Can you use the Atrix HD on Straight Talk?

[Dreamliner330]

I've had it with Sprint. Slow Internet, incompetent phone staff. I'm considering using Straight Talk and an AT&T Sim card. I'm a bit nervous about using AT&T's service after iPhone horror stories, but I am hoping things are better. (Please tell me if they are not).

I want to get the Atrix HD. I currently have the Motorola Photon on Sprint and am very happy with signal strength, call quality, battery life and reliability.

Can I simply buy a Atrix HD outright and use a AT&T Sim?

 

[Dreamliner330]

Any insight on Battery Life, call reliability or using this on Straight Talk?

 

[Dreamliner330]

I appreciate all the overwhelming support.

I just bought a BRAND NEW Atrix HD off eBay for $300. I called in the IMEI to verify it was good to go. I also just finished my order for the Straight Talk Micro Sim & 1 Month card.

I'll let you know how it goes...even if I'm talking to myself.

 

[Ditey1]

Am sorry that no one answered. I, also, bought the Atrix HD outright as I did the Atrix 2 & after my contract is up in a few months, will also look into Straight Talk.

Did it work for you on Straight Talk?

 

[Dreamliner330]

^It should work. I made sure there was no contract associated with the phone. I bought everything today. Also picked up a Otterbox Commuter case. I should have everything rocking on Friday.

$45 a month is much more reasonable.

 

[insanecrane]

Well I wish you the best of luck. I assume you went with the "bring your own device" plan with ST? I have heard that data is capped after a certain amount but do not know anyone personally that has gone with them and this plan.

Hopefully you will enjoy the service, it would be interesting to know how you make out though so please keep us posted.

 

[Dreamliner330]

I got my Atrix HD yesterday and my Straight Talk SIM today...(Otterbox Commuter too).

I set it up with all the Straight Talk APN settings and was happy with voice, but data was a bit clunky and the Speed Test & YouTube apps were not working.

I modified the APN settings:
From: PROXY: proxy.mvno.tracfone.com
To: PROXY: 66.209.11.33

Result:

Coming from Sprint where I was getting 3-8mbps on "4G" and 200-600kbps on 3G I am EXTREMELY pleased.

It seems the ATRIX HD has a less noise cancelling than my Photon as even moving my hand around on the phone can by heard by the caller.

I tried, really tried to use the stock apps (Homescreen, Dialer, Messaging)...I lasted 2 hours. I went to Nova, Dialer One & Handcent.

I hope activity picks up on the forum and I'm sure I'll be posting regularly...for awhile at least.

 

[Dreamliner330]

Just an update...

I was having trouble sending MMS and I called Straight Talk. They took their time 'checking' my account and had me read through the APN settings. I mis-typed a word and MMS was fixed after correcting it.

After I finished the phone call with Straight Talk, I noticed soon after my data speeds took a DUMP! I can't get the SpeedTest app to work, I cant send pictures in gmail & Facebook barely works. Google Navigation quit on me too!

The apps, like navigation will start loading data, then simply stall.

Web browsing however, works fine while the apps are not, sometimes its really slow.

I called Straight Talk again and asked if they changed anything and they said no. I asked if they block applications and they said no. They did say I was only guaranteed 'web browsing' and suggested the mobile websites instead of the app...it seriously seems as if something is being blocked.

I can't deal with apps not working. I barely 'browse' the web. I use gmail, Facebook, and occasional navigation. These MUST work 100% and they are not.

Unless I get a definitive answer and quick, I'm hopping onto a Share Everything Verizon Plan. It'll be $65 for 4GB...its $20 more, but I'm sure all the apps will work.

 

[anon(3653)]

How are you going to get 4gb on the Verizon Share Everything Plan for $65? It is $70 for the data alone plus $40 for the calling and text part. Both parts are required.

Sent from my Bolt

 

[Dreamliner330]

^Family plan & 20% discount.

