if you were with me in Mexico when I tried to get a prepaid SIM for it. They were asking what phone it was for, and didn't understand "Pocket PC," so I pulled it out to show them. Well, I may as well have pulled a wiggling baby alien out of my pocket and thrust it at them, judging by their reaction and wide eyes.
Since I use my XDA for just about everything, I get questions from people in all facets of business. I've used it on-the-spot to check car ratings and comparitive prices while standing in front of the salesman. He was rather taken aback, as he lost his ability to bull**** me. I used it while looking for a house for a recent move. Got the agent hooked on the idea, she said she was going to buy one. I keep my shopping list on it and occasionally look up nutritional info while in the store (I'm diabetic, have to watch some things). Speaking of that, I track blood sugar vs. sugar intake, as well as other dietary info to help me understand my needs. Other people with dietary needs are amazed at how it simplifies life. I track the cars and motorcycle with it. TV shows. And on and on. It seems that no matter what I do, I'm using my XDA to do it, so it gets a lot of exposure.
In Washington DC where I'm going to school they sell the Siemens SX56 (xda I) and the MDA I and MDA II at TMobile... but yah generally people look at my phone and go wtf is that
They are obviously common in the UK then as noone seems to take a second look at it when i'm using mine,
I see at least 4 or 5 people every day with XDA2's on the train into london in the mornings and it not the same people either!,
most people seem to just hold it to their head to talk on it, but i think it much easier to use a bluetooth headset with it
tmobile and o2 are not present around here but the 2 mayor cellphone company offer the qtek series but mainly to companies
and orange sell their m1000 even see them in comercials but thats with tomtom and i doubt many people know it's a gsm phone aswell
suppose xda series are less known in us because they are not cma or 550Ghz
but mda3 / qtek9090 comes in both versions
I was looking for XDA II or something similar to it here in T-Mobile shop but come to a disppointed conclusion. There seem to be selling it on the East Coast rather than West Coast. T-Mobile specified they carry it, but when I looked for it, it's not available and the sales person were like, is that a phone? How come there's no antenna.
A couple of times when I took my phone out to make a phone call, people just look at it as a pda. Not until I got a phone call while doodling with it when they realize it's a phone too.
My co-worker was making fun of it saying, phones are getting smaller and here he is carrying a brick. Haha. So it's a multi-function brick, small phones can't do what this thing can do. I love it. Thanks for sharing guys. Great story.
nokias havent had antennas for ages
if they carry it on the other cost cant you just order it online rather then go to a shop where they would not know a pocketpc if it attacked and eate them and everybody they knew ?
recall when the first xda1 version i heard off came out which was the siemens 56 whatever it was only in the us and it took a few of months to reach here of cause maybe tmobile and o2 had them before i dont know
Just to let you guys know. The K-JAM is in and I have mine! The Inkino guys on Tottenham Court Road, Central London, were once again first off the block. I had left a message with them to contact me as soon as they came in. True to their word they rung me even before they had booked in the delivery. One frantic cab-ride later I was there and playing with my K-JAM. Too early to give feedback but it is good and met my raised expectations. Will keep you posted if I hit any brick walls. Would appreciate any postings of findings by others.
had mine since sat. still playing with it tho
Of course you gotta tell us how much you paid! Also, contract or no contract?
KillyTheBid said:
Just to let you guys know. The K-JAM is in and I have mine! The Inkino guys on Tottenham Court Road, Central London, were once again first off the block. I had left a message with them to contact me as soon as they came in. True to their word they rung me even before they had booked in the delivery. One frantic cab-ride later I was there and playing with my K-JAM. Too early to give feedback but it is good and met my raised expectations. Will keep you posted if I hit any brick walls. Would appreciate any postings of findings by others.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
you could have saved your cab fare, i work in an office in tcr, you could have sent me the money, i would have picked it up for you and tested it for a few days :lol:
I bought mine from the boys at Inkino. Must say, I'm very impressed with the level of service. Kind, informative and efficient.
Many thanks to them and I woudl recommend them anytime.
I bought mine from the boys at Inkino. Must say, I'm very impressed with the level of service. Kind, informative and efficient.
Many thanks to them and I woudl recommend them anytime.
Hey, do you guys have a telephone contact for Inkino? I don't live in the UK...so I want to see if possible to get one shipped to me! Thanks
heres Inkino's telephone number for anyone interested
Tel: +44 (0) 207 631 4567
heres their site http://www.inkino.co.uk
HTH
499+8... ouch.
