Database Users

ATT wants to charge me for 3G now

This morning I got a SMS from AT&T (USA) saying that they have identified my device as a "smartphone" and they will now be charging me $30 per month for data. (I checked and have used about 400MB of data in the last month)
(previously I was on a $10 data unlimited + $5 (forced messaging) plan (EDGE).
When I called to ask, they said that the only way I can use the EDGE data unlimited plan was if I went back to my SE w810 phone. (Note that it has a full browser and IM capability too)
I'm shocked how they can force me to pay more by using their ignorance of data technology (diff between EDGE and 3G) as an excuse.
Some questions for the community:
1) has this happened to you and what did you do ?
2) which are the other providers that provide EDGE? (the ATT rep stated as a matter of fact that t-mo DOES NOT have a EDGE-only plan, but I have read that t-mo does have it)
3) do you think I should return my phone and wait for the ATT version?
4) which 3G band is more common around the world? (UMTS Band 1/4/8 2100/AWS/900 ) or the bands on the upcoming ATT N1 ?
ps: I'm thinking of calling them back and saying that my phone is not a smartphone. (coz its a superphone )

Switch your phone to "use only 2g networks" (under settings>wireless networks) and tell them that they are wrong and your phone is incapable of 3g connectivity. I'm on tmo and I don't think they have a 2g (edge) only plan...

so....
you have a nexus that gets at&t 3g? how is that possible?

britoso said:
This morning I got a SMS from AT&T (USA) saying that they have identified my device as a "smartphone" and they will now be charging me $30 per month for data. (I checked and have used about 400MB of data in the last month)
(previously I was on a $10 data unlimited + $5 (forced messaging) plan (EDGE).
When I called to ask, they said that the only way I can use the EDGE data unlimited plan was if I went back to my SE w810 phone. (Note that it has a full browser and IM capability too)
I'm shocked how they can force me to pay more by using their ignorance of data technology (diff between EDGE and 3G) as an excuse.
Some questions for the community:
1) has this happened to you and what did you do ?
2) which are the other providers that provide EDGE? (the ATT rep stated as a matter of fact that t-mo DOES NOT have a EDGE-only plan, but I have read that t-mo does have it)
3) do you think I should return my phone and wait for the ATT version?
4) which 3G band is more common around the world? (UMTS Band 1/4/8 2100/AWS/900 ) or the bands on the upcoming ATT N1 ?
ps: I'm thinking of calling them back and saying that my phone is not a smartphone. (coz its a superphone )
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They are not "using their ignorance of data technology as an excuse". I am sure that AT&T knows more about the technology behind their service than you or I. They are not using any "excuses" they are going by policy. If you have a smart phone on their network they require you to have a data plan. It is really in your best interest to pay for the unlimited plan. It prevents you from having insanely large bills. And if you can afford to by the Nexus One, you can afford the $30 plan. I had to pay for the data plan when I had my 8525 on AT&T and they didn't even have 3G in my area at the time.

thewayne01 said:
If you have a smart phone on their network they require you to have a data plan.
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You're missing the point. THEY get to decide what is a "smartphone". Even though there are two levels of service (EDGE and 3G), they force you into paying for 3G even if your phone does not support it.
An analogy is a gas station forcing you to fill premium gas even though your car runs fine on regular. The gas station's excuse is that you have a shiny car so as per their policy you can only fill up on premium.

britoso said:
You're missing the point. THEY get to decide what is a "smartphone". Even though there are two levels of service (EDGE and 3G), they force you into paying for 3G even if your phone does not support it.
An analogy is a gas station forcing you to fill premium gas even though your car runs fine on regular. The gas station's excuse is that you have a shiny car so as per their policy you can only fill up on premium.
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LOL at the analogy. How about drop the bucket of loss that is AT&T and go with TMobile????

j2eubank said:
LOL at the analogy. How about drop the bucket of loss that is AT&T and go with TMobile????
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i second this lmao

b1337 said:
you have a nexus that gets at&t 3g? how is that possible?
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this .

