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I have a Verizon TP2, fully unlocked (SIM and hard SPL), currently running Energy ROM. I've been using it for the past year successfully in Europe with various prepaid SIM plans, but now I'm back in the US and want to flash to a no contract, all-inclusive plan. My main concern is getting unlimited data for email and various apps like Google maps. I have a new job based in Boise, ID, but will be traveling around the US quite a bit for work. From what I've researched, the only option to flash a Verizon-branded TP2 with service in Boise is Cricket, as MetroPCS does not have coverage in that area. Is this correct, or all there alternate prepaid options like Straight Talk that people have successfully flashed? Unfortunately, Cricket's $55 unlimited Android option is pricier than similar plans offered by Boost, Revol, and Virgin, but it seems those companies will only work for Sprint-branded TP2/network. Maybe there is another prepaid carrier option that I'm overlooking, but I've searched and couldn't find anything for certain. Any advice is greatly appreciated!
Greetings!
First time poster, long time reader.
I have been using a SE Xperia X1a that I bought off Ebay since Sept. 2009. I have stuck with this phone because I have an unlimited Medianet HSDPA service that costs $10/Mo. I frequently tether as a wireless router for either my laptop or Ipod Touch 4g. ATT still has not recognized this despite using 2gb+/mo.
The hardware in the phone is breaking down. I am looking for a replacement device that can do a similar service for me- $10/mo/unlimited internet. Are there any foreign branded Androids that can do this?
I did do a search for about an hour before giving up and asking this. Thanks are coming your way for responding
I'm really not sure why you think your plan is tied to your phone? Just get whatever phone tickles your fancy and put your sim card in it.
I don't think my plan is tied to my phone. I'm sorry if that's how it came across.
I am able to capitalize on unlimited MediaNet data because ATT doesn't recognize my Xperia's IMEI- they think I have a dumbphone.
The hardware is failing on my Xperia, and I am looking into a replacement. I'm fully willing to buy an foreign phone out of contract if it's known that ATT can't recognize the IMEI.
If anyone could point me in the right direction it would be much appreciated :-D
They dont think you have a dunb phone(Non Smart Phone) They just havent cared to check. In my experience they only check what style of phone when upgrading services, such as data plans and such. As deathsled said, get any phone that makes you happy and insert yoour sim card. P.S. Make sure phone is able to accept a sim card, and if unlocked make sure its able to listen to the carries specific signal.
Well they do think I have a dumbphone. That's what I had to tell them when I signed up for MediaNet after purchasing the phone.
I don't want to buy a phone that they their system will instantly recognize and upgrade me from my MediaNet to a smartphone plan.
Is there a resource to check the phones that they know of? I could always just purchase the same model and continue doing what I'm doing if not.
Is the problem that nobody knows, or that nobody has seen this thread that does know?
Bamp 10char
Is there another forum I should be trying?
Donteventrii said:
Well they do think I have a dumbphone. That's what I had to tell them when I signed up for MediaNet after purchasing the phone.
I don't want to buy a phone that they their system will instantly recognize and upgrade me from my MediaNet to a smartphone plan.
Is there a resource to check the phones that they know of? I could always just purchase the same model and continue doing what I'm doing if not.
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I'm rather puzzled, why can't you just buy an unlocked phone from (say) Amazon? They do sell nice Nexus One units there...
I know exactly what you are talking about Donteventrii
I can give you a list of phones that might be suitable for you, that are unlocked and use AT&T 3G but their IMEI will still not be recognizable and therefore, you get to keep your $10 unlimited MEdiaNet data plan
Amazon: Any Nokia Phone - E72, N8, E7, E6 etc
NExus S - the one for AT&T which will have the 850/1900 3G bands - http://www.amazon.com/Samsung-Googl..._1_1?s=wireless&ie=UTF8&qid=1310519566&sr=1-1
T-mobile Galaxy S vibrant - Unlocked. It has AT&T's 3G 1900 band so you will be able to get 3G speeds in many areas since 1900 is the more widespread one.
Any Rogers (Canadian telephone service provider) smartphone unlocked since it uses the same bands as AT&T for it's 3G. I'm using a Rogers unlocked Xperia Play that I bought off a guy who'd bought it off Ebay.
That's just the ones I can think off the top of my head. I'll post again if I remember some more
Thank you very much Abudabu!
I may have some follow ups, but I'm heading to bed.
I would just get another phone like tmobile
Abudabu, do you also use MediaNet for your Xperia Play? I see that ATT is getting Xperia play, do you think this will cause problems for you?