Different keyboard layout
Hey KillyTheBid and those of you that posses a wizard. Is it possible to change keyboard layout e.g. to swedish, french or something else, just like in windows?
Thanks
Johan
For anyone looking for a carrier, I am using my new HD2 with WIND Mobile and so far so good!
Consistent connectivity for both the phone and 3G everywhere throughout the GTA +! The only place I have any issues is in my apartment however it's a bsmt suite but as soon as I get to the top of the stairs, it's connected.
They currently have a really good deal (until Jan. 16th, 2011) for unlimited... and it's pretty much truly unlimited for $40/mo. no contract. Unlimited Cdn/USA/Global Text, Unlimited calling in Ontario, and Unlimited incoming/outgoing long distance in Canada/USA, Call Display, Call Forwarding, Conference Calling, and 3G Data (5GB Limit then throttled).
Finally GOT RID OF [email protected]%#ING ROGERS! WHAT A BUNCH OF CRIMINALS!!! Had $48 left on a PayGo and they wouldn't transfer it to my Internet or any other Rogers subscriber including family members with subs or accounts. Nice way to make scads of extra $$$... PRICKS!
Imagine how many people lose out on $20 or $30 or $40 or more like that and how much they must rake in on this type of thing alone.
The OP seems to be an advertisement and competition slam.
In light of your limited number of posts (9 total as of this writing), I would suggest you reply to this and let us know you're a real person and not an employee / salesman / associate of WIND.
Oh, I'm a real person. And I'm NOT an employee/salesperson/associate of WIND.
I'm just diggin' the service, it's not a bad deal so thought I'd mention it in case anyone is looking and or is uncertain of who will support 3G for their HD2 in the GTA, and last but not least, I've been given the runaround/shaft by Rogers, and others over the years as I'm sure many have so I was merely venting a bit, and expressing a little disdain for the careless and "unregulated" monopolies that companies like that (particularly in Canada) are.
If something was too out of line, I'll gladly edit/remove the post.
Let me know.
Snarksneeze said:
The OP seems to be an advertisement and competition slam.
In light of your limited number of posts (9 total as of this writing), I would suggest you reply to this and let us know you're a real person and not an employee / salesman / associate of WIND.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
JayG said:
Oh, I'm a real person. And I'm NOT an employee/salesperson/associate of WIND.
I'm just diggin' the service, it's not a bad deal so thought I'd mention it in case anyone is looking and or is uncertain of who will support 3G for their HD2 in the GTA, and last but not least, I've been given the runaround/shaft by Rogers, and others over the years as I'm sure many have so I was merely venting a bit, and expressing a little disdain for the careless and "unregulated" monopolies that companies like that (particularly in Canada) are.
If something was too out of line, I'll gladly edit/remove the post.
Let me know.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you for your reply. As you might imagine these boards do get spammed a bit by overly-eager salespeople. When our phones first came out, there were tons of new "We'll unlock your HD2 in 5 minutes!" messages rolling in.
I'm not a moderator and wouldn't suggest you edit your post. I just asked you prove your humanity because your post read suspiciously like an advertisement.
Thanks for your insights
For anyone who doesn't stray too far from the G2 section of XDA I found this thread in the my old stomping ground Vibrant section.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=815637
Basically, T-Mo is doing a pilot of a home 3G booster for select customers. It is a physical unit they ship to you, and it's basically just a cell repeater. You need to have at least a small amount of 3G reception somewhere in your house, according to the thread.
I sent my email about an hour ago to tmo and they responded within about 30 min saying that I might qualify and gave me a number to call. I called and the loyalty rep asked me a couple questions to verify eligibility. You need to live in a single family home and have a landline (though they did not verify this, just asked and continued on when I responded in the affirmative).
The rep said it would be mailed out Tuesday morning 100% free, the only thing I need to do is fill out the surveys they send periodically to see how the service is working.
Basically, if you get crappy 3G coverage in your house, give this a shot. Several people in the thread have already received the device and said it works great, and I can report back once I receive mine.
So all we do is shoot them an email saying our 3G service is sort of low and that we want to be a tester? Can you post the number?
Apparently if you call a standard CSR they will not know what you are talking about. There is a special email. Here is the email exchange. They gave me their number to call in their response, but I am not 100% certain whether you need to email them first or not. Their email is [email protected].
