Unable to buy T-Mobile SIM from StraightTalk + Better T-Mo deals in stores than web?

[DirkBelig]

Doing a two-fer question here:

1. When I go to the Straight Talk site and punch in my home zip code, it only offers me "AT&T Compatible Micro SIM Card" or "AT&T Compatible SIM Card"; no T-Mobile option and I can't see a way around it. I'm in suburban Detroit if that matters. I was leaning towards going with AT&T anyway, but was thinking of trying both before settling down.

B. In this weeks AC podcast, Phil (IIRC) spoke about how you could possibly get better prices if you went into an actual B&M location and discussed plans vs. mucking about with what's on the site. ($30 web-exclusive excepted, I'm guessing, not that I can make it with only 100 mins of talk. I'm not THAT much of a misanthrope.) I don't know if he was referring to the Value Plans - which actually would be cool if the 500 mins + unlimited text/data was a no-contract deal monthly deal - or what. Anyone have a clue about this?

 

[map1978]

Yeah I don't get the tmobile micro sim option either. I was going to just go to a local Walmart and try my luck there. Not the brightest bulbs working in my Walmarts and most know squat about the electronics dept. in general

 

[qreepii]

What people are referencing are the monthly 4g plans which are prepaid with tmobile. I dont know much about straighttalk and in my area att coverage is barely available since i live in the country outside town. I went with the $30 web deal since i dont use voice much at all. But some clarification on the tmo sim from straighttalk would be nice since i didnt make sense of it either. The nearest tmo tower is a couple miles closer than att which is what made my decision for me tbh

Also ive noticed that tmo stores really dont do anything other than call the callcenter for you. They cant even apply $35 to my prepaid hotspot without having to call and read the code from the card to the call center.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Android Central Forums

 

[qreepii]

Yeah I don't get the tmobile micro sim option either. I was going to just go to a local Walmart and try my luck there. Not the brightest bulbs working in my Walmarts and most know squat about the electronics dept. in general

Order a micro sim from tmo site. The walmart approach only works if you buy a phone they wont give you just the sim.

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[map1978]

Order a micro sim from tmo site. The walmart approach only works if you buy a phone they wont give you just the sim.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Android Central Forums

Wait I can't just buy the straight talk micro sim and unlimited plan at Walmart?

 

[DirkBelig]

That would suck since that means the SIMSAVE code wouldn't apply (for T-Mo SIMs) to save the cost of it. I doubt the 99 cent ones you can get from T-Mo's site work with Straight Talk either, right?

 

[Andrew Martonik]

Doing a two-fer question here:

1. When I go to the Straight Talk site and punch in my home zip code, it only offers me "AT&T Compatible Micro SIM Card" or "AT&T Compatible SIM Card"; no T-Mobile option and I can't see a way around it. I'm in suburban Detroit if that matters. I was leaning towards going with AT&T anyway, but was thinking of trying both before settling down.

B. In this weeks AC podcast, Phil (IIRC) spoke about how you could possibly get better prices if you went into an actual B&M location and discussed plans vs. mucking about with what's on the site. ($30 web-exclusive excepted, I'm guessing, not that I can make it with only 100 mins of talk. I'm not THAT much of a misanthrope.) I don't know if he was referring to the Value Plans - which actually would be cool if the 500 mins + unlimited text/data was a no-contract deal monthly deal - or what. Anyone have a clue about this?

It means that ST doesn't think the T-Mobile service is good enough in your area to let you buy a T-Mobile SIM. That's their call. Maybe they're saving you some trouble.

Jerry was just referring to the fact that T-Mobile may cut you a deal on plans if you're signing a contract and need some special deal or some savings. You shouldn't expect that though. Value Plans are 2-year contracts too, btw.

Order a micro sim from tmo site. The walmart approach only works if you buy a phone they wont give you just the sim.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Android Central Forums

Ordering a SIM from T-Mobile will let you run it on T-Mobile, not Straight Talk. 2 different carriers...

 

[DirkBelig]

It means that ST doesn't think the T-Mobile service is good enough in your area to let you buy a T-Mobile SIM. That's their call. Maybe they're saving you some trouble.

Um, huh? Unlike freaking Trudge who doesn't consider Detroit worthy of anything more than dial-up speeds, we're on the list of HSPA+ 42 cities for T-Mo.

I tried several random zip codes at the ST site (NYC and LA areas) and got AT&T every time when using the unlocked GSM phone qualifier. Switching to T-Mobile compatible and my home zip got me only the regular SIM, not a micro-SIM. Grrrr.

