In article <lqh5m6picg2rga4as5dfhc3plk3otspsuv@4ax.com>, me@privacy.net
says...
>
> I still don't have a smart phone.... must be last
> person on Earth who doesn't
>
> So I started thinking abt getting Android model through
> T-Mobile
>
> Looks like it would cost me $100 month to get unlimited
> everything.... voice/text/data.
>
> and even $80/month for 500 min's voice and unlimited
> data!
>
> Ouch!
>
> Who has the best data rates out there right now?
> That's just too much money above for me.
Yes, I can confirm it'll cost you about $100. Actually, I'm going to hop
on My T-Mobile now and see what my plan costs me...
$79.99 unlimited talk/text/data.
$5/month for the hanset insurance
Plus taxes and fees... yeah, I'm right around $100/month too.
You may be able to save a couple bucks if you go to Sprint instead. But
first, you should determine who has the best coverage in the places
where you use the phone... and it may not be Sprint OR T-Mo.
On T-Mo, if you don't need unlimited data, you can get the 200MB plan
and save yourself some money.
In general, T-Mo and Sprint should be somewhat less expensive than
Verizon and AT&T. But if you have a smartphone, it's going to cost you,
no matter which carrier you use.
--
Steve Sobol - Programming/Web Dev/IT Support
Apple Valley, CA sjsobol@JustThe.net
In article <MPG.27cc6ab0dc543f609897ff@news.justthe.net>, sjsobol@JustThe.net says...
> $79.99 unlimited talk/text/data.
> $5/month for the hanset insurance
Hm, wait a minute.
I'm paying $79.99/month, but if you go to T-Mo's website, it says
$99.99/month.
I got my smartphone a few months ago. They may have been running some
sort of promotion then... I don't recall.
Your best bet may be to go into a T-Mobile store or call Telesales and
find out what kind of deals they have. The high-end smartphones are
around $200 with a two-year contract, but I'm not sure if there are any
promotional offers on airtime.
The rest of my statement still stands... Sprint may be a few bucks
cheaper. ATT and Verizon will be more expensive, and I'm not sure ATT
even offers unlimited data right now. But you need to base your purchase
on which carrier gives you the best coverage, not just on price, or
you're going to be upset when your phone doesn't work everywhere you
need it to work.
You may want to take advantage of the carriers' free trial periods to
make sure you have the coverage you need.
--
Steve Sobol - Programming/Web Dev/IT Support
Apple Valley, CA sjsobol@JustThe.net
>In general, T-Mo and Sprint should be somewhat less expensive than
>Verizon and AT&T. But if you have a smartphone, it's going to cost you,
>no matter which carrier you use.
yeah I know its gonna cost more
I was just hoping to stick with a GSM based phone
though.... and that GSM was competitive on their data
rates
I REALLy prefer GSM phones...cause I can on several of
them and just swap the SIM between them
example....say I'm going on a canoe/camping trip where
dirt and water abound.... I can take the SIM out of the
smart phone and put it my cheapie "dumb" phone correct?
>Your best bet may be to go into a T-Mobile store or call Telesales and
>find out what kind of deals they have. The high-end smartphones are
>around $200 with a two-year contract, but I'm not sure if there are any
>promotional offers on airtime.
well I'm a Costco member..... and gonna get my phone
through them as they have a kiosk in the store
you do NOT get a break on the phone service RATE....
but Costco sweetens the deal pretty good by giving all
kinds of free Accessories (BT earpiece, case, etc) and
will also pay for the activation fee
In article <rgr5m6puv47gt0jg88nngu1kargrvfamah@4ax.com>, me@privacy.net
says...
>
> Steve Sobol <sjsobol@JustThe.net> wrote:
>
> >Your best bet may be to go into a T-Mobile store or call Telesales and
> >find out what kind of deals they have. The high-end smartphones are
> >around $200 with a two-year contract, but I'm not sure if there are any
> >promotional offers on airtime.
>
> well I'm a Costco member..... and gonna get my phone
> through them as they have a kiosk in the store
>
> you do NOT get a break on the phone service RATE....
