I have and unlocked 3G tablet and I live in New York, USA. I use wifi at home most of the time, but I need 3G wireless data maybe once every two or three months when I'm out in the city. I hate to pay for monthly charges when so rarely use 3G data. Is there any kind of 3G data service where I can pop in a simcard and simply pay for only what I use? For example, it could be a prepaid simcard where I "charge" it with $XX and I can use it until I run out and "refill" it again. Ideally it wouldn't expire because I don't use it every month. Or maybe there is a monthly service where I simply pay for how much I used the previous month (hopefully nothing if I never used it.). The T-Mobile Web DayPass used to be a great option, but now it's gone.
What is currently the most affordable mobile 3G data plan for the "extremely occasional" user?
Thanks in advance!
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Any of you guys using Alltel in the states with this phone?
My 8125 is well loved but Tmobile in my area sucks and I switching to alltel.
I'm wondering if they make you buy a data plan when they find out you have this phone.. I don't need the data just like the features I'm used too..
Thanks
Brad
Reply
Alltel does not make you buy data plan. I use the WIFI at home and in WIFI hotspots to check and send e-mail. I use slingbox mobile to view my TV cable over the phone and on the road.
Alltel made me buy the data plan ($30 month) in Virginia. They told me any smartphone would be disabled on their network if you did not have the plan. This was about 6 months ago. Things might have changed.
bubbagee said:
Alltel made me buy the data plan ($30 month) in Virginia. They told me any smartphone would be disabled on their network if you did not have the plan. This was about 6 months ago. Things might have changed.
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Damn, glad Alltel doesn't work around here cause I was thinking of them a while ago. Verizon has the unlimted data plan and the pay by kilabytes/bits (sp?) what ever.
I activated my 6700 with alltel and did not have any data plan. I have since added one for $25 a mth unlimited
I'm on the 500 minute Smart Choice pack; unlimited data & text, night and weekends start at 7 and the My Circle... I do quite a bit of text messaging, and calls to people not on Alltel, so even at $90 a month it was the cheapest route than adding stuff on separately.
I think the rep I had talked to when I activated the phone did mention that the 6700 requires the data plan, but I guess if you actually do it over the phone, you might be able to get around it.
VA Alltel
I got one and was told I had to have the data plan.
I signed up and kept it for a couple of weeks.
Got on alltel dot com and set up an account and removed the data plan.
Phone has worked normally ever since and no data plan.
Prepaid Alltel
I have a ppc6700 running HelmiC WM6. I have the alltel prepaid plan for the phone and no data service in NW Ohio. This is exactly what I wanted, but I was told that if I had wanted anything but prepaid I would have had to add a data plan.
I have Alltel..and switched my service from my prior phone to the ppc-6700. There was no mention of data plans, or anything else. I just pay my $40 a month and love using the phone.
A quick workaround for internet access...you get 1 mycircle number with the $39 pplan. If your have an internet provider that gives you a dial-up account..make that your mycircle number and then you can use your phone to check emails and such, and not use -up any of your minutes
hecatomb said:
I'm on the 500 minute Smart Choice pack; unlimited data & text, night and weekends start at 7 and the My Circle... I do quite a bit of text messaging, and calls to people not on Alltel, so even at $90 a month it was the cheapest route than adding stuff on separately.
I think the rep I had talked to when I activated the phone did mention that the 6700 requires the data plan, but I guess if you actually do it over the phone, you might be able to get around it.
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Don't listen to them reps. Half of them don't know what they're talking about. They also try to tell you that you that WiFi uses data. They never give straight answers.
Hi,
I will be moving onto a houseboat on saturday and am looking for an internet solution.
I am hoping to find the cheapest plan that offers me good speeds and unlimited data (if not at least a lot of GBs, MIN 10)
I will be living in marina del rey, in los angeles.
I am currently using a samsung galaxy S 1 (GT-i9000m) with straighttalk as my carrier. I pay 45$ a month for unlimited talk text and web (though the reviews say that if you go over 2GB you will likely get disconnected), the fineprints say that i am not allowed to do mobile hotspot on this plan (and they dont have an option to add that feature) but I use it everyday on the bus for webbrowsing and have not yet received any notifications (2 months in)
I would like to buy a seperate mobile hotspot device (be it a cheap used phone, or a dedicated device) and use it as my internet router on the boat. I also refuse to sign a contract, so am only considering monthly plans.
I am a heavy data consumer who sometimes uses over 100GB a month, but if need be, i will curb my habits when on the boat.
I have already done a somewhat rudimentary comparison of my options which i will list below.
