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Hello, I am going to visit USA in August for 1 month (many states), could you please advise me, which 3g network is cheapest for SMS (foreign SMS too) and 3g Internet (well, probably unlimited or best for Android heavy usage)
Thanks for attention
Read that AT&T has the best 3G coverage, but it's pretty expensive - 5 gb for $40, am I right?
P.S. Not sure if I chose correct place to post this thread
For no plan prepay you best bet is Tmobile. 3G coverage in almost all real cities. Edge in most small towns, and G everywhere else. I can get internet anywhere with it just slow internet if I'm in the middle of nowhere driving state to state. They have a data only plan for $38.99 a month unlimited(10GB). Or 500 anytime minutes free nights and weeksends, unlimited txt and unlimited data(10GB) for $59.99. If you go ATT you will have to run a credit check even to get 1 month of service and even then they don't have any data only plans so your bill will most likely be the 39.99 + $30 for 2GB data, + tax's which run around $10.
Thank you very much, in this case I'll take T-mobile unlimited data plan then
And maybe keeping second (old) phone with old sim card in roaming
Which plan do you think it is better to take for my sister if she doesn't use the internet at all and just SMS?
and are this unlimited SMS work if you send them abroad? I mean are they still free?
maxpower097 said:
For no plan prepay you best bet is Tmobile. 3G coverage in almost all real cities. Edge in most small towns, and G everywhere else.
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uh... just make sure that your phone supports Tmo's 3G bands (probably not)... 1700 AWS, not 2100 (i.e. UTMS 1700 not UTMS 2100)...
Yep, T-Mobile would be your best bet
Check out Simple Mobile.
They use T-mobile's network and offers $60 for everything INCLUDING unlimited international text message. If can get good T-mobile service in your area, you might as well sign up with them to save bunch. The only downside is you have to have a unlocked or T-mobile compatible GSM phone in advance as they don't provide subsidized phones.
hbkmog said:
Check out Simple Mobile.
They use T-mobile's network and offers $60 for everything INCLUDING unlimited international text message. If can get good T-mobile service in your area, you might as well sign up with them to save bunch. The only downside is you have to have a unlocked or T-mobile compatible GSM phone in advance as they don't provide subsidized phones.
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thanks, I am planning to but off contract Samsung Captivate (AT&T version of Galaxy S), but then unlock it for any GSM network
never heard about Simple Mobile, will google it, thanks
DarkVasyaK said:
thanks, I am planning to but off contract Samsung Captivate (AT&T version of Galaxy S), but then unlock it for any GSM network
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Again... don't expect such phones to work with Tmo's 3G... you'll be stuck with EDGE...
You'll need the Samsung Vibrant if you want Tmo's 3G to work in the US... or a Behold II or MyTouch... plus Tmo has funky rules for Android phones on prepay (or not)... you may need to do their FlexPay ...
there's a good chance that you'll have to go with AT&T prepaid... given what you're planning...
Your Euro phones probably won't work with Tmo 3G but you very well might pick it up some places. Many many many people have picked up 3G on tmo's US network with INTL unlocked phones. One of the bands matches, the other doesn't. So it depends on which tower your near.
maxpower097 said:
Your Euro phones probably won't work with Tmo 3G but you very well might pick it up some places. Many many many people have picked up 3G on tmo's US network with INTL unlocked phones. One of the bands matches, the other doesn't. So it depends on which tower your near.
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I believe what you say is incorrect. Not only are the frequencies around 2100Mhz different between Tmo's 1700/2100 (UTMS1700) and UTMS2100 different, but UTMS1700 *depends* on the 1700Mhz for uplink, so you can't even create a connection.
Actually...certain Asian phones operate on the same frequency bands as T-Mobile...but good luck getting your hands on one.
~Jasecloud4
Confused
So, I am going to buy Samsung Captivate
It's UMTS 850/1900/2100
If I unlock it for any sim and put T-mobile sim inside, 3g won't work?
I should use AT&T then? I saw at the web site that there is a 5 gb data plan for $60
I don't really want to buy T-mobile Samsung Vibrant because it's easier for me to buy international version then, but I don't really like how it looks.
And just one more question, I am going to live in Singapore for 1 year soon, does anybody know if 3g will work with Captivate in Singapore?
