SMS app that uses data.... - Nexus 6P Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting

So with the recent changes to AT&T's unlimited data plan of increasing it $5 but upping the throttling cap from 5gig to 22gig, I am no longer concerned with Data usage. And on my current plan I pay an added $20 dollars a month for unlimited messaging. I desperately want to drop-kick that add-on and save myself some cash. However in order to do that I need a SMS app that uses data instead of voice. Does anyone know a good app for SMS over data? And I DO NOT want a app like WhatsApp or KiK where the second party also needs the app. That is frivolous and a nuisance and is not always practical. I know there is Textfree but it shows up as another number than your actual cellular number. Surely I must be missing something since I am not having luck finding one. And money is no concern. Thanks.

I think google hangouts was eventually going to do this like they have done with voice calls, but right now other than having both people use the same app like Telegram or whatever it's not possible to the best of my knowledge.

Get a Blackberry, the only way to go longterm
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Related

Data Plan

Perhaps this sounds idiotic, but I currently have the $30 Pro/Pack data plan with this phone, which by the way is suppossed to include Navigation. However this phone does not even support navigation, so the question at hand is; Can I still use yahoo, hotmail, aol messanger and check my email accounts, along with unlimited surfing with the regular $15 plan. Becaused even though I have access to OnDemand, SprintTV, and other features sprint offers, I still have to subscribe to the chanels for an extra $5-$10, which is BS. I dont text that much, and I can manage to pay the $15 vision plan plus the $5 for the 300 text option and still save $10 on my plan. At least until they activate the GPS feature. So, will I lose some features if I downgrade the plan? Or will everything still be available with the exception of unlimited text?
You'll have to call Sprint for certain, but on my Moto Q the $15 plan was all I needed for unlimited data. It didn't support Sprint TV, so I don't know. I'm using SERO now, so the data is included in my current price, but I'm pretty sure they consider the Q and the Touch in the same class, and therefore the data plans should be the same.
You might try this. Negotiate and say that since you don't get get navigation, you'd like to get the premium Sprint TV channels for free, otherwise you'll just drop to the cheaper data plan (don't mention anything about texting, and if asked, say you don't text much). You might get them to comp you the better Sprint TV. Then, when (if?) the GPS gets enabled, you'll have your navigation and full TV for only $30. Really hammer home the point you are disappointed you can't get GPS and are paying for it. They may laugh in your face, I guess, but as my wife likes to say, it's free to try (well, a few minutes of your time).
As a bonus, you might get a hint as to when the GPS patch is going to be made available ("Oh, don't worry, we'll be enabling the GPS next week").
The Pro Pack includes Unlimited Texting, Unlimited Data, and Unlimited Navigation.
The 15 dollar access pack includes Unlimited Data.
phobium said:
The Pro Pack includes Unlimited Texting, Unlimited Data, and Unlimited Navigation.
The 15 dollar access pack includes Unlimited Data.
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Click to collapse
The $30 pro pack also includes push email. You know from an Exchange server.
strommsarnac said:
The $30 pro pack also includes push email. You know from an Exchange server.
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Click to collapse
You can get push with the $15 plan as well. For Windows Mobile devices, it just requires internet access. BlackBerrys, on the other hand, require special servers and cost more.

$0.15 incoming SMS charge for Telus?!