T-Mobile has a cheap hotspot device for 40$ here http://www.t-mobile.com/shop/Phones/cell-phone-detail.aspx?class=prepaid&cell-phone=T-Mobile-4G-Mobile-HotSpot-No-Annual-Contract-Refurbished
and they have a plan that has unlimited 4G speeds for the first 5GBs for only 30$ a month. http://prepaid-phones.t-mobile.com/monthly-4g-plans
I do not think I would be allowed to hotspot on this plan, and i do not know if they have an option to add that feature for xx$
also, that hotspot device is not LTE compatible (i think), but could I get LTE speeds on that plan if i bought an LTE hotspot phone/device?
Virgin Mobile has a plan for 35$ that claims unlimited 4G (though the fineprints say that only the first 10GB are 4g speeds), this plan is made for hotspots, so theres no problems there. http://www.virginmobileusa.com/mobile-broadband-plans/broadband-2-go/overview/
and they have hotspots for 80$ here http://www.virginmobileusa.com/shop...-2-go/sierra-overdrive-pro/features/#features
MetroPCS has a reasonable offer as well
they have a 55$ plan that has true unlimited LTE service http://www.metropcs.com/metro/detail/per+month+4GLTE/4G4ME55
but i have been told by one of their reps that I cannot hotspot with this plan and cannot pay to add that feature.
Would they know if i put their SIM in a hotspot device and used it as such?
Which hotspot device would work well with MetroPCS LTE?
I think those are the only options i have found.
do you guys know of any other ones?
did i miss anything?
how does the carrier know if i am tethering?
thanks!
[Q] Can I just switch my radio preference to "GMS Only" if I have no data plan?
Hello there.
I was a blackberry user in the past and since I experienced Android (galaxy y) I haven't looked back since.
Now I'm using a Sony Ericsson Xperia Pro, unlocked and unrooted.
Here in our country, we only have gsm networks (really thankful for that one), and it is up to us if we want to have data (either be it prepaid, like a day to day subscription, weekly, monthly, you name it, you really have the freedom to control it) on our phone.
As I've mentioned, I have been using blackberry in the past, and I was subscribed to an unlimited BIS. And also, here, it is a lot cheaper to have an unlimited BIS plan (costs about 15 USD a month) than an android or iPhone data plan (25 USD a month for those kind of data plan). BIS was necessary for me in the past since I didn't have any DSL connection yet.
But now that we do have WiFi in our house, I don't see the need for a data plan anymore since I am always at home, I can just use WiFi.
So I bought an unlocked android phone and cancelled my BIS plan. I have disabled my mobile data connection in the settings of my phone since my carrier will continuously charge me for my metered data.
And now, my question.
Since I don't have any data plan and I have my mobile data disabled on my phone, and just using WiFi for internet connection, can I also switch to GSM ONLY mode?
I have read somewhere hate that some people have better signal strength for phone calls when they are on gsm only mode. But their gripe was the loss in data speed since they have a data plan. Since I don't have a data plan, it shouldn't matter to me, right?
I guess I'm just trying to hear it from somebody else.
Thanks in advanced for answering!
Sent from my MK16i using Tapatalk 2
It just won't work on this phone for me. I get redirected to a tmobile login page everytime I enter a website. Called tmobile/visit the store and they tried to fix it for hours but there's no solution besides changing the data plan. The plan works fine on my GNex. Maybe the problem and solution is similar to this?
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=47203432&postcount=70
My knowledge of Android is too limited to find a fix so maybe someone that knows what they're might have an idea.
t-mobile web2go data plan not working on nexus 5
Same exact scenario for me. I've been trying to test different APNs that worked on my Nexus 4 but to no avail. I'm really hoping with is able to find a solution for this. I've used the web2go plan for my HTC hero, GNexus, and Nexus 4. t-mobile agents are telling me to upgrade to the premium internet. I'm having doubts that this will work for this phone because of the LTE network. Any advice would be appreciated.
Thanks in advance!!
dn00 said:
It just won't work on this phone for me. I get redirected to a tmobile login page everytime I enter a website. Called tmobile/visit the store and they tried to fix it for hours but there's no solution besides changing the data plan. The plan works fine on my GNex. Maybe the problem and solution is similar to this?
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=47203432&postcount=70
My knowledge of Android is too limited to find a fix so maybe someone that knows what they're might have an idea.
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tmobile is in the process of switching EVERYONES (yes everyones, you dont have a choice in the matter) grandfathered plans to their new simple choice plans. So basically, they wont let you transfer it to a new phone, ANY new phone. and even with your current phone, you will be forced to switch, eventually.
I would suggest just bite the bullet now and switch, because its happening sooner or later
Are you using the same old Sim card, trimmed down to micro-size or did you manage to switch to a new micr-Sim and spoke to CS to update it - otherwise, LTE and even HSPA won't be provisioned properly for it, that is - if grandfathered plans are allowed to run on 3G/4G LTE signals.