Are you on contract? If you are tell them to go eat a ****, or free you from your contract because they are changing the terms on you.
If you're not on contract, then well, it's really up to them to change terms as they see fit, and they get to decide how you use their network.

I'm not in contract, been with them (Cingular) since 2003.
What are my options for voice+EDGE only.
I will surely miss my rollover minutes.

I could be wrong, but I don't think data plans are ever Edge or 3G specific. You are paying for data based on smartphone usage expectations. They think smartphone users will use a larger bandwidth than someone who uses a feature phone regardless of what the phones 3g/edge capabilities are.
If you are interested in checking out tmobile, you would be suited perfectly do to one of their even more plus plans (no contract, no subsidy) which range from $59.99 for 500 min with unlimited data/text (or ~$55 for no text) up to $79.99 for unlimited everything...
Depending on where you live you may only get edge, or GPRS so make sure to check the coverage maps etc...
Edit: IIRC DFW is supposed to well covered by tmo...

rossiscatch said:
You are paying for data based on smartphone usage expectations.
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So browsing on EDGE on my old sony w810i uses less bandwidth than browsing the same websites on my N1 ?
There is NO cap on the EDGE-only "data unlimited" data plan.
In the past they have forced people who used more than 2GB/month to switch. I'm not even close to that number. All they have right now is that i'm on a phone they classify as a "smartphone".
So those rates are for t-mo 3G correct ?

Damn that sucks that they're forcing you to upgrade >.< unfortunately, it's the same with t-mobile so it's up to you if you want to switch carriers
I had the "total internet add-on" data plan with t-mo with my dash, i only got edge on it though since the phone didnt support 3g. When i got my N1 i had 3g working for about 2 weeks just fine but one day it stopped working altogether, so i called them up and they said the same thing, "We have detected that you are using an android smartphone so you'll have to upgrade to the android internet plan"
Now i'm paying $25/month.
That's not too much of a difference than ATT's $30 but if you switch you'll actually be able to use 3g, and t-mobile's pretty cheap too so it shouldnt be too bad for you

britoso said:
So browsing on EDGE on my old sony w810i uses less bandwidth than browsing the same websites on my N1 ?
There is NO cap on the EDGE-only "data unlimited" data plan.
In the past they have forced people who used more than 2GB/month to switch. I'm not even close to that number. All they have right now is that i'm on a phone they classify as a "smartphone".
So those rates are for t-mo 3G correct ?
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Yup, T-mobile is essentially going for an "all or nothing" pricing structure.
Basically three options, X Minutes voice, text, data.
I hope they roll text and voice together soon.

britoso said:
So those rates are for t-mo 3G correct ?
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Yeah, the rates listed are for tmobile 3G (there is no EDGE plan on any carrier as far as I know), and you can take a closer look at tmobile.com. If those prices are good to you you should at least test tmobile out for a couple of weeks... 3G is definitely much more fun on the nexus than edge, and if you are going to be paying $30 a month more on At&t anyway you have nothing to lose. Also, you wouldn't be signing a contract, so you'd be in about the same position as you are now but with 3G capabilites.
With regards to data plans, I am not saying I agree with their logic; In fact, I think they should have 3G and Edge specific data plans. You would think AT&T would also welcome this to alleviate some of the 3G congestion for users who don't demand 3G speeds, or who's phones are not capable. I would even welcome a tiered package, for example, a 1GB hard cap for $10-15 or something.
Anyway, I think (total guess here) that they believe there is more use of push email, etc and apps that constantly update and grab data on phones like the iphone and nexus, so those are the capabilities I am referring to, not simply browsing the web.

There's no reason for them to have edge/3g data plans, that's not what they're charging you for. they charge more for smartphones because they use more bandwidth since they're able to load actual websites and do more than a basic cellphone with mobile web browsing. They may have a poor way of explaining the situation if they're saying it's because you've accessed their 3g networks (which as somebody has already pointed out is impossible with an N1), but it's simply because a smartphone accesses the data network more than a basic cellphone.

