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Hey community,
I am currently not under contract with any provider…at the very least I want to give each provider a solid look before signing a new contract. Since I value the input of this community so much I am interested to see your thoughts. I don’t need help choosing a phone…also I am in the USA so for the purpose of this thread I am not interested in how the services would be rated worldwide.
Please add a vote to the poll…please don’t just pick the provider you are currently with but rather who you would choose if you had the chance…if anyone has relevant info please post it. My needs are simple…data and voice…coverage and customer service are very important. Let’s not turn this into a forum to bash providers…that is not my interest…if you have a chip on your shoulder please express it elsewhere…
I have added the top national carriers to the poll.
Thanks!
Well this thread was a BUST
You went with T-Mobile i'm guessing? Lol, I think you were right.
Oh hey, you posted that on December 11th, 1:43 and you reposted today on June 8th 7:43...
T-Mobile is extremely good if you live in a metro area...best call quality, good coverage, no dropped calls, fast data speeds (4-5mbps+ in some places)
At&T as it´s the only carrier that have HTC devices which work with 3G in México!
Tmobile has the best phones imho
Verizon tends to have the best signal
and AT&T is just a general all rounder
I currently have AT&T and aside from their pitiful phone selection and ludicrous data plan, i usually have good service
PurpleLlamaLover said:
You went with T-Mobile i'm guessing? Lol, I think you were right.
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Funny...I actually have not updated my phone yet...kinda want HD2 but kinda want an Android phone too...I am draging my feet.
metro now owned by T-mobile
I went out today during my day off and seen what was out there to offer. Shopping for a family plan with at least 3 lines, I have a buddy and his wife where I stay maybe 1 week a month who haven't had phones and need them (have kids etc). I couldn't find even close to a better deal than what Metro T-mobile offered me in the store. First I'd like to say that going into a cell store is most generally pointless, because you will get a better deal 90% of the time going online to shop phone plans. However this was certainly an exception.
I was coming from Boost, and wanting to port my number over. Porting over from another company will usually get you a slightly better deal. They have a current (4 for 100) promotion at the metro/t-mobile dealer. That seemed to be a decent price for a family plan. We all have fairly new, decent phones already that can be carrier unlocked fairly easily. So I asked if I would need to purchase SIM cards which seems to be the norm, I was figuring 100 for the plan, then probably 25 a piece for activation/sim cards etc... Then i was kinda shocked.
She then said since I'm porting over from another carrier that I'll get a new phone (up to 240.00usd) for myself, AND each additional line. There will be a 15 dollar activation fee for each line.
So I'll be at around 180.00 out the door. That includes: unlimited talk, text, and unlimited data with no throttling. And the phones I have to choose from don't suck. I'm still deciding between.
LG Stylo 4 (we already have 3 in the house, they are decent midrange phones)
LG Stylo 5 (another gig of ram, slightly better glass, and android 9)
Samsung a10e
Samsung a20
Moto g7 power
Granted, all of metro's phones seem to have a ton of bloatware on em... but i can't pass this deal up because the best part is: NO CONTRACT
I'm probably going to be selling 3 stylo 4's on swappa
I have been searching all of the forums for the last two weeks regarding the TP2 and Sprint service, which on the surface sounded good. I purchased a brand new (in the box advertised as not requiring a contract) TP2 and called Sprint to port my number and was informed that even providing my own (paid for) hardware, they will not activate service without a 2 year contract. I'm stunned! Even Verizon will allow activation of your own handset without a contract. I called the CS line and was told that they will not activate without a contract. I guess I will sell this one and go with Verizon. No wonder Sprint has been loosing customers!
IIRC its actually illegal to do that, there was a big class action suit several years ago that forced all cellular providers to allow users to buy the phones and activate without contract
FWIW i activated my TP2 without a contract, i already had sprint (my previous 2 year contract was up and i have the 30 dollar SERO plan so i didnt want to change)
bs. all of my phones have been activated without 2 year. ive been with sprint 8 years.
You can activate the phone online.