DarkVasyaK said:
Confused
So, I am going to buy Samsung Captivate
It's UMTS 850/1900/2100
If I unlock it for any sim and put T-mobile sim inside, 3g won't work?
I should use AT&T then? I saw at the web site that there is a 5 gb data plan for $60
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This is correct. Tmo runs on a special band so only Tmo branded phones, and some "asian or INTL" phones can use tmo 3G. ATT 3G is US standard and can be used by most phones, but ATT doesn't have any unlimited dataplans anymore. They don't have any prepay dataplans, the only data only plans they offer are for the ipad. So your gonna pay much more, but ATT will give you better 3G coverage, but slower in the cities compared to TMO. TMO actually is beating out sprint 4G in most area's, but its coverage is spotty and only in large cities. I would go tmo and buy a throw away phone when you get here. Or get a tmo phone for the trip, then actually spend real money on a phone when you get home. You can get a TP2 for around $150-$200 here, and HD2 for $250, then you can ebay it off when you get home or sell it real quick on CL before you leave. If you haven't tried it the TMO HD2 is a beast.
well, I wanted to use tons of android apps using 3g internet, but in this case I should just use EDGE... don't want to buy special phone for 3g or something like that...
it seems that I have a choice between 3g with AT&T for $60 (5 gb) and T-mobile EDGE for $40 (unlimited data) ?
DarkVasyaK said:
well, I wanted to use tons of android apps using 3g internet, but in this case I should just use EDGE... don't want to buy special phone for 3g or something like that...
it seems that I have a choice between 3g with AT&T for $60 (5 gb) and T-mobile EDGE for $40 (unlimited data) ?
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well you could get 100MB of data on AT&T for $20... but perhaps that isn't enough for you... seek out Wifi whenever possible? (that's what I do when traveling outside the US...)
or live with Tmo EDGE, which really isn't that bad and some would claim that you may be dealing with EDGE or EDGE-like bandwidth on AT&T as well, depending on where you go and congestion (hoards of iphone users)...
Does anyone have or know of an att HSPA+ coverage Map? I tried searching google but I could not find one. Thanks.
joeshmoe08 said:
Does anyone have or know of an att HSPA+ coverage Map? I tried searching google but I could not find one. Thanks.
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http://www.wireless.att.com/coverag...7.34808092223004&lon=-93.01661302076396&sci=8
Diamond_dawg said:
http://www.wireless.att.com/coverag...7.34808092223004&lon=-93.01661302076396&sci=8
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That's not what he's looking for.
AT&T has the poorest network of the big four, so their coverage map is deliberately misleading.
If you've seen the Verizon ads with the AT&T 3G map, you see how bad it is.
Other carriers are rolling out 4G, and AT&T can't even get a decent 3G network up and running.
Sent from my Captivate
so true att last one to update to 4g, they like to say how much coverage they have and fastest 3g network, yea if u can get on it u drop to edge in so many places its pathetic. I wish verizon had coverage here its about only place that doesnt have it, much better phone selection. I would switch back to droid x on the spot.
MikeyMike01 said:
That's not what he's looking for.
AT&T has the poorest network of the big four, so their coverage map is deliberately misleading.
If you've seen the Verizon ads with the AT&T 3G map, you see how bad it is.
Other carriers are rolling out 4G, and AT&T can't even get a decent 3G network up and running.
Sent from my Captivate
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Wow I can't believe they did that. That map is an out and out lie to anyone looking to compare 3g data coverage. Supposedly AT&T has already upped 80% of their network, presumable their pathetically small 3g network, to HSPA+ but are only making it available to datacard users.
I live in Chicago and don't have 3G much of the time.
If they can't get it working here then where can they?
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897 using XDA App
l7777 said:
Wow I can't believe they did that. That map is an out and out lie to anyone looking to compare 3g data coverage. Supposedly AT&T has already upped 80% of their network, presumable their pathetically small 3g network, to HSPA+ but are only making it available to datacard users.
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It's available to datacard users only because at&t doesn't have a phone that supports HSPA+.
fatttire said:
I live in Chicago and don't have 3G much of the time.
If they can't get it working here then where can they?