The Nexus S is quite costly still, though 2.3 has me drooling. I believe the Galaxy S may be my best option. I might buy it online and unlock it myself.
Any thoughts?
I don't use MediaNet actually. I'm on the $30 unlimited data plan that I opted for when I went with the iPhone 3GS.
You can swap your SIM card out of your current phne to any phone that does not have an AT&T logo on it and you should be fine. AT&T has the IMEI's of all the phones that IT sells, in it's database. So if you put your sim in an Unlocked Xperia Play from Rogers or from United Kingdom, you can continue using the MediaNet without any hassle. If however, you put your SIM card in a AT&T Xperia Play, the SIM recognizes the IMEI of the phone, and will transmit this data back to AT&T indicating you need to upgrade your plan since you are on a smartphone
Any reason you don't switch back to MediaNet?
I'm aware of the 10$ Medianet plan. But for those that use it with unlocked smartphones, how do you get around the texting?
I see a $30 unlimited data and messaging plan which defeats the purpose of the thread. Are you combining this with the 1000 messages for $10?
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Donteventrii said:
Any reason you don't switch back to MediaNet?
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Well couple of reasons:
1) I wasn't sure if they even offer it anymore. I was under the impression they have tiered data plans now. $15 for 200 mb, $25 for 2GB, etc.
2) I switch phones quite a bit. So I prefer to just have the $30 unlimited data plan standard and I switch sim's in and out irregardless.
Ah if you switch phones that makes sense.
But yes, they do indeed offer MediaNet unlimited for 10/month. I am sitting at 2.5gb this month with a week left in my billing cycle.
I mainly use it to tether my laptop while at work. We don't have wifi, and I don't want to use my work computer for personal business. In fact, I'm tethering it right now from work
so where can I find a list of smartphones, compatible with AT&T, not in the IMEI database?
Just to be clear, I can purchase a dumbphone with:
$30 unlimited messaging/mobile to mobile
+
$15 unlimited data
with no voice plan (like the $39.99 for 450 minutes), go home and pop the SIM card to one of these unlisted phones and done.
$45 + tax for unlimited everything on a smartphone.
I can use Google Voice for landlines and international without incurring call forwarding fees and such.
I don't think there is a list other than what's been provided already. I use the Unlimited family messaging and 10/mo unlimited internet.
Alright, so I'm getting an unlocked (european) Galaxy S GT i9000 from a friend soon. I know recently AT&T has been aggressive in, from what I hear, automatically changing non-smartphone data plans to smartphone data plans if they discover you have one.
I currently have an unlimited non-smartphone data plan; due to it not being AT&T branded, will they call me on this?
Has anyone (recently) tried similar, and better yet, has anyone done such with this or a similar phone?
So sad, I've been looking at Voyager Mobile for a while now from my perch on Virgin Mobile, and I was wondering if I could grab myself an unlocked Gnexus device and head on over there to get everything for $40 versus the $35 I pay for unlimited text, web and 300 minutes. (Yes I was grandfathered in, but I couldn't stand the Triumph.)
But before I bought my upgrade (The V 4G) I asked if there was a BYOD (bring your own device) rule. And sadly there was... Feel free to read the email they sent me.
AFAIK: Voyager is a Sprint MVNO which means you can only use phones branded by them. People thought you could flash Sprint phones for Virgin but nope.
Maybe they will be like Ting (ting dot com) which is also a Sprint MVNO. Ting allows you to bring/re-program your own device, but you first have to buy one of their authorized Sprint devices to "clone" the settings from it. People have been buying the cheapo model phone from Ting to clone the MEID, network settings, profile, etc. and use CDMA Workshop or similar software to transfer to their own phone.
Presto change-o, you've got your own CDMA device working on their network! Although 4G is a little more challenging to get working apparently.
I'm a verizon user, but my father wants to replace his old Nokia feature phone with something newer. He's a tracfone user, and as I understand it their BYOD plans are CDMA only. You can get a VZW Moto G today, but I believe they won't unlock the device for use on other networks for 6 months.
So, I can get a GSM version, but am unfamiliar with GSM MVNO's. Which MVNO using AT&T has the least expensive (potential) plan. I don't think he's ever sent a text, and I don't see him using data on the device much, but I think he would appreciate the camera and google maps. An unlimited plan is pure overkill for him. He's the definition of the minimal user.
Probably Straight Talk Sims.
sent from my Moto G using Tapatalk
Coop9 said:
I'm a verizon user, but my father wants to replace his old Nokia feature phone with something newer. He's a tracfone user, and as I understand it their BYOD plans are CDMA only. You can get a VZW Moto G today, but I believe they won't unlock the device for use on other networks for 6 months.