> but Costco sweetens the deal pretty good by giving all
> kinds of free Accessories (BT earpiece, case, etc) and
> will also pay for the activation fee
I don't know. To me, it makes more sense to save a little more on the
monthly recurring costs. I still think you ought to call Telesales or
visit a store. You still have the option of going with Costco if that
turns out to be the best bet.
I mean, you're going to keep the phone for at least a year or two,
right? Think about it... if you can get even $10/month off that
recurring bill, it adds up.
I wish I could remember why I'm only paying $79.99/month for unlimited
talk/text/data. If I do remember, and it's something you can take
advantage of, I'll let you know.
Are you already a T-Mobile customer, or do you use ATT?
--
Steve Sobol - Programming/Web Dev/IT Support
Apple Valley, CA sjsobol@JustThe.net
>I don't know. To me, it makes more sense to save a little more on the
>monthly recurring costs. I still think you ought to call Telesales or
>visit a store. You still have the option of going with Costco if that
>turns out to be the best bet.
agree
but I thought the monthly rate were set in stone by the
provider
you mean there is a way to get cheaper rates from the
likes of T Mobile?
In article <fga6m61fag1c3vd48vfe8fcqn49ihensom@4ax.com>, me@privacy.net
says...
>
> Steve Sobol <sjsobol@JustThe.net> wrote:
>
> >I don't know. To me, it makes more sense to save a little more on the
> >monthly recurring costs. I still think you ought to call Telesales or
> >visit a store. You still have the option of going with Costco if that
> >turns out to be the best bet.
>
> agree
>
> but I thought the monthly rate were set in stone by the
> provider
They are. You sign the contract with the provider. You pay the reseller
for the equipment, so they can offer their own deals, and often have
different deals (and a different selection of phones) than what you get
from the provider.
> you mean there is a way to get cheaper rates from the
> likes of T Mobile?
I'm saying maybe they're running a promotion, or offering some other
incentives.
I'm paying $20 per month LESS than the published price for unlimited
talk/text/data, and I have a smartphone.
--
Steve Sobol - Programming/Web Dev/IT Support
Apple Valley, CA sjsobol@JustThe.net
In article <mia6m6pnqkmka9icnk6jlf7gp7f6rc3rst@4ax.com>, me@privacy.net
says...
>
> Steve Sobol <sjsobol@JustThe.net> wrote:
>
> >Are you already a T-Mobile customer,
>
> I'm T Mobile prepaid at the moment
OK. So - talk to them. Are you going to go postpaid if you get a
smartphone?
--
Steve Sobol - Programming/Web Dev/IT Support
Apple Valley, CA sjsobol@JustThe.net
On 2/21/2011 7:15 PM, me@privacy.net wrote:
> Steve Sobol<sjsobol@JustThe.net> wrote:
>
>> Are you already a T-Mobile customer,
>
> I'm T Mobile prepaid at the moment
I'm a T-Mobile prepaid customer. I have the Comet, and I ain't paying
$100/mo or anything near that. If you need always on, always in
communication data and phone, then I think you have to pay the man. If
your needs are more modest, but you want access to the smartphone
features when you need them:
- tmobile gold, 10c/min
- day pass which includes tethering: $1.49. I used it twice this weekend
(for the first time, could be days or weeks until I need it again)
- wifi at home, work, coffee
On 2/21/2011 12:15 PM, me@privacy.net wrote:
> Looks like it would cost me $100 month to get unlimited
> everything.... voice/text/data.
>
> and even $80/month for 500 min's voice and unlimited
> data!
>
> Ouch!
>
> Who has the best data rates out there right now?
> That's just too much money above for me.
See my later post about my experience using a smartphone on T-Mo
prepaid. The other option is Virgin Mobile. $25/mo including data. They
offer two Android phone options. My wife has the Samsung Intercept. It's
not bad, certainly not an iPhone or EVO. Now they have a cheaper LG Android.
>> you mean there is a way to get cheaper rates from the
>> likes of T Mobile?
>
>I'm saying maybe they're running a promotion, or offering some other
>incentives.
ah OK get you now
I could go with Virgin Mobile as they are now providing
smart phones and a VERY reasonable monthly unlimited
plan
but Sprint coverage (what Virgin uses) is somewhat
lacking
In article <k4h6m6du4u1c9m8d6fm7a5l1jn85amg1e8@4ax.com>, me@privacy.net
says...
