[Q] Best MNVO for use with AT&T's network? - Galaxy Tab General

I have seen an handful of users mention they are using SIM cards from Simple Mobile, who is a TMobile MNVO per Wikipedia ... but seeing that our (US-based users) only certain way to both make standard phone calls and access 3G data is via AT&T's network... as such, can we get some suggestions as to who is a good MNVO to use to access AT&T?
EDIT: i.e., looking for a carrier/reseller of AT&T who would serve a role similar to that of Simple Mobile, who is a reseller of T-Mobile's network, but who does so with a better pricing structure and month-to-month plans.

Perhaps I should adjust the initial question a bit...
Are there *any* AT&T resellers that include 3G data access with their plans?

Alrighty, I might be the only one looking for this info, but thought someone else might as well...
Per this list of US-based resellers: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_US_MVNO
Here are the resellers who look to be offering 3G internet via AT&T's network:
AirVoice Wireless: unlimited talk/text/100MMS/30MB internet -- http://www.airvoicewireless.com/PlanA.aspx
H2O Wirless: unlimited talk/text/MMS/50MB internet -- https://www.h2owirelessnow.com/pageControl.php?page=plans

Unfortunately, it's fairly clear that AT&T has the monopoly on 3G data in US...
- GadgetGuy

Gadgetguy said:
Unfortunately, it's fairly clear that AT&T has the monopoly on 3G data in US...
- GadgetGuy
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Click to collapse
The point of listing/finding these MNVO companies is that they are resellers of AT&T services, but under their name, not under AT&T's name ... so like many who use a Simple Mobile sim card to access T-Mobile's network, the same can be done here (i.e., using an H2O sim card to access AT&T's network).
And unlike AT&T's pricing structure, you typically can find a better deal going through one of these resellers (although note that I can only find 2 offering data services as it looks like AT&T is keeping the data to themselves ... probably due to their iPhone/data issues, but I could be wrong).
So take H2O's plan: unlimited talk & text + 50MB of data for $49.95/month. That isn't all that bad and it is month-to-month, so you aren't locked in to a 2 year deal
Comparing that to AT&T's..
Nation Unlimited plan: unlimited talk for $69.99/month
Dataplus for smartphone: 200MB of data for $15.00/month

TurckBoatTruck said:
The point of listing/finding these MNVO companies is that they are resellers of AT&T services, but under their name, not under AT&T's name ... so like many who use a Simple Mobile sim card to access T-Mobile's network, the same can be done here (i.e., using an H2O sim card to access AT&T's network).
And unlike AT&T's pricing structure, you typically can find a better deal going through one of these resellers (although note that I can only find 2 offering data services as it looks like AT&T is keeping the data to themselves ... probably due to their iPhone/data issues, but I could be wrong).
So take H2O's plan: unlimited talk & text + 50MB of data for $49.95/month. That isn't all that bad and it is month-to-month, so you aren't locked in to a 2 year deal
Comparing that to AT&T's..
Nation Unlimited plan: unlimited talk for $69.99/month
Dataplus for smartphone: 200MB of data for $15.00/month
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think we are saying the same thing. Unless your point of shifting to an MNVO from AT&T is to make phone calls, then you can get the best value from AT&T itself, since you have the option of 2GB of data for $25/mo. But even this price sucks compared to the $30 "unlimited" iPhone and iPad data plans I have for my other devices.
I am a heavy user of data and travel internationally for work, so I have limited options.
- GadgetGuy

Gadgetguy said:
I think we are saying the same thing. Unless your point of shifting to an MNVO from AT&T is to make phone calls, then you can get the best value from AT&T itself,
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Click to collapse
Yes, voice calling is my priority... and being able to access 3G data when needed (rarely) is a bonus.
BTW, looks like Jolt Mobile will be offering data access soon:
http://www.howardforums.com/showthr...ted-talk-text-50-plan?p=14139937#post14139937

I can help you get your Tab onto H2O if you want.

qipengart said:
I can help you get your Tab onto H2O if you want.
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Click to collapse
Sure thing! Although I was under the assumption that simply doing the Euro-firmware upgrade to the AT&T Tab (and using an H2O sim) would allow me on... no?

Awesome... I would have to provision your Tab for use on H2O. I work for a wireless company.
Sent from my Eris using XDA App

qipengart said:
Awesome... I would have to provision your Tab for use on H2O. I work for a wireless company.
Sent from my Eris using XDA App
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Click to collapse
Very cool. What needs to be done on my end?
And I certainly appreciate the help.