So, I can get a GSM version, but am unfamiliar with GSM MVNO's. Which MVNO using AT&T has the least expensive (potential) plan. I don't think he's ever sent a text, and I don't see him using data on the device much, but I think he would appreciate the camera and google maps. An unlimited plan is pure overkill for him. He's the definition of the minimal user.
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Actually I've been looking into this recently myself. I'm currently with Tracfone but I'm thinking about upgrading my phone (Moto G is one strong consideration).
Straight Talk is one option but it really depends on needs. If he's a light user, PayAsYouGo may be the best. If he's consumes quite a bit of minutes, prepaid may be the path. I would look at H2o or Airvoice also. With either you could possibly get a light user down around what TF cost (depending on the plan used there). They both also offer monthly prepaids less expensive than ST. However, I think ST is 4G and the two I mentioned may be only 3G if that matters. Both H2o and AV use AT&T GSM so that would be a consideration. Of course, Verizon and AT&T are very large providers but you would have to see what works in his area.
And yes, you are correct. The new CDMA Moto G will not work on TF. And I seen some stated that will be that way for at least one year.
wrj54 said:
Actually I've been looking into this recently myself. I'm currently with Tracfone but I'm thinking about upgrading my phone (Moto G is one strong consideration).
Straight Talk is one option but it really depends on needs. If he's a light user, PayAsYouGo may be the best. If he's consumes quite a bit of minutes, prepaid may be the path. I would look at H2o or Airvoice also. With either you could possibly get a light user down around what TF cost (depending on the plan used there). They both also offer monthly prepaids less expensive than ST. However, I think ST is 4G and the two I mentioned may be only 3G if that matters. Both H2o and AV use AT&T GSM so that would be a consideration. Of course, Verizon and AT&T are very large providers but you would have to see what works in his area.
And yes, you are correct. The new CDMA Moto G will not work on TF. And I seen some stated that will be that way for at least one year.
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Why won't it work on Tracfone's BYOP plan? All you should have to do is call them and let them transfer everything. Jus t because it's locked to Verizon doesn't mean you can't flash it to someone else I think... TF operates on Verizon as well.
wws12 said:
Why won't it work on Tracfone's BYOP plan? All you should have to do is call them and let them transfer everything. Jus t because it's locked to Verizon doesn't mean you can't flash it to someone else I think... TF operates on Verizon as well.
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Verizon controls what phones are allowed on their network; not TF. Page Plus wireless (which is also a Verizon MVNO provider) customers have the same issue. They want the Moto G but it's the network owner who sets the rules.
You'll find it easier to use higher end phones on MVNOs who employee T-Mobile or AT&T (GSM). That's why I suggested the ones I did. And by no means is the list limited to Airvoice, H2o, Straight Talk. There are more choices. Just not Verizon.
Coop9 said:
I'm a verizon user, but my father wants to replace his old Nokia feature phone with something newer. He's a tracfone user, and as I understand it their BYOD plans are CDMA only. You can get a VZW Moto G today, but I believe they won't unlock the device for use on other networks for 6 months.
So, I can get a GSM version, but am unfamiliar with GSM MVNO's. Which MVNO using AT&T has the least expensive (potential) plan. I don't think he's ever sent a text, and I don't see him using data on the device much, but I think he would appreciate the camera and google maps. An unlimited plan is pure overkill for him. He's the definition of the minimal user.
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What about Ting?
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yguns76 said:
What about Ting?
Sent from my Nexus 5 using XDA Premium HD app
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Can I get a Moto G that will work with Ting? I know the Boost mobile version is on the Sprint bands, but it isn't listed on Ting's whitelist.
AFAIK Straight Talk has pretty much stopped selling AT&T sims (only T-Mo ones now) from what I've read recently, the same with Net10 and other AT&T-based MVNOs because it seems like AT&T is really pushing for its Gophone pre-paid as an MVNO competitor (and withdrawing its support for MVNOs it was selling access to gradually). They've revamped their prices recently to be more competitive, and that's the reason I've switched from my old provider (Virgin) --- I'm currently on the $60 unlim txt/voice/2GB data plan (cheaper when buying refills through resellers).
The cheapest Gophone plan for smartphones is $25 / mo for 250 mins unlim domestic text & MMS (and a set of countries), no data included.
If you're not averse to T-Mobile, they have a fantastic low-minutes high data plan ($30 a month for 100 mins, unlimited text & data (throttled at 5GB) but I'm unsure if you can use a Moto G you've not purchased from them with the plan.