Jumping on the T-Mo Bandwagon: Good mid-range phone options?

[Last Ride]

Hey all--

So I have been using my Nexus 4 with Straight Talk (AT&T) for the past few months, and I'm not super impressed with the download speeds. I'm planning on switching the whole family (the other two are currently on Verizon) over to a T-Mobile Value Plan. It turns out that if i make the switch, I will have three lines with unlimited talk and text, 2GB data for two lines, and unlimited 4G data for the third, all for about $102 a month with my discount. Sounds good! I've already tried the $30 prepaid plan from T-Mobile, and service was good where I live/play, but I needed more minutes! I've already got the Nexus 4, but are there any decent phones out there that aren't cutting edge? My girlfriend currently uses a Droid Pro that is falling apart, but she likes the keyboard. I'm trying to ween her off the physical keyboard, but I'm not sure how that is going to go. My son currently has a Stratosphere that he likes, but he doesn't need the keyboard. Assuming I can talk the GF into going away from a physical keyboard, what phones should I be looking at? Like I said, they don't have to be cutting edge, but I want something that is going to last a while. I'm good with rooting and ROMing a device as long as the ROM is rock solid and fully functional. Any suggestions?

 

[whatsitsname]

There are but the price would be close to your nexus 4 already.

Galaxy s2 $300 at Wal-Mart
LG optimus l9 $200 at Target, Best Buy

Sent from my SGH-T889 using Tapatalk 2

 

[Last Ride]

I thought about another Nexus 4 for my GF, or giving her this one and grabbing the Moto-Jesus-X-Phone once it drops, but I definitely don't want to spend $300 on a phone my son will most likely break. I was looking more at used phones for him (Sensation, Amaze, Blaze).

 

[Jennifer Stough]

Don't have any advice for good phones, but Stay away from the sidekick 4g. It has an awesome keyboard and was fun when it worked, but the phone is chalk full of problems and won't last a day without numerous battery pulls, the battery life is awful, UI is awful, and the screen frequently goes unresponsive.

Sent from my Verizon Droid DNA

 

[PWC Realtor]

I had an Amaze for a month and it was a battery hog and IMO not worth what most people want for it price wise. If your son doesn't mind being stuck with Gingerbread the G2x could be an option. Your other option in the 200-250 range is a used GSM Galaxy Nexus.

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Android Central Forums

 

[Jon_Doh]

Take a look at the Samsung Galaxy S Blaze 4G. It has 1.5 GHZ dual processor and takes an sd memory card for huge storage. It has an AMOLED screen, but at around 4 inches will be smaller than your Nexus 4. It also has the 1900 MHZ WCDMA band where T-Mobile is moving their 4G to in the refarming project. Even some of the so called high end phones like the HTC One S lack this band, so this little phone has a lot going for it in my opinion.

Overall, it's just a good size phone that feels good in the hand and it comes with Ice Cream Sandwich.

 

[Last Ride]

I looked at the G2X when it first came out, but I've heard mixed reviews since then. However, they can be had for under $150 in good, used condition, so maybe worth another look. I've also looked at the Blaze, and that seems to be another solid option, as would a GNex. Thanks for all the great suggestions!

- - - Updated - - -

I looked at the G2X when it first came out, but I've heard mixed reviews since then. However, they can be had for under $150 in good, used condition, so maybe worth another look. I've also looked at the Blaze, and that seems to be another solid option, as would a GNex. Thanks for all the great suggestions!

 

[IAmSixNine]

Take a look at the Samsung Galaxy S Blaze 4G. It has 1.5 GHZ dual processor and takes an sd memory card for huge storage. It has an AMOLED screen, but at around 4 inches will be smaller than your Nexus 4. It also has the 1900 MHZ WCDMA band where T-Mobile is moving their 4G to in the refarming project. Even some of the so called high end phones like the HTC One S lack this band, so this little phone has a lot going for it in my opinion.

Overall, it's just a good size phone that feels good in the hand and it comes with Ice Cream Sandwich.

It doesnt matter that the One S lacks the 1900mhz band, the bulk of TMOs network and faster data speeds are in the 1700mhz band which is what the One s is designed for.
I own a One S, One X, One X+, GS3 (TMO branded) and Nexus 4.
Im in Dallas, an area that has been re-farmed and although the 1900mhz coverage is good i still get 2-3x my data speeds using the GS3 and One S.
The Nexus 4 gives me mixed results, at times it will go to one of the re-farmed 1900 channels and the thruput is still not quite as good as the original 1700mhz stuff is. But its a whole lot better then it was.
In my opinion they are still in the early stages of migrating 4G HSPA+ to 1900 and putting LTE in the 1700mhz band. IF you want to take full advantage of coverage and network speeds buy a device that first covers the 1700mhz network. If it also has 1900 capabilities like the Nexus 4 then great. Ive been most impressed with my GS3.
However i will add that on the One X when it went from 4.0.4 to 4.1.1 i did see improvement of network speeds on 1900mzh with the new baseband radios.
I can only hope the One S performs the same way after it gets an update. Keeping fingers crossed.

 

[Jon_Doh]

It doesnt matter that the One S lacks the 1900mhz band, the bulk of TMOs network and faster data speeds are in the 1700mhz band which is what the One s is designed for.
I own a One S, One X, One X+, GS3 (TMO branded) and Nexus 4.
Im in Dallas, an area that has been re-farmed and although the 1900mhz coverage is good i still get 2-3x my data speeds using the GS3 and One S.
The Nexus 4 gives me mixed results, at times it will go to one of the re-farmed 1900 channels and the thruput is still not quite as good as the original 1700mhz stuff is. But its a whole lot better then it was.
In my opinion they are still in the early stages of migrating 4G HSPA+ to 1900 and putting LTE in the 1700mhz band. IF you want to take full advantage of coverage and network speeds buy a device that first covers the 1700mhz network. If it also has 1900 capabilities like the Nexus 4 then great. Ive been most impressed with my GS3.
However i will add that on the One X when it went from 4.0.4 to 4.1.1 i did see improvement of network speeds on 1900mzh with the new baseband radios.
I can only hope the One S performs the same way after it gets an update. Keeping fingers crossed.