I, too, recently activated my TP2 w/Sprint after being out of contract for just over a year. You probably fell on bad luck talking to people who were out of the loop. There are some corporate Sprint stores in malls (not kiosks) that will hook you up.
I actually started with a Sprint store ( 2 hour drive) as I intended to port my number. The Sprint employee at the store is the one that first informed me of the 2 year contract requirement. I then tried CS on their toll free number. The CS person was very polite, and did put me on hold while she supposedly spoke with a supervisor, but the answer was still 'no contreact, no service'. Considering that we do not have GSM service in our area, my only option is to get rid of this phone and go with Verizon. At least I know they will activate my equipment without a contract. It will be interesting to see if the legislation currently being considered by Congress will also include regulation over some of the policies of the cell carriers...
defaultdotxbe said:
IIRC its actually illegal to do that, there was a big class action suit several years ago that forced all cellular providers to allow users to buy the phones and activate without contract
FWIW i activated my TP2 without a contract, i already had sprint (my previous 2 year contract was up and i have the 30 dollar SERO plan so i didnt want to change)
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Do you have a link to that legal decision? I have been searching all morning looking for the case, and court ruling. Thanks!
timm9 said:
Do you have a link to that legal decision? I have been searching all morning looking for the case, and court ruling. Thanks!
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this is interesting information, do u mind sharing the actual court ruling document?
i dont remember the details, it was between when i got my first and second cell phone, my first you couldnt just buy a phone, they would only sell you a phone if you got a contract, and when i got my second you could buy the phones (for like $200 more) and activate without a contract, and i was told it was because of a lawsuit
this all like 10 years ago though, so i dont know if that was even the case
http://forums.precentral.net/palm-p...-if-they-buy-phone-full-cost.html#post2231359
Sometimes to get a good deal or something usually requires a 2year contract. No big deal IMO since I have no interest in leaving Sprint anytime soon. Another plus was I was able to get ahold of the department that does discounts and such. (2 years ago I got called for a survey in exchange for a 10% discount). It disapeared from my bill and since I didn't know it was a 2 year only discount (thus the reason for the 2 year contract renewal when they first asked) I asked if there was any way to get another discount. The woman on the phone was really helpful and hooked me up with a $10 off discount for another 2 year contract. HELL YA! So now I have a 1250 Sero plan + $7 insurance - $10. On the bill for April my total after tax, fees, etc was exactly $50.00 on the dot. Love Sprint, Love their service, and their phones are getting better and better. (TP2 has been sweet and the EVO looks ever sweeter. As long as they hook it up with some dang good WM7 phones this summer I can see they have learned a lot about getting into the market with a damn good device to keep competitive.
you need a contract with sprint to get service. They dont do month to month plans.
THATS THE BIG PROBLEM WITH SPRINT THEY HIRE SOME OF THE DUMBEST CUSTOMER SERVICE PEOPLE,but when i have problems i go into the store BECOUSE I KNOW THE PEOPLE THERE HAVE THEIR BRAIN CELLS AND THEY TAKE GOOD CARE OF ME.Sprint has its drawbacks but what company doesnt overall im very satisfied with the company i mean verizon may have better service in my area but they cost more and i have free roaming so now i have better service and im content
At this point I have returned the TP2, and have gone with Verizon without a contract. On this site a post indicated that the 'contract required' is no longer legal based on litigation, but it's not worth my time and energy to fight over it. Like my wife said, "After all this, why would you want to do business with Sprint"?
That about sums it up...
Thank you all for the responses!
Existing Customer - New Customer
I read through some of the posts. I have activated several phones with Sprint, out of contract. I have 4 lines with Sprint, and I've not been on contract with them for maybe 3 years now. During this time I have activated maybe 6-8 different phones that I have bought on my own (usually on ebay), and never once been required to enter a contract.
The difference with me (and most other respondents) and yourself is we are existing Sprint customers; we have gone through our 1yr or 2yr contract with Sprint.
Verizon is obviously different in that, if you don't get a free or discounted phone from them, then you can obtain service without a contract.
Those of you sharing experiences of not signing a contract when swapping ESn's are off track here.