Why do you want EDGE only? Thing is the unlimited voice plans on tmobile are so cheap you don't need roll over. I used to be on AT&T as well and always felt more like I was the one doing the rolling over.

j2eubank said:
Why do you want EDGE only? Thing is the unlimited voice plans on tmobile are so cheap you don't need roll over. I used to be on AT&T as well and always felt more like I was the one doing the rolling over.
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I dont need more than EDGE. (gmail, gvoice, IM, occassional web lookup. thats all I use the web on my phone for)

original iphone (2g) users when they acquire a 3g or 3gs iphone receive emails and texts from att letting them know they have a 3g capable device (even if they have 3g disabled on the phone) and need to upgrade their plan to reflect this.
My girlfriend broke her 2g and adopted my iphone 3g when I moved to the n1. About a week after the migration, texts and emails started rolling in from ATT telling her to upgrade to a 3g data plan. I called ATT and they were less than friendly about the entire thing. I explained why she was on a 3g device and that if they checked their records, she was not using it. After a manager began to talk down to me I let them know she was in contract for the services offered for the iphone 2g and if they were adamant about the forced upgrade, they were free to let her out of her contract at not additional cost...so far the emails and texts have stopped. Keep in mind that she has 3g turned off on her phone so it's not like she is attempting to use a service that was not in her original plan.
It seems to me that they do actually offer an edge/2g only data plan if they are this persnickety regarding edge vs. 3g data usage.
...seriously lame if you ask me.

If the rumors about an upcoming AT&T N1 are true, then AT&T is probably gearing up to be able to detect the 3G N1's on their system and force them to upgrade. That would at least make some sense, even though I think they should be gearing more off of amount of data rather than type of data.
So, if they are gearing up for that - perhaps the current N1's are coming up in their system as "rogue 3G smartphones" even though these particular N1's are not accessing their 3G? They probably use IMEI numbers so it would boil down to whether HTC uses separate ranges for the different forms of the N1 or not - or whether they report the ranges with such fine granularity to the carriers.
My take on the "smartphone data" plan distinctions is that they really want to charge more for higher volumes of data, but any plan that includes a limit has such a bad public reaction these days that instead they make all of the plans "unlimited" and bank on how easy it is for the device to use the data to throttle the customers rather than a hard limit. In the end, the result is that they classify your device instead of your usage to appease the other customers and then you may pay in circumstances which seem unfair - all to save the "we don't like limits" crowd from rebelling...

T-Mobile or ATT?

Hey guys
I bought my nexus one the week it came out and have been putting up with edge for a while. I have wifi at home and work so I haven't had to suffer too much.
I have had ATT for 5-6 years and have been off contract for a while.
I looked at T-Mobile's pricing for their Even More+ no contract plans and I am paying about the same amount per month as the 500min+text+web plan.
I know reception will vary by area but I live and typically stay in the Pittsburgh area.
My current choices are:
1. Keep my nexus and stay on ATT (not likely)
2. Keep my nexus and switch to T-Mobile
3. Sell my Nexus and buy the ATT compatible version and stick with ATT (seems like too much work and will likely cost me more)
What would you guys recommend?
Thanks for the help!!

TMO is awful in my area so when I was deciding the same, I went with selling my launch nexus one and buying the ATT compat. version. I have been quite pleased with my speeds (2.xMbps down / 1.x Mbps up) on average.
You can sell your phone on ebay for about 500 (that's what mine went for) and in the end, a new one will run you about 30 dollars.

it depends on where you live. If you live in a major area like NYC where tmobile has good 3G coverage then get tmobile, it will be cheaper and tmobile doesnt screw you over in ways that att does.