Good grief - we had a T-Mo p/p line using a Moto candy bar phone a few years ago with free web2go, super slow as in GPRS speed, not even Edge or 2G, since discontinued & transitioned to PAYG with Gold status - I use it as backup for emergencies since my primary carrier is CDMA with Big Red (well, not for long - less than 2 weeks before the big switch)
My PAYG line was/is still on the 25 cents per minute calling plan with data - but, I managed to update the activated Sim card in use to a brand new micro-sim card, and I'm using the N5 with Google Voice & Talkatone to make "test" calls over WiFi at home & in the field offices - I switched over to the $3 daily unlimited call/text & 200MB data plan just to test out LTE, and it worked - great speed & flawless. Speed is far superior to VZW's 3G data under speedtest condition.
I tried to stay current with "tweaks" over at Howardforum as well - IMO - there's no way to access HSPA/LTE if you stay on those old plans with grandfathered t-zones & sneak in.
Letitride said:
Are you using the same old Sim card, trimmed down to micro-size or did you manage to switch to a new micr-Sim and spoke to CS to update it - otherwise, LTE and even HSPA won't be provisioned properly for it, that is - if grandfathered plans are allowed to run on 3G/4G LTE signals.
Good grief - we had a T-Mo p/p line using a Moto candy bar phone a few years ago with free web2go, super slow as in GPRS speed, not even Edge or 2G, since discontinued & transitioned to PAYG with Gold status - I use it as backup for emergencies since my primary carrier is CDMA with Big Red (well, not for long - less than 2 weeks before the big switch)
My PAYG line was/is still on the 25 cents per minute calling plan with data - but, I managed to update the activated Sim card in use to a brand new micro-sim card, and I'm using the N5 with Google Voice & Talkatone to make "test" calls over WiFi at home & in the field offices - I switched over to the $3 daily unlimited call/text & 200MB data plan just to test out LTE, and it worked - great speed & flawless. Speed is far superior to VZW's 3G data under speedtest condition.
I tried to stay current with "tweaks" over at Howardforum as well - IMO - there's no way to access HSPA/LTE if you stay on those old plans with grandfathered t-zones & sneak in.
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I got the micro SIM made last year when I got the nexus 4. Wasn't aware that there were different provisions regarding SIM cards. It's looking more like switching data plans is the only solution.
I'll take another crack with T-Mo CS.
Thanks all.
Hey guys. This is going to a very weird question, I live in Australia and we honestly have the crappiest data plans ever. Is there anyone who can tell me if it's possible to buy a t mobile simcard and use it in Australia indefinitely. And what sort of data/plans you guys have.
I'm a manager only a few months in, but to my understanding you would be limited to 2G speeds. Our Simple Choice NA plans offer unlimited international usage for texting and data, but I'm fairly certain that data is limited to 2G speeds as we partner with carriers out there for our customer's usage and I was recently checking as I'll be out there visiting Melbourne for a couple weeks!
Torridred04 said:
I'm a manager only a few months in, but to my understanding you would be limited to 2G speeds. Our Simple Choice NA plans offer unlimited international usage for texting and data, but I'm fairly certain that data is limited to 2G speeds as we partner with carriers out there for our customer's usage and I was recently checking as I'll be out there visiting Melbourne for a couple weeks!
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Ah fair enough, I'm not at all fussed about 4g but 3g would be a must. 2G out here is a little to slow, but how much would they cost? I'm trying to see if it would be worth doing
LiL_Assassin said:
Ah fair enough, I'm not at all fussed about 4g but 3g would be a must. 2G out here is a little to slow, but how much would they cost? I'm trying to see if it would be worth doing
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You won't be able to use it indefinitely. There is a fair use clause in the contract that says you have to have the majority of your usage be in the US. They'd eventually cancel your number.
That being said, any Simple Choice plan will work. They all include unlimited data roaming and the only difference is the domestic data allotment. You'd be able to use the $50 plan in Australia.
Any calls to an Australian number would be $0.20 per minute and texts would be free.
skusa93 said:
You won't be able to use it indefinitely. There is a fair use clause in the contract that says you have to have the majority of your usage be in the US. They'd eventually cancel your number.
That being said, any Simple Choice plan will work. They all include unlimited data roaming and the only difference is the domestic data allotment. You'd be able to use the $50 plan in Australia.
Any calls to an Australian number would be $0.20 per minute and texts would be free.
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But don't I have to live in the US or use the majority of that in the US even with the simple choice? Since I can't call t mobile support. Is there an email or online chat I can send a message to, to take this further? I tried the website. But most of the options I needed, I needed to have a number first.