>
> Steve Sobol <sjsobol@JustThe.net> wrote:
>
> >
> >OK. So - talk to them. Are you going to go postpaid if you get a
> >smartphone?
>
> yeah was thinking on going postpaid.... but the rates
> are a deal breaker I suppose
At the risk of repeating myself...
Nah, I won't. I already sound like a broken record.
--
Steve Sobol - Programming/Web Dev/IT Support
Apple Valley, CA sjsobol@JustThe.net
In article <k2h6m6l5hin9ao2c4dee4bv1k7nm2of0ti@4ax.com>, me@privacy.net
says...
> >I'm saying maybe they're running a promotion, or offering some other
> >incentives.
>
> ah OK get you now
>
> I could go with Virgin Mobile as they are now providing
> smart phones and a VERY reasonable monthly unlimited
> plan
>
> but Sprint coverage (what Virgin uses) is somewhat
> lacking
As with T-Mo and the others, it depends. Yes, if Sprint coverage falls
short in your area, you should probably stay away from it.
--
Steve Sobol - Programming/Web Dev/IT Support
Apple Valley, CA sjsobol@JustThe.net
On 2/21/2011 4:00 PM, me@privacy.net wrote:
> Steve Sobol<sjsobol@JustThe.net> wrote:
>
>> Your best bet may be to go into a T-Mobile store or call Telesales and
>> find out what kind of deals they have. The high-end smartphones are
>> around $200 with a two-year contract, but I'm not sure if there are any
>> promotional offers on airtime.
>
> well I'm a Costco member..... and gonna get my phone
> through them as they have a kiosk in the store
>
> you do NOT get a break on the phone service RATE....
> but Costco sweetens the deal pretty good by giving all
> kinds of free Accessories (BT earpiece, case, etc) and
> will also pay for the activation fee
That's what I did. And it's a good thing I like the case and the auto
adapter works, because the bluetooth earpiece is junk. Costco has
different phones on sale all the time, so you'll want to keep an eye
out. Turns out I was a day late on saving another $20 or $30 on the
model I wanted.
It also appears that in most cases the break on the phone price (through
Costco or otherwise) requires a 2 year contract on the $30 data plan,
not the cheaper one.
In article <eol7m65aq4f52uuopfu7p4fu83smeffd0b@4ax.com>, me@privacy.net
says...
>
> Steve Sobol <sjsobol@JustThe.net> wrote:
>
> >At the risk of repeating myself...
> >
> >Nah, I won't. I already sound like a broken record.
>
> well thanks for acting as a sounding board lol
>
> and thanks for the help!
De nada, amigo
--
Steve Sobol - Programming/Web Dev/IT Support
Apple Valley, CA sjsobol@JustThe.net
> I'm paying $20 per month LESS than the published price for unlimited
> talk/text/data, and I have a smartphone.
Is your voice unlimited as well? The $99 is unlimited everything, but
there's an unlimited web/text and 500 min. voice for $79.
If voice is unlimited, re you on the old Even More Plus plan? IIRC, that
was $79 for unlimited all but you lose the phone subsidy and pay more for
the handset. That might still be available if you call them, and a
decent discounted prepaid handset (like the Android-based Comet) would
make a good alternative to the lost subsidy.
In article <ik35d7$4sj$1@news.eternal-september.org>, elecconnec@AnoOspamL.com says...
>
> At 21 Feb 2011 19:29:54 -0800 Steve Sobol wrote:
>
>
> > I'm paying $20 per month LESS than the published price for unlimited
> > talk/text/data, and I have a smartphone.
>
> Is your voice unlimited as well? The $99 is unlimited everything, but
> there's an unlimited web/text and 500 min. voice for $79.
>
> If voice is unlimited, re you on the old Even More Plus plan?
Yes, I have unlimited voice.
I was on the Even More Plus plan on my old phone. I ended up giving the
old phone to my son and starting him on a two-year contract on that
line. The way I did it was kinda screwy... the old phone is on a new
two-year contract, the new phone is on Even More Plus but I was able to
get the discount on the new phone...
--
Steve Sobol - Programming/Web Dev/IT Support
Apple Valley, CA sjsobol@JustThe.net
T-Mobile smart phone rates: Ouch! 
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