Related

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 )
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
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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Click to collapse
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????
Click to expand...
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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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Click to collapse
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 ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
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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Click to collapse
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.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
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...

Unlimited Data Plan on T-Mobile & AT&T

I currently have HTC HD2 running on Android. I am currently on AT&T and I am thinking about getting the T-Mobile $50 unlimited talk/text/data plan.
The first 100MB are full speed. My question is, after I use up the first 100MB of full speed data, what speed will I be getting? Will it be 3G or EDGE? Or will it be slower than edge?
What if I get AT&T's unlimited data for non-smartphones? AT&T can't detect my HD2, so I will be able to add this plan. But what will be the data speed I will be getting? Is it 3G, EDGE, or slower than EDGE?
What if I get AT&T's $50 Monthly Unlimited GoPhone Prepaid plan? They won't be able to detect my HD2 as a smartphone, so will I be able to use their unlimited data? What will be the speed of the data plan?
If there is an occasion where I remove my SIM card from the HD2 and put into an iPhone, will AT&T automatically detect it and remove me from the unlimited data plan?
Zythyr said:
I currently have HTC HD2 running on Android. I am currently on AT&T and I am thinking about getting the T-Mobile $50 unlimited talk/text/data plan.
1. The first 100MB are full speed. My question is, after I use up the first 100MB of full speed data, what speed will I be getting? Will it be 3G or EDGE? Or will it be slower than edge?
2. What if I get AT&T's unlimited data for non-smartphones? AT&T can't detect my HD2, so I will be able to add this plan. But what will be the data speed I will be getting? Is it 3G, EDGE, or slower than EDGE?
3. What if I get AT&T's $50 Monthly Unlimited GoPhone Prepaid plan? They won't be able to detect my HD2 as a smartphone, so will I be able to use their unlimited data? What will be the speed of the data plan?
4. If there is an occasion where I remove my SIM card from the HD2 and put into an iPhone, will AT&T automatically detect it and remove me from the unlimited data plan?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
1. I don't know which version of the HD2 you have, but if it is currently getting 3G on AT&T, then it won't get 3G on T-Mobile. You would need the T-Mobile version of the HD2 for that. T-Mobile throttles speeds back one tier from what you pay for when you hit the soft cap. For example, if you pay for the 3G/4G service, you will get throttled back to EDGE. It will still show a 3G or HSPA connection, but the speeds will be down to somewhere around 100kbps down and 70kbps up. If you don't get 3G with them anyway, then you won't see any difference at all.
2. AT&T does not have any unlimited plans anymore. Even if you get a data plan with them, they can absolutely detect the IMEI number even on non-AT&T devices. They will send you a free text telling you that you need to be on a smartphone data plan. If you ignore the text, within a couple of days, you will have the lowest plan of $15 data for 200MB added to your account.
3. Again, they can detect the type of device you are using and will add an appropriate plan to your account for your device. Data speeds depend on the coverage area and the device you are using. Only the Telstra HD2 is able to get 3G on AT&T. The European and T-Mobile ones will only ever get EDGE speeds.
4. This is the same as what I described above. Once you start using the iPhone, it will be detected and your plan will be adjusted accordingly, whether you allow them to do so or not.
You will get much better customer service and data consistency on T-Mobile in most cases. Their plans are also WAY cheaper on T-Mobile. Depending on which HD2 you actually have, your data speeds will vary in comparison to AT&T. I, personally, have been a contract-free customer with T-Mobile for a very long time. I still pay $50 for 1000 minutes a month, which is unlimited for me, unlimited texts, and unlimited data. I'm grandfathered in, so I also do not have a soft cap on my data connection, nor do I have to pay for tethering.
When all is said and done, the best thing about T-Mobile is that it isn't AT&T.
You can still trick AT&T into getting an unlimited plan if you use phones they don't know the IMEI of, or if you activate the account with an iPhone 2G.
synaesthetic said:
You can still trick AT&T into getting an unlimited plan if you use phones they don't know the IMEI of, or if you activate the account with an iPhone 2G.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
IMEI's are very easy for carriers to look up. It does not only apply to devices they carry. This is a common myth. Once they see the IMEI of a smartphone, whether it is theirs or not, you get stuck with the smartphone data plan. It makes no difference. IMEI's are easily available and carriers have a database of which devices they belong to.
does ATT have a list of smartphone that requires data plan, anyone knows?
[email protected] said:
does ATT have a list of smartphone that requires data plan, anyone knows?
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Click to collapse
