Three network vs T-mobile (Pay monthly) UK - Galaxy S 4 General

Hi guys, I have a pay monthly sim which is from T-mobile and it will end in 4 Months and i am waiting for Samsung s4 release. Basically which network provider is better? I want to swap to Three because they have cheap and good plan for the S4.. What is your experience with this network provider? Do they have fast internet? are they better than T-mobile?

Hello
I am in the same situation. My contract runs out in 6 months, but i want the S4 as i do not like my One X. However to upgrade to EE will cost me £220 when you take into account the discounted termination fee and £100 for the phone. If i cancel and go to three i will only pay the early termination fee of £180.
I can sell my current phone for £140 and get £58 cash back. What is appealing about Three is that they offer unlimited internet for £1 less per month than EE.

oxfordmark said:
Hello
I am in the same situation. My contract runs out in 6 months, but i want the S4 as i do not like my One X. However to upgrade to EE will cost me £220 when you take into account the discounted termination fee and £100 for the phone. If i cancel and go to three i will only pay the early termination fee of £180.
I can sell my current phone for £140 and get £58 cash back. What is appealing about Three is that they offer unlimited internet for £1 less per month than EE.
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Click to collapse
I have sim only deal from T-mobile and it's pretty good deal but i want to jump to Three because they offer cheap Samsung S4 Deals. Also on their website it says they're the best network for internetting,

Was in the same situation here, opted to stay with T-Mobile.
Three are getting 4G at the end of the year which will be FREE so that's why I was looking at them, they have good 24-month deals also!
However, decided to stay with T-Mobile (3G only) as I usually always have a WiFi connection and 3G speeds for me are not too bad. The deal I got with T-Mobile was great too, found it on www.chitterchatter.co.uk and it totals to just £658 over the 18 month period! (300 mins, unlimited texts, 1GB internet - £31p/m. £149 phone but £50 cashback)
Check out that site if you're interested in T-Mobile contracts, the S4 deals are only staying like that during the pre-order period then they will up the prices once the phone is actually out. Sadly the £50 cashback has expired but I believe the £40 cashback for ordering off ChitterChatter is still valid - check QuidCo!

I have gone for Three. £35 a month with a free phone, unlimited data. I am not fussed about having 4g now, end of year will be fine.
Sent from my HTC One X using xda app-developers app

In terms of pricing, Three are probably better value though their service isn't bad by any means at all. Their internet speeds are pretty good and with free 4G in the works they'll probably keep improving and growing.
I've also gotten to know a few contacts from there so if anyone is looking for a deal just give me a message and I'll get them to contact you! :good:
The popular one people have been going for is the £35 a month plan with no upfront cost but my contact can give £30 credit and 2000 3-to-3 minutes in addition to this. Other phones available too...
I was going for the Xperia Z but I think I'll get the S4 now...

Three have been a very good network for me.
I have a one x currently
I have been with 02 orange and Vodafone before settling with 3.
I live in Kingston upon hull and with the other 3 providers i have never had download speeds over 0.5mbps
With three I generally always get >7mbps which was comparable to my home broadband speed until recently getting 200mb fibre.
I can't fault three at all
And with the upcoming free 4g it just keeps getting better
Sent from my HTC One X using xda app-developers app

3UK The ONE Plan FTW! Very fast and truly unlimited internet (including tethering), plenty of minutes and texts, upcoming LTE in same price..... can't go wrong with it....
I'm moving my second contract from Orange to Three in June, getting S4 but keeping my S3 LTE as well

It depends on your location, signal is never great everywhere on any network so I'd suggest asking around or going into shops and testing.
Here in Bedfordshire and Milton Keynes the signal is better than any other network and my Download speeds are better than EE's that my friend has at work.

darrendm said:
Was in the same situation here, opted to stay with T-Mobile.
Three are getting 4G at the end of the year which will be FREE so that's why I was looking at them, they have good 24-month deals also!
However, decided to stay with T-Mobile (3G only) as I usually always have a WiFi connection and 3G speeds for me are not too bad. The deal I got with T-Mobile was great too, found it on www.chitterchatter.co.uk and it totals to just £658 over the 18 month period! (300 mins, unlimited texts, 1GB internet - £31p/m. £149 phone but £50 cashback)
Check out that site if you're interested in T-Mobile contracts, the S4 deals are only staying like that during the pre-order period then they will up the prices once the phone is actually out. Sadly the £50 cashback has expired but I believe the £40 cashback for ordering off ChitterChatter is still valid - check QuidCo!
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Click to collapse
What is the current stance on Tmobile/Orange/EE in terms of getting deals from other sellers. Last time I checked (this was around 2011) T mobile capped people's internet bandwidth if they had gotten their contracts from places other than directly from T-mobile. It was this that pushed me to Three (Got a Galaxy S2 with the One Plan for £27 a month ) thanks to buymobilephones.net.

Hi Guys,
No matter which network you decide to go to, just haggle on the price with them.
I got 2 contracts in February from vodafone, i got a lumia 920 free on £27 and the iphone 5 32gb on a £27pm contract. The iphone did cost 150£.
The price of the phone will not change but you can really haggle the price of the contract down.
Three are quite good a dropping their prices, and if you cannot get a deal over the phone try call again another time.
Also orange/tmobile will be merging their masts in the near future, and they are the most complained about networks.

was due for an upgrade got s4 for 34pound a month
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda premium

Took an early upgrade to a HTC One with 3 two weeks ago in store, but it doesn't like to work for more than 10 minutes at a time with my Parrot kit so had a word with the manager and explained about myself working away. He had a look at mine and my partners accounts and has offered us an S4 in which ever colour I want to pick up two weeks on Saturday. Mint.
Oh and at the moment in sunny Middlesbrough I get on average 13-18meg download and 3meg upload when I do tests.

Related

[Q] HTC Arrive on Verizon?

