Is S4 Google Edition a complete waste of $450?

[quietlybrilliant]

And just to set my record straight. I'm not saying there's an objective reason for everybody to stay with subsidized phones and contracts. I'm simply saying that for me in my current situation it makes significantly more sense.

Now if only AT&T could carry a subsidized GE edition version. I'd be all over that.

 

[anon(20944)]

Correct again. The one IR blaster app everyone was telling us to download actually states on their app page that it does NOT work with the Google Play Editions of the S4 and HTC One. We're going to have to wait for Google on this one.

This is NOT correct. The S4 GPe version, as I've been stating, has a WORKING IR blaster straight out of the box. The kernel for the phone comes from Samsung and has the necessary hooks for the IR blaster to be used by apps.

This app, for example:
https://forums.androidcentral.com/e...DEsInJlbW90ZS5ob21lLnNxdWlkIl0&token=-5KQndBj.

 

[anon(20944)]

Re: Is there any point in spending $449 extra to get the Google Edition phone?

I doubt there's a difference between the throttling rules of a pre-paid plan versus a post-paid plan, but according to AT&T's website, if you're on an unlimited 3G data plan, you get throttled at 3GB and if you're on an LTE unlimited data plan, you get throttled at 5GB. I can't imagine real-world experiences being any different and I can say that my LTE unlimited plan is pushing 4GB this billing period and no slow down as of yet.

Data Usage Information & FAQs from AT&T (Click on the What You Need To Know tab)

or see the FAQ:

Smartphone unlimited data plans and reduced speeds - AT&T Wireless Support*

You'd be wrong. There are different throttling rules between pre-paid plans versus post-paid. The MVNO (straight talk, Net10, etc) is a separate company (some are owned by the carriers, but not all) from ATT. They are reselling ATT's network and attempting to make a profit. ATT charges them for usage so it is therefore in their best interest to get their customers to use the network as little as possible. They most certainly do throttle at different data usage points than ATT would itself.

 

[anon(20944)]

From what I understand, the prepaid plans only use some of the major carriers towers, so service is not actually as good. Is this true?



Then I will stand corrected, but was unable to find anything supporting it worked. The last link I posted everyone said it did not work and looking through other forums I cannot see a valid claim of it working.

The prepaid plans do use all of the major carrier's towers. There are some differences, however, in roaming. If you have postpaid ATT you can roam on TMobile for data and vice versa (albeit slower speed). On the prepaid plans you can roam between Tmobile and ATT for voice, but not data.

This isn't a big deal if you use an MVNO that is reselling ATT though. Generally (not always) if you have TMobile service somewhere ATT will have service there as well.

 

[ledfrog]

This is NOT correct. The S4 GPe version, as I've been stating, has a WORKING IR blaster straight out of the box. The kernel for the phone comes from Samsung and has the necessary hooks for the IR blaster to be used by apps.

You are correct...I meant to say the HTC One only...sorry.

 

[jdbii]

Re: Is there any point in spending $449 extra to get the Google Edition phone?

Well hold on now, I never said there aren't any reasons to stay with a subsidized phone. QuietlyBrilliant was going through the thread posting about how silly it was for anyone to buy this phone when it 'made so much more sense' to just get a subsidized version of it from your carrier. I was simply pointing out why I, and I'm assuming others, would do something so silly as paying the full $650 for a phone off contract.

That being said - even your personal example is a little tenuous. Even given the fact you have a special situation with your discount you still need to realize that you're paying an extra $30 per month for that unlimited data.

Prepaid (on ATT) unlimited text/calls/data* (data is actually throttled around 2GB):
$45 a month

Your Plan:
$75 a month

You pay $200 for the phone, I pay $650. So far I've paid $450 more than you.

2 years of service for me (the length of your contract): $1080
2 years of service for you (the length of your contract): $1800

Amount I'm saving over you in plan costs: $720

Total I've saved over you: $270 over two years. Now imagine how much the savings would be for someone who didn't have a discount.

Is unlimited data worth an extra $270 to you? Sure, it probably is. Personally, I'm coming from Sprint and the network is so bad it's pretty tough to even use 2GB of data if you wanted to... so it's going to be plenty of data for me. I'd rather pocket the $270. On top of that, going the prepaid route has the advantage of NOT being in a contract which comes with all of the advantages I wrote about in my last post. Since I'm going to Spain for a month at the end of the summer, the reality is I'm going to save even more money by not having to pay for phone service in the states for that month.

Sometimes it makes sense to go subsidized - especially if you are in a family plan. For others it makes a lot more sense to do something like this: best hardware, best software, cheapest plans.

Great Post!

 

[ledfrog]

Re: Is there any point in spending $449 extra to get the Google Edition phone?