All AT&T smartphone-type devices require data plans. To my knowledge, there are no exceptions.
cajunflavoredbob said:
All AT&T smartphone-type devices require data plans. To my knowledge, there are no exceptions.
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Click to collapse
so if I have a t_mobile smartphone and willing to stayat edge speed, I should be okay? thanks
[email protected] said:
so if I have a t_mobile smartphone and willing to stayat edge speed, I should be okay? thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
They are going to tack on a smartphone data plan, but yes, you can use it on their network after you get a SIM from them.
I agree with about 90% of what cajunflavoredbob replied.
Tmobile HD2 = Tmobile USA 3G or 4G (HSPA+)
HTC HD2 (Non-Branded) = AT&T 3G or Other providers 3G or HSPA+
When it comes to the plan type:
Tmobile Prepaid 4G (Month to Month) = $50 Unlimited Everything (1st 100MB is 4G)
My friend just got this plan and using it on Tmobile HD2.
I will check with him and report back once I have him do a few major download to pass the 100MB cap & a few speed test.
AT&T GoPhone Prepaid = $50 Unlimited Everything (No 3G for Smartphones)
Just got this like yesterday and tested on 3G iPhone.
3G iPhone data connection got blocked immediately after about 1 minute or usage.
However, if I switch back to the 3G Samsung SGH-A717, I was able to browse around and use 3G data on AT&T.
Therefore, I'm pretty sure AT&T system is scanning IMEI in real-time like cajunflavoredbob replied.
But I'm not sure about the Non-Branded HTC HD2 using 3G data on AT&T. Sorry but I do not have a Non-Branded HTC HD2 to test with. I'm currently activating prepaid services for people and will keep my eyes and ears open for you guys.
Personally, I'm pretty sure Non-Branded HTC HD2 WILL WORK & WILL PICK UP AT&T 3G because AT&T system WILL NOT RECOGNIZE the device & will treated as Non-Smartphone device.
That's all I found out for now. I will update once I do a few speed test here & there.
dtkool said:
I agree with about 90% of what cajunflavoredbob replied.
Tmobile HD2 = Tmobile USA 3G or 4G (HSPA+)
HTC HD2 (Non-Branded) = AT&T 3G or Other providers 3G or HSPA+
When it comes to the plan type:
Tmobile Prepaid 4G (Month to Month) = $50 Unlimited Everything (1st 100MB is 4G)
My friend just got this plan and using it on Tmobile HD2.
I will check with him and report back once I have him do a few major download to pass the 100MB cap & a few speed test.
AT&T GoPhone Prepaid = $50 Unlimited Everything (No 3G for Smartphones)
Just got this like yesterday and tested on 3G iPhone.
3G iPhone data connection got blocked immediately after about 1 minute or usage.
However, if I switch back to the 3G Samsung SGH-A717, I was able to browse around and use 3G data on AT&T.
Therefore, I'm pretty sure AT&T system is scanning IMEI in real-time like cajunflavoredbob replied.
But I'm not sure about the Non-Branded HTC HD2 using 3G data on AT&T. Sorry but I do not have a Non-Branded HTC HD2 to test with. I'm currently activating prepaid services for people and will keep my eyes and ears open for you guys.
Personally, I'm pretty sure Non-Branded HTC HD2 WILL WORK & WILL PICK UP AT&T 3G because AT&T system WILL NOT RECOGNIZE the device & will treated as Non-Smartphone device.
That's all I found out for now. I will update once I do a few speed test here & there.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The unbranded HD2 will NOT get 3G on AT&T. The only version of the HD2 that will get AT&T 3G is the Telstra version. It will be not be "blocked" from the Internet service, but it will cause them to activate an appropriate monthly charge to your account. In the case of a prepaid plan, they will mostly likely block you completely when you use a smartphone device. This isn't me guessing at it, this is fact. If you try to use a smartphone, even if it is not an AT&T branded phone, on their network, they CAN and WILL update your account accordingly.
cajunflavoredbob said:
The unbranded HD2 will NOT get 3G on AT&T. The only version of the HD2 that will get AT&T 3G is the Telstra version. It will be not be "blocked" from the Internet service, but it will cause them to activate an appropriate monthly charge to your account. In the case of a prepaid plan, they will mostly likely block you completely when you use a smartphone device. This isn't me guessing at it, this is fact. If you try to use a smartphone, even if it is not an AT&T branded phone, on their network, they CAN and WILL update your account accordingly.
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Click to collapse
1. It is prepaid. They cannot make changes to your account on prepaid. They can only block the internet. On postpaid, they won't know. Lots of people are using unbranded phones on the postpaid featurephone data plan. This has been happening for a while.
2. Non-branded ATT smartphones work on the prepaid $50 plan. Been tested and reported on. People are using the Samsung Galaxy S2 on there even. Although, speeds may be throttled.
Yes, there are databases of devices available. ATT doesn't care or look at them though.
So, OP. If you do get a ATT 3g HD2, you can use it on the prepaid or postpaid plan. Prepaid might be throttled, but you won't know for sure until you try it. If you use the t-mobile version you will only get edge speeds.
I am getting mixed answers here and confused. Based on my reserach from other websites including HowardForums, it is my understanding that if I have a TMOUS HD2 and use it on AT&T $50 Prepaid plan, I will be able to use unlimited data but on EDGE speed. 3G speed won't work because TMOUS HD2 is not compatible with AT&T's 3G broadcast frequency. In addition, if I were on the ATT $50 prepiad plan and put the SIM card into an iPhone, the data will not work at all (not even EDGE), however AT&T will NOT automatically add the cheapest data plan to my account since I am using the iPhone.