Hey Telus users,
I'm sure you all know about the recent addition of the 15 cent incoming SMS charge. I'd like to know if anyone has called Customer service to cancel?
Does this change give us the option to bail on our contract early (for free) because of a change in terms?
I wish they would open up Canada to use American providers.
Any thoughts?
Tough luck, they've already publicly stated that they will not be freeing anyone.
That said, they've been doing this for months already on many accounts. Best bet is to complain to customer service... they'll probably offer a free unlimited text message add-on.
If enough people complain... I think you'll see Bell/Telus back off and forget the whole stupid idea.
guardianfox said:
Tough luck, they've already publicly stated that they will not be freeing anyone.
That said, they've been doing this for months already on many accounts. Best bet is to complain to customer service... they'll probably offer a free unlimited text message add-on.
If enough people complain... I think you'll see Bell/Telus back off and forget the whole stupid idea.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
unless you live close enough to the border, than you could get sprint
I do actually! I am in Vancouver, B.C most of my time
Wouldn't I need an American address or an American credit card?
hm.
Does anyone have any good success stories calling telus and whining about your plan? My work buddy tells me he yelled because of the misleading lack of wifi in the Touch and got free data and a decent voice package for 30 bucks a month.
Who knows if that is true or not...
guardianfox said:
If enough people complain... I think you'll see Bell/Telus back off and forget the whole stupid idea.
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Click to collapse
Bell has clearly stated (I can't speak for Telus - but I believe it is the same deal), that if you sub to ANY plan that includes text messaging, you will not be charged for these incoming messages. This charge was put in place for those that do not have any text messaging as part of their plan.
TheIgster said:
Bell has clearly stated (I can't speak for Telus - but I believe it is the same deal), that if you sub to ANY plan that includes text messaging, you will not be charged for these incoming messages. This charge was put in place for those that do not have any text messaging as part of their plan.
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Click to collapse
Yes, absolutely they will. However, for those who did not wish to incur the extra cost of a text messaging add-on or plan... there's nothing to do but complain.
Think about it this way. Let's say some fool friend of yours gets the bright idea to text you the first 10 books of the bible... not only is your phone going to sound like a busy highway, but it's also going to cost you some extra $$$. To prevent this, you have two choices: Turn off text messaging features, or subscribe to a package including text messages. Are you supposed to take responsibility for any unsolicited messages?
I've already experienced this situation. A short while ago, an idiot I know decided it would be funny to send my phone number to some crank-calling service online. I never did get the call, but I started getting spam text messages, at a rate of about 10 an hour. Telus started charging me $0.15ea from the very first one. After 2 weeks, I got the bill. Do the math.
Paying for incoming messages is not like paying for incoming phone calls. With a call you have a choice. You can choose not to answer, or hang up when you feel the call is too long. Caller ID is a low-cost feature on many plans that will help with this. With a text message, you do not have any option other than turning the feature off entirely. There's no way to weed out or prevent unwanted messages.
I've gotten over $100 worth of extras from them because I've complained about it... including the easiest one: free text messages added to my plan.
brynhewko said:
I do actually! I am in Vancouver, B.C most of my time
Wouldn't I need an American address or an American credit card?
hm.
Does anyone have any good success stories calling telus and whining about your plan? My work buddy tells me he yelled because of the misleading lack of wifi in the Touch and got free data and a decent voice package for 30 bucks a month.
Who knows if that is true or not...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've been paying for data ($15) and a $30 package. I've complained about the flaws with the Touch, misinformation from Telus service/sales/tech, this SMS issue, and more... IF you are willing to spend the time on the phone (mostly on hold), and make repeat calls, they'll slowly give more and more features. It all has to do with your complaining skills and the only way to improve them is to use them.
I've gotten:
-Free voicemail (for length of contract)
-1/2 price billing for six months (yet to be put in effect )
-The Touch Diamond as soon as it is available. No charge, no extended contract.
-Free TXT addon (for length of contract)
-Extra 50 daytime minutes twice, for 100. (for length of contract)
-100 Canadian Long Distance Minutes (for length of contract)
-Well over $100 in credits for incoming txt's, incorrect charges, etc.
I've only been a client for 8 months.
guardianfox said:
Yes, absolutely they will. However, for those who did not wish to incur the extra cost of a text messaging add-on or plan... there's nothing to do but complain.
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Oh, I agree. I certainly don't condone what they are doing, but for the most part, it won't effect most consumers.
guardianfox said:
I've gotten over $100 worth of extras from them because I've complained about it... including the easiest one: free text messages added to my plan.
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Click to collapse
Yep, I have called Bell and complained about numerous things over the few years I've been with them. Let's put it this way, I get:
Call waiting, voice mail, unlimited Internet (including ALL data transfer), 3 way calling, calls between the 2 phones completely free anytime, unlimited evenings and weekends starting at 6, 250 text messages and 250 daytime minutes.
All this on TWO phones for $64.40 a month.
Trust me, I complained a bit. I don't know of anywhere else where you would get that kind of deal for two phones.
brynhewko said:
I do actually! I am in Vancouver, B.C most of my time
Wouldn't I need an American address or an American credit card?
hm.
Does anyone have any good success stories calling telus and whining about your plan? My work buddy tells me he yelled because of the misleading lack of wifi in the Touch and got free data and a decent voice package for 30 bucks a month.
Who knows if that is true or not...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i dont think so....call sprint and find out, as long as they can send you the bill then i don't think they care lol
wait nvm, that would be why they can't have you but you could why it wouldn't hurt you since you live in Canada they can't do anything
Incoming BS at $$$$
They just nickel and dime us. Then the rate goes up.
The entire system is digital.
What the heck then charge for call display?
Voice mail I can see, it takes up data space.
Text and voice can both be compressed. These monkeys are just ripping us off.
I am with bell and they screwed me hardcore but after a week of calling i got some some compensation for it. First i bought the htc 5800 phone as i loved the whole sliding qwerty keyboard. I asked for unlimited internet, unlimited text, msn, and then a basic voice plan as i barely talk on my phone. They told me they would have to add a minium of $25 for a data plan onto my $20 voice plan for the extra features that i asked for and i was fine with that as they told i would get what i requested. Everything was all dandy until i got my first bill $698.89. Apparently the 5800 doesnt support unlimited internet so i got nailed with data charges. No one told me this.
After calling bell for a week i was able to get a free htc touch, unlimited data, msn, text messaging, voicemail, free calling after 6pm and weekends, and free incoming calls for $60 a month. which is alot better than the close to $100 it would have costed me if i didnt complain that they screwed me over. It just makes u wonder how much money they get when they screw people over and they dont complain about it.