Prepaid (on ATT) unlimited text/calls/data* (data is actually throttled around 2GB):
$45 a month

I hate to keep dragging this discussion on, but I just looked at AT&T's pre-paid plan page: https://forums.androidcentral.com/e...ss%2Fplans%2Fprepaidplans.html&token=bbb-QTq2 and it looks like the price you're quoting is for non-smartphones only (plus it's actually gone up to $50 per month). Looking at the same features you're comparing (unlimited talk and text) on a smartphone pre-paid plan, you're looking at $60 per month with a 2GB data limit. Since there's now a data limit, you would only still be saving money if you NEVER went over the 2GB. Otherwise, tack on another $10 per GB per month and you're back up to $70 which is only $5 cheaper than what he pays, except that he still gets unlimited data even though it slows down after 3GB (for 3G) or 5GB (for 4G).

So yes, you do save some money with a pre-paid plan, but only if you are within the specified limits.

 

[return_0]

Re: Is there any point in spending $449 extra to get the Google Edition phone?

I hate to keep dragging this discussion on, but I just looked at AT&T's pre-paid plan page: https://forums.androidcentral.com/e...ss%2Fplans%2Fprepaidplans.html&token=R4Z8PC2v and it looks like the price you're quoting is for non-smartphones only (plus it's actually gone up to $50 per month). Looking at the same features you're comparing (unlimited talk and text) on a smartphone pre-paid plan, you're looking at $60 per month with a 2GB data limit. Since there's now a data limit, you would only still be saving money if you NEVER went over the 2GB. Otherwise, tack on another $10 per GB per month and you're back up to $70 which is only $5 cheaper than what he pays, except that he still gets unlimited data even though it slows down after 3GB (for 3G) or 5GB (for 4G).

So yes, you do save some money with a pre-paid plan, but only if you are within the specified limits.

What about Solavei? Unlimited everything with 4GB 4G at $50.

Sent from my pure Google Nexus 4 using Android Central Forums

 

[jdbii]

Re: Is there any point in spending $449 extra to get the Google Edition phone?

So yes, you do save some money with a pre-paid plan, but only if you are within the specified limits.

Postpaid has limits too -- they face the same overage fees if you go over your data limit. There are $45 options out there. Net10 (on autopay) is one of them at only $45. No LTE and only 1.5GB of data, but if you primarily need a phone you save a lot of money. Even AT&T at the $60 price tier will save you a lot of money over 2 years.

 

[anon(20944)]

Re: Is there any point in spending $449 extra to get the Google Edition phone?

I hate to keep dragging this discussion on, but I just looked at AT&T's pre-paid plan page: https://forums.androidcentral.com/e...ss%2Fplans%2Fprepaidplans.html&token=xKJah8v1 and it looks like the price you're quoting is for non-smartphones only (plus it's actually gone up to $50 per month). Looking at the same features you're comparing (unlimited talk and text) on a smartphone pre-paid plan, you're looking at $60 per month with a 2GB data limit. Since there's now a data limit, you would only still be saving money if you NEVER went over the 2GB. Otherwise, tack on another $10 per GB per month and you're back up to $70 which is only $5 cheaper than what he pays, except that he still gets unlimited data even though it slows down after 3GB (for 3G) or 5GB (for 4G).

So yes, you do save some money with a pre-paid plan, but only if you are within the specified limits.

Like jdbii said, we aren't referring to specifically GoPhone, which is ATT's own prepaid brand. There are a LOT of 3rd party MVNOs that resell both ATT and TMobile's networks.

Here are two:
NET10 Wireless

https://forums.androidcentral.com/e...t6WfvYBjxyDPg%21%21%2F%3Fs%3Dy&token=z4BIL_pL

And yes those work with smartphones.

 

[jdbii]

Re: Is there any point in spending $449 extra to get the Google Edition phone?

and here are others:
Best no-contract wireless plans for unlocked Android devices | Android and Me
Updated and Expanded: The Best US Prepaid Data Deals | Prepaid Phone News

Anybody who says they pay only $75, including fees and taxes, on a single stand-alone line in the US, for a postpaid contract plan with 1) unlimited talk; 2) unlimited text; and 3) more than 1GB of data might be related to Pinocchio.

 

[return_0]

Re: Is there any point in spending $449 extra to get the Google Edition phone?

and here are others:
Best no-contract wireless plans for unlocked Android devices | Android and Me
Updated and Expanded: The Best US Prepaid Data Deals | Prepaid Phone News

Anybody who says they pay only $75, including fees and taxes, on a single stand-alone line in the US, for a postpaid contract plan with 1) unlimited talk; 2) unlimited text; and 3) more than 1GB of data might be related to Pinocchio.

Either that it they have a 10-year-old plan.