Here's my exchange:
from MORESIGNAL <[email protected]>
to T***** Bunch <[email protected]*******.com>
date Fri, Feb 18, 2011 at 3:02 PM
subject RE: Weak Home Signal
hide details 3:02 PM (1 hour ago)
Dear T-Mobile Customer,
We have reviewed your recent coverage concern, and you may qualify to be part of a free, in-home device trial! The device is designed to boost 3G signal inside your home. We look forward to speaking with you regarding your eligibility. Please call us at 1-877-724-4659 for details!
T-Mobile Customer Loyalty Team
Please do not reply to this e-mail. If you have questions, please call us at 1-877-724-4659.
From: T***** Bunch [mailto:[email protected]********.com]
Sent: Friday, February 18, 2011 2:13 PM
To: MORESIGNAL
Subject: Weak Home Signal
- Hide quoted text -
I'm a long-time T-Mobile customer (509-***-****) who's on the verge of cancellation due to difficulty in getting a signal at my house. I read some internet forum posts about a T-Mobile trial of a Nextivity signal booster that sounds like it might allow my phone to work at home and enable T-Mobile to salvage a customer account.
I have a G2 and my wife has a MyTouch3G Slide and only in a couple areas of our house we can get 3G coverage. Unfortunately this is very frustrating for us as we pay almost $150 per month for our service and have very low-speed data while we are in all the common areas of our house.
I live in WA and am willing to fill out surveys on my experiences with the booster. Please let me know if I can be included in your trial.
T***** Bunch
[email protected]********.com
509-***-****
I'm sending an email, just because of my interest in the technology Thx for this.
Thanks for the info! I just sent them a letter
Sent from my HTC Vision using XDA App
Sent one as well.. My phone has two bars of 3G sitting beside me but when I pick it up it will go to Edge or even GPRS in certain areas of my house. However I go a few blocks down the street and I am full tilt "4G"
I've seen this happening a bit with AT&T customers with bad reception, getting phemtocells to boost 3G performance inside their house.
Although I don't really get why you would do this with T-mobile? especially if you have a G2, why not just use WiFi calling and call it a day?
I am really excited to see if we qualify for this. In my room I get 3G alright, but most of our house is on edge, and our living room gets little to no cell reception at all. If someone who still has 3G coverage in their house can get this, than we should definitely be able to as long-time (10 years +) T-Mobile Customers.
Our housing association turned down building a cell tower near my house not too long ago to address the concerns of everyone in this area and I was really ticked at them for not doing it.
martonikaj said:
I've seen this happening a bit with AT&T customers with bad reception, getting phemtocells to boost 3G performance inside their house.
Although I don't really get why you would do this with T-mobile? especially if you have a G2, why not just use WiFi calling and call it a day?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is of course assuming one has wifi in their house to begin with.
Sent from my HTC Vision using XDA App
TJBunch1228 said:
This is of course assuming one has wifi in their house to begin with.
Sent from my HTC Vision using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
ya its nuts that some people still dont have wifi, it costs like 20-30 bucks at walmart for a router lol.
i wonder if those same people are still paying for 56k speed on AOL.
TJBunch1228 said:
This is of course assuming one has wifi in their house to begin with.
Sent from my HTC Vision using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I find it hard to believe that someone reading XDA doesn't have WiFi in their house.
And even lighter, I'd be surprised if someone who has an android phone with a $70+ phone plan including data doesn't have WiFi lol.
Just sayin it would be easier to just turn on WiFi calling then order a microcell.
martonikaj said:
I find it hard to believe that someone reading XDA doesn't have WiFi in their house.
And even lighter, I'd be surprised if someone who has an android phone with a $70+ phone plan including data doesn't have WiFi lol.
Just sayin it would be easier to just turn on WiFi calling then order a microcell.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is for people who don't have home internet or only have slow DSL obviously. Of course if you have a great ISP and a wireless router this thread is moot for you.
Don't sign up for the free equipment if you are happy with your wifi calling and wifi data. Simple as that.
martonikaj said:
I find it hard to believe that someone reading XDA doesn't have WiFi in their house.
And even lighter, I'd be surprised if someone who has an android phone with a $70+ phone plan including data doesn't have WiFi lol.