With the Arrive coming out on Sprint soon, and the Trophy coming to Verizon, allegedly on the 24th, I'm wondering if it will be possible to get an Arrive to work on Verizon? Verizon's coverage in my area is far better than Sprint's, but I don't want the bottom of the barrel WP7 device, as I've heard the Trophy called. I have used the Mogul, the Touch Pro, and now the Touch Pro 2, and really like having that slide-out keyboard.
Any idea if getting Arrive to work on Verizon, or am I doomed to deal with Trophy?
Thanks,
Rich
No idea. The only WP7 device I've heard of for Verizon is the Trophy, like you stated.
You can get the Arrive on Sprint and roam on Verizon!
I am hoping that a few more WP7 devices are announced for both carriers at CTIA (March 22-24).
Musicman247 said:
No idea. The only WP7 device I've heard of for Verizon is the Trophy, like you stated.
You can get the Arrive on Sprint and roam on Verizon!
I am hoping that a few more WP7 devices are announced for both carriers at CTIA (March 22-24).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
truth...
Sprint has agreements with Verizon, when you roam on Sprint it is through Verizon's network and there is no extra charge.
You could get on the Sprint Everything Plus Data plan for $59.99, and pay another $10 for the premium data plan, and pay $69.99 for a new HTC Arrive.
Really.... :/
I had a Sprint Mogul when I moved to GA two years ago. The reception was PATHETIC. You used to see the commercials where someone would say something then drop the call, and it was totally awkward? Well, that happened to me. I was talking to a dear friend, and said, "I love you, Patty", and the call dropped, and I WOULD have continued, "you're one of the dearest friends I have." Of course she didn't hear the last part. I drove up and down the road desperately seeking a bar. JUST ONE BAR! I switched to Verizon and that problem went away.
So, I guess the question I have now is whether the switch to CDMA on Sprint is that recent? I wasn't aware that I could use a Sprint phone on a Verizon network, and due to my past experience I didn't check. If the answer is yes, then I believe I will be cancelling my Verizon contract when the Arrive arrives!
Hmmm... Only issue is that my VZW plan is unlimited data - TRULY unlimited - because I had it on an employee plan when I got it (and I'm not an employee of that company anymore). Is Sprint's plan TRULY unlimited?
hopmedic said:
Really.... :/
I had a Sprint Mogul when I moved to GA two years ago. The reception was PATHETIC. You used to see the commercials where someone would say something then drop the call, and it was totally awkward? Well, that happened to me. I was talking to a dear friend, and said, "I love you, Patty", and the call dropped, and I WOULD have continued, "you're one of the dearest friends I have." Of course she didn't hear the last part. I drove up and down the road desperately seeking a bar. JUST ONE BAR! I switched to Verizon and that problem went away.
So, I guess the question I have now is whether the switch to CDMA on Sprint is that recent? I wasn't aware that I could use a Sprint phone on a Verizon network, and due to my past experience I didn't check. If the answer is yes, then I believe I will be cancelling my Verizon contract when the Arrive arrives!
Hmmm... Only issue is that my VZW plan is unlimited data - TRULY unlimited - because I had it on an employee plan when I got it (and I'm not an employee of that company anymore). Is Sprint's plan TRULY unlimited?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sprint unlimited really is unlimited, but if you read the fine print they reserve the right to terminate you if you get retarded on it, just like any other carrier. Check with a local Sprint store about the coverage/roaming issue. Most plans on Sprint now include free roaming nationwide, and I can't think of what other major carrier in the US has CDMA other than Verizon.
Don't! sign up for a plan through the store, you need to do it online through the Everythign Plus referral, and get the plan for $10 less than doing it in store. So you can bet a HTC Arrive and pay $59.99+$10 premium data = $69.99 for 500 anytime minutes to landlines, and unlimited any mobile any time, unlimited data, pictures, text, nights starting at 7pm, etc. etc. etc.
http://www.sprint.com/everythingplus
You will need a Sprint employee email address/pin. This is where Russ McGuire comes into play, he is Vice President of Strategy for Sprint. On his blog he invites everyone for the sprint offer.
http://mcguireslaw.com/
(under about on the right hand side he has his email address and pin for everyone to use freely/Legitimately)
Addendum: their fine print says they can terminate/stop service if you use too much data outside their network etc, so the roaming thing would apply here. Wouldn't hurt to check out if their coverage has improved in your area.
Very interesting - thanks so much for the info! I guess now I'm tossing up the pros and cons of going with that or going through wirefly and getting the phone for $50 - especially since my wife will get an arrive if it is $50, but she wont' get it if we have to pay $200 (after rebate). I'm looking at it like this:
From Wirefly:
2 phones $100
monthly rate $149
From Sprint:
1 phone $200 (plus whatever phone my wife ends up getting)
monthly rate $129
So, for $20 a month over 2 years, I would save a total of $480. At a $150 savings for each Arrive buying through wirefly, that takes the comparable savings down to 180. Given that my wife won't get an Arrive if we have to pay full price now (since we'll also have to pay early term fee for our current Verizon contract), She would probably go with a free phone, and I'd save more money, but she wouldn't have WP7 (which I want her to have).
You've given me much food for thought. Right now I'd say we're probably going to end up going with Wirefly, but I'm going to sit on the decision for a couple days to decide. Thank you.
hopmedic said:
Very interesting - thanks so much for the info! I guess now I'm tossing up the pros and cons of going with that or going through wirefly and getting the phone for $50 - especially since my wife will get an arrive if it is $50, but she wont' get it if we have to pay $200 (after rebate). I'm looking at it like this:
From Wirefly:
2 phones $100
monthly rate $149
From Sprint:
1 phone $200 (plus whatever phone my wife ends up getting)
monthly rate $129
So, for $20 a month over 2 years, I would save a total of $480. At a $150 savings for each Arrive buying through wirefly, that takes the comparable savings down to 180. Given that my wife won't get an Arrive if we have to pay full price now (since we'll also have to pay early term fee for our current Verizon contract), She would probably go with a free phone, and I'd save more money, but she wouldn't have WP7 (which I want her to have).
You've given me much food for thought. Right now I'd say we're probably going to end up going with Wirefly, but I'm going to sit on the decision for a couple days to decide. Thank you.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Let me further add to your thoughts, wirefly still may not be the best option.
If you sign up with Sprint and port your current number over to them from another carrier they will give you $125 credit for each smartphone.
http://www.sprint.com/landings/portcredit/
sprint said:
