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[Q] Help choosing phone and provider, please?

I have a MyTouch 4G on T-Mobile. In a year or less the AT&T buyout of T-Mobile may happen and.... I have to decide what's next for me.
1. I'm happy with the MyTouch and my T-Mo plan but I have no contract and therefore no protection at all against whatever changes may result from the buyout.
2. Physical or on-screen keyboard is fine, no preference.
3. I need VERY little voice time, less than 100 minutes a month for the last 10 years so the 200 minute senior plans from AT&T or VZW are fine for me.
4. I need LOTS of data so price is a consideration.
5. I MUST have UMA or WiFi calling to cover all the places I need my phone but I think that's impossible, I doubt AT&T will add that and I know VZW won't.
6. The choice is between VZW and AT&T, don't want to go into reasons for that. I have a lot of very bad experiences with AT&T and a lot of good experience with VZW, offsetting that is that my current phone(s) are GSM.
So.... should I try to live with AT&T or get a new phone and go with VZW? Price will be exactly the same either way but I'll need to sell some phones and get a new one (eBay or Craig's List, no contract!)
And, if the recommendation is VZW what CDMA phone is close to the MyTouch 4G in performance and features?
Any suggestions much appreciated, thanks!

Anybody?
10 Characters

I'm not really sure what verizon phone is the closest to what you have right now, but they do have a few good smartphone options. I will say that if you're planning on switching, you should do so before the 7th because there will be no more unlimited data on new plans after that.

I've been on sprint for awhile now mainly because the pricing. The evo 4g is comparable to the mytouch 4g. The evo 3d just came out for sprint recently which is a beast of a phone but I'm not upgrading just yet. Explore all your options and visit androidcentral, they have many reviews of android phones from all carriers. I'd suggest looking over there to get some more input
Sent from Erik Estrada

the merger has not happened yet and it will be at least 8 months till it goes down and then prob at least half a year till everything gets switched. People are worried but it takes time to get thing swiched over. You might even get a cheap trade off phone when that happens. There is nothing cheaper than TMO and you seem to be happy with it. Why not just stick with it till the merger happens.
Pick up a Sensation or a G2X and stay on Tmo as long as you can.
But if you really want to switch then I would pick verizon (unfortunetely there are not phones on vzn that I really care for right now but you cant go wrong with the network availability and speed but super high prices).
As mentioned you should consider sprint, closest to tmobile in prices and decent network with 1 nice phone which is the evo 3D.
gluck.

Thanks for the answers!
First, I have no contract nor will I, I'll stick with T-Mo as long as possible but it's never too soon to start searching Craig's List or Ebay for a phone if I do go to VZW. Question is, if I port my number now, will I still have unlimited data next month or the month after on a month to month deal?
Pricing, Sprint is the most expensive option by far, both VZW and AT&T offer senior plans which I had when I was with VZW before, Sprint has nothing similar. BTW, T-Mo only saves me $5/mo over VZW. I get more minutes I can't use/don't want with T-Mo but who cares?
Coverage: I switched to T-Mo because they had coverage where I need it, VZW doesn't (I know, that's the reverse of most people's experience!) but w/o UMA/WiFi calling I'll be back to no coverage in most places where I need it regardless of who I chose.
(T-Mo used to offer an unlimited data only plan with per minute voice, that was the best for me but it's no longer available.)

technology moves pretty fast these days.. i would ride out your t mobile plan until the merger gets closer then look into plans and phones. As one person stated verizon is dumping unlimited plans after the 7th so maybe thats a deciding factor for you.

Thanks

TheIceCreamMan said:
technology moves pretty fast these days..
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I agree but I'm usually happy with a phone that's a little behind the curve.
i would ride out your t mobile plan until the merger gets closer then look into plans and phones. As one person stated verizon is dumping unlimited plans after the 7th so maybe thats a deciding factor for you.
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I looked at plans and phones today, VZW still has the Old Fart's plan for $30/mo so that's fine, the data is a worry. I can get the unlimited plan today but w/o a contract will I get to keep it next month?
With the 65 Plus plan for $30 and the data plan for $30 I'd be paying only $5/mo more than T-Mobile but with no UMA/WiFi calling which is a major problem and the reason I'm staying with T-Mo as long as possible!
The change from unlimited data is a good reason to switch today but with no guarantee that I can keep the unlimited plan I'm scared to change!

