My LAST month as a VM customer!

[heatdepot]

I've basically had it with this awful company.

In the past month, I've had about 20 outages with some lasting 8-14 hours! Coverage has gotten worse not better as places that never worked before still don't work and places that worked no longer do.

Basically nothing has improved since I became a customer in Oct 2010, just worse, other than the upgrade of phones from Samsung Intercept to LG Optimus V.

The final straw was the throttling at 2.5GB when even T-Mobile prepaid is 5GB.

I'd give my overall experience with VM a D-. Only reason it isn't F is because it has excellent signal at my house and the $25 cost.

I have not decided on which other company to move to so open to suggestions!

[corrupt81]

Congratulations!

I left Virgin Mobile a few months ago due to the incredibly poor 3g data speeds. I don't think I could even hit the 2.5GB cap in a year!

The $25 plan was hard to give up, but just couldn't deal with VM anymore. My final straw was when I sold my Triumph on Ebay and tried to do an ESN swap back to a flip phone I bought (brand new) was already on my account before - but when I tried to put it on again - it wouldn't let me take the Triumph off. Kept saying ESN was in use.
Hours of talking to the outsourced customer service reps and countless headaches later - I finally gave up. I had already sold a Triumph on ebay but now they'd be getting it in the mail because it was still on my account as VM wouldn't let me put another phone on it.. (Not to mention I had no phone access the whole time!)

The porting process to T-Mobile was just as equally painful with VM's outsourced reps, but FINALLY got there!

Granted, I'm paying more money for T-Mobile than I was with VM, but I'm actually getting 4G data speeds, can use free mobile hotspot, can swap to any GSM phone with a simple sim card swap (no more ESN swaps that dont work with VM) and have access to a nationwide network with roaming.

My suggestion - look into T-Mobile.. either their prepaid $30 100 min unlimited text/5gb data plan, or a postpaid Value plan - 500 mins unlimited text and 2GB 4g data. Ability to use any GSM phone is the best selling point.

[billm261]

It's not a good sign that users are willing to give up the 25.00 BT plan.

I think the flood gates would open if T-Mobile upped their plan by 5.00 and included 300 minutes.

Sent from my Motorola Photon

[CA]

I gave up my ghost ($25.00 plan) too, Gmail push mail turned into a futile experience. Un-installing updates and re-installing them was the only fix, and that lasted shortly. I just got tired of fixing my phone like it was a 50 year old car.

I did find a use for the phone though, I installed GrooveIP and it works great, WIFI only though.

[Extraordinary]

It's not a good sign that users are willing to give up the 25.00 BT plan.

I think the flood gates would open if T-Mobile upped their plan by 5.00 and included 300 minutes.

Sent from my Motorola Photon

Leave it @ $30 and add some minutes, that would be even better!

[mfrerkes]

I'm clinging to my $25 plan for the time being. Where I'm at, the data works reliably enough do streaming audio (XM, Pandora, and TuneIn Pro) about 95% of the time. I don't have any problems with texts, MMS, or voice service.

VM is far from perfect, but for 1/4th of the price I was paying to have an AT&T smartphone every month, I'll gladly tolerate the occasional inconvenience.

[jcpwn2004]

I'm clinging to my $25 plan for the time being. Where I'm at, the data works reliably enough do streaming audio (XM, Pandora, and TuneIn Pro) about 95% of the time. I don't have any problems with texts, MMS, or voice service.

VM is far from perfect, but for 1/4th of the price I was paying to have an AT&T smartphone every month, I'll gladly tolerate the occasional inconvenience.

the thing is for 45$ you can get that at&t service with an at&t phone with ST byod. Well worth the money imo. I'm so happy to have a galaxy s2 on at&t's coverage vs. my old triumph on a sprint prepaid network.

[mfrerkes]

the thing is for 45$ you can get that at&t service with an at&t phone with ST byod. Well worth the money imo. I'm so happy to have a galaxy s2 on at&t's coverage vs. my old triumph on a sprint prepaid network.

By the time I buy a device compatible with AT&T's network and spend an extra $240 per year on service, I'm not sure the value is there for me personally. I can already do everything I need to do on the Triumph...and VM's data issues are simply not bad enough to drive me into another spending binge right now.

But, I'm glad you've found a plan that works for you.

[yomuppet]

... I can already do everything I need to do on the Triumph...and VM's data issues are simply not bad enough ...

A few times I unexpectedly needed gps in a pinch, and needed data in a pinch, that is where VM and the Triumph failed me one to many times.

Things were "generally" but if it doesn't work those few times when you really need it, may as well be in a $10/yr flip phone and forego the smartphone altogether. Tmo thankfully hasn't failed me yet, and doesn't cost much more at all

[billm261]

I'm not sure the value is there for me personally. I can already do everything I need to do on the Triumph...and VM's data issues are simply not bad enough to drive me into another spending binge right now.

That says it all. I never buy anything based on the cost but rather the value and everybody's barometer of that is different.

The Sprint network provides the best service for what I need. Eventually I'll get off postpaid for my line and get the LG Marquee on Boost (as it seems like a decent device) and keep my VM PayLo lines as they are.

I'm not confident that ST won't start kicking people off or disabling data if they think you have used too much. It's a great deal but I think it's too early to tell how strict they are going to be.

[martin_j001]

We have a "defectors thread" and a whole section dedicated to rants. Not everyone needs to start their own thread when they decide to leave a carrier. Thread closed.