Please correct me if I am wrong about my understanding above...
Zythyr said:
I am getting mixed answers here and confused. Based on my reserach from other websites including HowardForums, it is my understanding that if I have a TMOUS HD2 and use it on AT&T $50 Prepaid plan, I will be able to use unlimited data but on EDGE speed. 3G speed won't work because TMOUS HD2 is not compatible with AT&T's 3G broadcast frequency. In addition, if I were on the ATT $50 prepiad plan and put the SIM card into an iPhone, the data will not work at all (not even EDGE), however AT&T will NOT automatically add the cheapest data plan to my account since I am using the iPhone.
Please correct me if I am wrong about my understanding above...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
For a prepaid account, yes, all of what you said above is true.
Zythyr said:
I am getting mixed answers here and confused. Based on my reserach from other websites including HowardForums, it is my understanding that if I have a TMOUS HD2 and use it on AT&T $50 Prepaid plan, I will be able to use unlimited data but on EDGE speed. 3G speed won't work because TMOUS HD2 is not compatible with AT&T's 3G broadcast frequency. In addition, if I were on the ATT $50 prepiad plan and put the SIM card into an iPhone, the data will not work at all (not even EDGE), however AT&T will NOT automatically add the cheapest data plan to my account since I am using the iPhone.
Please correct me if I am wrong about my understanding above...
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Click to collapse
Correct. If you use unbranded/non-ATT phones. The internet will also work, although may be throttled. Most ATT phones will have the internet blocked, unless you pay extra for it.
If I get T-Mobile's $70 unlimited talk text and high speed data plan, will my I get throttled? Will I be getting 3G speeds for a long for the whole month or will it get throttled down to GPRS ?
Zythyr said:
If I get T-Mobile's $70 unlimited talk text and high speed data plan, will my I get throttled? Will I be getting 3G speeds for a long for the whole month or will it get throttled down to GPRS ?
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Click to collapse
T-Mobile doesn't pull that same shady crap like AT&T does. You are allowed to use any phone you want on their network without having to worry about your speeds or data plan changing. I'm using a T-mobile branded HD2 on a plan I've had with them for years. My plan is still the same $50 I was paying when I first ran away from AT&T. I've never once been forced to change my plan for anything. I think you'll find that T-Mobile is a MUCH more friendly and open atmosphere than AT&T. Once you've dealt with them for a while, you'll understand why nearly every T-Mobile customer hates the proposed AT&T takeover. Most of us switched to T-Mobile to get away from AT&T's nearly evil practices. Also, you will only get 3G speeds on T-Mobile if your HD2 is T-Mobile branded. You do not have to pay extra for 3G or "4G" speeds with them. Their unlimited data plans do get throttled when you hit 5GB of data, but most users will never get that far. If you have a link to the plan details you are referring to, I can give you a much better run down of what to expect.
EDIT: Here's another cool thing about being on T-Mobile - they actually care about making you happy as a customer. Yesterday, I got a coupon in the mail with my statement. It was for 50% off any accessories in their stores. That isn't to say that I'm going to use it, since I don't shop in their stores, but it is still a nice gesture. There is also another separate piece of mail heading out to current customers that is a $25 gift card for use in any of their stores. This type of thing is pretty typical of them. So, let's break it down then, shall we?
With T-mobile, you get faster data, better customer service, reliable call connections, cheaper bills, and all of this with a company that isn't AT&T.
Zythyr said:
If I get T-Mobile's $70 unlimited talk text and high speed data plan, will my I get throttled? Will I be getting 3G speeds for a long for the whole month or will it get throttled down to GPRS ?
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Are you talking about the $70 prepaid plan? That plan has a 5gb cap, then it is throttled. The 5GB of data are unthrottled and can do "4g" speeds if you have a "4g" phone.
The postpaid service lets you pick some MB, 2GB, 5GB, or 10GB then throttled.
If you get the prepaid plan. You can buy the refill cards online like at callingmart.com They have monthly coupons by e-mail for 10% off. This brings the monthly total to about $63/month.
ImDonly1 said:
Are you talking about the $70 prepaid plan? That plan has a 5gb cap, then it is throttled. The 5GB of data are unthrottled and can do "4g" speeds if you have a "4g" phone.
The postpaid service lets you pick some MB, 2GB, 5GB, or 10GB then throttled.
If you get the prepaid plan. You can buy the refill cards online like at callingmart.com They have monthly coupons by e-mail for 10% off. This brings the monthly total to about $63/month.
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So after 5GB, they will throttle it? What are the speeds after throttling? Does it go down to EDGE or GPRS?
Zythyr said:
So after 5GB, they will throttle it? What are the speeds after throttling? Does it go down to EDGE or GPRS?
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About 80-100KBps, or roughly EDGE speeds.
slow as dog ****
i past my 5gb the other day and i can tell you now its slow as dog ****,i use my htc sensation to tether my laptop i forgot not to be downloading movies stupid me now when on xda from laptop the pictures in threads that people post take all day to display i will never past my 5gb again