 

[insanecrane]

This is why I was interested in you keeping people up to date. Everyone I have ever known that has had anything to do with ST has said that it's a joke and horrible.

I still hope it all works out, but I'm not surprised in the least that you are having issues with them. Budget carriers are just that, budget carriers and the old saying "you get what you pay for" is completely true.

 

[Dreamliner330]

^funny. I looked into it and saw the opposite. It wasn't until I started having data issues that the specific keyword searches showed this seems to be a common problem.

I've tried in-app data once more an hour ago and it was working again, but I can't gamble with data reliability.

Straight Talk won't refund my money. The service isn't working, that should be eligible for a refund... I literally had the service for 72 hours before requesting a refund. I called them at least 5 times about the data. They repeat the same 2 or 3 lines, usually ending with something like "I've refreshed your account, it may take a few hours for it to work again."

I asked for a manager and even got a different number to call but the conversation was the same... "no refunds, let's review APN."

I've disputed the charge with my Credit Card company and have a buyer lined up for the Atrix.

The phone is awesome, the voice coverage was great and the data rocked when it worked.

On to Verizon and a RAZR MAXX (till the HD (MAXX, hopefully)) ...Some how I doubt I'll have any problems.

 

[ryanr509]

^funny. I looked into it and saw the opposite. It wasn't until I started having data issues that the specific keyword searches showed this seems to be a common problem.

I've tried in-app data once more an hour ago and it was working again, but I can't gamble with data reliability.

Straight Talk won't refund my money. The service isn't working, that should be eligible for a refund... I literally had the service for 72 hours before requesting a refund. I called them at least 5 times about the data. They repeat the same 2 or 3 lines, usually ending with something like "I've refreshed your account, it may take a few hours for it to work again."

I asked for a manager and even got a different number to call but the conversation was the same... "no refunds, let's review APN."

I've disputed the charge with my Credit Card company and have a buyer lined up for the Atrix.

The phone is awesome, the voice coverage was great and the data rocked when it worked.

On to Verizon and a RAZR MAXX (till the HD (MAXX, hopefully)) ...Some how I doubt I'll have any problems.

I have straight talk on my note and no problems here. If u have the proxy as proxy.mvno.tracfone.com then the speed test app for whatever reason doesn't work for me. But if u leave the proxy field blank it works fine

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I717 using Android Central Forums

 

[insanecrane]

^funny. I looked into it and saw the opposite. It wasn't until I started having data issues that the specific keyword searches showed this seems to be a common problem.

Too bad things didn't work out for you but as I said I have had friends go down the ST road before and they had nothing but problems.

I doubt you will have any issues with VZN either, I don't care for them but that's only because they tried to screw me over 4 years ago and I hold a grudge,lol.

 

[SkinsFan1987]

I have straight talk on my note and no problems here. If u have the proxy as proxy.mvno.tracfone.com then the speed test app for whatever reason doesn't work for me. But if u leave the proxy field blank it works fine

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I717 using Android Central Forums

I just switched to Straight Talk from T-Mobile Monthly 4G today (thanks in no small part to T-Mobile's completely ineffective service in my area), and I was having horrible data problems when I had the proxy area filled in. Removing that gave me real speed comparable to being on Wi-Fi.

 

[rosengard]

Hi,

I know it has been a few months since this post but I was wondering if you can help answer a few questions for me.

I was wondering if the Motorola Atrix HD phone you purchased was an unlocked phone? You see, I too ordered one off of eBay thinking that is was unlocked but it turned out later I found out it was a locked Atrix HD. I ordered my At&t compatible micro sim from Straight Talk, activated the account and was ready to go. PHone and text worked but no internet and MMS. I called ST, spend hours on the phone with them trying different versions of APN settings besides the ones that came with the sim card. I even downloaded (through wifi) an app called "tweakker" that gave me other APN settings for ST for my Atrix HD. Tried them as well and still no internet and mms. I am able to add new APN settings and save them but the phone doesn't even acknowledge that I have APN settings. Each time I click on the browers icon or anything that needs internet connection I immediately get a windown saying "no intetnet connection".