Just sayin it would be easier to just turn on WiFi calling then order a microcell.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Agreed lol
I've got a really beasty Net gear router with 8 internal antennas and almost 800mhz processor in it.... and I STILL get barely enough wifi to do wifi calling in my bedroom
So this thing would be perfect for me. I get great data outside, and other parts of my house, but I swear my room has lead walls *it's an addon to the old house*
i ordered mine today hopefully i will no longer have dead spots in my bathroom and back bedroom. and they waived the shgipping cost. tmo is really trying to keep their customers happy.
Thanks for sharing. I ordered one today. I didn't bother with the email and just called the number. The rep asked if anyone else needed one. My folks got two more, one for home and another for office. No shipping, no strings, lifetime use. They may ask you to answer some questions by email about the product. No big deal there.
Sent from my HTC Vision using XDA App
tsalate said:
i ordered mine today hopefully i will no longer have dead spots in my bathroom and back bedroom. and they waived the shgipping cost. tmo is really trying to keep their customers happy.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Service in the bathroom? sounds like a 1 way ticket to water damage.
But yea it seems like T-mo is really trying to keep their customers. I'm on a non-contract plan and they treat me amazingly lol.
You're gonna sit there with a straight face and tell me you throw birds at pigs while you are deucing?!
Madness
Sent from my HTC Vision using XDA App
What number are you calling? I called the one in the thread, and I get some real estate company. I have yet to get an email response.
brfield said:
What number are you calling? I called the one in the thread, and I get some real estate company. I have yet to get an email response.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The number in the 3rd post of this thread, my email from them, is the one I called..worked fine yesterday.
Sent from my HTC Vision using XDA App
TJBunch1228 said:
Dear T-Mobile Customer,
We have reviewed your recent coverage concern, and you may qualify to be part of a free, in-home device trial! The device is designed to boost 3G signal inside your home. We look forward to speaking with you regarding your eligibility. Please call us at 1-877-724-4659 for details!
T-Mobile Customer Loyalty Team
Please do not reply to this e-mail. If you have questions, please call us at 1-877-724-4659.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks so much for this post. It gave me an idea of what we needed to do to get into this program. Here's my experience: We called into the program (at the number listed above) and told them that we had a weak signal in our house and heard about this pilot program to provide cell boosters to customers. The representative was extremely friendly through the whole call, and asked us some of the questions above or listed in the other post (landline, home, 911, etc). Good thing we were prepared with this. After going through all that they told us they'd be sending it free with the stipulation that we return it if they end the program and that we answer 3 surveys. Fully worth it from our perspective.
Our reception problems are bad here...
I didn't tell them this, but I think the problems got way worse with our new roof. In most of our house we either get edge or no reception (in two particular places incl our home office) but in my room we get 3G (Lucky!). I'm really excited about this program and that I found this post my first day on the "Normal" G2 forums (I'm normally reading the Dev section).
Aloha
Hey folks,
So I did it. I finally got tired of paying $170 for 4GB of data on two phones and up and cancelled my VZW account yesterday.
I then promptly ordered 2 Moto X's on Republic Wireless and picked their 'best' plan. They have a 30 day money back guarantee, so I figured, what can it hurt.
If you're familiar with Republic, you already know this, but their claim to fame is that they sell a Moto X for $299 in white or black, and then you can pick from 4 plans that are between $5 and $40 a month (per phone).
$5 - Wifi Calling and texting only
$15 - Wifi Calling, texting, and then text and calling over cellular
$25 - The above plus Sprint 3g coverage
$40 - The above plus Spring 4g coverage
You are allowed to change your plan 2x per month. And they supposedly roam on VZW for up to 500 MB a month or somesuch. Which is fine, I only need the actual ability to use the phone when I'm out, or God forbid the wife breaks down somewhere with the baby...she needs to be able to make a call
I know of Sprint and they STINK...I know it and you know it. Ha. At least in my area. But nothing is good at my house...even my VZW with network extender barely gets the job done...but my wifi is GREAT! So, I'm hoping this will work. You can learn more by going to their site.
So, I hope to sell my VZW Moto X and my wife's SGS3 for ~$600, which will cover the cost of the new phones.
Even if I stick with their $40 plan, that's still $80 a month vs. $170. ~$1000 vs ~$2000 on VZW
My experience so far.
Their website is good. There is ample information and they have forums and help sections up the wazoo!