[Q] Best mobile provider USA?

So I'm from Belgium, Europe but am going to study at Northwest Missouri State University from January till the end of April, but of course I need a mobile provider while I'm there, but since I know **** about the carriers in the USA, and well, websites of the carriers don't always mention everything, I'm just asking you guys, which mobile provider and/or plan should I take for those 5 months?
I don't care if it's prepaid or a contract or whatever, as long as it stops after 5 months.
I've got a HTC Sensation, so would like some data with that.
Thanks in advance for responding!
then ur only choices here in the USA is T-Mobile or At&t. If u like to pay more u can go to att and can get 3G data due to the tmobile us frequency is 1700 so you may only get EDGE speed. But with tmobile prepaid cost $50 a month for unlimited talk text and data (i believe 2GB).
your not going to be able to get contact cuz u need a SS# and credit.
t-mobile is great since its parent company its t-mobile deucthe telcom
Sprint, never had a problem
A: Verizon
Sent from my Dinc2
He needs a carrier that uses GSM. Verizon and Sprint are not the droid your looking for.
It doesn't matter if it uses gsm or wcdma i bought my sensation on ebay from usa, it was branded and stuff, so i think it would work with any provider in usa.
You won't actually be able to use Verizon or Sprint with the Sensation because CDMA technology requires completely different radios. To be able to use either standard, your phone would have to be a (what CDMA providers in America call) "world phone", like the iPhone 4S or the Motorola Photon.
Since you already have a phone, you could do either a T-Mobile value plan or a Simple Mobile unlimited plan. Both run on T-Mobile's network, so the coverage should be exactly the same. T-Mobile isn't the absolute best carrier, so I'd check coverage in the area that you'll be spending the most time in. However, T-Mobile's 4G and 3G speeds are pretty good, and better than AT&T (the only major GSM alternative) in most places. I have no idea how (or even if they offer them) AT&T's SIM card-only plans work.
Thanks, I search some more and found this page:
http://prepaid-phones.t-mobile.com/monthly-4g-plans
So the unlimited web & text with 100 minutes talk $30 plan would be perfect?
Even though I feel they are the better carrier, AT&T likely wouldn't be a viable option as their prepaid plans do not support smartphone as well as the others.
Postpaid could be an option, but they would likely want a cash deposit since you lack a social and credit history.
yes but NOTICE AFTER 2G tmo slows your data but ur school must have wifi networks built in so that wouldn't really be a problem and u can enable wifi calling at the store (free calls) or use google voice to call
xtrem88 said:
yes but NOTICE AFTER 2G tmo slows your data but ur school must have wifi networks built in so that wouldn't really be a problem and u can enable wifi calling at the store (free calls) or use google voice to call
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WiFi calling still uses plan minutes.
I'll probably call with skype, so that isn't a problem, I've also noticed on the tmo site that tmo has a fast mobile connection at northwest missouri state university, is this 3g?
Its 4g 21 or 42 mbps
Sent from my SGH-T839 using XDA App

Have questions for StraightTalk/Net10/Tracfone?