I don't know how unlimited data works without a contract, you'd have to ask Verizon. As for wifi calling, why not just use Google voice?

On a scale of 1 to 10 I rate UMA as a 10, WiFi Calling as about a 6, Google Voice as a 0. It's just not an acceptable alternative but it is an alternative I suppose...

I would suggest not to try AT&T - pretty poor network .. Also, they dont seem to have an unlimited data plan.

I agree with that but I suspect that AT&T will remain T-Mobile for some time after the buyout, as in honoring my current plan and maybe continuing to offer UMA/WiFi calling. I expect everything will continue unchanged for some weeks, maybe months? I'll switch when I have to unless something unexpected happens.
I'm able to switch any time, I have an old VZW BB, an 8330, so I can port my number over right now if I need to....

4G network T-Mobile
At this rate, when people test 6G we started erecting 4G network is OK

I have a month to month deal with Verizon. Coverage is good here in Western PA, much better than AT&T. Very happy to still have unlimited data!

I have had sprint for a short time, but it has been really good.

arunprakashl said:
I would suggest not to try AT&T - pretty poor network .. Also, they dont seem to have an unlimited data plan.
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Unlimited data seems to be as extinct as dinosaurs, those who have it will be allowed to keep it (for who knows how long?) but new customers can't get it.
I have an unlimited plan with T-Mo but I'm sure that'll be going away, the question is how long will it last after the buyout? I'm guessing I'm OK for at least a month but then????
For most customers, the lowest limit offered by most companies is more than adequate.

With AT&T for awhile now. Not too impressed with coverage or service. I wouldn't recommend them at this point. Would have stayed T-mobile but their coverage was worse where I need to go. If T-mobile works for you, why change. When AT&T merged with Cingular, it didn't affect customer of either company until they signed up for new contracts, which sounds like it won't be you.
I don't know if it is a precursor to what's coming but a new T-mobile device from Huawei is being tested by the FCC with T-mobile and AT&T HSPA+ bands. Max speed @ 42mbps. Engadget has a small article on it.
Sent from my Inspire 4G using the power of the dark side.

[Q] Samsung Galaxy S II or Samsung Captivate II

I am planning on purchasing wither the SGSII or SCII, as my first smartphone.
Right now, I have a very old, at least 7 year old, flip phone. The backlight doesn't work any more, so its a bit difficult to read text, the mic is going, so people can't hear me too well. But since I hardly use it anyway, I can wait. I also don't have a plan, I go prepaid and that works fine. I spend 100$ on my phone yearly, and I never go through it all (less than 10$ a month), so that is why I am also not going to get a plan, as paying 4x that a month for the same use is not worth it. Plus, I have wireless ever where, so a data plan may not be needed, but Ill see after a while, and get it if I need it.
I know the SGSII is out right now, but its with bell, not that it matters though. The captivate will probably be out in a month.
The SGSII is 4G, and the SCII is LTE I believe. A sales rep told me (and yea, I was just reading another forum that says to not take their advice too much) that 4G is really 3G, the standards for 4G dropped, and phones with 3G were marked as 4G. Then LTE is the "Real" 4G network, which should be faster than an SGSII. However, I don't really know about phones too well, and I wouldn't know if the 4G and LTE will make a big difference. Plus, if it is mainly through downloading, id do all my downloading at a wireless location since I don't have a plan anyway.
I'm with rogers right now, so I would have to unlock the SGSII from bell, but it shouldn't be too hard, the people here know what they are doing. I would be buying the phone outright, since I don't have the plan.
Thanks,
~404

Please use the Q&A Forum for questions Thanks
Moving to Q&A

US - Switching carriers after 12 years, whats out there?