Move your number to Sprint. Get $125.For a limited time only, activate a new Sprint smartphone and save.Just bring your number from another carrier to Sprint and activate a smartphone, like the Samsung Epic™ 4G, on a new line and we'll give you a $125 service credit. Not ready for a smartphone? We'll give you a $50 service credit when you port your number from another carrier and activate one of our other fabulous phones. Either way, you win.
$125 service credit per line for each smartphone
$50 service credit per line for other phones
How to get your service credit:
Find the perfect phone. Shop online now.
Transfer your eligible number to Sprint by 4/16/2011. Doing this online is easy – we'll ask you for your number when you checkout.
Within 72 hours of activating your phone and transferring your number from another carrier, register for the credit.
That's it! You can expect to see your service credit as a lump sum within the adjustment section of your invoice. The service credit will show up on the first or second invoice after you have been a Sprint customer for 60 days. It will be labeled as "Valued Customer Service Credit."
Visit this page if you have any questions about the status of your service credit and select “Where’s my credit?” Remember, the credit will not appear on your invoice until at least 60 days after activation.
Requires two-year Agreement.
This offer is available online, via Telesales and in participating Sprint Stores. Purchases from other retailers are not eligible for this credit.
Offer ends 4/16/2011. Available for consumer and individual-liable lines only. Requires port in from an active wireless line and mobile number that comes through the port process. Request for service credit must be made at www.sprint.com/switchoffer within 72 hours from the port in activation date or credit will be declined. New line must remain active with Sprint for 61 days to receive service credit. Smartphones are Blackberry, Android, Windows Mobile, Palm and Instinct Family of devices. All other phones are considered feature phones. Smartphones require activation on an Everything Plan with data with Premium Data add-on charge. Upgrades, replacements, and ports made between Sprint entities or providers associated with Sprint are excluded (i.e. Virgin Mobile USA, Boost Mobile, Common Cents Mobile and Assurance). Offers not available in all markets/retail locations. Other restrictions apply.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sooooo $400 for 2 Arrive's, minus $250 - $150 for 2.
Hope this further helps you.
Wow.... That's awesome.... Now I'm going to have to look and see if I can combine the everything plus with the port credit, and double check to make sure we can receive two $100 rebates if we buy two phones. Thanks!
hopmedic said:
Wow.... That's awesome.... Now I'm going to have to look and see if I can combine the everything plus with the port credit, and double check to make sure we can receive two $100 rebates if we buy two phones. Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The port credit information was posted on the Everything Plus referral page after you logged in with the email and pin number. And the $100 refund credit is definately per phone regardless of how many you purchase.
The only thing you need to make sure of is that Sprint services your area well.
Hope I was able to help you save some money no matter what you decide, let me know what you finally end up doing. I am picking up 2 Arrives on Sunday (for wife and I).
Credit Union Discounts
For those who go/have gone through wirefly for the 50 dollar deal (which I did), since we can't sign up for the Referral Program, the next best option to still get 10% knocked off your bill is to get a discount through any affiliated credit union (of which, there are TONS). Long-term, for 1 phone, Getting the port credit and Referral discount probably works out better, but I couldn't justify spending 300 up front for the phone, waiting x number of weeks for the rebate etc..
cusaver dot com
you can always....swap esns if your willing to get your hands dirty *cough* It works great *cough*
Halabeaster, I've never put a non-standard rom on a phone, but if it's safe, I'm willing to try. For the moment, I'm on Sprint, but not sure I'm happy with the coverage... Got 3 1/2 weeks left or so to decide. I am a developer, but not very experienced. How difficult is it?
cyclical said:
Sprint unlimited really is unlimited, but if you read the fine print they reserve the right to terminate you if you get retarded on it, just like any other carrier. Check with a local Sprint store about the coverage/roaming issue. Most plans on Sprint now include free roaming nationwide, and I can't think of what other major carrier in the US has CDMA other than Verizon.
Don't! sign up for a plan through the store, you need to do it online through the Everythign Plus referral, and get the plan for $10 less than doing it in store. So you can bet a HTC Arrive and pay $59.99+$10 premium data = $69.99 for 500 anytime minutes to landlines, and unlimited any mobile any time, unlimited data, pictures, text, nights starting at 7pm, etc. etc. etc.
You will need a Sprint employee email address/pin. This is where Russ McGuire comes into play, he is Vice President of Strategy for Sprint. On his blog he invites everyone for the sprint offer.
(under about on the right hand side he has his email address and pin for everyone to use freely/Legitimately)
Addendum: their fine print says they can terminate/stop service if you use too much data outside their network etc, so the roaming thing would apply here. Wouldn't hurt to check out if their coverage has improved in your area.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Question, can you jump on this if you're an existing customer?
I just got my HTC Arrive on the Verizon Wireless network via Page Plus Cellular thanks to this post:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=13205205&postcount=9
I replaced my well used Touch Pro 2 with an Arrive because I was waiting for Windows Phone 7 and Netflix capabilty. I'm not a heavy phone data user because I have Wi-Fi everywhere I go.
So far I was able to get the talk and text working for my unlimited plan but haven't hammered out the rest of the data settings. Might have to wait for a Verizon Trophy to come out so that I can try to mirror the settings. This method is technically on Verizon so 95% of the service is the same at a much better price. I need mainly lots and lots of Talk/Text with NO data plan fees.
I actually bought my 2 phones from Amazon Wireless. Both were upgrades for non-primary lines on a family plan (Everything Data 3000) and AW had the best deal on the devices I could find anywhere, $150. The deal got even better now though, $99 for upgraders and free for new users.
dtrush said:
I just got my HTC Arrive on the Verizon Wireless network via Page Plus Cellular thanks to this post:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=13205205&postcount=9
I replaced my well used Touch Pro 2 with an Arrive because I was waiting for Windows Phone 7 and Netflix capabilty. I'm not a heavy phone data user because I have Wi-Fi everywhere I go.
So far I was able to get the talk and text working for my unlimited plan but haven't hammered out the rest of the data settings. Might have to wait for a Verizon Trophy to come out so that I can try to mirror the settings. This method is technically on Verizon so 95% of the service is the same at a much better price. I need mainly lots and lots of Talk/Text with NO data plan fees.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What does or does not work? Do apps go to your bill?
No one else has made progress with the Arrive on Verizon. I was looking for a replacement for my TP2, and I really do not want to change carriers.

