Verizon S3 to Straight Talk

[msaconnell]

I hope Im doing this right...I really need help. I have a Verizon S3 currently under contract and Im desperately trying to switch to straight talk. Am I understanding it correctly that all I need to do is buy the kit and follow the directions? My only question is, will my phone be slow? Or will it still be supported by 4GLTE network?

 

[GSDer]

Welcome to the forums!

ST told me that since the SCH-i535 was LTE that it would not work on ST

You can believe them or the people that have posted in this (and other) forums about it working. Note however that if you get the SCH-i535 you will not get 4G/LTE data speeds - if I remember what I've read here, the best you will get is 2G/Edge speeds (pretty slow, in other words).

Apparently StraightTalk sells a special model (can't remember the model number offhand) that works on Verizon towers that will get better speeds. I don't remember if it was just 3G or if it went up to 4G/LTE. If you buy that special model then you're limited to StraightTalk.

Sent from my rooted, debloated, deodexed Sinclair ZX-80 running CM -0.001 using Tapatalk

 

[GSDer]

Welcome to the forums!

Am I understanding it correctly that all I need to do is buy the kit and follow the directions?

Yes, although I don't know anything about what happens to your contract with Verizon; you'll have to ask them.

My only question is, will my phone be slow? Or will it still be supported by 4GLTE network?

Your PHONE won't be slow, but your Mobile data connection will be slow. No 4G/LTE...

Sent from my rooted, debloated, deodexed Sinclair ZX-80 running CM -0.001 using Tapatalk

 

[Moondoggie1]

I hate to keep beating a dead horse but if I buy a S3 SCH-i535 that is on the Verizon network, and I contact ST to activate it, in order to use Verizon only I do not insert the GSM sim? It will work on CDMA by default. What keeps it from using Sprint CDMA?

 

[Tammy Lalack]

how do you get the the settings and change it?

 

[Manda Cheyenne]

I have done this... but when I leave my house(I use the wifi) It says I have no service. Theres no E. Its just a circle with a line through it.. Its been like this all day and Im not sure what I should do... Help D:

 

[GSDer]

how do you get the the settings and change it?

I have done this... but when I leave my house(I use the wifi) It says I have no service.

It sounds like you both need to reread post #15 and follow the steps outlined.

If you read through the whole thread before fiddling with anything you should come away with a good feel for what worked for others, what didn't work and what the limitations are that you can expect.

Sent from my rooted, debloated, deodexed Sinclair ZX-80 running CM -0.001 using Tapatalk

 

[msaconnell]

So I made the switch and satisfied so far! Getting use to the slower data connection, but thankful for the extra money in my pocket every month! I have read thru the forum twice and dont see a answer to the problems Im having. So, maybe someone can help. I cant receive any picture messages and when I make a call I have to dial the area code even in my home town. Thanks in advance!

 

[georgeb85]

I have done the solution that Stephen mentioned, and waiting PATIENTLY for the 24 hours to be up! My number has already been attached to the sim card that is in the Galaxy S3 and according to Straighttalk it is no longer with my Windows 8 phone. HOWEVER, the 8 phone is still working, and when I dial a number with the Galaxy S3 it tells me to check my plan minutes.

 

[William Hess]

First, big thanks to Stephan for saving me $50/mo, if you're ever in the D.C. area I owe you a 6 pack buddy. Second, to clarify a couple things, this is what I did so it is not so confusing.

#1. Go to Walmart and get the Activation Kit.
#2. I through out everything but the AT&T Sim Card and the New Service Plan Card.
#3. Call 1-877-430-2355 to get a straight talk customer service rep on the phone.
#4. They will ask you a bunch of questions. DO NOT, I REPEAT, DO NOT TELL THEM THE PHONE IS FROM VERIZON. They will stop helping you and you will get in a heated argument telling them it will work, they will tell you it won't. You cannot tell them the phone is Verizon. Tell them it is an AT&T phone.
#5. When they ask you if you want to bring your number over from another provider, tell them you want a new number. Once again, if you tell them you want to transfer your number from Verizon after you told them it is an AT&T phone, they will stop helping you.
#6. After you hang up with them, take the back cover off, take the battery out, replace the SIM card with the AT&T SIM card and turn the phone back on.
#7. Call someone. After you do, make sure you either get a voicemail or someone to pick up, and then hang up and wait.
#8. They will send you a text with your new number.
#9. See Post #15 on how to change the APN and the excellent instructions that the guy Stephan left on here.
#10. To get rid of the thing at the top of the screen telling you the SIM card is unknown, hold it for 3-4 secs, than click on App Info, then force stop. It will clear it.

The biggest thing I think confuses people, or at least me, is that you can't bring your old # to this network. Other than that, if you follow the directions on how to talk to these idiots over in Bangladesh or Pakistan or wherever they are, you can make it work.

 

[lsellers]

I need help ASAP so please help me!
I am being charged an OUTRAGEOUS amount by Verizon. Is it possible to transfer a phone from a CURRENT VERIZON PLAN to straight talk?