 

[Andrew Martonik]

Um, huh? Unlike freaking Trudge who doesn't consider Detroit worthy of anything more than dial-up speeds, we're on the list of HSPA+ 42 cities for T-Mo.

Well they may or may not be right, but I'm just explaining why that's happening...

I tried several random zip codes at the ST site (NYC and LA areas) and got AT&T every time when using the unlocked GSM phone qualifier. Switching to T-Mobile compatible and my home zip got me only the regular SIM, not a micro-SIM. Grrrr.

ST doesn't offer a Micro SIM for T-Mobile. Just buy the Mini SIM and cut it (or have it cut). Cutters are $4 online and T-Mobile shops will usually do it for free if you ask them.

 

[ijip]

Why not just order a regular T-Mobile sim.
Go to amazon and pick up a micro sim cutter for 5 or less.

Problem solved

Sent from my SGH-I777 using Tapatalk 2

 

[MERCDROID]

Order a micro sim from tmo site. The walmart approach only works if you buy a phone they wont give you just the sim.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Android Central Forums

I bought a sim from Walmart yesterday. I decided to try out the $45 Family Mobile Unlimited Plan. Works like a charm. They activated the sim card in store. It was plug n' play with my GNex.

 

[Andrew Martonik]

Why not just order a regular T-Mobile sim.
Go to amazon and pick up a micro sim cutter for 5 or less.

Problem solved

Sent from my SGH-I777 using Tapatalk 2

That's if he wants T-Mobile service. If he wants Straight Talk, he has to have a Straight Talk SIM...

 

[kappsta]

So Walmart sells Straight Talk sims for T-Mobile? Why doesn't the Straight Talk website sell them if they provide T-Mobile service? I just bought a Nexus 4 and wanted to use T-Mobile but the only option on their site is AT&T. I am in Chicago and T-Mobile does serve the area (HSPA+ I think.) Thanks.

 

[yfan]

1. When I go to the Straight Talk site and punch in my home zip code, it only offers me "AT&T Compatible Micro SIM Card" or "AT&T Compatible SIM Card"; no T-Mobile option and I can't see a way around it. I'm in suburban Detroit if that matters. I was leaning towards going with AT&T anyway, but was thinking of trying both before settling down.

This is the case for my area too, although it has excellent T-mobile service. You can get around it though. In the screen where they ask you what kind of phone you have, pick T-mobile compatible phone rather than the "unlocked GSM..." option. I don't know if they have a T-mobile Micro-SIM, but if they don't, simply get a regular SIM and you can cut it yourself.

 

[caperailfan]

Doing a two-fer question here:

1. When I go to the Straight Talk site and punch in my home zip code, it only offers me "AT&T Compatible Micro SIM Card" or "AT&T Compatible SIM Card"; no T-Mobile option and I can't see a way around it. I'm in suburban Detroit if that matters. I was leaning towards going with AT&T anyway, but was thinking of trying both before settling down.

B. In this weeks AC podcast, Phil (IIRC) spoke about how you could possibly get better prices if you went into an actual B&M location and discussed plans vs. mucking about with what's on the site. ($30 web-exclusive excepted, I'm guessing, not that I can make it with only 100 mins of talk. I'm not THAT much of a misanthrope.) I don't know if he was referring to the Value Plans - which actually would be cool if the 500 mins + unlimited text/data was a no-contract deal monthly deal - or what. Anyone have a clue about this?

I ordered one directly from T-Mobile, as I am a customer. They are regular $9.99 but have a web only discount, making them $0.99. Check it out at: Sim Card Activation Kit For Prepaid Phone or Unlocked iPhone | T-Mobil

 

[kappsta]

This is the case for my area too, although it has excellent T-mobile service. You can get around it though. In the screen where they ask you what kind of phone you have, pick T-mobile compatible phone rather than the "unlocked GSM..." option. I don't know if they have a T-mobile Micro-SIM, but if they don't, simply get a regular SIM and you can cut it yourself.

Thanks. I ended up buying regular T-Mobile SIMs. About to cut them down to micro and install them tonight.

 

[vansmack]

So much confusion in this thread.

Straight Talk leases service off of T-Mo. You cannot buy a SIM from T-Mo and use it on Straight Talk.

Straight Talk does not offer Micro-SIMs that work on T-Mo. The only way to get a SIM that works on the T-Mo leased network for your Nexus 4 from Straight Talk is to buy the larger SIM and cut it yourself, or have a T-Mo store cut it for you, if they are willing.

I hope that helps.