Debating leaving Sprint for Tmobile 4g pay as you go

**hamlet423#AC** · 05-16-2012, 11:49 PM

Well, I might finally give up on CDMA and sprint in lieu of something GSM based
I did find the walmart/Tmobile plan--$30 a month for 100 min of voice and unlimited text and data (well 5 gig of data at least!)
That seems like almost too good a deal
as long as I can find a gsm phone with compatible frequencies...is there a catch?

I am not sure how good t mobile service is in Seattle...

Sprint is..not that fast anywhere....the recent HTC/Apple/Sprint snafu has me wanting to jump ship, get tmobile sim and buy unlocked gsm version of nexus or g3 to get some more control of the device.

and a sim to stick in another phone if something else cooler comes out!

I can use groveip/skype for voice calls over data when needed...

**trivor** · 05-17-2012, 04:38 AM

Your best bet for an unlocked GSM phone is the Google Galaxy Nexus - direct from Google. It is a Pentaband GSM phone which means it works on both ATT and T-Mobile 3G HSPA+ networks. It also gives you an option if T-Mobile doesn't work for you because Straight Talk is an ATT pre-paid company and they will give you unlimited talk, text and data for $45/month on the ATT network. I'm sure you can find a coverage map for your area somewhere with a Google search.

**hamlet423#AC** · 05-17-2012, 12:02 PM

Thanks for the info. I realized that the international htc one s won't work on t mobile bands in the usa for 3g, and the same applies for the international version of the galaxy 3.
so I will go for a nexus galaxy from google. I will just tell tmobile I bought the phone form walmart!
I do wonder if it would have been ok /cheaper to get just the phone from tmobile.com--like samsung exhibit--a pos phone but it was have been much cheaper...
but I wanted to play with a nexus phone finally! GSM is the real nexus, cdma versions have some issues obviously. And being able to get a newer phone down the road and pull the sim is something I missed.

As long as the new phones don't all go to microsims!

**six8** · 05-17-2012, 12:33 PM

Keep in mind its not really unlimited data either. They start throttling after 2gb from whhat I've been reading

**hamlet423#AC** · 05-17-2012, 01:21 PM

I thought 5 gig from the web site, I guess we'll see!

**lmc05** · 05-18-2012, 12:18 AM

It's 5 GB on that plan, and the Seattle area has great coverage. Just make sure you pick up a T-Mobile phone to use or an unlocked GSM phone with any of the prepaid plans.

**Gary Friderichsohn** · 05-23-2012, 07:24 PM

I have been thinking that, too. But I am at 3.5 G halfway through my month with Sprint. T-Mobile is reportedly not good in eastern Washington (just over mountains from Seattle). Sprint seems to be up and down just within town. It can be 1 mbps at one place and then two hours and a half mile away it will be 5 mbps. I am tempted to buy a cheap GSM T-Mobile to find out for myself. But regardless, using that much data I am better off staying at Sprint.

**lmc05** · 05-23-2012, 11:28 PM

Originally Posted by Gary Friderichsohn

I have been thinking that, too. But I am at 3.5 G halfway through my month with Sprint. T-Mobile is reportedly not good in eastern Washington (just over mountains from Seattle). Sprint seems to be up and down just within town. It can be 1 mbps at one place and then two hours and a half mile away it will be 5 mbps. I am tempted to buy a cheap GSM T-Mobile to find out for myself. But regardless, using that much data I am better off staying at Sprint.

What part of Eastern Washington are you looking at? It's not all so bad, like with any carrier it just depends in where you're using it.

**Gary Friderichsohn** · 05-24-2012, 04:53 PM

between Yakima and Richland

Ry · 05-24-2012, 05:28 PM

IMO, your best bet would to grab the Galaxy Nexus direct from Google and test out the T-Mobile connection for a few weeks in the areas of Seattle you go to the most.

If it doesn't work out, try Straight Talk. If that still doesn't work, sell the Nexus here and stay with Sprint.

Only cancel Sprint if you're sure the other networks are up to your standards. If it works out, then port your number.

**cgardnervt** · 05-25-2012, 08:34 AM

KEEP IN MIND! STRAIT TALK...

You can ONLY use 100Megs of data per day and you must use less than 2Gigs per month. If you want a GOOD ATT prepay check out Red Pocket....Unlimited Voice/Text and 2Gigs of data per month. But you can use your data the way you would like!

But if you follow ST's rules then it is the best deal going for an ATT prepay service. ALSO Note that ST will also work with any ATT smartphone right out of the box. Including 4G phones you will just need to add a few APN's for MMS and 3G Data (HSPA+ Connection. NO LTE)

Just some quick info! Hope it helps if you gotta go that rout!