The Dreaded Premium Data-Add on

I'm looking to get the Evo but the $10 a month Premium data-add on is something that is holding me back. What I am trying to figure out is whether this is actually required by the phone or not. I was told back in the days that the Blackberry Internet Service was "required" for activation, yet I easily activated the phones without the internet plan, and I was even able to activate a few with the internet plan then go back and remove the internet plan and it still worked! I to this day don't believe Sprint when they tell me something won't work, so I'm trying to find a solution to this. Is there anyway the command forcing the phone to search to see if the subscriber has the data add on can be accessed? Would it be a file or a command? And wouldn't I just be able to do what I did with my Blackberry's in the past and just cancel the premium data add on after activation and keep the phone working like normal?
Another user explained to me that a user on these forums: Toast is working on some sort of solution to this?
I'm pretty sure no. As with the pre and hero I think the sprint system knows the imei for the phones and will require this. Looking in my account, I can see the premium data plan, and It does not let me remove it. If there's some special way, who knows, but I don't think I've heard of one yet.
I'm actually ok with the premium data plan. It means that less people ran for the phone (which means I got one easy) and it means less people jamming the network with one, which leads to higher speeds for me lol... Sprint's always been good to me otherwise. I can eat the 7.70 a month I have to add on.
You must have the plan or your phone disactivates.
It's worth it, free Telenav and sprint tv, plus 4g
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Speed alone is worth it. If that doesn't sell you I read somewhere a plan pricing comparison and Sprint with the +$10 plan is still cheaper than most services out there when it comes down to it.
chandlerw88 said:
It's worth it, free Telenav and sprint tv, plus 4g
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Sent via the XDA Tapatalk App
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Click to collapse
The free sprint TV is crap, but the navigation seems very good!
But...Navigon will be releasing an android nav app this year, so that will make it useless, lol
Basically if you don't get 4G or don't need it...it's just an extra crap fee.
ballerx43 said:
I was told back in the days that the Blackberry Internet Service was "required" for activation, yet I easily activated the phones without the internet plan, and I was even able to activate a few with the internet plan then go back and remove the internet plan and it still worked!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is pure blind luck. When the Blackberry add-on was still sold by Sprint, not having it on the account was possible...but lead to a great deal of issues. Blackberry devices can and will check the web often. If you dind't get hit with data charges. Some people did. Some people's phones couldn't even make phonecalls without the pack.
And just for reference, the price of that add-on was set by RIM, NOT by Sprint.
EVO-lution said:
You must have the plan or your phone disactivates.
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Click to collapse
Half true. There's no way to remove the feature as every Rep knows that it has to be there.
Of course if you do manage to find a way to remove the feature you'll end up paying MORE, so that's probably not in you r best interest!
Personally, I rarely use 4g. It has major penetration issues (know I'm going to hear more on that phrase!) but considering I'm at 1.3GB since the 27th of last month on this thing, odds are good I'll reach and/or exceed the 5gb cap that typiccally accompanies this kind of gear. $10 to allow me to use the phone as much as I want, in whatever way I want?
Sold.
I don't see the big issue. I came from AT&T paying $250 a month. This is nothing to worry about.
you can get this phone on $70/month plan. google slickdeals, check their hotdeals foroums. it's there.
Neotelos_com said:
The free sprint TV is crap, but the navigation seems very good!