I was once a tech/sales/fraud/CustSvc support for ST/NET10/TF
then im now on AT&T tech
anyways, if you want to have some clarifications, questions about the said brands, you can ask me, i cannot guarantee to answer everything but go ahead
I do not represent nor am I anymore connected with Tracfone Wireless Inc on xda nor do my posts and opinions reflect those of the company, management, and or its subsidiaries
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The most obvious one, what is the true data limit to the "unlimited" data. How do they determine if you're using too much data, or how do they determine if you're streaming or tethering?
Sent from my GT-N7000 Samsung Galaxy Note "Go big or go home" using XDA app
it actually depends upon the network of the area,
we have tools to check how much bandwidth is allocated in the area
if we detect serious network impact then we know what phone number caused such,
we dont own a network we "rent" from other large telecom companies
but mostly its 2GB - 3GB before it was 5GB but due to complaints recieved by TMO/AT&T/Sprint/Verizon about our subscribers affecting the performance of their network we reduced it to 2GB - 3GB,
some though get away with having as much as 8-10GB per month, im not sure how that happens
and analyze thier marketing strategy its unlimited "web browsing" they never said downloading, tethering, streaming, internet just "web browsing"
one funny experience was when a customer said, "whats the use of having one of your android phones if im prohibited to download stuff from internet with my 'unlimited' plan"
deathnotice01 said:
if we detect serious network impact then we know what phone number caused such
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Knowing this, any idea how much tethering one can get away with before ST takes action?
about 2GB - 3GB actually,
depends also on the bandwidth you are allocating
Does Straight Talk using AT&T's network have the same speed as AT&T? Or does it cap it at 500kbps like AT&T GoPhone does?
ST SIMs run in ATT & TMO towers based on what i know we have HSPA+ for our contracts, you can have as much as 1-1.7Mbps
deathnotice01 said:
ST SIMs run in ATT & TMO towers based on what i know we have HSPA+ for our contracts, you can have as much as 1-1.7Mbps
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Hm. Well in my area AT&T gets me around 3.5-4Mbps downstream and 1-2Mbps upstream. T-Mobile was much faster most of the time but unfortunately they started compressing all images through mobile data so...
synaesthetic said:
Does Straight Talk using AT&T's network have the same speed as AT&T? Or does it cap it at 500kbps like AT&T GoPhone does?
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Hi, I just signed up because this is the same question I 've been searching for.
I'm now looking for a prepaid to save money since I'm just a student so cannot afford to try both straight talk and gophone. which one between these two has the fastest download speed? I have a 4G capable phone and just signed up for att's gophone service today with 1GB data, but the speed I'm getting is 1.7 to 2mb/s at best. would straight talk be faster than this speed?
I just heard the gophone offers throttle 3G, so it's around 2 or 2.5G, whereas straight talk does not throttle, so they are around 3.5G, is that true?
the only reason why I chose to try gophone because straight talk's 45 dollar plan doesn't allow international sms. but I can think of an alternative if straight talk is faster.
Thanks in advance!
ST now actually has a unlimited international voice/sms + local unlimited web browsing for $60, and ST runs on AT&T HSPA+ network so you can have as much as 1-1.7Mbps (at least thats what we know but some can get 4g speeds)
iPhone 4S on Straight Talk
I am very curious about using an Iphone 4S on Straight Talk. Hubby's contract with AT&T is up next month and I really want to get all the iTards off my plan So, what am I going to have to do to his phone to get as many (hopefully all) of the features he currently uses to function?
#1 requirement is tethering. He tethers (& yes, I pay AT&T their F***ing extortion fee) so he can telecommute--no downloading--just connecting to his work pc.
#2 requirement is the "Find my Friends" feature so he can keep track of all his iTard buddies & kids. Why anyone would want this, ahem, feature is beyond me.
#3 is there going to be any problem with iTunes or the Ap Store? He and the iTard kids will throw the biggest hissy fit ever seen if they can't get to the latest American Idol downloads & Tap Tap Revenge.
Thank you!
How can I keep my number when switching from AT&T to Straight Talk using my own phone? The only number transfer option they offer requires I purchase a Straight Talk branded device.
Thanks for answering my earlier question.
Since the amount of data you can use seems to vary from location to location, is there any way to check exactly how much one can use - *before* getting warned?
BKrenning said:
I am very curious about using an Iphone 4S on Straight Talk. Hubby's contract with AT&T is up next month and I really want to get all the iTards off my plan So, what am I going to have to do to his phone to get as many (hopefully all) of the features he currently uses to function?