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897 using XDA App
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Are you on the southside or something? I have 3g everywhere in ilinois, i do travel alot so i know. There is couple blind spots where there is no coverage at all but otherwise there is 3g everywhere even downtown. But i do have to agree that verizion is ****ting on att now but they think their service is so great that their customer service is horrible! My friend called once too complain about a dropped call and they told him that has never happened and to forget about it. For me sprint is the best carrier outthere atm they have amazing customer service, their phone selection is getting better and their service is awesome!
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897 using XDA App
mac208x said:
For me sprint is the best carrier
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When the HTC 7 Pro comes to sprint I might just swallow the ETF and switch to Sprint.
Also holding out hope that Telstra or a Canadian provider gets the HD7.
Sent from my Captivate
fatttire said:
I live in Chicago and don't have 3G much of the time.
If they can't get it working here then where can they?
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897 using XDA App
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I get issues in some parts of Manhattan, though pretty solid in most of San Francisco.
I live in Boston, MA and we have 3G coverage pretty much everywhere in New England. Good speeds too.
So I'm sorry that AT&T's network might suck elsewhere, but it's never been anything but excellent up here.
Shammyh said:
I live in Boston, MA and we have 3G coverage pretty much everywhere in New England. Good speeds too.
So I'm sorry that AT&T's network might suck elsewhere, but it's never been anything but excellent up here.
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lucky, in northern pa, i have to drive like 1-3 hours to get a 3g signal. AT&T is very miss-leading with their service coverage. '97% of all americans' doesn't mean '97% of all americans have 3G service wherever they go'
Probably more like 10-25% of US soil has 3g signal..
mac208x said:
Are you on the southside or something? I have 3g everywhere in ilinois, i do travel alot so i know. There is couple blind spots where there is no coverage at all but otherwise there is 3g everywhere even downtown. But i do have to agree that verizion is ****ting on att now but they think their service is so great that their customer service is horrible! My friend called once too complain about a dropped call and they told him that has never happened and to forget about it. For me sprint is the best carrier outthere atm they have amazing customer service, their phone selection is getting better and their service is awesome!
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897 using XDA App
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Near the skyscrapers. I just get a lot of dropped calls, I guess from walking in front of buildings. Sucks when you hit an area that gives you a 50kbs crawl. Still outside.
Funny thing is the iPhone 3GS was worse at reception... I'm doing better with my Cappy
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897 using XDA App
I get 3g just about everywhere here in St.Louis..I've only dropped to lower on the complete northern end of the state and in parts of the Ozark National Forest..This phone totally blows Sprints out of the water as far as coverage and download speeds..
Mac
They may not have 3G everywhere, but they have it everywhere I frequent and it's way better having decent speeds. Verizon and Sprint don't even work at my house and they are spotty all around town. T-Mobile doesn't have coverage here at all like most the of US. AT&Ts network is huge and while they may not have 3G everywhere at least there is still some coverage which is more than I can say for Sprint and T-Mobile.
I don't think I've ever been without 3g coverage in San Diego. We're pretty well covered.
The best coverage maps are user verified maps... ie Sensorly Mapviewer maps. I wish everyone used that app.
Shammyh said:
I live in Boston, MA and we have 3G coverage pretty much everywhere in New England. Good speeds too.
So I'm sorry that AT&T's network might suck elsewhere, but it's never been anything but excellent up here.
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Agreed. In Texarkana (east Texas) I have 100% 3G coverage, inside and outside.
I am in Philadelphia and have 3g 100% of the time. The problem is the it is so congested that data rarely works at all during the day where I work (Temple University campus).
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897 using XDA App
I always have 3g coverage here in southeast Louisiana. Verizon also has great coverage here, its sprint and tomible who don't. I can pretty much go anywheres and have 3g. Sprint and T-Mobile are lucky to get a signal period unless you live in the center or new Orleans or baton rouge.
Thunderbolt pulling crazy DL/UP speed per early review tests....At&t still stuck on HSDPA and giving Apple preferential bandwidth. Sorting out backhaul issues excuses without providing any definitive timeframe is just criminal. At&t should bettter get in the game soon or they'll lose a lot of business.
Glad i renewed without contract...
timjc said:
Thunderbolt pulling crazy DL/UP speed per early review tests....At&t still stuck on HSDPA and giving Apple preferential bandwidth. Sorting out backhaul issues excuses without providing any definitive timeframe is just criminal. At&t should bettter get in the game soon or they'll lose a lot of business.