But...Navigon will be releasing an android nav app this year, so that will make it useless, lol
Basically if you don't get 4G or don't need it...it's just an extra crap fee.
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Click to collapse
yeah, but you can get nav on the evo from google maps....
I think it's a ripoff to charge an extra $10 that most of the country can't access yet for some reason, people still pay it.
I originally was upset by the $10 surcharge, however, after using the Evo for a weekend I consume WAY more data on it than any other phone I've used. Its so hard not to. I almost prefer browsing on it compared to my laptop, YouTube is great, and Maps and Navigation on the big screen is a joy to use. Besides, Sprint's plans are still a hell of a lot better than the competition, even with the extra fee.
So is there a definitive answer whether the 3g is truly unlimited or is it only 4g? There seems to be conflicting answers everywhere.
bockjacob said:
So is there a definitive answer whether the 3g is truly unlimited or is it only 4g? There seems to be conflicting answers everywhere.
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Click to collapse
http://www.phonescoop.com/news/item.php?n=5973
case closed
From CNET News: "If the thought of having to pay for 4G without actually getting 4G makes you mad, it might be some slight consolation that there will be no data cap associated with the Premium Data add-on, regardless of whether you're using 4G or 3G, according to Phone Scoop."

The MMS Saga!

Just been thinking, I used to get MMS for the cost of 4 SMS on my old o2 UK contract.
This did not use the data plan which I had on my old Nokia N95, ..(them were the days lol).
So now im on T-Mobile UK who persist on saying you cannot send MMS like for like using more SMS, but they now actually get sent over the data plan.
So, I accepted this, but now I find i'm asking myself, "Why am I being charged twice in essence to send an MMS?"
Obviously, i'm using the same settings for data plan and MMS.
I think it's damn right cheeky of them, and I do hope i'm thinking logically here, as i'm thinking of taking them to task on it.
So, who's with me?
Just me then? Lol
Sent from my HTC Wildfire using Tapatalk
Yeah, just you.
To the best of my knowledge, only O2 ever charged MMS messages against your SMS allowance but even they haven't offered that for quite a while now. And none of the networks allow you to send MMS for free if you have a data allowance.
So really, if you were to 'take them to task', you'd just be complaining to T-Mobile for offering the same service as everyone else, which seems rather futile IMO.
If you want to send pictures for free using your data allowance, there are plenty of alternatives to MMS like e-mail or third-party messaging services such as WhatsApp.
All i do is get a Voice plan and data plan... Some carriers charge for MMS and thats just BS imho!
Here in Venezuela Carriers charge for EVERYTHING! and 3G honestly sucks like you have no idea.. some areas have 3G.. and when you on 3G only last for like 10 minutes
Step666 said:
Yeah, just you.
To the best of my knowledge, only O2 ever charged MMS messages against your SMS allowance but even they haven't offered that for quite a while now. And none of the networks allow you to send MMS for free if you have a data allowance.
So really, if you were to 'take them to task', you'd just be complaining to T-Mobile for offering the same service as everyone else, which seems rather futile IMO.
If you want to send pictures for free using your data allowance, there are plenty of alternatives to MMS like e-mail or third-party messaging services such as WhatsApp.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So really I'm right in saying 'we're paying twice' to send an mms..I know its only a small issue but I for one think it is wrong...
Sidenote, I use whatsapp already but not all my contacts, but with 'apps' becoming more popular this will possibly become the preferred method and make mom's redundant or may already be redundant hence why they charge the small number of people who do use mms.
Sent from my HTC Wildfire using Tapatalk