#1 requirement is tethering. He tethers (& yes, I pay AT&T their F***ing extortion fee) so he can telecommute--no downloading--just connecting to his work pc.
#2 requirement is the "Find my Friends" feature so he can keep track of all his iTard buddies & kids. Why anyone would want this, ahem, feature is beyond me.
#3 is there going to be any problem with iTunes or the Ap Store? He and the iTard kids will throw the biggest hissy fit ever seen if they can't get to the latest American Idol downloads & Tap Tap Revenge.
Thank you!
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Click to collapse
1.) if you are on our BYOP plan, you can tether all the hell you want, as long as we don't detect major bandwidth allocation affecting the carrier
2.) any feature that uses the internet inside your phone is compatible, you don't need to unlock your phone since you will have a AT&T sim under StraightTalk
3.) nope not at all,
synaesthetic said:
How can I keep my number when switching from AT&T to Straight Talk using my own phone? The only number transfer option they offer requires I purchase a Straight Talk branded device.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
LOL, who told you that?, you can keep a AT&T number and still use the same device, we just give you a SIM (we need to program the SIM to your number and re-register it in the AT&T network), call ST and tell them to activate the SIM, the process takes 24hrs-2 business days, or maybe they have a new policy about phone number change, it was 2 months since i worked there, but that was the process before i left
luftrofl said:
Thanks for answering my earlier question.
Since the amount of data you can use seems to vary from location to location, is there any way to check exactly how much one can use - *before* getting warned?
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there was a code entry before, darn i forgot the code, it was used by us to check data/voice/SMS usage using the subscribers phone incase our tools go down. we use manual check to inform about the data changes
Nobody told me, but the website didn't allow for a number port option when buying just a SIM.
synaesthetic said:
Nobody told me, but the website didn't allow for a number port option when buying just a SIM.
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I just got my sim card yesterday. I phoned straight talk to activate it. They can port a number over when you call them or on there website. I however did not port my number over yet because I want to test there service before canceling my att
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I717 using xda premium
I use on average around 1-1.5GB per month with AT&T. Occasionally I come close to my 3GB cap. I've never gone over it. Would this be a problem for ST? I know they say "unlimited" but I am pretty sure it's not actually "unlimited" since nothing really is anymore.
synaesthetic said:
Nobody told me, but the website didn't allow for a number port option when buying just a SIM.
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Click to collapse
yeah, they don't disclose that unless customer requests, because ST pays AT&T or other carriers to port the number into our database
synaesthetic said:
I use on average around 1-1.5GB per month with AT&T. Occasionally I come close to my 3GB cap. I've never gone over it. Would this be a problem for ST? I know they say "unlimited" but I am pretty sure it's not actually "unlimited" since nothing really is anymore.
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in thier marketing its not unlimited internet its unlimited web browsing
its hard for us to detect bandwidth usage, but we can easily detect bandwidth allocation,
stupid terms and conditions are as follows
Straight Talk Unlimited talk, text and data plan Features cannot be used: (1) for access to the Internet, intranets, or other data networks except as the device’s native applications and capabilities permit, or (2) for any applications that tether your device to laptops or personal computers other than for the use of Wireless Synch.
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the system of ST (provided by tracfone wireless) rely on AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, TMO systems, we sync data together with thier systems
and its f****** slow to sync with thier databases using our system
I know this is not about the pre paid, but I have a unlimited data non-smart phone plan and I would like to know if AT&T just does not care that I use 5+GB a month on it or if I am just lucky?
The best part is, my speeds are the same as the store phone's with the right plan's. I even have LTE were I live and when I went to a store to run some speed test I got 6.5 down and 1.5 up on H+ vs the store S2 geting about the same thing and the one x geting 8 down and 7.5up on LTE.
Thanks
well if your phone is not a smartphone under a AT&T plan we do give unlimited data with no caps, just for ordinary and classic phones,