They have 2 phone options. A 'Defy XT' running GB or a Moto X on 4.2.2...no brainer here. Moto X's, please! They only offer white and black...no Motomaker. No biggie..white one for the missus, black one for me. Only downside is I've gotten used to tap to pay and other nice 4.4 features on my Vzw Moto X. Will be hard to go back to slow updates and 4.2.2. again...although at least they have the camera update...and they say 4.4 in February...and Moto and Google have been pushing everything to Play, so it's just a little bit of a waiting game.
After ordering, I see my order will ship in 5-7 days. Sheesh! In a world of Amazon, Newegg, whatever, I'm used to getting orders in a few days. Heck, in a lot of places Verizon will get it to you the same day, everywhere else they overnight it the next day.
So, I look for a phone number. There is none. Look online and find a corporate # which gets you to a menu where you need to know extensions.
So I email them, ask if they can tell me how long to expect. After about 3 hours I get a form email explaining pretty much what was online. 5-7 days to ship, then a few days to get here. Sheesh. I write back and ask for a more personal answer...I get nothing.
Now, about 20 hours later, my order is still pending. No movement whatsoever. But, I guess that's just delivering what was promised with the 5-7 days.
Recap:
Order pros: Easy to order, good phone, nice choices, good website.
Order cons: No ability to reach a real person, molasses slow shipping times, outdated OS.
I'm going to keep updating this thread throughout my month with them, before I decide to keep or return the phones. Figured it'd be fun for me and maybe helpful for anyone else in my situation.
I am interested in hearing of your experience. I considered both RW and Ting before ordering my Moto X. I was on T-Mobile prepaid and had spotty reception at home with my Nexus 4.
While the T-Mobile plan has limited minutes, I used GrooveIP with a Google voice number when on WIFI, so it was not really a limiting factor. I know this is going away next May, but am confident there will be a replacement before then.
My major concern was Sprint's miserable 3G data speeds, and that 3G is all they offer within 60 miles of me. That would mean I would be without decent data when I need it most, when I am out and about. I get exemplary data speeds on T-Mobile as soon as I head down the hill so I decided to stick with them. And thankfully, the Moto X radios have corrected the spotty reception as well.
Solutions Etcetera said:
I am interested in hearing of your experience. I considered both RW and Ting before ordering my Moto X. I was on T-Mobile prepaid and had spotty reception at home with my Nexus 4.
While the T-Mobile plan has limited minutes, I used GrooveIP with a Google voice number when on WIFI, so it was not really a limiting factor. I know this is going away next May, but am confident there will be a replacement before then.
My major concern was Sprint's miserable 3G data speeds, and that 3G is all they offer within 60 miles of me. That would mean I would be without decent data when I need it most, when I am out and about. I get exemplary data speeds on T-Mobile as soon as I head down the hill so I decided to stick with them. And thankfully, the Moto X radios have corrected the spotty reception as well.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, they sound solid, but the Sprint thing is probably the worst of it...well, from what I've read. So far communication has been the worst of it, but maybe they're slammed for the season...who knows. So far 3 emails, all with form replies. And keep in mind, there is no contact #.
But, once I have the phone in hand I'm pretty much hoping to not have to contact them anymore.
Verizon roaming?
How well does the Verizon roaming work? That could be a key factor for me as some of my family live outside of the range of most providers (not sure on sprint in particular, but ATT is definitely out)
Fellow RW Moto X user here. I got my MX 6 days after ordering it, and they were projecting the 5-7 days thing so its accurate at least. My order status stayed "pending" till it shipped which was about 5 days (the shipping is fast at least) after the order was placed.
Just a couple tips... not sure if you can go back but there are codes floating around the net that give you the first month free. I took advantage of that and got the 4G/LTE plan to test it out. So far sprints network is slow as molasses unless I'm in a 4G/LTE area in which cases its pretty fast (15-18 mbs/up 2-3 mbs/down).
I have to say RW did an amazing job of integrating wifi calling, the handoff from wifi to cell is almost unnoticeable. I get very spotty 3G over at my GF place and it pretty much killed my MX battery in 6-7 hours (didn't realize I had the wifi off), the phone actually got a little warm too. using wifi though, I get my average 1.5-2 day battery performance.
Make sure you check your area and see if you even have sprint 4G/LTE service. no point paying the $40 a month if your not going to be able to take advantage of the additional speeds. The $25 a month plan gets you the same amount of data just at 3G (aka .5 mbs or less on sprint) speeds, which may be all they have in your area.