I think they found another way to get our money

I was doing some reading on another website and came across this article
http://pocketnow.com/2012/06/01/at-s...-them-already/
what it basically says is that AT&T will be making a move to Data only service because they have seen a decrease in cellular service (Voice and TXT) so here is the way i see it..we started with unlimited data then 3 out of the big four decided that they were not making any MORE money on the customer so lets take unlimited away and still charge them the same and tell them its a better plan for them. Well that didn't work because these darn customers found a way to save by using the web and those darn apps so now instead of calling people and going over their minutes and making us MORE money, they are using free apps like TANGO, SKYPE and many others as well as free text apps. no MORE money.
So i went from 1400min down to 700min and paying them less on my monthly bill..no MORE money..so now there is a very good chance that we may pay even more for data only plans.
if this happens do you think that all carriers will fallow? could this be why LTE is so important?
What do you think??
ATT rep told me that's where the future is headed. I believe it, no doubt.
rueben68 said:
I was doing some reading on another website and came across this article
http://pocketnow.com/2012/06/01/at-s...-them-already/
what it basically says is that AT&T will be making a move to Data only service because they have seen a decrease in cellular service (Voice and TXT) so here is the way i see it..we started with unlimited data then 3 out of the big four decided that they were not making any MORE money on the customer so lets take unlimited away and still charge them the same and tell them its a better plan for them. Well that didn't work because these darn customers found a way to save by using the web and those darn apps so now instead of calling people and going over their minutes and making us MORE money, they are using free apps like TANGO, SKYPE and many others as well as free text apps. no MORE money.
So i went from 1400min down to 700min and paying them less on my monthly bill..no MORE money..so now there is a very good chance that we may pay even more for data only plans.
if this happens do you think that all carriers will fallow? could this be why LTE is so important?
What do you think??
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Tiered data, and tiered minutes is how they make their money. They give you plans that are just shy of average optimum sweet spot usage and hope that you go over your plan to ream you a new one if you are not aware.
A Sprint representative supervisor told me this when I complained about overages and there not being a way to set alerts for overages automatically so consumers will be aware of their usage.
Why do you think they don't want you to root or use certain apps.....they take away from the cash cow of overages like Verizon and tiered text, or tethering ....money, money, money more money for stock holders. They are no longer in the service business, but are in the business of improving their stock for bonus, and stock holder share return, thereby again increasing bonus at customers demise.
The CS Supervisor told me that overages is how they make their profits, and that they want you to go out of your plan because that's how they make more profit. With VOIP coming in 2013-2014 for everyone in a tired data package plan will be screwed. There won't really be digital land line services like today every thing will be voice over IP and that is going to use data.
So this can only mean that they are setting you up to fail two years from now and then saying that you are going to need to increase your data usage package to a higher data plan cost......mark my words you are sheep being led to slaughter. They are making a big deal today about data usage making it seem like it will slow services and you need to keep under a minimum usage, when in fact they are making you think this so that they can raise rates in the future when data will be the only way to make calls, send messages, and surf the net.
There are three rules that every business lives by. get the cash, Get the Cash, GET THE CASH!!
The only thing you can ever do to make them stop trying to screw you is to find a way to not spend money with them. Otherwise wake up every day and remind yourself.
Cash Rules Everything Around Me
and use a little lube when they screw you.

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