 

[steelimpressions]

worked fine...just one issue. once switched over i got text phone and data, but now my home wifi wont connect...it says connecting and then stops and starts over... any suggestions...
Thank you.
john

 

[steelimpressions]

I just did....

 

[Melanie Kiser]

I made the switch today with no problems (except I can't seem to send/receive photos in texts). I have a Galaxy S3 from Verizon.
I activated a Micro SIMs card (ATT bought from ST) by calling ST and installed into my phone. Switched my mobile settings to GSM/U???
I called StraightTalk and told them I have a Verizon S3 and they connected me.
I also had to make sure to search for mobile carriers in the area, and make sure my connection was "automatically" selected for preferred carrier.
I still have my same number.
I don't know if this is new, since they now sell S3's, but it seems the bann has been lifted!
Not as great service and speed is slow. But I mainly used wifi so for the 1/2 price of VZ I will live with it for a while.
The phone took several hours before getting service. Just leave your phone on and reboot every hour or so.

 

[Melanie Kiser]

CORRECTION: I can receive and send text photos. Service is not as good as Verizon, so I have more dead zones in my life. But that is why ST is cheaper. If you need to save money but still need a smart phone, this is the way to go. But I suggest calling them. I tried to set up my husband's S3 online and could not figure out HOW. It still said there was no service in my area. So call them. It may be a pain for them to get all the details verbally, but you will be done in about 30 minutes. Just wait for the phone to activate after that.

 

[Jean Haynes]

Hello all. I just got a Samsung Galaxy S3 i-535 Verizon model from a family member who is no longer using it. I bought a mico-sim for it from Straight Talk and installed it last night then I called Straight Talk to get service transferred from my old LG Optimus Q to the new GS3 i-535. Overnight the cellular and texting services were transferred but now I can not get the internet to work. I have follow all steps posted here in regards to APN settings. I am not very techie so I need help trying to resolve this issue. Please allow me to share with you the 2 conflicting pieces of information Straight Talk gave me so far: This info was texted to me upon request to transfer service last night (NAME: NET10 APN: wap.tracfone PROXY: 216.155.165.40 Port: 8080 MMSC: http://mms.tracfone.com MMS Proxy: 216.155.165.40 MMS Port: 8080 MCC: 310 MNC: 260 ) then this info was texted to me earlier today when I went to their chat help area: (These are Your APN Settings NAME:STRAIGHT TALK APN:tfdata MMS APN:tfdata MMSC:http://mms-tf.net MMS PROXY:mms3.tracfone.com MMS PORT:80) (Please take note that I have turned Wi-Fi off to make the change in settings listed in this thread since I have home Wi-Fi. Here is the info I put into my new S3 phone based on info I obtained in this thread: Name: STRAIGHT TALK
APN: tfdata
Proxy: Not Set
Port: 80
Username: Not Set
Password: Not Set
Server: Not Set
MMSC: http://mms-tf.net
Multimedia Message proxy: mms3.tracfone.com
Multimedia message port: 80
MCC: 310
MNC: 410
Authentication Type: Not Set
APN Type: default,mms,supl
APN Protocol: IPv4
APN Roaming Protocol: IPv4
Turn APN On/Off: (Greyed Out but reads APN turned on)
Bearer: Unspecified
Mobile Virtual Network Operator Type: None
Mobile Virtual Network Operator Type (?)Greyed Out But Reads Not Set)

Also My Preferred Network Mode Settings are: changed from CDMA to GSM / UMTS
Network Operators: Unable to search for networks while data service in use. Stop using current data service and search for other available networks

 

[Melanie Kiser]

I am not tech savvy AT ALL, and you have probably done this, but you did select the StraightTalk APN settings as the 'default'?

 

[Jean Haynes]

I don't see any option to set it to default. The Verizon APN stuff is greyed out and I can't touch it to remove it. I was told by a family member that post # 15 is this thread my hold the answer but I don't see the answer. I deleted the first APN stuff I had for Straight Talk and re-did it in a completely new one. There is a little green not to the far right of the name Straight Talk in my phone's APN list. I am assuming that means Straight Talk has been selected.

 

[Poopinface]

If I buy a Verizon S III SCH-1535, will it activate with ST on Verizon towers? AT&T, Sprint, and the others suck in my area. I am currently using a Iphone 4 on ST. ST told me that since the SCH-1535 was LTE that it would not work on ST, which I think is BS.
I hate this Iphone but NEED Verizon network on a ST budget.

BUMP - I don't want to use S3 with AT&T - I want to use it with Verizon. Does anyone know if there is a verizon only version (maybe sold by straight talk) or a way to port the phone so that it will use verizon towers?

 

[aguy2no]

maybe these folks know way more than the foreign st service reps.
they say you can't use a phone that uses sim card or says lte for data, and still use it on verizon network.
Are they wrong?