RW has virtually no phone tech support, its all web based. So on the bright side they have a great web community, on the down side compared to phone based system they can be a bit sluggish (2-3 days) getting you tech support.
They sent me tracking info to be delivered on Thursday. Woot! Maybe it was because they are just underpromising/overdelivering or maybe it's because I bugged them...either way. Kudos to Republic so far. Will report back when they arrive and I fire them up!
I tried the X on Republic and it didn't work for me. I travel a lot, often to rural places in the West (Montana, Idaho, Nevada desert). That right there is a no-go as Sprint is really bad. They state that they have the right to cancel your service if you use roaming too much (after one warning). Don't need to worry every time I place a call or load a website.
I do have a work iPad w/Verizon LTE data, so technically I could tether via wifi calling and have Verizon coverage, but that's a hassle to carry around the iPad constantly.
Also, I didn't realize how much I use voice/data at the same time (GSM).
It's a pretty neat proposition if you are on wifi a lot or live in an area where Sprint is just incredible. Not so for the Western US (excluding huge cities like LA, etc).
Also, my number is ported to Google Voice. RW uses a back-end Sprint number that you don't see and forwards the call to your RW number. If you layer in GV as well, you are double-forwarding each call. Not a big deal on the surface, but the potential for voice lag is doubly as worse with a GV number. Just a thought.
Alas, back to GSM and AT&T. It's worth the premium to me.
Personal opinion as everything on the internet is.
I give props to RW for what they are trying to do but its still basically a beta service and not good for me personally. My battery life was better on a moto x I had on AIO for about 3 months. And RW doesn't support smilies in text messages, maybe a small issue to some but for my wife and I its a staple for us on her grave yard shift nights. I am glad I test drove it and hope to see good things come from their efforts, maybe even a Google buyout some day? I say give them a try for 3 weeks or so like I did, it just might work for you.
I'll be interested in OP's experience. I'll be curious what it will be like coming from a Premium Carrier to a Hybrid Budget Carrier. I've been using RW for about 3 weeks. I came from a Nexus 4. I really like the phone -- Moto X - and I've been satisfied with my experience on RW but I live in a big city; I'm always on wifi at home and work; and I am not a heavy cell phone user.
---------- Post added at 04:20 PM ---------- Previous post was at 04:09 PM ----------
Solutions Etcetera said:
I was on T-Mobile prepaid and had spotty reception at home with my Nexus 4..............
..................I used GrooveIP with a Google voice number when on WIFI, so it was not really a limiting factor...................
..................And thankfully, the Moto X radios have corrected the spotty reception as well.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
.....................
@Solutions Etcetera Did you go from Nexus 4 to Moto X on T-mobile Prepaid. If so, which version of the Moto X are you using -- DevEd or Tmo??
I too had the Nexus 4 T-Mobile Prepaid and my reception at home was spotty. I'd be interested to know if simply changing your phone to a Moto X improved your T-Mobile reception.
T-Mobile is very strong where I live but my condo is heavy concrete, steel, and glass, and the T-Mobile signal just didn't penetrate very well but on my deck the Tmo reception was superb -- inside terrible. AT&T was fine inside as well, and my Republic Wireless Moto X Sprint reception gets great indoor reception as well.
I never had much success with Groove IP and Google Voice on my Nexus 4. Skype was much better. I live RW and the Moto X but I'm not a heavy cell phone user and I live in a big city and have nearly 24/7 access to wifi. Sometimes I wonder if I should have just stuck with my Nexus 4 on a pay-as-you-go per minute and just used Skype $3 calling subscription.
JGolf,
I bought the T Mobile version because I wanted the black woven back, and yes... I simply transferred my prepaid number to the new sim.
I get reception now everywhere. Home, in town, even indoors in local businesses. That was something both the Nexus 4 and 5 were incapable of. Even when I had signal on those, when I'd pick them up to use them the bars were gone.
I was jealous seeing others talking on their phones where I couldn't, thinking they must all be on Verizon. Who'd have thunk the Nexuses just have crappy radios.
I just switched from Sprint to Republic Wireless, so it's less of a change for me (Sprint is good where I am.) A few things worth mentioning:
Wifi calls are generally good, but I have had issues when lots of people are streaming/downloading/surfing/gaming at once.
Wifi to cell hand-offs have been great, and I can only notice it if I'm expecting it.