O.P is NOT an existing customer (*mentions porting his number to Sprint) and was wanting to join Sprint as a new customer but with his own Sprint handset. Sprint does not do month to month service (anymore, though they use to for an additional $10/month yrs ago).
Any current Sprint customer can change out hardware as much as they want and they're not required to modify their contracts. But a new customer joining Sprint whether he/she is bringing their handset is being required to sign a contract, it seems.
LordLugard said:
Those of you sharing experiences of not signing a contract when swapping ESn's are off track here.
O.P is NOT an existing customer (*mentions porting his number to Sprint) and was wanting to join Sprint as a new customer but with his own Sprint handset. Sprint does not do month to month service (anymore, though they use to for an additional $10/month yrs ago).
Any current Sprint customer can change out hardware as much as they want and they're not required to modify their contracts. But a new customer joining Sprint whether he/she is bringing their handset is being required to sign a contract, it seems.
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this is true to a certain extent....if you bring a line from a shared account into a separate (new) line but have bad credit, you only have to sign a 6 month contract and go month to month from there. (trust me, i know )
timm9 said:
I guess I will sell this one and go with Verizon. No wonder Sprint has been loosing customers!
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timm9 said:
At this point I have returned the TP2/QUOTE]
:| why didnt u just flash it to verizon..
well if u lost no money doing this then w/e.....
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This is really on how you play it out man. You can't give up like that homie. Really someone gave you bad info in the first call. You have to be in a contract to get service. But you can get out your contract really easy down the road. If you sign up you have 30 days to kill your service no questions. So if you were going to leave them someone might fix it for you spri-nt is dumb like that. But you have to keep calling you might get someone who is like F&*k my job I'm doing what ever today I'm going to quit. Talk to a female, guys their be tryin to mr tough I know everything you know.
Just wondering and thinking out loud i guess but you could goto a sprint store or online get a crappy feature phone with the cheapest plan that meets your needs then go online and activate your TP2 or whatever smartphone you want. I mean you will be stuck with sprint for 2 years but there prices are really good and if you want to switch devices again say when WP7 comes out your going to have to buy it used or pay full price again anyway idk just my 2 cents
EDIT:
sorry to revive a dead thread
sprint fan
i am more than happy with sprint.
while sprint has always bent over backwards to help me out other providers with whom i dealt to help out friends and family seem to tun around with their heads so far up their ass they need a glass stomach to keep from running into things.
go sprint
Hello All,
I am one of the people that do more reading on xda than post, so sorry for my low post count. This question is to get more feedback and also allow to me vent a bit.
Like mostly everyone that is on XDA loves their phone or tablet and wants to get the most out of it and/or make it their own. Many of us are gadget lovers and really enjoy the evolution of technology as it comes out. I am sure many of us would love to or have been to CES in Las Vegas (or any electronics show). All and all, when the day is over we are all sophisticated geeks (to others or in our own mind).
Myself, I am in a daily battle to stay on-top of technology as much as I can. What is the problem with that? Money. (can I get a Amen?). We will not even go into the social life talk in this post, because after all it is just a question. I find myself always seeing what service provider will release next. I have once worked for Sprint in the corporate side and know a lot that goes on behind the curtain. Providers are shown many new and current handsets that have and have not launched in the market yet. There is a team that looks at all angles of the phone before giving a thumbs up to it. It all comes down to what the customer will buy.
SO... allow me to get to the point and question....
- Do you find yourself migrating from service provider to service provider based on what type of handset(s) they have new and existing?
- Do you sit there and joggle the pros and cons of dealing with a service provider you know you are not going to want to be with and/or deal with, but they have a handset you want (so badly)?
- Do you try to find ways out of your contract so you can switch providers just to get into that phone?
- Do you put yourself on a pay as you go plan, and just buy the phone out-right just so you are not held down to a contract?
- Are you on the look out for new mobile providers to see what they offer as for phones Vs rate plans? (Example: ting.com in the USA)
Being honest, other than Cicket, and TrackPhone in the USA... I have been on EVERY service provider (in the USA). If I could get frequent flyer miles for my mobile number, I would be PRIME GOLD ELITE by now.
