The official VM Defectors thread

[Badrsj]

Straight Talk BYOD is a game changer. I've defected. Just don't use more than 2 gig.
You decide sucky data unlimited or roaring 2 gigs on a device of your choice.


Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I727 using Tapatalk

[jkool]

I am so tempted to leave vm. I used to use them when it was $25. Then went in on a T mobile group plan and got a samsung vibrant which I loved so much. Broke up with my gf but kept my phone. Vm's data is bad where I am. Customer service is horrible. (had a nightmare you signing up) Hate to spend the extra money per month, but unlimited minutes and possible better service has me thinking real hard. Especially since I can get a t mobile sim card and use my vibrant again. I love this optimus v though but my vibrant is better of course. Torn on what to do? I do use data a lot, but just to surf, YOUTUBE and check email. Worried about 2gb but not sure if I come close to using that much?

About $15 more a month.....What to do?

Sent from my VM670 using Tapatalk

[cookedgoose]

Just wondering which rout you think is best, your post suggest you think one is better but it is not clear as to which one.

Me? Not sure who you're replying to, but I don't have an opinion on which is better. Coincidence or no, I think both plans serve different customers with minimal overlap.


TMO fits my needs better for the price. I'm a single dude who texts a lot and doesn't have a girlfriend who demands that I call her and talk with her on the phone for hours or more a day. Otherwise I would've jumped on the ST plan or even a Verizon or AT&T talk-only plan a long time ago. I use my phone's internet occasionally and I've found apps such as Yelp and Waze to be a real lifesavers. When I'm feeling a bit bored at the library, I fire up imo and start chatting with my buddies. And of course, when I'm staying with the old folks for the holidays, I tether my phone so I can download TV shows when our connection is being heavily utilized.


Straight Talk for me isn't even an alternative as I need more data and fewer minutes. If I need more minutes, I can use the usual 3% discount at callingmart.com, and get 100 minutes+154 additional minutes in a month month before my TMO plan costs $45.


TL;DR: TMO isn't better per se, it's just better-suited for my needs.

[GTwannabe]

I am so tempted to leave vm. I used to use them when it was $25. Then went in on a T mobile group plan and got a samsung vibrant which I loved so much. Broke up with my gf but kept my phone. Vm's data is bad where I am. Customer service is horrible. (had a nightmare you signing up) Hate to spend the extra money per month, but unlimited minutes and possible better service has me thinking real hard. Especially since I can get a t mobile sim card and use my vibrant again. I love this optimus v though but my vibrant is better of course. Torn on what to do? I do use data a lot, but just to surf, YOUTUBE and check email. Worried about 2gb but not sure if I come close to using that much?

About $15 more a month.....What to do?

Sent from my VM670 using Tapatalk

2-3GB seems to be the cutoff for ST AT&T SIM. The ST T-mobile SIM cutoff may be higher (5GB or so)

Try it for a month and use Data Counter Widget to track your data. It would be a good idea to use Google Voice as your phone number, rather than port into ST. That way you don't lose your phone number if ST terminates your account for "excessive use."

[swedrows]

check into the Tmobile $30 prepaid plan....100 minutes / unlimited text & data.....4G speeds for your first 5gb of data.....you can use any tmobile device....if you need more minutes, it's only $0.10/per minute if you go over, so if you use up 250 minutes on one month, you get charged an extra $15 bringing your bill to $45....if you use 100 minutes or less, it's only $30.....great plan for people that only use limited talk minutes, or even if you use up to 250 minutes per month, i think this plan is better than ST because when you use less minutes, your bill will be lower

[SillyTA]

What about Web Guard hassle they have on Tmo prepaid? $30 plan looks sweet, but would web browsing be restricted even with a non-Tmo branded phone?

check into the Tmobile $30 prepaid plan....100 minutes / unlimited text & data.....4G speeds for your first 5gb of data.....you can use any tmobile device....if you need more minutes, it's only $0.10/per minute if you go over, so if you use up 250 minutes on one month, you get charged an extra $15 bringing your bill to $45....if you use 100 minutes or less, it's only $30.....great plan for people that only use limited talk minutes, or even if you use up to 250 minutes per month, i think this plan is better than ST because when you use less minutes, your bill will be lower

[swedrows]

What about Web Guard hassle they have on Tmo prepaid? $30 plan looks sweet, but would web browsing be restricted even with a non-Tmo branded phone?

it's not an issue because you can disable Web Guard from your TMobile account online...simlpy log onto your account, go to your "phone control" settings in your profile and disable it...i just tried it because i didn't realize there was anything like that. i never had any of my browsing blocked so i had no reason to know that something like that was enabled. but to check i tried to access a xxx site and it wouldn't let me, so i logged in, disabled Web Guard, tried again and it worked....

[GTwannabe]

check into the Tmobile $30 prepaid plan....100 minutes / unlimited text & data.....4G speeds for your first 5gb of data.....you can use any tmobile device....if you need more minutes, it's only $0.10/per minute if you go over, so if you use up 250 minutes on one month, you get charged an extra $15 bringing your bill to $45....if you use 100 minutes or less, it's only $30.....great plan for people that only use limited talk minutes, or even if you use up to 250 minutes per month, i think this plan is better than ST because when you use less minutes, your bill will be lower

Assuming you have native T-mobile tower coverage everywhere you want to use your phone. ST's coverage map is much better.

[SillyTA]

Was it just an "off" button, or did they ask for SSN and DOB? And did it work right away?

it's not an issue because you can disable Web Guard from your TMobile account online...simlpy log onto your account, go to your "phone control" settings in your profile and disable it...i just tried it because i didn't realize there was anything like that. i never had any of my browsing blocked so i had no reason to know that something like that was enabled. but to check i tried to access a xxx site and it wouldn't let me, so i logged in, disabled Web Guard, tried again and it worked....

[mch]

If for some reason you don't want to disable webguard, you can always just run your traffic through a VPN. But seriously, turning it off is very quick.

[SillyTA]

Oh, I do want to disable it. Just not going to give out my SSN and DOB to achieve that

I could use a VPN network but would rather prefer not having Web Guard enabled to begin with. What is this, assuming that the user is a teen unless proven otherwise? After I paid for my device and the service? Madness for sure.

If for some reason you don't want to disable webguard, you can always just run your traffic through a VPN. But seriously, turning it off is very quick.

[corrupt81]

Straight Talk on an iPhone or any other smartphone is only $10 more per month for unlimited everything than VM's cheapest 300 minute plan. (And $10 cheaper than their unlimited plan.)

VM is going to find it hard to stay relevant in the prepaid market which such competition from T-Mobile and ST where you can get real 4G data and use on any smartphone versus sprint's overloaded 3G network and limited phone selection.

[pitflyer]

I had to give last four of my SSN, DOB and address to disable webguard on TMobile Prepaid but others have said that is not really necessary and you can give them anything. Doesn't bother me too much, except you have to disable it every time you switch plans.

[kenbr1960]

Although I did not really have a problem with VM service I could never find a phone that I was happy with. I ended up getting a TMo Galaxy S2 and went with Simple Mobile. I work out of the home so I'm one WiFi most days and I have a Clear unlimited data hotspot which allows me to stream videos when I'm out so I'm pretty happy with what I've got now.

[primetechv2]

Question, fellow defectors, that I wasn't able to find anywhere else yet... AT&T Coverage where I live is nonexistent by a long shot, T-Mobile is roaming. I'm not sure if I would even get 3G speeds if I was roaming. Or data.

What do?