My phone came within 3 or 4 days; but my parents' phones, which I ordered the same day to a different address, took about 2 full weeks. Maybe the white ones are on back order or something (mine was black).
I could not port my Sprint phone number to Republic Wireless or Google Voice, so I unfortunately had to use a new number. Google Voice and RW use the same rate center (broadcom.com) so if you can't port to one, you can't port to the other. Motorola Connect has not proved to be as reliable as Google Voice's Chrome extension.
RW has chat support, but they cannot answer very technical questions in my (one) experience. It's just there to provide basic information.
You can submit a help ticket to change your caller ID twice (mine was my city by default.) They got back to me very promptly (but the change has not yet processed.)
You can (at your own risk, of course) root the RW Moto X and install the Xposed framework to customize it without messing up their custom ROM/software; however, they reserve the right to terminate your service. I doubt they would do that if you're not abusing the plan (actually read the TOS so you know what expectations are.) Obviously don't replace their ROM with a different one, as that would defeat the purpose of what they offer (and I don't think you would be able to activate it.) You can dual boot other ROMs for experimentation with Safestrap.
For $25/month, waiting until February May for Android 4.4 is worth it, but I really, really hope they deliver on that expectation and continue updating regularly like they claim they will.
If you decide to sign up, note that there is a referral program. If you use someone's link you and that person each get $19 off, or you can use the promo code "MONEYMUSTACHE19" and get the same $19. Here's my referral link (if this is not allowed, someone can let me know or a mod can remove it.)
I'm happy to answer any questions if people have any!
For me sprint is terrible here, too. But on my actual house, nobody gets cell reception. It's just bad. I'd like to go straight talk, but then we'd get zero coverage at home and the wife would kill me. At least with this I have 50mb down on the router and great n900 coverage.
I'm using a Moto x right now on Verizon, with 4.4 rooted with gravity box doing its thing. It's the best phone imo, I'm stoked
Sent from my XT1060 using Tapatalk
Solutions Etcetera said:
JGolf,
I bought the T Mobile version because I wanted the black woven back, and yes... I simply transferred my prepaid number to the new sim.
I get reception now everywhere. Home, in town, even indoors in local businesses. That was something both the Nexus 4 and 5 were incapable of. Even when I had signal on those, when I'd pick them up to use them the bars were gone.
I was jealous seeing others talking on their phones where I couldn't, thinking they must all be on Verizon. Who'd have thunk the Nexuses just have crappy radios.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks a lot for that info. It is very interesting and helpful to me. I had the Nexus 4 (and briefly Nexus 5) and my experience was the same as yours.
I was wondering whether or not the radios were not-so-great in the Nexus's because my Republic Wireless Moto X gets great Sprint indoor coverage (even better than AT&T where I've tested) and Sprint operates on higher frequencies like T-Mobile. I know you can't mix and match apples and oranges and I am sure Tmo's and Sprint's are different frequencies, but I get solid 4 bars on Sprint's network on my RW Moto X inside my home, and with both my Nexus's I'd fluctuate between 1-4 bars on AT&T, and lucky to have 1 bar on Tmo.
---------- Post added at 06:07 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:02 PM ----------
SubliminalME said:
For me sprint is terrible here, too. But on my actual house, nobody gets cell reception. It's just bad. I'd like to go straight talk, but then we'd get zero coverage at home and the wife would kill me. At least with this I have 50mb down on the router and great n900 coverage.
I'm using a Moto x right now on Verizon, with 4.4 rooted with gravity box doing its thing. It's the best phone imo, I'm stoked
Sent from my XT1060 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm confused. I thought you were the OP and switching over to Republic Wireless?
---------- Post added at 06:09 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:07 PM ----------
mmm2010 said:
I just switched from Sprint to Republic Wireless, so it's less of a change for me (Sprint is good where I am.) A few things worth mentioning:
I'm happy to answer any questions if people have any!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Do you have any garbled calls. I do, just a bit, when I'm on a wifi call, but so far the cell calls have been pretty good. You?
jgolf said:
Do you have any garbled calls. I do, just a bit, when I'm on a wifi call, but so far the cell calls have been pretty good. You?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Usually I don't have a problem with it, but I have experienced garbled calls when my roommates and I are using the internet heavily (Netflix, Xbox Live, Steam, Torrents, etc.) That could likely be fixed using QOS (quality of service) settings on my router to prioritize VoIP traffic, but I haven't tried that (and I'm about to move out anyway).
jgolf said:
[/COLOR]
I'm confused. I thought you were the OP and switching over to Republic Wireless?