[Q] What are some good prepaid service providers in the US?

I have to get off of Straight Talk and their awful speeds. Calling and texting is fine but the data is throttled horribly down to less than 1 mbps. Any suggestions? I can't go with T-Mobile because I know their speeds are awful where I live (Princeton central NJ area).
What about prepaid AT&T?
You're going to find the best deals on an MVNO, which is just a company like StraightTalk that uses one (or more) of the Big Four's networks to provide their service. You can find a great list of them on Wikipedia (sort them by "Wireless technology" and look at the GSM ones):
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_US_MVNO
I'm currently with H2O Wireless on their Minute Plan (I don't use a lot of minutes/texts and I'm mostly on WiFi), but I switched my parents over to their $30 unlimited plan (unlimited talk + text, no data or MMS). They offer other plans with data as well (they use AT&T). If you're looking for pay-per-minute/text/MB, the newly-rebranded Ptel (PlatinumTel) has the best rates, but they use T-Mobile.
Once you've picked the company you would like to use, purchase a SIM on eBay and cut it to a micro SIM (very easy to do; use the template here), then activate it on their website.
Good luck, and I hope this helps! :laugh:
Out of curiosity, is there a MVNO that uses multiple gsm networks at the same time to provide coverage (say at&t and tmobile)? I have the tmobile $30 prepaid plan but in some areas at&t provides coverage where tmobile doesn't. So it would be great if a MVNO provided coverage at the same time on both networks.
$65/mo for 1 GB is too little. I'll need at least 2 GB.
Jungsoo said:
$65/mo for 1 GB is too little. I'll need at least 2 GB.
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I'd recommend the tmobile $30 prepaid 4g plan. It gives you 100 voice minutes, unlimited text, and 5gb of 4g speed data (then you get throttled). The 100 min of voice is a bit disappointing in my opinion but I make it work by routing most of my calls over data.
Looks like you didn't even read my post.
Jungsoo said:
I have to get off of Straight Talk and their awful speeds. Calling and texting is fine but the data is throttled horribly down to less than 1 mbps. Any suggestions? I can't go with T-Mobile because I know their speeds are awful where I live (Princeton central NJ area).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Solavei! $49 unlimited talk,text, data! And you get the 42 MBPS T-Mobile network!
Ptel $40 unlimited
lazer155 said:
Out of curiosity, is there a MVNO that uses multiple gsm networks at the same time to provide coverage (say at&t and tmobile)? I have the tmobile $30 prepaid plan but in some areas at&t provides coverage where tmobile doesn't. So it would be great if a MVNO provided coverage at the same time on both networks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Solavei offers free roaming when off t-mobile, I think it's at&t. It's included in the 49 unlimited plan. it's what clinched it for me.
https://support.solavei.com/docs/DOC-1256
edit: they do warn against excessive roaming.
H2O Wireless/Black Wireless and Red Pocket are you only other (AT&T MVNO) options. All the rest use T-Mobile which will give you the same speed issues in general.
http://www.solavei.com/benjaminbribies
Heres the link for more info on Solavei! If you have any questions you can as me too!
I personally use Simple Mobile with my Nexus. Its Unlimited Everything (text, talk, data) for $40(+tax)/mo.
If you want 4g the price bumps up by $10 I think, but it's worth it right? Also the first 250MB on the default ($40/mo) plan runs at 4g speeds, then they throttle you back down to 3g speeds.
I been a customer for a few months now, I love the data speeds when I'm not around any wifi connection.
P.S. Simple Mobile is based off of T-Mobile.
eservant said:
Solavei offers free roaming when off t-mobile, I think it's at&t. It's included in the 49 unlimited plan. it's what clinched it for me.
https://support.solavei.com/docs/DOC-1256
edit: they do warn against excessive roaming.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Does this mean I wouldn't be able to use the ATT service too much?
Does H2O throttle data?
Jungsoo said:
Does this mean I wouldn't be able to use the ATT service too much?
Also is H2O Wireless using the ATT network?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes! When there's no T-Mobile coverage you will roam on at&t network! Other MVNO don't provide roaming or call forwarding!
Jungsoo said:
Does this mean I wouldn't be able to use the ATT service too much?
Does H2O throttle data?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you live outside the coverage area they will dissuade you from joining at that time, If my primary residence is in the coverage area,
I wouldn't worry to much. But you can always talk that over with someone, before you signup. I made sure I understood their terms of service.
I signed up because everything was clearly defined, and for the roaming, which not to many prepaids allow.
So if I'm understanding correctly, H2O uses services from both tmo and att, but they don't like me using the att covered areas.
famoustito said:
http://www.solavei.com/benjaminbribies
Heres the link for more info on Solavei! If you have any questions you can as me too!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Jeez he said T-Mobile sucks in his area what part of that don't you understand.
Jungsoo said:
So if I'm understanding correctly, H2O uses services from both tmo and att, but they don't like me using the att covered areas.
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Click to collapse
No h20 Is att only. The only companies that do both is patent co of st and net10 from what I remember. Seriously did you click the link of wiki someone posted on first page. Just look who carries att since you said tmo stinks in your area. Then goo too their website and Get best plan for you.
Sent from galaxy tab.
H2O is looking good. Can anyone post a speedtest for me?

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