Just do what's best in your situation. I was a long time AT&T sub as well. I moved to T-Mobile because I like the Even More Plus plan, fits my usage on my phone as well as my budget. Plus it's easier to turn in my phone bill on my expense report at work.

degs said:
Hey guys
I bought my nexus one the week it came out and have been putting up with edge for a while. I have wifi at home and work so I haven't had to suffer too much.
I have had ATT for 5-6 years and have been off contract for a while.
I looked at T-Mobile's pricing for their Even More+ no contract plans and I am paying about the same amount per month as the 500min+text+web plan.
I know reception will vary by area but I live and typically stay in the Pittsburgh area.
My current choices are:
1. Keep my nexus and stay on ATT (not likely)
2. Keep my nexus and switch to T-Mobile
3. Sell my Nexus and buy the ATT compatible version and stick with ATT (seems like too much work and will likely cost me more)
What would you guys recommend?
Thanks for the help!!
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Click to collapse
Sign up for tmobile and evaluate their reception in your area, you have 14 days if you don't like it before commiting.

I looked at T-Mobile's pricing for their Even More+ no contract plans and I am paying about the same amount per month as the 500min+text+web plan.
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Don't forget to factor that if you stay with AT&T you will pay $30/mo for smartphone data, not $15 for medianet. AT&T will auto upgrade you to the smartphone data if you're currently on medianet.
T-Mobile is definitely way cheaper overall, you can even get 500 mins + unlimited text for $39, then get the web2go plan (using the internet2.voicestream.com APN on your phone, instead of epc.tmobile.com) for $10. Total will be $49 which is a great deal - AT&T can't beat that.

At the same time although its cheaper with T-mobile....The signal in most cities switches between edge and 3g alot of the time....And alot of buildings you will go straight to edge. And edge for me dosent even work! So although i have T-mobile if sprint wasnt coming i would go with AT&T. "Personal experience/advice"

dallastx said:
At the same time although its cheaper with T-mobile....The signal in most cities switches between edge and 3g alot of the time....And alot of buildings you will go straight to edge. And edge for me dosent even work! So although i have T-mobile if sprint wasnt coming i would go with AT&T. "Personal experience/advice"
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True, in some buildings you will have to deal with EDGE (but of course, you may also have wifi in the building to make up for that)...
But in and around NYC, you're pretty much guaranteed to have 3G, and it works quite well.

gsvnet said:
Don't forget to factor that if you stay with AT&T you will pay $30/mo for smartphone data, not $15 for medianet. AT&T will auto upgrade you to the smartphone data if you're currently on medianet.
T-Mobile is definitely way cheaper overall, you can even get 500 mins + unlimited text for $39, then get the web2go plan (using the internet2.voicestream.com APN on your phone, instead of epc.tmobile.com) for $10. Total will be $49 which is a great deal - AT&T can't beat that.
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Well I currently pay 19.99 a month for internet with ATT. I have the OLD "smartphone" that I picked up when I got my 8525. I had that for almost 3 years and then just finished up a year with an E71(not X) and never had a problem.
What's this web2go you speak of?(I'll go search the forums as well)
I'll also have to find out if I can get a student discount with T-Mo like I do with ATT.
Thanks for all the help so far! Hopefully I don't come across as stupid or anything. I own a small deli/restaurant and work about 12 hours a day. My father has been in the hospital for a while and I am also taking care of the rest of my family so my time has become extremely limited.
Obviously I've been trying to find ways to reduce costs. 49 a month would be amazing

I've had both and prefer T-Mobile.. they have far better customer service, and their coverage here in north San Diego is far superior.. I get HSDPA speeds everywhere I go with T-Mobile and no more dropped calls.

Personally, I'd go for T-Mobile if I were you. You guys already have access to the 3MBit 3G service over there.

muncheese said:
Sign up for tmobile and evaluate their reception in your area, you have 14 days if you don't like it before commiting.
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If he's signing up for an Even More Plus plan then he has as long as he wants to cancel - there is no contract. Since he already has the N1 this would be the best type of plan to get.