Yep! Cancelled my Verizon contract, effective the end of the month and Republic shipped my phones today.
Sent from my XT1060 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I canceled before I was officially billed, so I have a question.
I had the $25 plan. What are the average taxes? I know this varies greatly depending on where you live, etc, but does $25 turn into like $37 or something after taxes? Or is it closer to $29 or so.
I know the 911 fees and such add quite a bit to the advertised rate.
ericshmerick said:
I canceled before I was officially billed, so I have a question.
I had the $25 plan. What are the average taxes? I know this varies greatly depending on where you live, etc, but does $25 turn into like $37 or something after taxes? Or is it closer to $29 or so.
I know the 911 fees and such add quite a bit to the advertised rate.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Good question. Taxes appear to be $1.43 for the $25 plan (obviously that may vary by state), but the $25 plan is really $24.19. Also, the $19 referral discount is really an $18.39 discount, so I paid $7.23 for my first month. All in all, there look to be no surprises.
Here's a screenshot of my first month's breakdown:
{
"lightbox_close": "Close",
"lightbox_next": "Next",
"lightbox_previous": "Previous",
"lightbox_error": "The requested content cannot be loaded. Please try again later.",
"lightbox_start_slideshow": "Start slideshow",
"lightbox_stop_slideshow": "Stop slideshow",
"lightbox_full_screen": "Full screen",
"lightbox_thumbnails": "Thumbnails",
"lightbox_download": "Download",
"lightbox_share": "Share",
"lightbox_zoom": "Zoom",
"lightbox_new_window": "New window",
"lightbox_toggle_sidebar": "Toggle sidebar"
}
I love my republic wireless service and moto x. Happy on the $10/month cell call and TXT plan. Not having data out of WiFi actually helps me get back into the real world!
Sent from my XT1049 using Tapatalk
---------- Post added at 10:41 PM ---------- Previous post was at 10:40 PM ----------
And btw it uses 3g data for txt and MMS. Just can't use internet or download stuff.....except for what I just mentioned.
Sent from my XT1049 using Tapatalk
Republic Experience
I've had Republic almost a year. I even signed up for the Defy XT which shows how desperate I was to save money on my phone bill. The Moto X with Republic is for those who are basic smart phone users and want to save money on their phone service. People who root their phones or need the most powerful phone probably won't be satisfied with Republic.
My wife fits this bill perfectly. She is at home most of the time and couldn't tell you whether she was talking on wifi or cellular, she just likes the phone and call quality. I use the train and notice how the data speed varies at times. The phone has pretty good battery power. It has always made it to bedtime, but I could drain the battery if the screen was on continuously. I love it that I can make wifi calls--which means if I'm in a remote area that has wifi I still can call out or text. I think it's great that you can change your plan 2 times per month, but I haven't needed to do that.
I've rooted a previous phone, but probably won't do anything to this one as it does what I need it to do! I'm very happy with the Moto X and Republic. The downsides--you're kinda committed with Republic with the phone after 30 day trial, tech support and customer service is online or email. The phones came when they said they would, but it was tough to wait for it. Motorola Connect works okay, but would prefer to use Google Voice which I can't seem to get working with this service.
Here's a link for those interested: referrals.republicwireless.com/a/clk/2CtdGg
I'll be interested to hear your experiences!
dlongstreth said:
The downsides--you're kinda committed with Republic with the phone after 30 day trial
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
EDIT: Republic Wireless now allows reactivations.
That's definitely worth mentioning. One thing that not everyone realizes is that you can't really sell your RW phone for what it's worth (right now) because they do not currently allow reactivation of phones. One article (the last source) also says that the ESN is locked to a specific portion of Sprint's spectrum so it can't be used for other CDMA carriers, but they do not cite their source.
Republic Wireless is, however, working to change this, so in the future people might be able to get most of their $300 back by selling the device if they decide they want out. I suspect it might be a while, though.
Sources:
https://community.republicwireless.com/docs/DOC-1629
https://community.republicwireless.com/docs/DOC-1628
https://community.republicwireless.com/ideas/1084
http://liliputing.com/2013/09/cant-use-299-republic-wireless-moto-x-sprint.html