$30 unlimited LTE data plan for Thunderbolt

The ThunderBolt™ by HTC, the First 4G LTE Smartphone for Verizon Wireless Arrives March 17
ThunderBolt™ by HTC Available Beginning March 17
BASKING RIDGE, N.J., March 15, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Verizon Wireless and HTC today announced that the ThunderBolt™ by HTC, exclusively from Verizon Wireless, is available on March 17 in Verizon Wireless Communications Stores and online at www.verizonwireless.com for $249.99 with a new two-year customer agreement.
Powered by Android™ 2.2, the ThunderBolt by HTC is the first smartphone to take advantage of Verizon Wireless' 4G LTE network. The ThunderBolt by HTC features the latest version of the HTC Sense™ experience, which offers enhancements including new personalization options, a consolidated e-mail inbox, and unique camera effects and filters. The ThunderBolt by HTC is equipped with support for Google Mobile Services, including Gmail™, YouTube™ and Android Market™ with thousands of free apps. Additionally, the ThunderBolt by HTC will feature 4G LTE optimized apps such as EA's Rock Band, Gameloft's Let's Golf, Tunewiki and Bitbop.
Additional features:
4G LTE – customers can expect download speeds of 5 to 12 Mbps and upload speeds of 2 to 5 Mbps in 4G Mobile Broadband coverage area
4.3" WVGA display
8- megapixel rear facing camera and HD (720p) video recording
1.3- megapixel front facing camera with video chatting capabilities
Newest generation of the 1GHz Snapdragon processor
Mobile Hotspot capability – share 4G connection with up to eight Wi-Fi-enabled devices
8 GB of onboard memory and a pre-installed 32 GB microSD card (Actual formatted capacity will be less)
Built-in kickstand for easy media viewing
With the ThunderBolt by HTC, customers will need to subscribe to a Verizon Wireless Nationwide Talk plan and a 4G LTE data package. Nationwide Talk plans begin at $39.99 monthly access and an unlimited 4G LTE data plan is $29.99 monthly access.
Mobile Hotspot allows users to connect up to eight Wi-Fi-enabled devices to the nation's fastest wireless network via an application available on the ThunderBolt by HTC. Mobile Hotspot will be included through May 15 for no additional charge. After May 15, customers may choose to activate Mobile Hotspot for $20 for 2 GB of data per month. Customers can track their data usage by downloading the My Verizon app available in Android Market or by logging on to their My Verizon accounts online at www.verizonwireless.com/myverizon.
For additional information on Verizon Wireless 4G LTE visit www.verizonwireless.com/4glte. For more information about the ThunderBolt by HTC please visit www.verizonwireless.com/thunderbolt. For additional information on Verizon Wireless products and services, visit a Verizon Wireless Communications Store, call 1-800-2 JOIN IN or go to www.verizonwireless.com.
About Verizon Wireless
Verizon Wireless operates the nation's fastest and most advanced 4G network and largest and most reliable 3G network, and serves more than 94 million customers. Headquartered in Basking Ridge, N.J., with 82,000 employees nationwide, Verizon Wireless is a joint venture of Verizon Communications (NYSE, Nasdaq: VZ) and Vodafone (LSE, Nasdaq: VOD). For more information, visit www.verizonwireless.com. To preview and request broadcast-quality video footage and high-resolution stills of Verizon Wireless operations, log on to the Verizon Wireless Multimedia Library at www.verizonwireless.com/multimedia.
About HTC
HTC Corporation (HTC) is one of the fastest growing companies in the mobile phone industry. By putting people at the center of everything it does, HTC creates innovative smartphones that better serve the lives and needs of individuals. The company is listed on the Taiwan Stock Exchange under ticker 2498. For more information about HTC, please visit www.htc.com.
SOURCE Verizon Wireless
yup, good news for all. the only thing that i and some others are wondering is how long unlimited 4G/LTE plans will be available and if verizon will someday alter existing plans to avoid grandfathered data plans.
This was confirmed yesterday....
Sweet!
Sent from my Droid
I was kinda underwhelmed by the incremental upgrade of this phone (though everything of course looks good about it...) but seeing the unlimited 4G without a price hike makes me seriously itch to see about jumping on this while it's still unlimited.
What do you figure the odds of being able to retain that unlimited data plan for your next phone after the tbolt are? For forever we kept an old verizon plan that was far cheaper and had unlimited data...until they coerced us to "upgrade" to use any new phones
I'm on At&T right now and I've been considering buying a contract for Verizon while the 4g unlimited plans are still available. I have a grandfathered unlimited plan right now and it includes 4g service (for my Atrix), but they haven't activated the HPSA+ in my area and it seems like they never will.
Does Verizon have a history of altering contracts whenever they feel like it or is it like what I have with AT&T where I can keep the contract, grandfathered, for as long as I don't alter it?
I would just hold out for the Bionic to come out, but it seems like that could be a few months and I don't want to miss out on the plan if it goes away...
ApplCobbler said:
I'm on At&T right now and I've been considering buying a contract for Verizon while the 4g unlimited plans are still available. I have a grandfathered unlimited plan right now and it includes 4g service (for my Atrix), but they haven't activated the HPSA+ in my area and it seems like they never will.