Hi All,
I'm debating tossing the towel in with Sprint, and am looking for what you guys are suggesting. First and foremost, I need Windows Phone, so right away AT&T is very attractive. But here's my delemia.
Currently, I have Sprint with the following plan.
1500 Anytime + Unlimited Data + Unlimited Messaging + Unlimited M2M + 3G/4G on 4 lines
Total $215 a month (and rising, this was originally $160 with my work discount a year ago)
Well, thier service has been horrid, data speeds are pathetic and I'm just wanting to give up with them.
So that pretty much leaves me with AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon.
Verizon = out of question, for my plan it's like 360 bucks.
AT&T = most likely, as I can align my package to what I use, plus get roll over and keep that M2M or (anymobile if you will) for relativly 180 bucks, BUT, the kicker.
With TMobile still having an unlimited data plan (ala capped), would you guys think it's worth the risk to sign up with tmobile and hope the plan carries through?
Also, I read alot about congestion on AT&T, and honestly, I can't imagine it's worse than Sprint. Sprint just friggen sucks really bad lately, data speeds are 10x slower than Dial Up.
Anyone else switch from Sprint to another carrier recently want to chime in? This is gonna cost me nearly $1200 so I want to make sure it's worth it.
Thanks!

I recommend us cellular. I have been with them for over 12 years and service has always been great. phone selection isn't always good because they are a small carrier but they have a lot of android phones and at least one windows phone.
Sent from my MIUI SCH-i500

why do you need a windows phone?

Why do people need iPhones?
Really though I have apps to support in marketplace.

so as someone that's been with t-mo for over 10 years now...yes is a good one and worth the risk...
there's still a good chance that att will buy them, but there's a lot of opposition and legal challenges coming up
I think you can clearly get a better deal...and since they don't have larger user bases, the network doesn't tend to be as saturated and they tend to try harder to keep their customers...once you learn the tricks during the every two year renegotiation....
I would suggest, you take as much time as you can to try out their service int eh first 15 days they give you, to see what their network coverage is like in your area, but where I am, it's more than adequet. and the nice thing about them, that I'm experienceing, is while I don't have a 4g phone, my speeds keep getting better as they improve the hspa network speeds, unlike LTE, which if you don't get an lte phone now, you won't get any better performance until you upgrade...
I've been with spring a long time ago, left att to go to t-mobile, and had a verizon work phone a year ago that I gave back...I'm still very happy with t-mo and will stick with them unless att buys them.

Tmobile Prepaid offer

I have this droid charge, the wife and my 10 year old, who barely talk on their phones currently use Virgin Mobile's $25 plan. I only use around 200 minutes a month. I would have gone to Virgin MObile but the biggest problem with Virgin Mobile was the lack of cool phones and I'm a cool phone hound.
ANyhow, Tmobile currently is promoting a $30 plan that gives unlimited text, data (throttled after 5gb) with 100 minutes of talk. Even if i continue to talk for 200 minutes at $0.10 a min afterwards, it's only $40 a month. I called up and they said we can use any phone. So i'm picking up an HTC sensation. If you look at the Sensation forum here, they have tons of support and about 20 ROMS including full CM7 and MIUI.
Just thought i'd pass it on in case anyone wants this too. I'm seriously considering it, especially with no contracts. I really like the Charge, but Samsung gives little support and I'm about done with them once and for all. This is my 3rd Galaxy variant and in each case Samsung has finally proven that they make buggy phones, don't support them with updates or fixes, and care nothing for the communities that loves these tech gadgets.

If you're going to t mobile, why not get the s2?
Sent from my SCH-I510 using XDA App

I'm open to the SII but don't like the 800x480 resolution when the sensation and Amaze have the newer RAZR like 960 by 540. It isn't Nexus galaxy, but the next step up.
Like I said, if you don't use much minutes, 300 or less, this plan works out to be the cheapest non-crap (metropcs, virgin, boost) network plan. I've had metropcs and now virgin, when i found out they got the bottom of the band and get bumped for priority over the big 4, i won't go generics again.
I like Verizon alot, i think they are the best in terms of network, but for HTC, only a single core thunderbolt exists on the 4G spectrum. The Razr is nice, but 2 year contracts keep that from my hands. And with the economy as it is, having a cheapo plan with no contract sure helps.