Well I think that I will try to swing by a T-Mobile store tomorrow if I have time.
I'll get a SIM card and an Even More Plus plan. 500min+Text and web2go.
Has anyone had any problems using web2go with the nexus?
I'll try to see if I can get the activation fee waived and also add a student discount.
Anyone have any experience with porting a number later on? I'd like to try it for a week or so before porting my ATT number over and cutting that account(if I'm happy)

degs said:
Well I think that I will try to swing by a T-Mobile store tomorrow if I have time.
I'll get a SIM card and an Even More Plus plan. 500min+Text and web2go.
Has anyone had any problems using web2go with the nexus?
I'll try to see if I can get the activation fee waived and also add a student discount.
Anyone have any experience with porting a number later on? I'd like to try it for a week or so before porting my ATT number over and cutting that account(if I'm happy)
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The Even More Plus plans already include data. I'm using it myself with the 500 minute tier plan just fine with my N1.
edit: I ported too and that took a few hours and was fairly painless from AT&T

I'd stay with AT&T if I were you.
I switched to t-mobile from at&t to get the n1 with 3g coverage and I can honestly say in Houston, at&t has far more coverage and is faster.

I had pretty much the same choice between AT&T and T-Mobile, and I ended up just sticking with AT&T and buying the compatible version because I split my time between Pennsylvania and Virginia, and T-Mo coverage in Virginia is spotty at best (even with AT&T roaming agreements).
However, since you're Pittsburgh, it might be good to take the 14 evaluation period as others have said and see if your happy with T-Mobile in the area (plus the rate plans with data will be comparable, or T-Mo will be slightly cheaper).

gsvnet said:
T-Mobile is definitely way cheaper overall, you can even get 500 mins + unlimited text for $39, then get the web2go plan (using the internet2.voicestream.com APN on your phone, instead of epc.tmobile.com) for $10. Total will be $49 which is a great deal - AT&T can't beat that.
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I was told the $10 plan was not 3G, only edge, is this true?

Please. I too would be very interested in finding out if I can use this service to access the internet with my N1. I am currently a T-Mobile Customer using the N1 with the usual plan one gets with this phone.

jimbobalu said:
I was told the $10 plan was not 3G, only edge, is this true?
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No - it's full 3G for $10. You just have to use internet2.voicestream.com as the APN.

gsvnet said:
No - it's full 3G for $10. You just have to use internet2.voicestream.com as the APN.
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So is there something special I need to tell the salesperson or something I have to do to my phone to use internet2.voicestream.com?
Thanks

Guest/Tourist SIM in Canada

Hiya guys
I'm going on a holiday to Toronto, Canada at the end of next month and will be staying for 2 weeks. Just wondering what sort of data+voice plans/SIM's that I can get that has a good $/coverage(performance) ratio?
I'll be needing one for my GNexus and my mum's unlocked ATT Moto Atrix.
Thanks!

The plans in Canada are steep. Looking for just voice/txt or data as well?

onlymojo said:
The plans in Canada are steep. Looking for just voice/txt or data as well?
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well I'd like data as well, but if its too expensive then I guess I'll just take a voice/text plan.

Yeah data plans in canada are expensive compared to the US...just get a prepaid plan that includes talk and text from either Rogers, Telus or Bell. Wind and Mobilicity run on AWS like T-Mobile. Checl out the links provided.
http://www.bell.ca/Mobility/Cell_phone_plans/Prepaid_plans
http://www.telusmobility.com/en/ON/prepaid/rate-plans.shtml
http://www.rogers.com/web/content/wireless-products/plans##Tabset1-2

PakAttack1994 said:
Yeah data plans in canada are expensive compared to the US...just get a prepaid plan that includes talk and text from either Rogers, Telus or Bell. Wind and Mobilicity run on AWS like T-Mobile. Checl out the links provided.
http://www.bell.ca/Mobility/Cell_phone_plans/Prepaid_plans
http://www.telusmobility.com/en/ON/prepaid/rate-plans.shtml
http://www.rogers.com/web/content/wireless-products/plans##Tabset1-2
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Damn,I was hoping to get a data plan as well. :/
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus

you still can, just will be paying more lol...those companies listed do have voice, text and data prepaid plans available though, check which one better suits your needs since you'll only be there for just two weeks.