Does Verizon have a history of altering contracts whenever they feel like it or is it like what I have with AT&T where I can keep the contract, grandfathered, for as long as I don't alter it?
I would just hold out for the Bionic to come out, but it seems like that could be a few months and I don't want to miss out on the plan if it goes away...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Grandfathered plan is grandfathered plan. Droid Bionic is supposed to arrive this quarter, so hop on board now.
johnchad14 said:
I was kinda underwhelmed by the incremental upgrade of this phone (though everything of course looks good about it...) but seeing the unlimited 4G without a price hike makes me seriously itch to see about jumping on this while it's still unlimited.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
^ THIS. When I heard about that this morning when I called VZW and tried to get them to give me the Wirefly price for the phone, I almost just said yes anyway. Living in Jersey City, right outside of NYC, i'm almost guaranteed that I will get 4g coverage. Now I just have to decide if I want to let go of my Incredible, it's so hard...
g00s3y said:
^ THIS. When I heard about that this morning when I called VZW and tried to get them to give me the Wirefly price for the phone, I almost just said yes anyway. Living in Jersey City, right outside of NYC, i'm almost guaranteed that I will get 4g coverage. Now I just have to decide if I want to let go of my Incredible, it's so hard...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Did they match the price? I am thinking of doing the same to add two new lines to a plan. I might walk into a store and see if they will match wirefly or their own online 199 and waive activation. Effectively same as Wirefly in the end. Except for tax.
No they didn't match it, so I just bought it at their 2 year price. I didn't really try that hard cause it didn't matter that much to me . I'm sure with a little pressure you can get them to match it. I didn't have activation fees either.
Some guy was there actually getting 4 Thunderbolt's. 1 was an upgrade, 3 were for the family plan he was getting. They were working with him to make the total as cheap as possible for him. So like I said, with a little conversation, i'm sure you can get them to help you out in some way.
g00s3y said:
No they didn't match it, so I just bought it at their 2 year price. I didn't really try that hard cause it didn't matter that much to me . I'm sure with a little pressure you can get them to match it. I didn't have activation fees either.
Some guy was there actually getting 4 Thunderbolt's. 1 was an upgrade, 3 were for the family plan he was getting. They were working with him to make the total as cheap as possible for him. So like I said, with a little conversation, i'm sure you can get them to help you out in some way.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
interesting.....as seen in other threads here there are certain discounts online if you have an employee discount (e.g. my employer's verizon store portal shows $229/1 year and $199/2 year contract). i was going to go to a verizon store today to see the thunderbolt in person before purchasing, maybe i can get them to give me the online prices available to me. i'll head there after work and let you all know if i have any success in getting cheaper online prices in-store.
Yea, our company is one of the ones that offers 199/229 for 2/1 year contracts. So I can pick it up online for 229 for 1 year but tax and 35 activation put me way above Amazon or Wirefly+Fatwallet.
On the upside, if I do 1 year I can probably upgrade and sell the TB and recoup a large chunk of the difference if I need to.
HTC wasn't kidding when they said this isn't the phone you want, its the one after that.
I am more than happy with my G2 because I love having a hardware keyboard, but the unlimited LTE data plan is the reason I am leaving. I'm probably going to buy a multi-core phone well before my 2 year contract is up.
Just Bought ThunderBolt online and after Company Discount and Upgrade priceing I got it for 199.99 plus tax. Payed 250 ish Straight up. Im a Added line so I only pay 10$ a month plus 30$ Unlimited 4g Data plus 5$ insureance. My Monthnly bill is now gonna be 45$. *SNORTS*
bummer....the verizon i went to (and it was a corporate store, not an authorized retailer) said for whatever reason they don't match online corporate discounts. i'm heading back north to where i live tomorrow so i'll check out stores there, otherwise i'll have to get it online and wait for delivery.......blah.
i guess other people have nice verizon reps nearby who are either more accommodating or more eager to make sales.
bkiminfinity said:
bummer....the verizon i went to (and it was a corporate store, not an authorized retailer) said for whatever reason they don't match online corporate discounts. i'm heading back north to where i live tomorrow so i'll check out stores there, otherwise i'll have to get it online and wait for delivery.......blah.
i guess other people have nice verizon reps nearby who are either more accommodating or more eager to make sales.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
free online 2 day shipping. pretty fast.
Mine was $199 in store, but only because of my NE2 $50 discount.
Took advantage of work discount. -$50 off of price of phone but tax rapage on list price ate that and some. 22% off 450 min voice plan (no text since I use Google Voice). Activation waved. I'll be happy if I can get Verizon to add 450 bonus mins per month to match my Sprint plan.