I contacted Morotorla and spoke to their rep this morning for another 2 hrs and they are "baffled". (No I started to worry . . .if Motorola has no clue . . then what?) All APN settings are the way they should be. My phone was manuctured in Aug 2012, so it came with the latest android version ICS 4.0.4 on it, no upgrades needed. I love the phone but cannot access it fully.

After looking for answers on the internet, trying to see if someone else is using the Motorla Atrix HD I came accross you post. I am wondering if my problem accessing the internet has to do with the fact that the phone is LOCKED vs. typing in an unlock code, inserting another carrier's sim and unlocking the phone that way.

Straight Talk told me I don't have to have an unlocked phone in order for my internet to work since the sim card is using AT&T towers/frequencies. It doesn't see it as foreign. Well, I beg to differ at this point. I am starting to wonder if the problem lays in me not having an unlocked phone. The strange thing is that if you use a foreign carrier sim in a locked phone shouldn't the "sim unlock code" window pop up on the phone prompting you to unlock the phone? In my case, I got the phone, took it out of the box, popped the sim card in and I was ready to make calls (activated the card first). The "sim card unlock code" window never popped up.

So that leaves me to wonder why does it work for people on the internet I read about. That is what brought me to write and ask you this quetion.
When you got your phone . . . was it an unlocked phone? Did the phone prompt you to enter a "sim unlock code" or anything at all when you put your sim card in? Did you get internet right away? I don't even have any 4G, 3G, G . .. or anything next to my bars. Just "HOME" in the upper left corner. Nothing for internet.

Before I order unlock codes and try to unlock the phone I just needed to know if the sucess off others was due to the fact that their phone was unlocked.

Thanks for any anwers you can give me.

/rosengard

 

[petrucheo]

I use locked Atrix HD, did buy 1 week ago in AT&T store and ST micro Sim card for AT&T phone and everythink work good. Befor I used Atrix 2 (locked for AT&T) on ST

 

[freshcarlb]

I'm using a locked matrix hd , and I'm having the same problems...every APN settings I'm using isnt working...I can make calls and receive texts just fine, no internet or pic messages... please someone help!

 

[mgentles]

You're not talking to yourself! I'm really glad you're here. I dearly love the latest technology, but I'm an old lady and not up on things like resetting the APN. I was with Verizon for 13 years and didn't want to pay their rates anymore, so I bought a Motorola xt860 (GSM version of Droid 3, I'm sure you know). I tried to use it on Consumer Cellular, but even though I struggled through changing APN info, it won't connect to the internet. It works great on the WiFi, so it must be the provider or phone.
Anyway, I'd already decided I wanted the Atrix HD and to go with Straight Talk, but I've been worried sick it wouldn't work either. I'm definitely going to bookmark this page as my phone should be here in the next couple of days and I'm ordering the Straight Talk SIM tonight. I hope you'll be around because I know I'll have a lot of questions. At least now I feel more confident this phone and provider will work together. Does MMS work?

 

[mgentles]

I wrote my last post before I saw this one. Wow! Scary! I bought an Atrix HD off Ebay that is locked to AT&T. Then I got worried about it (the leftover software, etc) and bought one that is factory unlocked. I really didn't know enough to realize I'd still have to go through the APN thing until it was too late. Now I don't know whether either one of them will work with ST! I've already had the frustration and expense of trying to get the XT860 to connect on Consumer Cellular and failing. I don't really need to go through this again. I now own three smart phones and for right now can only call and text message unless I use WiFi. Like you, it's the apps (like navigation) that I wanted. Internet browsing isn't important to me. It looks like the only real answer is to get your phone from your provider so everything works. I'm going to contact ST to find out if I can try the SIM in both phones (or all three) or whether that isn't allowed with unlimited data. I'll keep you posted.