Check out http://mobility.petro-canada.ca/en/features/406.aspx
For $28 you can get 100 Canada wide anytime minutes, unlimited incoming/outgoing texts in canada and unlimited mobile web.
That specific plan can be seen here:
http://mobility.petro-canada.ca/en/features/396.aspx
Hope this helps. Probably the best rate you will find.

lol those plans are pretty awesome, unlimited everything for $50? Funny how Petro has its own cell phone plans now, never thought that would happen. I wonder if its truly unlimited though...

Hey everyone,
It's been a while since the last post here. Has there been any improvement in Canada? I'm traveling to Vancouver next week and I'll need a data plan (no minutes or texts). Any suggestions?
Thanks

domi_niku said:
Hey everyone,
It's been a while since the last post here. Has there been any improvement in Canada? I'm traveling to Vancouver next week and I'll need a data plan (no minutes or texts). Any suggestions?
Thanks
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hey, back then I ended up just using rogers 1gb prepaid (?)- can't remember.
Anyhow I burned through it quickly within 1.5 weeks on navigation and maps stuff so I'd be careful with usage!

any prepaid service in Canada? Will go to Canada from US in mounth, so need something like T-Mobile

[Advice Requested] Need Prepaid U.S Sim Card for Trip

Hey there,
I'm going down to the U.S for a trip to Darien Lake for a weekend soon (my family and I are Canadian). I need phone/text/internet access with fast speeds and very reliable service. I have heard 'Straight Talk' tossed around a bit on these forums, though I don't know if I would be allowed to purchase it (as a non-U.S citizen). I have an unlocked N7000 Galaxy Note to use on any service and would prefer to use it if possible. So, it is in this situation that I humbly ask for advice from my fellow XDA'ers.
Kindly,
LiquidNitrogen

Not sure where you are in Canada my friend but take a look at this... Perhaps you can order one or find something similar in your area...
http://www.omegacell.com/collections/us-roaming-sims

LiquidNitrogen said:
Hey there,
I'm going down to the U.S for a trip to Darien Lake for a weekend soon (my family and I are Canadian). I need phone/text/internet access with fast speeds and very reliable service. I have heard 'Straight Talk' tossed around a bit on these forums, though I don't know if I would be allowed to purchase it (as a non-U.S citizen). I have an unlocked N7000 Galaxy Note to use on any service and would prefer to use it if possible. So, it is in this situation that I humbly ask for advice from my fellow XDA'ers.
Kindly,
LiquidNitrogen
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I believe you can just go to straighttalk.com and order yourself a sim card [choose AT&T sim]and a $45 month unlimited card. Should be around $60 shipped.
Edit: I'm not sure they ship internationally. Could you have it shipped to the location you are staying in the states?
Sent from my GT-N7000 using xda premium

Go with Straight Talk. ST uses ATT's network so very reliable in most places in the US and fast data as well.

I live in Rochester, used to live in Buffalo, so I travel between the cities quite a bit, right through Darien Lake area.
I would look at Red Pocket (goredpocket-dot-com). They use the AT&T Go Phone prepaid coverage (You can google the map, then put in Pembroke, NY as the address. Pembroke is town adjacent to Darien Lake). You will see coverage is fine there, and I've had no problems with calls through there.
I'm sure you can buy a Red Pocket SIM on Amazon and have it delivered to Canada. Red Pocket used to cater to the Asian Market who would be coming to the U.S., So signing up from Canada probably won't be a problem.
I should also float the question the other way, what's the best Prepaid SIM to use when I visit Canada? This will be the first time I'll be taking a GSM phone to Canada (I previously had Sprint).

straighttalk is the way to go. they have a cheaper 30 dollar plan also.