Stay with Prepaid or go on Contract?

I currently have Tmobiles $60 monthly 4G prepaid plan. I have been using an HTC G2 I bought off of craigslist. I just sold a Galaxy S and my G2 on ebay and have enough money to get an HTC Sensation 4G.
Will it be better to open a contract with Tmobile and get the phone for $100, or buy the phone off of ebay or the BST here for around $300. I do not know if there are any hidden fees or anything, and don't want to stray to far from $60 a month. What would you guys do? Im leaning towards buying the Sensation 4G off of ebay.
Extra: What phones are like the Sensation 4G and work with Tmobile 4G?
Screw the contracts. I'm on Simple and pay on $40 a month.
Pay cash for all of my phones.
Sent from my Nexus S using Tapatalk
Stay
Stay where you're at if you're happy with it - I pay about $180/month on contract with Verizon for just 2 phones....
I would stay on prepaid. My spouse was with US Cellular and the plan was supposed to be $79.99 a month for unlimited everything. It always came out to be about $140 with all the extra charges. Fees for this, fees for that. We're both on Simple Mobile now and pay $40 each... can't beat that!
if your on Prepaid Stay with it, one of the best things about T-mobile was the use of any phone on prepaid. Still kicking myself over going to a contract
Saito2185 said:
Still kicking myself over going to a contract
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Haha! Same...
pputhoo quoted
I vote for prepaid! No more unwanted bills, just pay and play each month
Especially if you get free extra bonus for extending your account balance with prepaid
Contract ends up cheaper in the long run.
I pay 29EUR a month. For me cheaper as prepaid... With prepaid i was at 60EUR or more a month... And i got a HTC Sensation XE but SGS 2 is better
Sent from my GT-I9100 using XDA App
I vote prepaid. I was on their monthly plan and it felt good being able to go to Verizon without paying them anything.
Sent from my Transformer TF101 using XDA Premium HD app
Depends on where you use it for. Contracts in my country are obvious cheaper when you call alot, but if you only use mobile internet like me and almost never use up my montly call & sms limit then you might as well stay with prepaid, unless you can score a new phone without having pay high contract costs.
WiFi and voip are the combo I use, I just pay € 10 exclusive tax and then I call for 120 days free with a fup ofcourse and after those 120 days I just start using my credit and pay € 0,02 per min.
But my contract was with a free new phone on that moment worth about € 500 so that;s reason I have a contract with mobile internet, because it just cost me about € 4 each month, so I don't mind that I don't call so much.
But next time I will just stick with WiFi and use no sim card or prepaid as I think in my country the contracts are not cheap any more.
Yeah
I definitely think you should stay with what you have if your happy with it. I'm paying about $155/month on Sprint for 2 phones.
Verizon does offer prepaid for smartphones too, you just need to bring your own device. But, it's gonna run you $80.
Now, you can stay on Tmobile prepaid and use any GSM phone that's locked to Tmobile, or unlocked for any GSM provider(Granted that the phone has the right bands to support Tmobiles HSPA+ connection for full data speeds), but like any prepaid service you're gonna get the bottom of the barrel service. You do pay more with contracts 9/10, but you get so much better service and support. Sprint is going to be the cheapest and most flexible contract service at about $75-$85 after taxes with the starting 450 data plan(unlimited mobile talk, text, and data, 450 land line minutes nights and weekends start at 7), and phone selection isn't too bad either. Now you will be limited on 4g, since Sprint's Wimax service is next to nothing. If you don't have credit, you're looking at $50-$100 for a deposit.
AT&T is known to be the more expensive one out of the 3 carriers, but AT&T is actually just as much as Verizon would be. If you have no credit, you're looking at maybe $200-$400 for a deposit. For $90 a month, you get 450 land line minutes plus any minutes you don't use roll over to the next month, 5000 night and weekend minutes with rollover, unlimited texting, and 3gb of data. For service, it's hit or miss. AT&T will claim they have service in one area, but how AT&T does it is if they can even pull a single bar of service and connect to their towers, it counts as having service. Their LTE network isn't so big right now, but it's growing. Device selection is actually pretty decent right now, about the same as Sprint with the SII, the GS, a dual core Motorola device, a single core HTC phone, a dual core HTC phone, and the Iphones.
Verizon hands down has had the best service, and if you don't have credit maybe $125-$200 for a deposit. Verizon does have the biggest LTE network, and has a deal right now where you can get 4gb for the price of 2gb until the 31st of March on any LTE phone(but it has to be an LTE phone). Their plans are kind of limited though, $90 for 450 minutes, unlimited texts, and assuming you're going for an LTE phone 4gb of data. You only get unlimited to verizon phones, and nights and weekends start off at 9pm instead of 7 like Sprint. You can go up to 900 minutes for $20 more and get 10 numbers to get free minutes to however. Device selection is pretty decent for Verizon, but expensive. The cheapest LTE device Verizon pretty much has that's worth anything is the Stratosphere, but there's hardly any development for it. I love the service I get with Verizon, they're the only company in the Toledo area that has any type of 4g service, but the only reason I have Verizon now is because of the dealer plan Verizon offers to Radioshack employees.
If you're looking for your first contract phone, I wouldn't recommend Tmobile right now, but after they get the spectrum they got from AT&T setup then I would probably consider them, but easily for first contract go Sprint. Flexible, requires almost nothing to be approved, and decent service for Sprint. EVO 3d right now through Radioshack is $50 as well as the Photon, which would be the 2 most cost effective phones on Sprint right now.
vbetts said:
You do pay more with contracts 9/10, but you get so much better service and support.
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If by "service" you mean connection, are there any stats for this? I'm about to switch to their $30 prepaid, and would love to know if there's a catch.
i pay about $100.00 a month with AT&T and i don't have unlimited data. i'm about thinking about switching to prepaid as well when my contract ends.
thebobp said:
If by "service" you mean connection, are there any stats for this? I'm about to switch to their $30 prepaid, and would love to know if there's a catch.
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Most prepaid services are only going to have access to certain towers, meaning you couldn't use a Boost mobile phone that uses Sprint towers and roam off of Verizon or Clearwire, or any CDMA towers.
vbetts said:
Most prepaid services are only going to have access to certain towers, meaning you couldn't use a Boost mobile phone that uses Sprint towers and roam off of Verizon or Clearwire, or any CDMA towers.
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Is this a limitation for GSM-only phones (like mine)?
Edit: or is there any other limitation that you know of?
^ no he's referring to CDMA. Death to contracts.
Sent from my Nexus S using Tapatalk
Yeah... I regret going into a contract.. Paying around $100 a month just for 1 line and its not even unlimited data.
Luckily its up in July and I can hopefully go prepaid

How much in the UK?