T mobile also depends on where you live. Here in Madison, Wisconsin, Verizon has an amazing network. A lot of my friends have t mobile and it blows (dropping 4g all the time and sending texts twice and stuff).
Sent from my SCH-I510 using XDA App

Verizon's network is great, no doubting that.
But my simple droid charge runs me about $100 a month. I use around 80-120 minutes a month. At $30, that's a $70 savings a month or $1670 savings over a 2 year contract. I love not having dropped calls, and money is not tight for me, but i would move that $1670 to better use. Probably to buy a new phone every few months

Good choice. Virgin's service sucks because it's powered by sprint's 3g which is absolutely garbage.

orateam said:
I'm open to the SII but don't like the 800x480 resolution when the sensation and Amaze have the newer RAZR like 960 by 540. It isn't Nexus galaxy, but the next step up.
Like I said, if you don't use much minutes, 300 or less, this plan works out to be the cheapest non-crap (metropcs, virgin, boost) network plan. I've had metropcs and now virgin, when i found out they got the bottom of the band and get bumped for priority over the big 4, i won't go generics again.
I like Verizon alot, i think they are the best in terms of network, but for HTC, only a single core thunderbolt exists on the 4G spectrum. The Razr is nice, but 2 year contracts keep that from my hands. And with the economy as it is, having a cheapo plan with no contract sure helps.
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the 800x480 doesn't really mean a thing when it is Super AMOLED Plus. Due to the 50% increase in subpixels, it looks really sharp.
I came from a 4" Super AMOLED with Pentile to 4.3" Super AMOLED PLUS, I could see a big difference.
Just FYI.

Should I make the switch???

My question: should I switch from VZW to AT&T? I have the unlimited data plan with VZW, I barely get close to 1.5gbs of use even with LTE. My wife has AT&T with the unlimited data plan as well. We could save about 40 dollars a month if I make the switch, plus I really want this phone. I had the razr maxx and the battery life is amazing but I gave that up and went back to a iPhone 4s. I love the camera, what can I say. Anyway, what are y'alls opinions on making the switch, I am located in Tampa so there is LTE here. Thanks in advance

Honestly I LOVE my AT&T One X. BUT I don't know that I would leave Unlimited Data in an LTE area... I think the best thing you could do is wait for Verizon to release their version of the Galaxy S III and go for that on Verizon.
I'm not trolling the GSIII I just think leaving Unlimited Data if you are happy with your current coverage with Verizon would be a big hit. Plus with how fast LTE is and how much data you could consume... If you weren't on Unlimited and AT&T gave you good coverage in your area, I would say go for the One X, it's an amazing phone.
Just my Opinion.
..Gromet

I may be biased. I work for att, but not for mobility. Here is my experience though. I am in Dallas so LTE for both verizon and ATT.
ATT:
LTE speeds are amazing. 30 mbps down 18 mbps up. (no network congestion)
4G speeds are good. 8 mbps down 2 mbps up.
LTE coverage is limited but 4g speeds make up for it. If you live in a coverage area, then this phone is great.
Customer service has always been helpful to me. Never considered any of them retards but some are uneducated. To them it is a job, for us it is a passion so there will always be that difference there.
Verizon:
LTE speeds are decent. 15 mbps down 8 mbps up.
3G/ CDMA speeds are horrible!!! 1 mbps down 200kbps up
Wide LTE network but with very weak signal. (cant penetrate office building or apartment or carport.)
If you dont get LTE, your data acts like a slug stuck in maple syrup.
Customer service is atrocious.
Little side story:
Switched to verizon on jan 1st for the galaxy nexus. I had ATT port my number over to verizon and they set up my account with auto-billing. I loved the phone, and out doors the speeds were pretty good. ATT disconnected my account and I paid the ETF of like 200 bucks. Over the next 5 days i was plagued with issues. No data indoors. No voice indoors. Kept dropping LTE while i was in the dark red LTE coverage map. I ended up returning the phone on the 5th of January.
Called ATT and they ported my number back and closed out my Verizon account. I returned the phone and the box under their "No worry guarantee" that states no ETF or charges in the first 14 days if you arent happy with service. ATT took me back with open arms and acted like it never happened. Instant refund of ETF, kept my grandfathered unlimited data.
March 8th Verizon charged 472.58 for the ETF and one month of service... I have called every 5 days to get my money back... still havent received my check. Worst customer service ever.
This actually got me fired back up. Just filed a BBB complaint.
On a side note:
The one X is a great phone. I would take it hands down to an iPhone. I am not a fanboy of any phone. Ive had them all. Its for the sure, the best android phone i have owned. iPhone is still more user friendly but this phone has the power. The camera on this beast is purely amazing. My gf has the iphone 4s and she likes my camera more.