maddog2727 said:
I live in Rochester, used to live in Buffalo, so I travel between the cities quite a bit, right through Darien Lake area.
I would look at Red Pocket (goredpocket-dot-com). They use the AT&T Go Phone prepaid coverage (You can google the map, then put in Pembroke, NY as the address. Pembroke is town adjacent to Darien Lake). You will see coverage is fine there, and I've had no problems with calls through there.
I'm sure you can buy a Red Pocket SIM on Amazon and have it delivered to Canada. Red Pocket used to cater to the Asian Market who would be coming to the U.S., So signing up from Canada probably won't be a problem.
I should also float the question the other way, what's the best Prepaid SIM to use when I visit Canada? This will be the first time I'll be taking a GSM phone to Canada (I previously had Sprint).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I looked around recently, Petro-Canada looked like a pretty good bet.
The problem is, us getting Petro-Canada SIMs is likely the same problem he'll have trying to get a Straight Talk SIM or Red Pocket SIM - They won't ship internationally, not even across the US/CAN border. I know Straight Talk's BYOD SIMs are mail-order only, you cannot purchase them in brick-and-mortar stores. Dunno if Petro-Canada SIMs are easier to find in their gas stations.
I live near the NY/PA border and have been looking into SIMs for if I ever want to make a trip to Montreal.

Yeah get the ST Sim and get it delivered to someone here in the States to either forward it to you in Canada our have it waiting here for you to pick up in the States. The Sims are sent by Fed Ex ground unless you want it delivered quicker and you can pay for 2 day or next day shipping.
Sent from my GT-N7000 Samsung Galaxy Note "Go big or go home" using XDA app

The only reason I suggest Red Pocket over straight Talk is that there's an unofficial daiy cap with straight talks data (go ahead and read about the problem in the forums) where as with Red Pocket you get to use your block of data however you like. You cam tether, use it all in one day, etc.
Sent from my GT-N7000 using Tapatalk 2

I dont view straight talk as a pre-paid SIM in its classic sense.. as its a monthly contract...
I recommend a visit to http://www.telestial.com/ to view available options.

Mystic38 said:
I dont view straight talk as a pre-paid SIM in its classic sense.. as its a monthly contract...
I recommend a visit to http://www.telestial.com/ to view available options.
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It's "monthly" but you only need to get it a month at a time. It's not a contract, no need to sign up for multiple months.
The more basic "pay as you go" plans are so basic that a Note will exceed the cost of a better plan rapidly.

As for Canadian prepaid, I'm really not sure. I've never had to use prepaid, I've always had a plan. Rogers/Bell/Telus are the 'big 3' companies in Canada, which all have more or less the same service and quality - the difference is in pricing and packages. I've always been a Telus user, as they have very clear and fair pricing, but I know many who are on Rogers (not too many on Bell though). Bell is usually more expensive for what you get. Whatever you do, stay away from Wind Mobile - their coverage sucks, their customer service is terrible, they are a royal pain to deal with and they only use T-Mobile's bands.
Prepaid SIMs are pretty easy to get. I've seen them alot at gas stations, Walmart, convenience stores, 7/11, etc. It's impossible to get unlimited data here in Canada though, even on contract you can't get it. Our providers have been very strict about that. And on top of that, within the past few months, they've upped their efforts to increase pricing and reduce caps on their data offerings.
I believe the major cellular companies to check out are Rogers/Telus/Bell (big 3) and their subsidiaries Koodoo, Virgin Mobile, Fido. This should help:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Canadian_mobile_phone_companies
Anyways, back to my issue, I'm going to need alot of data as much data as possible (~4 to 6 gb). Red pocket seems pretty good but they only give you 2GB of data. I'm looking at Boost Mobile right now but they use Sprints network, which is supposedly slow, but they don't cap their data (supposedly). The unofficial data cap on Straight Talk makes me want to avoid it, as I've read its 100mb/day which is very small.

