Q: Tmobile Monthly 4G $30 and Groove IP

[ShashankNegi]

I'm sorry to steal the thread, but I plan on getting the $30 plan. Is there any way I can switch my phone number at Walmart from my AT&T service?

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I'm sorry to steal the thread, but I plan on getting the $30 plan. Is there any way I can switch my phone number at Walmart from my AT&T service?

 

[skidmark]

Does Solavei offer data/voice roaming? Are the speeds throttled or is the service de-prioritized since it's not T-Mobile's direct plan? My previous experience with Straight Talk wasn't great, so I'm skeptical about Solavei.

According to their website they offer roaming for both, but data at 2g speeds.

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[ShashankNegi]

Quick question; I plan on getting the $30 plan as well. Is there any way I can switch my phone number from AT&T to the monthly T-Mobile?

 

[erjennin]

Quick question; I plan on getting the $30 plan as well. Is there any way I can switch my phone number from AT&T to the monthly T-Mobile?

Yes, the port is very easy. When you go through the online process, there is an option to port your number over.

 

[runtmms]

Does Solavei offer data/voice roaming? Are the speeds throttled or is the service de-prioritized since it's not T-Mobile's direct plan? My previous experience with Straight Talk wasn't great, so I'm skeptical about Solavei.

It's always good to be skeptical with these services providers. I can only relate my understanding/experiences. They have what they call domestic roaming through service partners. These areas are striped on the coverage map. This data roaming is 2g. If you want an example check Kremmling CO - I had 2g data there. No coverage (white) means no coverage. I believe this is the same map as the T-Mobile prepaid but T-Mobile doesn't let you have the 2g in those areas. (I could be wrong.)

The first 4GB are unthrottled - then 2g. I have never see or heard anything about them being de-prioritized but I honestly can't say for sure. I've posted the question in the customer service forum - I'll let you know if I get an answer.

I've been very happy with Solavei.

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[skidmark]

It's always good to be skeptical with these services providers. I can only relate my understanding/experiences. They have what they call domestic roaming through service partners. These areas are striped on the coverage map. This data roaming is 2g. If you want an example check Kremmling CO - I had 2g data there. No coverage (white) means no coverage. I believe this is the same map as the T-Mobile prepaid but T-Mobile doesn't let you have the 2g in those areas. (I could be wrong.)

The first 4GB are unthrottled - then 2g. I have never see or heard anything about them being de-prioritized but I honestly can't say for sure. I've posted the question in the customer service forum - I'll let you know if I get an answer.

I've been very happy with Solavei.

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 2

I was hoping someone with Solavie would chime in. I am probably going to put my wife on their plan soon.

Please keep us updated with their response about priority.

 

[cognus]

Timely thread for me... I have been on the 'other' $30 plan for more than a year. the one with 1500 minutes/messages and 30mb data. would you believe I never hit the limit even once on the data side? To me it was an easy mental discipline to understand that Data on the 'droid is for emergencies - like on a road trip, need to pull a map and can't wait to hit a mcdonald's or burger king or free wifi [in texas along some of the heavily traveled interstates there are a lot of wifi free spots]. see what I mean? I just don't need big downloads until I'm in a spot to sit down and jump on wifi.
so, I JUST today switched to the "unlimited" data plan, where I'll have to treat voice calls as "must" only. mainly [and this is a business line for me - i consult] its incoming use only. if someone calls to inquire about an appt or something I talk. otherwise, I don't do much chit chat on the handset.
The thing not mentioned above that needs to be mentioned: on the Prepaid plans, if you hit the wall, just refill. its that simple. think about it as not $30 per month but $30 per tank. If I hit the wall at three weeks, so be it. on a yearly basis it will still work out to be a huge savings.

also, nobody mentioned the use of google voice callback.... I had noticed in the last 4 months or so that for reasons I don't understand, I'm able to get Google Voice callback [not Groove IP... never used it] in locations I never did before. if anyone understands the 'why' of this I'm all ears

 

[runtmms]

I was hoping someone with Solavie would chime in. I am probably going to put my wife on their plan soon.

Please keep us updated with their response about priority.

The response I got from Member Support when I asked if people who signed up directly with the carrier got network priority over Solavei members was: "There is no priority from one to the other."

I obviously don't have any first hand experience or knowledge about this. I can only repeat what I was told.

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[jdbii]

The thing not mentioned above that needs to be mentioned: on the Prepaid plans, if you hit the wall, just refill. its that simple. think about it as not $30 per month but $30 per tank. If I hit the wall at three weeks, so be it.

Can't you just pay 10 cents a minute for talk if you hit your 100 minute limit before the end of the month?