Hi All
I am now due an upgrade on my Desire, and was going to go for the HTC One S. O2 however want £36 a month, for 600 minutes, 1gd data and unlimited texts, so i was wondering what people are paying for it over here?
Cheers
Go to the vodafone eforum and do it that way you get much better deals! Or just contact them through twitter just look for vodafone UK deals
Sent from my HTC One S using XDA Premium App
Go to mobiles(.)co(.)uk, chose HTC One S -> T-Mobile -> Show All and you can find this deal:
Line Rental £26.00 monthly with cashback(7 Months Free) Includes 750MB data allowance , 300 Minutes , Unlimited Texts
Plus you can get an extra £60 cashback if you go to quidco(.)com, register, search for mobiles(.)co(.)uk, click on the link and complete your order.
All that will bring your average cost per month down to £15.92 with a free phone, 300 mins, unlimited texts and 750mb of data
phones4u is currently doing £27 24month contract on O2, 300mins, 500Mb data, also doing £26 24 month on vodafone 300mins, 500Mb data. But phone free, and SIM free, unbranded as I was told yesterday when I was in one of their shops playing around the one s. (oh yes, the deals only available online but I think that's better cos you have the 14days cooling period which in store you don't get it)
I am planning to get the o2 deal since always on o2 but just waiting to decide which colour to go for... just cannot decide...
i really need 1gb of data! i am going for the grey, just to get away from the black ones chipping whilst those phones are still in circulation!
Cheers all.
Three are by far the best. Just changed to them and their signal and 3G speed is great! When tethered to my PC using wifi and the three networks 3G on speed test I get 56ping, 8/9mb Download, 2.5mb upload.
The deal I went for was Unlimited Data, 1000mins, 5000 texts for £33 a month with £60 credit spread over 3rd and 4th bill.
3 have come a long way...
I used to hate them, They where horribly branded, and removing the simlock was almost impossible, compared to other networks.
But they are at the top for smartphone deals, The internet deals they offer + the speed is almost unbeatable.
azzledazzle said:
3 have come a long way...
I used to hate them, They where horribly branded, and removing the simlock was almost impossible, compared to other networks.
But they are at the top for smartphone deals, The internet deals they offer + the speed is almost unbeatable.
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Click to collapse
I totally. I remmember their first proprietary handsets and they were nasty cheap plastic... Do you remember those £11 3 phones from Savers? The advertising used to get right on my nerves too, and the support was aweful. I came back to them in 2010 for the One Plan and haven't been more impressed with a carrier since.
Support is also top notch, never have to wait in a queue and like you say, the speeds are the best around...
I don't want to sound like I'm advertising them, but they really have turned a new leaf in terms of service and reliability.. As well as the fact they don't put their fugly logo on every phone I buy anymore
Have been with ThreeUK for 4 years, had to cancel my contract this month, as I moved to a new place and don't have any signal indoors what-so-ever. I also found their customer support very useless to help me solve my problem, but had no problems in past to get a good deal for upgrade.
Now I'm with T-mo and my phone arriving tomorrow
nozzla said:
Hi All
I am now due an upgrade on my Desire, and was going to go for the HTC One S. O2 however want £36 a month, for 600 minutes, 1gd data and unlimited texts, so i was wondering what people are paying for it over here?
Cheers
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm on that tariff but I pay £32 a month as I've been an O2 customer a while so I got 1gb for the price of 500mb (£6). They also threw in 50mms messages a month. I also get 500 o2 to o2 minutes and since almost all of my friends and family are on o2 it works out well. If you've been with them a while give them a call and see what they say. 2 years ago I had a similar situation and I just asked and got 2 extras just like that (unlimited o2 to o2 calls and 500mb bolt on, both for free). If not that 3 deal that someone mentioned for £33 seems like a steal. Phone was free on o2 btw.
ccart said:
I'm on that tariff but I pay £32 a month as I've been an O2 customer a while so I got 1gb for the price of 500mb (£6). They also threw in 50mms messages a month. I also get 500 o2 to o2 minutes and since almost all of my friends and family are on o2 it works out well. If you've been with them a while give them a call and see what they say. 2 years ago I had a similar situation and I just asked and got 2 extras just like that (unlimited o2 to o2 calls and 500mb bolt on, both for free). If not that 3 deal that someone mentioned for £33 seems like a steal. Phone was free on o2 btw.
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I've been with O2 for 12 years on the same number and they will offer me nothing!!
I might just for the ease go with O2. or i will buy the phone and get a giffgaff sim card!
nozzla said:
I've been with O2 for 12 years on the same number and they will offer me nothing!!
I might just for the ease go with O2. or i will buy the phone and get a giffgaff sim card!
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Click to collapse
Wow thats shocking! I've only been with them 5 years and even then this is the most expensive tariff I've ever taken out with them...usually I was a SIM only customer (£15 a month). I go on their live chat thing and ask what are my options are and I usually get someone saying 'well since you've been with us a while' etc etc. Maybe try your luck and say you've been with them 12 years and you want this phone but that tariff is too expensive and competitors are cheaper and you may have to leave. They seem to value customers so could offer you a loyalty discount (and yes they do this cause my account has a bolt on thingy saying 'Loyalty Discount, -£4'). I have half a mine to ask them to knock another few ££ off for those 50mms messages cause they will NEVER get used lol.
If you have been with your provider for quite a while, then try and call their cancellation line and request your PAC code, they will offer you a really good deal just to keep you with them, but if you deny all their offers and go away with the PAC code, wait for another call... with the best deal possible
got pac code. no further calls. sod them! i've gone with the Three UK deal. 500 minutes, unlimited data and texts. £32 a month. O2 have disappointed me to say the least!
EDIT: Thanks for all your advice!
Why no one commented on the deal that I found?
Is it because of T-Mobile or 300 minutes is not enough?
I have never used T-Mo, so I'm curious a little bit now
I'm on Orange panther 31. As it suggests, £31 with 400 mins, unlimited texts and 750mb data though CPW. Also includes free sky sports on the phone and another one of those swappable things.
I also get 15% loyalty discount for staying with them so works out at £26 odd coupled with roaming data access to T-Mobile I'm very rarely without H connection.
Sent from my HTC One S using Tapatalk 2
whats this roaming data ?? How do you use tmobile when your with orange ?
Id like to know more about this, because with vodafone the 3g signal is non existent where i live, But tmobile have excellent 3g signal (my GF is with them)
Basically, if you're on Orange (my carrier) or T Mobile you can use either network for phone and data. Mine seems to spend more time on T Mobile than Orange but either way, coverage is great it automatically picks the best one I think.
You also can manually move to either via network selection if you prefer.
Plus orange do that loyalty discount too.
Sent from my HTC One S using Tapatalk 2
I personaly dont understand, why u all look for "carrier" phones with monthly payment...
Isnt there any "local" internet shops (similar to ebay/amazon) where you can buy? Here there is planty of them! Choose the one u like or the price u like and go ahead!
You can see some of search results here "http://www.salidzini.lv/search.php?q=htc+one" But ofc, these shops dont send outside Latvia, so its not option for thread author
cookpass said:
Basically, if you're on Orange (my carrier) or T Mobile you can use either network for phone and data. Mine seems to spend more time on T Mobile than Orange but either way, coverage is great it automatically picks the best one I think.
You also can manually move to either via network selection if you prefer.
Plus orange do that loyalty discount too.
Sent from my HTC One S using Tapatalk 2
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Ohhh i know what you mean now, Orange and Tmobile joined up last year..
I just thought you mean, if you internet connection is crap you could use someone else network lol
Like I (vodafone) could use... say 3 UK network when my 3g network fails.... haha that would be impressive

[Q] Off Contract Advantage?

