Thinking of jumping from Verizon

[Last Ride]

Well, my current plan has two smartphones and on feature phone. Unlimited texting, unlimited data (for the smartphones), and 1400 shared minutes (which we don't touch). I'm paying over $200 a month for these! Granted, Verizon has the best coverage, and I live in an LTE area, but is it really worth the extra $100 a month? I checked with T-Mobile today, and I can get two smartphones with unlimited talk, text, and data with a third smartphone added in with 500 minutes a month (and unlimited text/data) for $97.73 per month plus taxes. Of course, I'm facing ETFs from Verizon to the tune of $800, but it's awefully tempting. I can probably recoup $500-600 by selling my current phones, but then there is the cost of getting new phones on T-Mobile. Everyone I talked to seemed pretty helpful, and T-Mobile has some good phones right now with more on the way (Samsung Hercules, anyone?) Can anyone provide more incite into T-Mobile service and customer service? What phones are the best on T-Mobile? My phone would probably be between the Sensation, G2X, and the Hercules. My girlfriend needs a physical keyboard (please don't tell me I need to switch her back to Backberry!) Our son would probably get whatever freebie Android device is available upon switching. Any thoughts?

Bryan

 

[dhendriksen]

I'm facing this same dilemma right now. I had T-Mobile for 12 years (was Voicestream), and 3 years ago switched to VZW because T-Mobile didn't have good coverage in my old office. Well now, we moved offices, and VZW doesn't have that good of coverage in my new office!

I think I am going to do it. The only thing that complicates it (a little, not really) is that I have a 3G XOOM. It isn't under contract, but I would keep that active with VZW which is $20 per month if I remember correctly.

For your girlfriend get her the MyTouch Slide. It has a physical keyboard.

Hey...I'm in UTAH TOO! What T-Mobile store did you go to, because based on what I'm seeing $97.73 reflects a discount of about $18 per month. Is that a corporate discount?

 

[Last Ride]

I'm facing this same dilemma right now. I had T-Mobile for 12 years (was Voicestream), and 3 years ago switched to VZW because T-Mobile didn't have good coverage in my old office. Well now, we moved offices, and VZW doesn't have that good of coverage in my new office!

I think I am going to do it. The only thing that complicates it (a little, not really) is that I have a 3G XOOM. It isn't under contract, but I would keep that active with VZW which is $20 per month if I remember correctly.

For your girlfriend get her the MyTouch Slide. It has a physical keyboard.

Hey...I'm in UTAH TOO! What T-Mobile store did you go to, because based on what I'm seeing $97.73 reflects a discount of about $18 per month. Is that a corporate discount?

I called T-Mobile. Yes, the $97.73 is with a corporate discount. I love Verizon service, but come on. It's not $100 better per month for LESS features than I would have on T-Mo! Coverage is better in the outlying areas, and LTE is blazing fast, but I think I can "get by" on HSPA+ speeds. I have been waiting for Verizon to come out with a "world beater" phone, first with the Bionic, more recently with the rumor of the Nexus Prime, and it seems like they will deliver several by the end of the year. But T-Mo has really good phones ALREADY. I feel almost like I'm betraying everyone by hoping the Prime actually goes to T-Mo! YMMV,

Bryan

 

[AZDROIDX]

I was thinking about switching too last month, and now with price drop it's even more tempting. My ETF would be close to $1000. But selling Tbolt, D2 and Fascinate will help. Won't get much from other 2 phones. So I pay around $240 a month for 5 lines with 3 smartphones, really waiting to see if the rumored family shared data on VZW happens? My younger 2 kids are becoming teens and want their Android phone too, can't afford another 2 $30 data packages. Bill would be over $300. Looks like I can get 5 Androids on Tmobile for around $160 a month and 2GB data would be enough on each, we would get 15% off instead of 18% off of bill on Tmobile. LTE is great, VZW coverage has always been great. LTE at my home averages around 20mbps, the Sensation I played with last week was at around 6-8mbps download. If I can live with those speeds on my wifi at home, I'm sure I can live with them on my cell phone? Will miss kickstand on Tbolt! Lol.

