Who else is rocking the Gear S sans data plan?

[foxbat121]

Most smart phones cost $600+ for off contract price. So, that makes sense. There is no NEXT plan for this watch.

You are currently paying that $25/mo cost in your subsidized plan already whether or not you buy a phone out right. You don't get any money back. So, if you are up for an upgrade, if you don't buy a new phone, AT&T gets to keep that money. If you do, make sure you purchased the most expensive one as the subsidizing cost doesn't change.

 

[dorrien12]

Most smart phones cost $600+ for off contract price. So, that makes sense. There is no NEXT plan for this watch.

You are currently paying that $25/mo cost in your subsidized plan already whether or not you buy a phone out right. You don't get any money back. So, if you are up for an upgrade, if you don't buy a new phone, AT&T gets to keep that. change.

But if I'm already paying the $25 (hidden), then me buying it outright would be like paying an additional $12 a month ($299÷24). But if I do the Next program then they are adding $25 a month so I'm now paying $50. I'm not being a smart alic but I still don't see how the Next program is cheaper, seems like it's more.

 

[foxbat121]

It is not cheaper if you have to use subsidy. It is cheaper if you purchase your phone elsewhere or don't need to upgrade phone every two years.

 

[Wingul_the_Nova]

I rock it sans the phone. Use it as my only phone now. Love it.

 

[wase4711]

if you get it on t mobile , you can get the watch for 14.53 per month, for 24 months, or pay 349 at once for it.
The data plan is 5 bucks per month, and you do NOT have to have a "50 dollar data plan" to get that. I have 3 lines with T mobile, and pay 90 per month total for all 3, and we could EACH get a gear S for 5 dollars a month if we wanted to, so who ever said you need to have a 50 dollar per month plan is wrong..

 

[foxbat121]

if you get it on t mobile , you can get the watch for 14.53 per month, for 24 months, or pay 349 at once for it.
The data plan is 5 bucks per month, and you do NOT have to have a "50 dollar data plan" to get that. I have 3 lines with T mobile, and pay 90 per month total for all 3, and we could EACH get a gear S for 5 dollars a month if we wanted to, so who ever said you need to have a 50 dollar per month plan is wrong..

I don't have T-Mobile, but I think you already paid $90/mo (way above $50 mentioned). That's enough for them to give you the discounted price. Most ppl don't have family plans because they don't have their own families yet (and too ashamed to ask their folks to pay for the service). So, $50/mo minimum is probably right. Carriers want you paid certain minimum amount per month per account. Not everyone is fortunate enough to have a family plan.

 

[TheDarkKnight0818]

I don't own a gear s or any smart watch. But I am looking into getting one, I'm stuck between the moto 360 and gear s. My question is, do you have to purchase a data plan to use your gear s?

 

[Active55]

I don't have T-Mobile, but I think you already paid $90/mo (way above $50 mentioned). That's enough for them to give you the discounted price. Most ppl don't have family plans because they don't have their own families yet (and too ashamed to ask their folks to pay for the service). So, $50/mo minimum is probably right. Carriers want you paid certain minimum amount per month per account. Not everyone is fortunate enough to have a family plan.

I'm the one that was told by my local TMO store that I had to have a $50/mo. plan to get the Gear S at $5/mo.

Family plans are the best if you have enough users in your family to take advantage of them. Individuals always seem to get the short end of the stick. Economies of scale I guess?

Getting an unlocked Gear S or having it unlocked at some point seems to be the way to go. This gives you the choice to do what you want with it. I believe someone here said even a PAYG TMO SIM card will work in an unlocked Gear S, but the $15/mo. plan will be wonderful if it can be had without another phone with plan attached to it. Heading that direction long-term to cut monthly expenses as a very light user myself.

 

[wase4711]

I don't own a gear s or any smart watch. But I am looking into getting one, I'm stuck between the moto 360 and gear s. My question is, do you have to purchase a data plan to use your gear s?

No, you do not need a data plan; you can use most of the watch features when you are connected via Blutooth..
But, if you want to use the watch when you are not connected via blutooth, most of the "features" of the watch, like calls, emails, etc will not work properly

 

[wase4711]

I'm the one that was told by my local TMO store that I had to have a $50/mo. plan to get the Gear S at $5/mo.

Family plans are the best if you have enough users in your family to take advantage of them. Individuals always seem to get the short end of the stick. Economies of scale I guess?

Getting an unlocked Gear S or having it unlocked at some point seems to be the way to go. This gives you the choice to do what you want with it. I believe someone here said even a PAYG TMO SIM card will work in an unlocked Gear S, but the $15/mo. plan will be wonderful if it can be had without another phone with plan attached to it. Heading that direction long-term to cut monthly expenses as a very light user myself.

yeah, my only point was that EACH individual does NOT need to be spending 50 dollars per month to get the watch for 5 dollars for data; in my case we each "spend" 30 per month, and we could all have gear s for 5 dollar data plans, as long as our "total" was 50 dollars or more.

Not sure how much t mobile charges for 1 person to get unlimited calls/texts/data...I assume its close to 50 per month, but I may be wrong..

 

[TheDarkKnight0818]

No, you do not need a data plan; you can use most of the watch features when you are connected via Blutooth..
But, if you want to use the watch when you are not connected via blutooth, most of the "features" of the watch, like calls, emails, etc will not work properly

So when you are not connected to Bluetooth you mean not connected to your phone correct? But if you carry your phone around with your watch it should be ok? Sorry new to the smart watch idea lol

 

[Active55]

So when you are not connected to Bluetooth you mean not connected to your phone correct? But if you carry your phone around with your watch it should be ok? Sorry new to the smart watch idea lol

Yes. The Gear S can be used like all the past Gear devices without a SIM card if you carry your other phone around with you.

 

[wase4711]

yeah, if you dont care about carrying a phone around with you all the time, then look at the samsung gear 2 neo; its alot cheaper, and works alot like the gear s, for 1/2 the price..but you have to have your phone with you..

 

[Regina Durham]

Ok.... I'm trying to figure out how to get my Gear S up & running on a prepaid plan,(1gb of data voice calls & texting). Preferably At&t or Straight Talk. Can anyone tell me how to go about doing so?

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[foxbat121]

Ok.... I'm trying to figure out how to get my Gear S up & running on a prepaid plan,(1gb of data voice calls & texting). Preferably At&t or Straight Talk. Can anyone tell me how to go about doing so?

Posted via the Android Central App

Assume you have a compatible version of the Gear S (AT&T or T-Mobile), just put in the pre-paid SIM card and you are good to go (may need to unlock the watch if that's not from the same carrier).

If you have a CDMA version of the watch (Verizon or Sprint), you are SOL.

 

[David Daul]

How do you like the Nike+ running app on the Gear S? Is it truly standalone? Or like Endomondo do you need the phone with you even though you can sync via 4g with the dang Gear Manager? aggh!!

Is the location accurate on the Nike+ app?

 

[Alok Kapoor]

if you are in standalone mode can you send your activity data to the World Wide Web so that a trainer or somebody else can look at the data if they have access to your Samsung account to track your data? I want to use this for a research study with older folks who my not be savvy enough or pleased to have to synchronize with the phone. So if I can do everything for them and only thing they have to do is charge to watch that would be best. Let me know if you think of any problems with this approach. Thanks so much.

 

[foxbat121]

No in many different fronts.:
(1) Without the phone, the functionality of the watch is limited. The health data can only be synced to phone, then to S-Health cloud.
(2) In their infinite wisdom, Samsung decides that no one need to access the cloud S-Health records other than S-Health apps on Samsung phones.