I am on the Sprint Network and will stay with them for a variety of reasons. I have always had a contract with them and upgraded whenever that opportunity presented itself. I am no longer on a contract and I'm considering a few options. The Note 3 (probably won't go that way due to problems on voice calls), The LG G2 or the Nexus 5. Advantage of the Nexus 5 is that it is off contract but if I am staying with Sprint anyway what advantage is there to being off contract? Sprint won't discount my monthly bill as far as I know so the off contract advantage has me a bit puzzled from the purely dollars and cents point of view. I'd be happy to hear views from others as to why this seems like a good idea. I'm leaning toward the LG G2 which will likely have a better camera and battery than the Nexus 5 and it's only $99 at Sprint with the 2 year contract. I'd go for the Nexus 5 at 399 for the 32GB model if it meant something off my monthly bill but I don't see Sprint giving me a discount just because I bought the Nexus 5 off contract. What am I missing?
I am in the exact same situation as you, except I bought a Note 3 and just returned it. If the Sprint Nexus 5 is available through google play, you buy that, use your upgrade towards an iphone 5s and sell it sealed. If the Nexus 5 winds up being only available through Sprint, then I'm not so sure what I'm going to do.
You can change your mind and leave whenever you want. And with the nexus you will be able to go to any carrier you want (except Verizon).
All in all, it gives you more options on what service provider you want. I would recommend seeing what offers the best service (data and calls) and pick that carrier or see if you can go prepaid. I know straight talk offers at&t and T-Mobile Sim cards and its like $51 a month after taxes for unlimited everything with 2.5 GB uncapped data.
Sent from my HTC6435LVW using xda app-developers app
ricecake2000 said:
You can change your mind and leave whenever you want. And with the nexus you will be able to go to any carrier you want (except Verizon).
All in all, it gives you more options on what service provider you want. I would recommend seeing what offers the best service (data and calls) and pick that carrier or see if you can go prepaid. I know straight talk offers at&t and T-Mobile Sim cards and its like $51 a month after taxes for unlimited everything with 2.5 GB uncapped data.
Sent from my HTC6435LVW using xda app-developers app
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Yes, I totally agree that there are A LOT of options. I've even thought about picking up Tmo @ $30/month, but I'm on Sero, only pay $50/month for unlimited everything, and my Sprint service has been fantastic since relocating to Orlando, FL. Oh decisions decisions
Jocelyn said:
I am in the exact same situation as you, except I bought a Note 3 and just returned it. If the Sprint Nexus 5 is available through google play, you buy that, use your upgrade towards an iphone 5s and sell it sealed. If the Nexus 5 winds up being only available through Sprint, then I'm not so sure what I'm going to do.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Boom Baby. Haha
Sent from my HTC6435LVW using xda app-developers app
Trying to weigh my options as well.
My 2 year contract expired many months ago. I can buy the 16g Nexus 5 for $150 if I sign a new 2 year agreement, I can change to the Sprint One Up plan so I can be eligible for a new phone once a year (not sure pricing details), or I can buy through the Google Playstore for $350/$400. I have so many family members tied to the plan I am on I probably wouldn't switch carriers.
So if I bought through Google and in a year's time I wanted to switch phones I guess I could sell the Nexus 5 then use my upgrade to buy whatever phone I wanted. If I buy through Sprint, the upfront cost is cheaper, but I will have to wait a couple years if I want to switch phones.
Decisions, what do ya'll think?
For someone off-contract but that wants to stick with their post-paid account, the only advantage is flexibility. If coverage or financial conditions changed, you have the choice to be able to switch providers with no termination fees.
The only real exception to that would be the newer T-Mobile post-paid accounts where they do offer plans with lower base costs per month because they split off the phone subsidy, so if you bring your own phone you pay less since you aren't using a subsidy.
If you have a high degree of confidence you will be staying with your current contract provider and that other things like your financial situation will remain stable, I would say it makes more sense to just re-up with them and choose whatever phone you want from them. As far as which one, read some reviews and then try them out in-person at your local provider's store. Everyone has slightly different things they want out of phones, so without specific criteria it would be hard to say whether a Nexus 5 would still be the best phone for you.
I agree with you, flexibility is the main advantage of staying off contract. I've had an S3 for the last couple of years and am getting the itch to switch. If the HTC One came out today I would probably get that because I love the looks and build of it and I liked my original Evo, but it's so "old" now I want something newer - LG G2, Nexus 5 or some other upcoming phone.
electricpope said:
For someone off-contract but that wants to stick with their post-paid account, the only advantage is flexibility. If coverage or financial conditions changed, you have the choice to be able to switch providers with no termination fees.
The only real exception to that would be the newer T-Mobile post-paid accounts where they do offer plans with lower base costs per month because they split off the phone subsidy, so if you bring your own phone you pay less since you aren't using a subsidy.
If you have a high degree of confidence you will be staying with your current contract provider and that other things like your financial situation will remain stable, I would say it makes more sense to just re-up with them and choose whatever phone you want from them. As far as which one, read some reviews and then try them out in-person at your local provider's store. Everyone has slightly different things they want out of phones, so without specific criteria it would be hard to say whether a Nexus 5 would still be the best phone for you.
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Click to collapse
It always amazes me how people would rather be in a contract that will require them to pay between $1-2,000 more over two years, instead of buying a phone outright and upfront, and save the money. Unless someone is too broke to afford a phone upfront... Of course if you can't afford a phone upfront, you likely can't afford a $100 monthly cell phone bill either.
wvcadle said:
It always amazes me how people would rather be in a contract that will require them to pay between $1-2,000 more over two years, instead of buying a phone outright and upfront, and save the money. Unless someone is too broke to afford a phone upfront... Of course if you can't afford a phone upfront, you likely can't afford a $100 monthly cell phone bill either.
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Click to collapse
Sure, but for people who only pay $50/month for essentially unlimited everything ( 1000 landline minutes, unlimited mobile minutes, texts, and data), subsidizing phones works in our favor.
We've been w/Sprint forever and have numerous phones on the account. I'm one of the ones who pays $50 for unlimited. I'm assuming I would continue to pay $50/month whether I bought a phone outright or through contract. I doubt if I bought a phone off contract my bill would be lower than $50/month.
Jocelyn said:
Sure, but for people who only pay $50/month for essentially unlimited everything ( 1000 landline minutes, unlimited mobile minutes, texts, and data), subsidizing phones works in our favor.
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Click to collapse
If your on contract, why not buy the phone through google play and just use that on Sprint til you leave for ATT/Tmo?
I'm off contract, like a year now.
SageWilliams said:
If your on contract, why not buy the phone through google play and just use that on Sprint til you leave for ATT/Tmo?
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