Alright, your turn... what SAY YOU?
I take it for most this is too much or two hard to answer?
Hello there! I always have been on pay as you go, the reason in $, I would get a contract but don't want to be tied down for 2 years, virgin mobile dosent have many Android phones so I just wait till they come out with new ones, I'm patient , service providers to me isn't that great of a deal, as long as service is good and the price is right, service is an opinion, some people think tmobile is better and some think at&t is better, ive been on boost mobile, virgin mobile, at&t and sprint, service seemed the same to me, so I don't research and debate to see what's best, to me I think contract phone bills can be a little to over priced, but this is only my opinion
Sent from my HTC_A510c using XDA App
Android311 said:
Hello there! I always have been on pay as you go, the reason in $, I would get a contract but don't want to be tied down for 2 years, virgin mobile dosent have many Android phones so I just wait till they come out with new ones, I'm patient , service providers to me isn't that great of a deal, as long as service is good and the price is right, service is an opinion, some people think tmobile is better and some think at&t is better, ive been on boost mobile, virgin mobile, at&t and sprint, service seemed the same to me, so I don't research and debate to see what's best, to me I think contract phone bills can be a little to over priced, but this is only my opinion
Sent from my HTC_A510c using XDA App
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Thank you for the reply I agree with you. Looking at T-Mobile for example, their non-contract plans are lower cost then their normal plans. I was lost as to why this is and did not want to go into it with why this is.
ya im not sure why that is, perhaps maybe services use "pre-paid" as a marketing strategy to get new customers to try there service out and experiment how they like and feel about the company, if a customer has been on there prepaid for a while and likes them they might say hey, i like this service provider...maybe i should get a contract with them. Now that customer is with them for 2 years (or what ever the contract is). As price for pre paid and why its sometimes cheaper im not sure, im still trying to figure that out
I have gone back and forth between post paid and prepaid. As for me, the cost on prepaid is much better. However, the customer service is horrible in prepaid. I am with ATT, and recently had switched from postpaid to prepaid, then had an issue with the phone i bought on postpaid and had to pay the etf to get out of contract. Needless to say, I couldn't get any where with customer service, and had to switch back to postpaid to resolve my issue, and then back to postpaid. Why. Because i had so much into the phone. Anyway, customer service is a big difference, even between different service providers.
chrism.brunner said:
I have gone back and forth between post paid and prepaid. As for me, the cost on prepaid is much better. However, the customer service is horrible in prepaid. I am with ATT, and recently had switched from postpaid to prepaid, then had an issue with the phone i bought on postpaid and had to pay the etf to get out of contract. Needless to say, I couldn't get any where with customer service, and had to switch back to postpaid to resolve my issue, and then back to postpaid. Why. Because i had so much into the phone. Anyway, customer service is a big difference, even between different service providers.
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I agree, I have noticed that if you move into Pre-Paid service you fall into the ol' "You get what you pay for" type of deal. I have head through out the roomer mill that some companies may go 100% full automated for all pre-paid accounts. Thus, if the automation service can not fix your problem, then there is no one live that can help you. I can just think how awful that would be if you are trying to port your number over and you run in to issues.
Have any of you guys/gals noticed this? I have seen this time and time again. The quality of phone used in pre-paid Vs. that of Post-Paid. I think the core reason is that people just have issues paying 300.00 or more for a phone. They seem to love only paying 200.00 or less for a smartphone.
Even the same make and model between Pre and post... it just feels cheaper on a Pre-paid device.
Any takers on this?
I wouldn't say it feels cheaper on a prepaid device, maybe its some people mind that they feel there phone is cheap or themselves are cheap because they are on pay as you go, there is nothing wrong with prepaid...just don't have much of a phone selection, in this economy I'm sure alot of people are switching to prepaid due to they pay to much and fear if they can't pay the bills and ruin there credit
Sent from my HTC Wildfire S using xda premium
I just switched to straight talk today. $45 per month. With Att I paid $75 a months,with 500 MB. That was prepaid. So I like saving $30.
im with ATT now, i left sprint because of the prices, they've gotten higher since getting 4g (charging $10 a month per line) and with 5 lines that was to much for me, i went to tmobile next but ever single month they over charged me and then in a 3 month span charged me 4 times, so i left them and now im with ATT no problems so far. i think all carriers have great phones and everyone will find one they like from anywhere its mainly a budget issue with me
This is normally the type on thing you see on FatWallet, but I'm hoping XDA members will take advantage. At least it's a way to get back at Motorola a little bit.