Interesting - I face(d) a similar dilemma...
I'm in Columbus, OH so I've gotten used to verizon lte for over a year now. I've been more than pleased with verizon's service in general I'm not sure how at&t's service is here but we'll see..... I have a feeling their HSPA+ here sucks, I know their latency/ping times historically have been bad here. I'm confident LTE will be here by the end of the year though.
Basically at this point at&t has some phones I really wish vzw had - lumia, gnote, and of course the one x.
That said, I just took the plunge last night for the $130 gray one x on amazon it just seems awesome and my droid charge isn't cutting it (since my razr went through the washing machine )
I'm going to have to pay a $200 ETF on verizon, but that plus the price of the one x is the same or less than I'd be paying even if I bought a used galaxy nexus off craigslist. If at&t's service ends up sucking, I'll get out of the contract within 30 days, port my number back over to verizon where I'd technically be considered a new customer and I could get a brand new subsidized phone much cheaper than if I stayed and went craigslist route off contract.
oh by the way - I really miss simply swapping sim cards between GSM phones. Verizon makes a B to switch phones, even with the 4g LTE phones which use the SIM, you can't reuse your old sim ever, you always have to get a new one, its ridiculous.

Pick your carrier based coverage, not a single device. Every one of the "big 4" carriers are picking up a phone in the One series, so its a good bet that Verizon will follow suit and release a version of the One, or something very similar.
If your wife gets good reception in your area, and losing the unlimited data plan is not an issue (which it doesn't sound like it is), then by all means switch. Saving $40 a month is significant. But just anecdotal experience, AT&T coverage is awful in many places where Verizon gets full bars. You'll find spots where one carrier is better than another, and vice versa. But overall, its my experience that Verizon gets signal in more places than AT&T, particularly in less settled rural areas. I was on a trip in Alabama with friends last year. The Verizon folks in my group had full bars and fast 3G. I had no data, and could barely even make a voice call (with sound breaking up and dropped calls) on AT&T.

redpoint73 said:
Pick your carrier based coverage, not a single device. Every one of the "big 4" carriers are picking up a phone in the One series, so its a good bet that Verizon will follow suit and release a version of the One, or something very similar.
If your wife gets good reception in your area, and losing the unlimited data plan is not an issue (which it doesn't sound like it is), then by all means switch. Saving $40 a month is significant. But just anecdotal experience, AT&T coverage is awful in many places where Verizon gets full bars. You'll find spots where one carrier is better than another, and vice versa. But overall, its my experience that Verizon gets signal in more places than AT&T, particularly in less settled rural areas. I was on a trip in Alabama with friends last year. The Verizon folks in my group had full bars and fast 3G. I had no data, and could barely even make a voice call (with sound breaking up and dropped calls) on AT&T.
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Actually HTC confirmed that Verizon won't be carrying any of the one series. But to the OP, I think you should stay with Verizon cause you have a sweet deal. Unlimited data with LTE and good coverage? Don't give that up that would be a mistake in my opinion. Like someone else said I think you should wait for the Verizon LTE version of the Samung Galaxy S III

Good points made by all - I'm personally tired of verizon skipping out on quality phones. They won't carry the one x because they want to feature the droid incredible lte - what a joke, I don't want a 4" phone. Verizon doesn't like WP7 and won't have the lumia for the foreseeable future. THey didn't carry the galaxy note, they didn't carry the SGII because of the galaxy nexus, etc... I'm tired of all the "droid" line of phones too, that terminology is old and annoying.
All that said the actual carrier IS very important - if at&t sucks, I'll switch back. I don't use LTE or mobile data enough for my unlimited data to matter to me.

I feel the same way about the droid line.... Let me know how it goes with AT&T dude. I'll wait for know

Think long term. If you give up your unlimited plan, chances are you will not be able to get it back. Regardless of if you use sub-2gb/mo now, you will definitely use more in years to come. Mobile data usage will only increase as carriers try to push cloud services, streaming services increasingly stream at higher bitrates, and so on. You don't want to get caught with your pants down tomorrow because you decided to save $40/mo today.
Likewise, consider what you would be trading it for - a phone that will become mediocre within a year, and completely replaceable by the time your contract expires. Will it really be worth it?