 

[Last Ride]

I was thinking about switching too last month, and now with price drop it's even more tempting. My ETF would be close to $1000. But selling Tbolt, D2 and Fascinate will help. Won't get much from other 2 phones. So I pay around $240 a month for 5 lines with 3 smartphones, really waiting to see if the rumored family shared data on VZW happens? My younger 2 kids are becoming teens and want their Android phone too, can't afford another 2 $30 data packages. Bill would be over $300. Looks like I can get 5 Androids on Tmobile for around $160 a month and 2GB data would be enough on each, we would get 15% off instead of 18% off of bill on Tmobile. LTE is great, VZW coverage has always been great. LTE at my home averages around 20mbps, the Sensation I played with last week was at around 6-8mbps download. If I can live with those speeds on my wifi at home, I'm sure I can live with them on my cell phone? Will miss kickstand on Tbolt! Lol.

And that's my point. VZW servie is great, and I've been with them for over 10 years. But a savings over over $1200 a year is significant! How fast do you really need your phone data to be? I root my phones, but I'm not a tetherer, legal or otherwise. Our TOTAL data usage is less than 2GB per month. Sure it's cool if my phone is faster than my home internet, but not $100 a month cooler!

 

[moosc]

And in 6momths you will b on att and need new phones not worth headache

 

[AZDROIDX]

And in 6momths you will b on att and need new phones not worth headache

This is really in the back of my head, man this is tough.

 

[AZDROIDX]

And that's my point. VZW servie is great, and I've been with them for over 10 years. But a savings over over $1200 a year is significant! How fast do you really need your phone data to be? I root my phones, but I'm not a tetherer, legal or otherwise. Our TOTAL data usage is less than 2GB per month. Sure it's cool if my phone is faster than my home internet, but not $100 a month cooler!

Agree with all that you mentioned, we run PS3 and 2-3 PC's at home with top speeds of 12mbps on our wifi so yeah I'll be happy with that on my phone. I already know what 5 Androids we would have! Lol. Then when I go visit my hometown in California, I can get 3.5G speeds on Tmobile since there is no LTE in Oxnard yet. I already checked Tmobile map there.

 

[dhendriksen]

I talked to T-Mobile today. This deal isn't what it seems. They charge an extra $15 per month, per Android phone? WTF?

I'll try another store tomorrow, maybe this guy was drink...lol.

 

[dhendriksen]

Oops...drunk.

 

[mikey3450]

It us only $15 extra per phone if you take advantage of the installment plan. The plan you are talking about is the Value Plan. As you can see you get the steep discounts on the plan but no discount on the phone, hence the installment plan. The phones you are mentioning are $15 per month, some lower end phones are $10 power month.

Sent from my HTC Glacier

 

[lmc05]

You still end up saving money on the value plans even though you end up paying full cost for the phone. They're really amazing plans.

 

[Last Ride]

Okay, so if I understand you correctly, my service plan would be $97.73 per month, but I couldn't buy the phones at subsidized prices, and they would charge me $15 a month per phone? Hmmm....

 

[lmc05]

Correct because youd be receiving the discount on your monthly rate. You'd pay the phone off in 20 months and then go back down to the 98 buvks before taxes and fees. Even when you're paying off a phone, you'll be saving money when you compare it to the Classic plan version of that same plan (where you receive the handset discount).

 

[Last Ride]

So I went into a Radio Shack today as they recently announced that all of their T-Mobile phones were going to be free until their contract runs out with T-Mobile in September. I wondered if I could take advantage of the free phones from Radio Shack combined with the awesome monthly deal. The lady looked at me like I had a third eye when I asked her about the plan. She said they didn't offer it. Further, they didn't have the Sensation or the MyTouch 4G Slide in stock. The trip was kind of a bust, but I'm still not ready to give up on it yet.

Bryan

 

[EvoRoy]

After being completely dissatisfied with Sprint's new phone (Motorola Photon) I am also thinking of making the jump to T-Mobile. Since I am not keeping the phone the 2 year agreement will void allowing me to leave Sprint free of charge. I am thinking of getting the G2X.

 

[lmc05]

I'm super happy with my G2X and I know that having all the new ones coming with GB preloaded on them has been super helpful. Really a great piece of hardware without the glitches that the Sensation has been having because of Sense 3.0. However, it seems that things are getting better now that 2.3.4 has started rolling out for that phone.

Not to mention I'm sure T-Mobile's service will save you quite a bit month to month.