It matters in areas that have been refarmed. I know cities in my state that no longer have 4G HSPA on 1700 and if you have the HTC One S you are just S.O.L.

 

[IAmSixNine]

So your telling me T-Mobile is also removing HSPA on 1700aws specctrum? I know they are using it for LTE but it was going to share LTE with HSPA.
I find that really hard to believe that TMO would take down channels in any area that had built up 1700mhz aws HSPA+ since its their primary channels to go to with all officially branded devices that Tmo sells.

 

[Jon_Doh]

So your telling me T-Mobile is also removing HSPA on 1700aws specctrum? I know they are using it for LTE but it was going to share LTE with HSPA.
I find that really hard to believe that TMO would take down channels in any area that had built up 1700mhz aws HSPA+ since its their primary channels to go to with all officially branded devices that Tmo sells.

In most areas yes. They really don't seem to have a consistent plan. Depending on the area, they are leaving some 2G at 1900 MHZ on some towers, while on others it's removed completely. Same with 1700 MHZ. Some areas the 4G HSPA is gone completely, while in others it will share the band with LTE. They say they're also going to build out some LTE on 700 MHZ (like AT&T) eventually.

 

[IAmSixNine]

I agree that doesnt sound like a very consistent plan. But then again we dont have all the information they do.
Removing HSPA in 1700aws makes no sense to me and leaving 2g in place in 1700aws / 1900pcs also makes no sense to me..

 

[Jon_Doh]

I agree that doesnt sound like a very consistent plan. But then again we dont have all the information they do.
Removing HSPA in 1700aws makes no sense to me and leaving 2g in place in 1700aws / 1900pcs also makes no sense to me..

Having the nation's largest 2G network in the 21st century makes no sense to me. But they do. Moving the pea from one shell to another without upgrading your 2G network makes no sense to me, but that's what T-Horrible is doing. Spending billions of dollars to make your network compatible with old outdated iPhones without improving the slow 2G your customers are stuck with makes no sense to me, but that's what they're doing. Continuing to build out a few select cities over and over without improving your network, which hasn't been upgraded since the SunCom days makes no sense to me, but that's exactly what they're doing.

Don't know how long you've been a customer, but you should have figured out long ago that the management at T-Horrible aren't exactly Rhodes Scholars and that they hire their customer service reps straight out of clown school. And that's only the ones who speak passable English.

 

[IAmSixNine]

Out of random curiosity whos your service provider?
And for the record i am new to TMO. Started with them in January. I was with Sprint for 11 years. Thanks to their failed attempt at Network Vision and LTE implementation i was forced out when the majroity of my calls were never sent to my phone. Data kinda worked, but incoming calls and texts on a daily basis never made it to my device.
Im also not convinced of your statements of the upper management and network.
ive been with TMO for almost 2 full months now and for me, in ,my area, its has been a vast improvement over Sprint. I get between 2-20 megs down constantly.
Im now back to getting all my calls.
Sprints WiMax was a battery hog and spotty, their CDMA data network was usually 1 meg or less. When i was able to get LTE i never saw over 10 megs.. Towards the end it actually got slower for me.
Id actually still be with them because no matter how bad data speeds were voice and text were always reliable. I had WiFI at home / work. But after 2 months of them trying to figure out why voice calls cant get to my phone i had to go.

 

[runtmms]

And for the record i am new to TMO. Started with them in January. I was with Sprint for 11 years...
ive been with TMO for almost 2 full months now and for me, in ,my area, its has been a vast improvement over Sprint.

Above could be me - except I'm using T-Mobile via Solavei. Started in January and I have no complaints. Improvement in voice quality, and I'm happy with my data speeds. I can stream hd video, I don't need more than that. The only places I've had 2g is roaming.

I didn't want the OP to be scared off by all the T-Mobile haters.

Highly recommend the Nexus 4. When all is said and done it is likely to not cost much more than a mid-range option for a high end phone.

Sent from my Nexus 4 on Solavei

 

[Last Ride]

I didn't want the OP to be scared off by all the T-Mobile haters.

T-Mobile doesn't scare me. I've had both Tmo and AT&T (through Straight Talk), and Tmo by and large is vastly superior to AT&T where I live and play. Granted, I travel a bit all over the country for work, but they supply me with a Verizon phone for that.

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Straight Talk

 

[Diordna11]

You sound like one of those people that signed up with TMobile without researching thier coverage in your area. I get excellent coverage with TMo on my Note 2 and consistently get 20+ down, great voice quality and excellent battery life. Over the past 5 years thier customer service has surpassed what I experienced with both Verizon where I spent 1 year and Sprint over 10 years and I'm saving a ton of money compared to Verizon who is way over rated and way over priced.

Sent from my SGH-T889 using Android Central Forums

 

[Jon_Doh]

You sound like one of those people that signed up with TMobile without researching thier coverage in your area. I get excellent coverage with TMo on my Note 2 and consistently get 20+ down, great voice quality and excellent battery life. Over the past 5 years thier customer service has surpassed what I experienced with both Verizon where I spent 1 year and Sprint over 10 years and I'm saving a ton of money compared to Verizon who is way over rated and way over priced.

Sent from my SGH-T889 using Android Central Forums

Researching is useless. T-Mobile's maps are fake and who 4G coverage where they don't have it.