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[cognus]

i don't think so - not on prepaid plan as I understand it though the arithmetic may work the same. my understanding is that at the moment you hit the limit, service is stopped until you "refill" and the minimum refill is $30.
so far, that is the only mechanism I have experienced, and excess capacity that you do not use is flushed.

they did tell me that the 'special' $30 4G 'unlimited' plan is a one time opportunity. if I stay, I stay. If I change the plan to something else, that offer will not be available again.... [that is, unless I jump ship and they offer a deal to steal customers from at&t et al...]

 

[Only1Z]

Can't you just pay 10 cents a minute for talk if you hit your 100 minute limit before the end of the month?



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Correct...only 10 cents a minute for overages. So if you need the extra minutes, they aren't THAT expensive (200 minutes for $20 making it $50 for the month...not horrible).

 

[.jacob]

Hey Guys,

I just got my N4 setup with GrooveIP and the T-Mobile 100 minute plan tonight. I'm having a little trouble getting everything configured properly.

I want GrooveIP to ring when my GVoice number is dialed.

Currently both the GrooveIP and the native phone app (telco) ring together when the GVoice number is dialed.

How can I disabled the GVoice call forwarding aspect so only GrooveIP rings?

Second, has anyone figured out how to use GVoice for voicemail with the 100 minute pre-paid plan? T-Mobile pre-paid doesn't allow GVoice voicemail.

Thanks!

 

[cognus]

I don't know the answer, but I'm all-ears as to how you got this far. I just went live on the 100 min plan myself. How do you get any coordination between your t-mo number and G-Voice number??? T-mo banishes any associating of the two so far as I've ever known.
I have wondered, but haven't researched, as to whether a script could be written that would intercept and sorta force-forward to google voice - something vaguely analogous to the old "Google Callback" app

Hey Guys,

I just got my N4 setup with GrooveIP and the T-Mobile 100 minute plan tonight. I'm having a little trouble getting everything configured properly.

I want GrooveIP to ring when my GVoice number is dialed.

Currently both the GrooveIP and the native phone app (telco) ring together when the GVoice number is dialed.

How can I disabled the GVoice call forwarding aspect so only GrooveIP rings?

Second, has anyone figured out how to use GVoice for voicemail with the 100 minute pre-paid plan? T-Mobile pre-paid doesn't allow GVoice voicemail.

Thanks!

 

[runtmms]

How can I disabled the GVoice call forwarding aspect so only GrooveIP rings?

Second, has anyone figured out how to use GVoice for voicemail with the 100 minute pre-paid plan? T-Mobile pre-paid doesn't allow GVoice voicemail.

Thanks!

I'm not the best one to answer, but since nobody else chimed in... I did play with GrooveIP for a while. If I remember correctly, the way you get only GrooveIP to ring is in your GV account. You had to select "Forward Calls to Google Chat" under settings. In the same place, if you uncheck the box to forward to your number the then only GrooveIP should ring.

I can't help with the GV T-Mobile integration. It's one of the reasons I went with Solavei. They are on the T-Mobile network and they support conditional call forwarding so setting up GV voicemail for both my sim number and GV number was easy. Yes, it's $49 - but for every three people that sign up with your link they pay you $20 a month. Three sign ups and I'm effectively paying $29 for unlimited talk / text / data(unthrottled 4GB) and no fighting with GV. (Or having to get GrooveIP working.)

I tried looking up the "callback" thing. It looked to me like there's a current version called Voice+. Trying that might solve some problems. I really don't know.

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[skidmark]

In addition you can cancel voicemail services from Tmo that way all voicemails go to GV

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[runtmms]

In addition you can cancel voicemail services from Tmo that way all voicemails go to GV

Does your sim number go to GV or do you just not give it to anyone?

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[skidmark]

Does your sim number go to GV or do you just not give it to anyone?

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I do not give my SIM number out to anyone. I only give out my GV number.

 

[runtmms]

I do not give my SIM number out to anyone. I only give out my GV number.

That was my intent originally - but then my brothers started texting me pictures. With no GV MMS support I ended up giving them (and my friends who use MMS) my sim number. I can't count on them to not call the sim number so it's nice I can get all my voicemail through GV.


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[Jeremy8000]

Is there any way of (legitimately) getting hotspot functionality on that $30 plan (e.g., does it include it or can you add the feature for a fee (like $15 on classic plans))?

 

[cognus]

that's a good and obvious question. I thought I had seen somewhere that they deliberately block hotspot and even some types of devices [how would they know?]. which leaves me wondering - when I asked for the plan [had to call and route through several different groups] the device showing on their side was the very humble Optimus T - the one I use is the Note classic sgh-t879.
don't know why they would be so concerned though - their service is good, not great, and tethering is always iffy. maybe a real hotspot device would grab stronger reception.

also, whilst on this topic: did I hear correctly that different SIM designs can affect data speed/throughput performance? I have something like 3 sims, a couple of which are quite old, but then the last one they gave me didn't work at all IIRC so I went backward a step. the one I use I trnsfrd directly from the optimus. it works, but data speed is lousy unless I"m sitting right under a cell repeater