Sent from my pure Google Nexus 4 using Android Central Forums

 

[ledfrog]

Re: Is there any point in spending $449 extra to get the Google Edition phone?

Like jdbii said, we aren't referring to specifically GoPhone, which is ATT's own prepaid brand. There are a LOT of 3rd party MVNOs that resell both ATT and TMobile's networks.

Here are two:
NET10 Wireless

https://forums.androidcentral.com/e...t6WfvYBjxyDPg%21%21%2F%3Fs%3Dy&token=Y7OjMN1C

And yes those work with smartphones.

Got it...I've never really explored outside of the major networks simply because I've been with AT&T so long and I've been wanting to keep my unlimited LTE data plan. Also, my company pays my cell phone bill so it's never been an issue of cost for me. And just an FYI, my bill is only $79 per month for 450 minutes, 5,000 nights and weekend minutes with Rollover, Unlimited text and mobile-to-mobile (any wireless carrier) and Unlimited 4G LTE data. This setup is the only reason why paying $650 for a non-contract phone is worth it to me.

So I stand corrected. :-!

 

[mattopotamus]

Re: Is there any point in spending $449 extra to get the Google Edition phone?

and here are others:
Best no-contract wireless plans for unlocked Android devices | Android and Me
Updated and Expanded: The Best US Prepaid Data Deals | Prepaid Phone News

Anybody who says they pay only $75, including fees and taxes, on a single stand-alone line in the US, for a postpaid contract plan with 1) unlimited talk; 2) unlimited text; and 3) more than 1GB of data might be related to Pinocchio.

After taxes and everything I am under $80. I get a 30% fan discount. For some reason it changes from $77-$79. I don't know what makes it fluctuate. I just looked at it is actually 1000 minutes, but unlimited to any mobile to mobile and I have 4000 rollover minutes. I don't think they do rollover anymore but I have them sitting there and it stays at 4000 each month.

Having unlimited mobile to mobile means I use like 30 minutes a month.

 

[ledfrog]

Re: Is there any point in spending $449 extra to get the Google Edition phone?

After taxes and everything I am under $80. I get a 30% fan discount. For some reason it changes from $77-$79. I don't know what makes it fluctuate.

Mine is only $79 a month too. That's after a 21% FAN discount. I've always heard the max FAN discount besides AT&T employees is 25% for Postal workers...you got lucky with your 30%!!

As far as what makes it fluctuate, it's likely the ever-changing government fees.

 

[mattopotamus]

Re: Is there any point in spending $449 extra to get the Google Edition phone?

Mine is only $79 a month too. That's after a 21% FAN discount. I've heard the max FAN discount besides AT&T employees is 25% for Postal workers...so if you can get an AT&T salesperson to change your FAN code, have them change it to that!!

As far as what makes it fluctuate, it's likely the ever-changing government fees.

My fan discount is from Petsmart. I worked there all through high school and college. At the time it was 30% and now it is 25%, but mine is still at 30%

I use to give it to all of my friends b.c they never use to verify it. You actually could add it yourself with the code a long time ago.

 

[jdbii]

Re: Is there any point in spending $449 extra to get the Google Edition phone?

After taxes and everything I am under $80. I get a 30% fan discount. For some reason it changes from $77-$79. I don't know what makes it fluctuate. I just looked at it is actually 1000 minutes, but unlimited to any mobile to mobile and I have 4000 rollover minutes. I don't think they do rollover anymore but I have them sitting there and it stays at 4000 each month

Sweet deal!

Mine is only $79 a month too. That's after a 21% FAN discount. I've heard the max FAN discount besides AT&T employees is 25% for Postal workers...so if you can get an AT&T salesperson to change your FAN code, have them change it to that!!

As far as what makes it fluctuate, it's likely the ever-changing government fees.

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sweet deal

Okay, so maybe Gepetto isn't your father

 

[mattopotamus]

Haha. Looks like Petsmart is down to 23% now
http://benefits.petsmart.com/other_corporate.shtml

They use to post the code right there on the public website

 

[ledfrog]

Haha. Looks like Petsmart is down to 23% now
http://benefits.petsmart.com/other_corporate.shtml

They use to post the code right there on the public website

Yeah because didn't you have to verify employment with a paystub or something?

Sent from my Nexus 4 using AC Forums mobile app

 

[mattopotamus]

Yeah because didn't you have to verify employment with a paystub or something?

Sent from my Nexus 4 using AC Forums mobile app

They use to let you just call and do it over the phone. This was like 7 years ago. I remember how shocked I was we even got a discount. I called while at work and they just asked for the code. I thought they would make me come in store.

Reading through all of the carriers it looks like you can still do it without going in store but now they verify some other way.

Edit: I did a quick search and it looks like warner bros and coke get 30% and at&t corporate gets 50%!