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)...
I have a Sprint HTC Evo that I unfortunately am still paying for an additional 20 days, so I thought I'd report about my experiences with Sprint and Verizon 4G networks.
Of course, Sprint uses a 2.5GHz frequency and Verizon uses 800mhz or so. First of all, this makes a huge difference, with Sprint being forced to map out "best" supposedly indoor 4g coverage and other outdoor 4g coverage separately. The higher frequency sprint uses is very poor to penetrate building walls and other obstructions.
I live right in the city of Chicago and 4g on Sprint is a joke. Their coverage map shows coverage where it doesn't exist, you can fall out of 4g suddenly, and its just not that fast. Yes there are some places where it's fast (close to towers) but it is far from reliable.
I am very impressed with Verizon 4g coverage already. I know it isn't in very many markets yet, but they really seem to be getting it right in the markets they decide to cover. Drove 20 miles out to the Chicago suburbs for work this morning, and had a 4g signal the whole time.
Sprint (and T-Mobile/ATT with their 3.5G) can unveil all the fancy new phones they want, but I would never go back to their awful network. Having a smartphone on Sprint is like driving a lamborghini on city streets. I'd rather take mine out on the highway.
Sent from my ADR6400L using XDA App
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...
I'm off to west Canada (Vancouver, British Columbia) for the next weeks. We're travelling around there seeing some national parks. What about reception in these areas outside cities?
We would need some SIM cards fro our mobile phone to be able to communicate to each other and more important at öeast one SIM with a data plan. All phones are European Tri/Quad band devices running android (including a SIII).
I've seen Rogers having quite bad reception outside Vancouver, is there a better alternative?
What about WiFi at public places and restaurants over there? Free?
TiA
Found this: http://www.telusmobility.com/en/BC/prepaid/add-ons.shtml?INTCMP=prepaid/messaging.shtml
CAD 30 for 1GB, will this work outside there?
Hello Folks,
I know the Moto G only supports HSPA (3G+), If i have the USA GSM edition, would i be better off with the Straight Talk, TMobile Sim or the ATT sim given the frequencies to take advantage of the speeds ?
I live in the Los Angele's area
Thanks,
Pete
Bump..
pasta1234 said:
Hello Folks,
I know the Moto G only supports HSPA (3G+), If i have the USA GSM edition, would i be better off with the Straight Talk, TMobile Sim or the ATT sim given the frequencies to take advantage of the speeds ?
I live in the Los Angele's area
Thanks,
Pete
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Doesn't matter if you have the usa model. Tmobile is fast but coverage is spotty in rural locations.
I'd use opensignal's maps to make your mind up.
If you go with att, you can go through aio and get it for $150, but they had it for $99 so I wouldn't buy it through them.
Well opensignals maps and other don't differentiate between service (in 3g and 4g) and hspa+.
Since the moto g is technically only capable of hspa+ is there a way to tell if my area is better suited for tmo or att services?
Straight talk is cheaper than aio also, any reason I'd use them over St for the same services?
Thanks,
Pete
sprockkets said:
Doesn't matter if you have the usa model. Tmobile is fast but coverage is spotty in rural locations.
I'd use opensignal's maps to make your mind up.
If you go with att, you can go through aio and get it for $150, but they had it for $99 so I wouldn't buy it through them.
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I have an XT1034 (US GSM 16 GB) and am on Straight Talk.
I currently have an AT&T SIM card in the phone and get solid coverage wherever I go in Pennsylvania. My data is decent but does slow down throughout the day. I assume I'm being throttled, but I'm not complaining since I typically use several gigs a day.
I originally had a T-Mobile SIM in and while my data would drop to 1X in some areas during my commute I got better speeds and was not throttled (but at the time I was not using as much data).
So to summarize it depends on your usage and location. If you pick up one of the BYOD kits at Wal Mart for $65 you can try both networks and see which works best.
Thanks Folks...Ordered the ATT sim, lets see how it goes
Pete