If you have unlimited, keep it.
I have been testing the theory that I can upload all of my media to the cloud and use google music or similar. So what I did was upload my media (appx 14gb), took out my external sd card (Captivate I-897) and started using the streaming service on 5/9/12.
Proir to the test I was at max hitting 1gb per month on my unlimited data plan.
In less than one week streaming my media..... 1.5gb! I will easily go over 5gb in a month and expect to be throttled.
I really like the One-X, but it is becoming clear that it won't work for me with only 10gb of usable storage.

I don't keep anything on my phone. Maybe like 20 songs max. I use it for email, web and talking. I will have to see I guess.

eakrish said:
I don't keep anything on my phone. Maybe like 20 songs max. I use it for email, web and talking. I will have to see I guess.
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Yeah, maybe your current usage needs don't exceed the base and thus make unlimited seem unnecessary. But typical data usage has increased over time, not decreased, so if tiers stay the same there will be many people crossing the base data plan threshold into overage territory.
I just think unlimited is worthwhile to keep in this climate of increased cloud usage.

barondebxl said:
Actually HTC confirmed that Verizon won't be carrying any of the one series.
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Some websites are calling the Incredible 4G LTE just a repackaged One S. Although agreed, its a budget phone, and not on the same level as the One X.
Really odd to see people complaining about the Android lineup on Verizon, and talking about jumping to AT&T. AT&T has always been a joke as far as Android support. They just happen to have one good phone right now.

redpoint73 said:
Really odd to see people complaining about the Android lineup on Verizon, and talking about jumping to AT&T. AT&T has always been a joke as far as Android support. They just happen to have one good phone right now.
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Really, just one good Android phone? They've always had better phones than VZW. VZW carries like 1 HTC, 14 Motorola's, and if you're lucky 1 or 2 sub-par Samsung devices a year. Not to mention the CDMA Galaxy Nexus on VZW is a joke. Was the rumor of Google no longer supporting the Galaxy Nexus true?

dale_cooper said:
Interesting - I face(d) a similar dilemma...
I'm in Columbus, OH so I've gotten used to verizon lte for over a year now. I've been more than pleased with verizon's service in general I'm not sure how at&t's service is here but we'll see..... I have a feeling their HSPA+ here sucks, I know their latency/ping times historically have been bad here. I'm confident LTE will be here by the end of the year though.
Basically at this point at&t has some phones I really wish vzw had - lumia, gnote, and of course the one x.
That said, I just took the plunge last night for the $130 gray one x on amazon it just seems awesome and my droid charge isn't cutting it (since my razr went through the washing machine )
I'm going to have to pay a $200 ETF on verizon, but that plus the price of the one x is the same or less than I'd be paying even if I bought a used galaxy nexus off craigslist. If at&t's service ends up sucking, I'll get out of the contract within 30 days, port my number back over to verizon where I'd technically be considered a new customer and I could get a brand new subsidized phone much cheaper than if I stayed and went craigslist route off contract.
oh by the way - I really miss simply swapping sim cards between GSM phones. Verizon makes a B to switch phones, even with the 4g LTE phones which use the SIM, you can't reuse your old sim ever, you always have to get a new one, its ridiculous.
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Just an FYI, with the 4G LTE devices on Verizon, you can swap SIM cards no problem. I have switched between probably 5 or 6 different phones without issue.
Y2J

I dumped att and decided to try Verizon and razr maxx, ended up returning maxx and going back to att for the hox. I agree about there not being great devices on Verizon( at this time at least). Even though I live in a Verizon lte area my data speeds seem similar on att....why I have no idea. Anyhow I use wifi a lot, so really unless it was really lagging I don't care.
I do want to add just like a previous poster on this thread Verizon tried to hit me with a bill for $466 for 8 days of service. They were trying to say I did not return phone. Well luckily I still had return receipt, but it took a lot of phone calls.

I called up Verizon and they offered me a free upgrade to whatever LTE device I wanted plus 100 dollars off, what should I get?

Wait for the g3?

I have until the 31st of May....

Unfortunately they really don't have any lte devices worth a crap besides the GN.
Sent from my HTC One X using Tapatalk 2