LiquidNitrogen said:
As for Canadian prepaid, I'm really not sure. I've never had to use prepaid, I've always had a plan. Rogers/Bell/Telus are the 'big 3' companies in Canada, which all have more or less the same service and quality - the difference is in pricing and packages. I've always been a Telus user, as they have very clear and fair pricing, but I know many who are on Rogers (not too many on Bell though). Bell is usually more expensive for what you get. Whatever you do, stay away from Wind Mobile - their coverage sucks, their customer service is terrible, they are a royal pain to deal with and they only use T-Mobile's bands.
Prepaid SIMs are pretty easy to get. I've seen them alot at gas stations, Walmart, convenience stores, 7/11, etc. It's impossible to get unlimited data here in Canada though, even on contract you can't get it. Our providers have been very strict about that. And on top of that, within the past few months, they've upped their efforts to increase pricing and reduce caps on their data offerings.
I believe the major cellular companies to check out are Rogers/Telus/Bell (big 3) and their subsidiaries Koodoo, Virgin Mobile, Fido. This should help:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Canadian_mobile_phone_companies
Anyways, back to my issue, I'm going to need alot of data as much data as possible (~4 to 6 gb). Red pocket seems pretty good but they only give you 2GB of data. I'm looking at Boost Mobile right now but they use Sprints network, which is supposedly slow, but they don't cap their data (supposedly). The unofficial data cap on Straight Talk makes me want to avoid it, as I've read its 100mb/day which is very small.
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I would rather have data cap than ever deal with sprints network again.
Sent from my GT-N7000 using xda premium

The ST $30 "All you need" plan may only be available on their phones and not on an unlocked phone from another GSM carrier. Hope I'm wrong. See http://straighttalksim.com/index.php

lamou1nr said:
I would rather have data cap than ever deal with sprints network again.
Sent from my GT-N7000 using xda premium
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Thanks for the advice on the Canadian Prepaid.
As cor your issue, I believe Boost is CDMA only because it's runs on Sprint's native coverage.
Sent from my GT-N7000 using Tapatalk 2

[Q] CANADIANS: Which provider for me?

Ok so im on fido right now
Unlimited local calling
Unlimited canada wide text
35$
however Im thinking about winds 40$ unlimited plan. What are your thoughts?
please help, dont wanna go big three. there plans too expensive for me

What do you want to know?
I'm in Vancouver too and I have been with WIND since a few days after they launched here...never had issues with them except lack of coverage in some places (i.e basements, Canada Line, a few random shops).
Go with them and switch later on if you are not happy, its pretty simple to do so.

zivan56 said:
What do you want to know?
I'm in Vancouver too and I have been with WIND since a few days after they launched here...never had issues with them except lack of coverage in some places (i.e basements, Canada Line, a few random shops).
Go with them and switch later on if you are not happy, its pretty simple to do so.
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I want data but the problem is i dont want to leave fido becuase i have been with them for a long time but they are not makin any effort to keep me. How is call qualitY?

I'm with wind here in toronto. coverage is OK, but I'm not too happy with the network speed, even with full signal. I would check out koodo. They just launched some pretty good plans and you get the great Telus coverage (plus LTE, now that we can get it working on the N4 )
https://shop.koodomobile.com/plans/plans/index.html

FaDeGFX said:
i dont want to leave fido becuase i have been with them for a long time but they are not makin any effort to keep me
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Why are you being loyal to company that isnt making an effort to keep you?
If wind's coverage area is enough for you then switch.

peachpuff said:
Why are you being loyal to company that isnt making an effort to keep you?
If wind's coverage area is enough for you then switch.
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Yea i think i will be going with Wind on dec 15 when my contract is over. The problem with koodo is there plans are expensive for me

It really depends on your usage. For me, I don't use much minutes and roughly 150 minutes with unlimited @5 and weekends will do perfectly fine. However, I do love data and will need it.
I did switch around between carriers but needed one that has reception up at the high mountains, which Fido does wonders. Anyway, you can call retentions and ask to match koodo's promotion plan of $30, which includes 150 minutes, unlim @7 and weekends, CID, VM and most importantly 200mb of data. If you want more, you can move up to the $45 range, but data in Canada is still ridiculously priced. If you want 6gb, you will have to call retentions and match other carriers there and it should be around $60 or so.
If you have coverage within Wind or Mobi, it's a no brainer to switch. If not, the above is one option.
Good luck!

FaDeGFX said:
I want data but the problem is i dont want to leave fido becuase i have been with them for a long time but they are not makin any effort to keep me. How is call qualitY?
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Click to collapse
Call quality is just like on any other network...I didn't notice a difference when switching from Fido. It is a standard UMTS codec as other networks use. WIND also supports HD Voice if the other side supports it.