Glad i renewed without contract...
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Sorry, but AT&T won't lose business because a couple of people are mad about their ****ty download speeds. The average user doesn't even care about speed-tests. And by the way AT&T 4G has just barely started to roll out. I still haven't gotten 4G speeds (HSPA+). And you also have to remember that Verizon uses a LTE 4G network which is much faster than the false advertised "4G" from AT&T (HSPA+). Once AT&T finally gets LTE then you can compare them, but until then, AT&T will always be slower (even T-Mobile has faster HSPA speeds). Even though AT&T's network sucks **** people will still remain on the network because there are still many people on contracts with the iPhone on it.
King Shady said:
Sorry, but AT&T won't lose business because a couple of people are mad about their ****ty download speeds. The average user doesn't even care about speed-tests. And by the way AT&T 4G has just barely started to roll out. I still haven't gotten 4G speeds (HSPA+). And you also have to remember that Verizon uses a LTE 4G network which is much faster than the false advertised "4G" from AT&T (HSPA+). Once AT&T finally gets LTE then you can compare them, but until then, AT&T will always be slower (even T-Mobile has faster HSPA speeds). Even though AT&T's network sucks **** people will still remain on the network because there are still many people on contracts with the iPhone on it.
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AT&T's 4G masquerade
knarfl1 said:
AT&T's 4G masquerade
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How AT&T Totally Flubbed 4G
AT&T’s 4G Phones Are More BS Than Anybody
AT&T ’4G’ network is anything but 4G
......
I'm gonna be visiting London in a few days and plan on using my Tmo US Nexus S on a pay-as-you-go SIM card.
I know 3G is out of the question, but so far as using a data plan on EDGE goes, does anyone know which provider offers the best coverage in the city? I've tried Tmo UK once on an unlocked iPhone 3G and the signal was spotty at best, so I'm hoping for better luck this time around.
Vodafone is your best bet in my opinion. They tend to have the best coverage and when other networks drop out Vodafone usually clings in with a bar or two .
I'm also with Vodafone so not that I'm biased or anything!
T-mobile and Orange now share their network signals. So now you get both
I live in London and I am on Orange. Its pretty good most places. The only place it seems terrible is at my home
Thanks guys, I gave both carriers' sites a look. Cost initially wasn't an issue for me, but their prices for pay-as-you-go data are... discouraging. I may still have to stick with Tmo's much cheaper unlimited internet after all...
Hey folks, well i'm with metropcs currently and thinking of switching to cricket - metropcs offers a 60/month unlimited data plan, cricket offers 60/month with 10 gigs high speed. i am wondering, after one has used their allotted 10 gigs high speed, how slow is the data throttled, can anyone report? Metropcs would be ok but the signals not too good where i live, among other factors.
thanks!
leopard_fist said:
Hey folks, well i'm with metropcs currently and thinking of switching to cricket - metropcs offers a 60/month unlimited data plan, cricket offers 60/month with 10 gigs high speed. i am wondering, after one has used their allotted 10 gigs high speed, how slow is the data throttled, can anyone report? Metropcs would be ok but the signals not too good where i live, among other factors.
thanks!
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2G speed
if you currently have unlimited connection even with "not that good" coverage, it's not a good idea to change to cricket
and please try finding a more relevant thread to post your question at
I live in Georgia and cricket is a good service. I can get signal almost everywhere that my Verizon gets and plus with the new Verizon teer plans this is prolly a better deal.
I have a friend who uses Cricket. He uses it because he's in a large city and gets decent reception, but as someone else mentioned, the data speeds are not that great. I don't know if they're 2G or what, but he is always complaining that his phone is taking forever to load. So it all depends on what you're using the phone for mostly. If you NEED fast data, might need to look elsewhere.
As far as I know, new Cricket plans use the AT&T network. I seem to recall reading they cap 3G at 4mps and LTE at 8mps within your data allowance, and drop you to 2G speeds when it's up. New MetroPCS activations use T-mobile, and I don't know anything about throttling practices. I know nothing about either the old Cricket or MetroPCS CDMA networks or plans. If you do have a CDMA device on Metro, it will stop working soon if it hasn't already as T-mobile decommissions the CDMA network.