I called to cancel my contract with AT&T. I said it was because I was disappointed over Motorola not fulfilling their promising for upgrading my phone to ICS. I have an Atrix 4G, which AT&T knows I have, and was one of the phones Motorola reneged on.
I told them I knew that wasn't directly AT&T's fault, but I was disappointed because Verizon at least got their customers a $100 rebate. AT&T offered a new phone that does run Ice Cream Sandwich at a discounted price. They did say if I got the new phone, they would want a new 2-year contract out of me. I still have nine months left on my contract. I wouldn't otherwise get a renewal upgrade till like July of next year.
So, AT&T's retention deal isn't publicized like Verizon's (sucky) one is. But if you call and act disgruntled, apparently AT&T offers you something.
The guys on forums like Fat Wallet do this stuff all the time. It's ridiculous how much they do it. But if you got screwed by Motorola and want a new phone running ICS, this may work for you.
I didn't take the offer because I actually wanted to cancel for other reasons. Even paying the AT&T early termination fee, I'm saving a lot of money over the next nine months by going to AirVoice. But, I'm a light mobile phone user. If you talk a lot and use a lot of data, you probably won't save as much as I.
A lot of people are going to want to know what the discount they offered on the new phone was. I don't know because I was trying to negotiate my way out of the new 2-year contract. They wouldn't budge on no new contract. So, I just cancelled.
This probably will work for some people. The people who don't mind signing a new 2 year contract. But if you're like me, and just don't use the phone enough to justify keeping a contract for $60/month at AT&T, you still got screwed because you still got your Motorola phone and you still don't got ICS.
Reports in this thread of what discounts people get offered would be great.
If they are good discounts reported in this thread, people should start calling Verizon and being like, what the hell? People with AT&T are getting a lot more than $100!! Use the competition involved in capitalism to our advantage.
Since some of us geeks aren't as socially adept as we could be. If they offer a discount and you don't like the deal, just say "well, let me think about it" and if you don't want to cancel, just never call them back. If they don't offer anything, just hang up the phone before they really cancel your account.
I guess I should put AT&T's customer service number up here.
1-800-331-0500
first they try to make sure they got your number right thru caller-id, if they have it right press 1
if they don't have it right, press 2 and enter your phone number in
last, press zero to talk to a customer service representative...
So, first off, let me say I'm sorry if this is the wrong location or even forum. I'm a little clueless on the navigation of this site, so I figured General would be best.
Now for the question:
My family is most likely switching service from Verizon to Sprint, mainly because it's much cheaper and has better service where we live. Another incentive was the 50% off deal they're giving to all new customers. Now, here's where we have a problem. If we want Sprint to pay off any remaining money we owe Verizon, whether it's for early termination or the rest of our monthly phone payments, we need to turn in our old phones and get new ones. This wouldn't be bad, and it isn't for most of the family, but my mother and I both have the Note 4 and, from what I've read on Sprint threads, is rather rare as it isn't available anymore. I'm fine with moving to a G4. I would rather keep my Note as well, but it isn't essential for me. However, my mom really loves her Note and does not want to give it up.
To get around this, we were thinking of sending in her old iPhone and my old RAZR M (XT907). However, aren't sure is this is something that will actually work. Will sending in working phones that we are no longer using be accepted or do we have to turn in the Notes?
Any help is greatly appreciated. If my question makes no sense (probably doesn't ), I am happy to clarify. If I'm on the wrong forum, just give me a suggestion of where I should go. We are not willing to call Sprint again and spend 20 minutes+ on the phone to get an answer to this question.
Thank you for your time.