Hey Y'all

[ChazzMatt]

Indulge, esteem, attain, connect, & activa. That makes the activa the 5th lte android.

OK, I stand corrected. Indeed 5 LTE Androids, and not 4. I must have lost count somewhere due to being underwhelmed.

So, they finally hit #5 in June 2012. Still, all Gingerbread and MONTHS after they promised.

I would consider porting to google voice, since st is known to cancel ur service due to excessive data usage.

Yes, I am seriously considering that. Until recently you could not port MetroPCS numbers to Google Voice. Don't ask me why, but it's all over the internet. However, apparently now (as of a couple of months ago) you can and that seems to be the best option. I'll port to Google Voice and then forward to the random phone number ST assigns me, and I'll let Google Voice be the default phone number on this VERY Google device.

The throttling seems to be if you do over 100mb per day or over 2GB in a month -- although others say they go to 5GB regularly with no repercussions. Seems to depend on be the area of the country you are in? I rarely do 300mb/month data [B]over MetroPCS network[/B] with my Esteem, while I do a lot over wi-fi at home or at work. And my wife does less than me.

service is pretty good deal though. You can also order refills from walmart with an oregon address to save on sales tax.

You can also order 3-month ($130), 6-month ($255), or even 1-year refills ($495) and get a discount -- bringing the per-month cost down to $41.25 per month (for one year refill). Not sure I would do a whole year unless I really, really knew I was staying with them. But after I pay for a couple of single months ($45) , if I'm still satisfied, I might go with the 3-month refill just to get the cell phone bill out of the way. Cost would be $43.33 per month by pre-paying 3 months.

For more info, see here: http://www.straighttalksim.com

(the BYOD plans are the $45 and above. BYOD is not eligible for the $30 plan. But that's OK.)

[kid09]

Thanks man, any new info?

The only thing I know is from the other threads is that there are supposedly 7 other LTE phones coming out besides the S3.

[mike2828]

Well chazz it will be sad to see you leave but hey you are making the best decision for you and your wife and that is what counts I will continue to ride the wave with metro yes they have had broken promises and they are short on phones but they will either do it later or they might just get bought by someone else so I will give them a chance until the end being in Florida metro is my first choice but who knows I will check out your plan it looks attractive good luck bro

Sent from my LG-MS910 using Tapatalk 2

[Gman9831]

Im switching to straight talk by the end of the month. The nexus looks real nice at that price.

[The Hulk]

sounds like everyone has there ducks in a row lol, if google decides to release a phone with a monster screen i'll be inclined to jump on that one next

[ChazzMatt]

sounds like everyone has there ducks in a row lol,
if google decides to release a phone with a monster screen i'll be inclined to jump on that one next

The official Google showpiece Galaxy Nexus 4.65" screen not big enough for you? Only the brand new Samsung Galaxy S III (also made by Samsung) has a bigger screen, at 4.8". Until the Galaxy S III, the Galaxy Nexus had the largest screen of all the phones.

And since the Galaxy Nexus IS Google's current, most recent official phone (made under contract by Samsung for Google), it's already getting OTA Jelly Bean update just a couple of weeks after Jelly Bean was "officially" released. It was released with ICS 4.0 a few months ago, and now it's getting 4.1 Jelly Bean.

I know you know this but others may not. The "Nexus" is Google's name for their own product. Each year a "Nexus" phone is released made by whatever manufacturer Google chooses. The new "Nexus 7" tablet will be made by ASUS, and while ASUS also makes Android tablets, the Nexus 7 is Google's official tablet with Google Android engineers overseeing everything.

The Nexus products (phones, tablets, and now even internet media streaming product) are the purest Google Android devices that are released, without GUI modifications or bloatware.

But when researching, you can't just type in "Nexus" or you will get specs from the earlier Nexus phones from like 2 or 3 years ago. Can be confusing. You have to make sure it's the most recent Nexus model.

http://www.phonearena.com/reviews/Sa...y-Nexus_id3040

Samsung Galaxy S III vs Samsung Galaxy Nexus



Both devices use the HD Super AMOLED technology, which means that they both come with a resolution of 720x1280 pixels. Due to the slightly smaller display size of the Nexus, it has the slightly better pixel density, but the difference is more than negligible.

[The Hulk]

Actually, it's not lol, I want a screen as big as the Galaxy Note but I'll wait for something t-mobile branded to come out, I just like having the big screen

[Sepurb]

Engadget posted a few weeks back about how they've seen a Note with Tmobile branding I believe.

should be coming soon!

edit: http://m.engadget.com/2012/06/25/sam...d-press-shots/

[ChazzMatt]

Actually, it's not lol, I want a screen as big as the Galaxy Note but I'll wait for something t-mobile branded to come out, I just like having the big screen

I'd seen those Galaxy Notes advertised but I thought they were tablets, to be honest. I thought it was probably a 7" tablet with phone built in? Hybrid. I've not seen one in person -- just on TV and it had a stylus and everything. I'm not into tablets so I didn't pay attention.

but OK, 5.3" screen. Yeah, if it's classified as a phone, then it's bigger.

Im switching to straight talk by the end of the month. The nexus looks real nice at that price.

Plus, now that Google is shipping them again, they are coming with 4.1 Jelly Bean already installed (if you buy from Google Play). No need to wait for the OTA update.

I'm going to have to go the OTA update route when mine arrive, as I bought from eBay merchants while sales were temporarily halted by the demonic Apple lawyers.

[averagewonder]

the nexus is a very nice phone the only issue i have is the lack of expandable memory. but straight talk does seem like a real good deal i think im gonna wait till around maybe Christmas time and see if the gs3 is coming to metro then see what ill do if it does come i think ill stay if not i might switch hey maybe i can get an att gs3 off ebay or something by than.

[mike2828]

I just don't like hspa signal lte is the future where I work and leave hspa sucks or at least for me I will ride with metro for now

Sent from my LG-MS910 using Tapatalk 2

[ChazzMatt]

I just don't like hspa signal
lte is the future
where I work and leave hspa sucks or at least for me I will ride with metro for now

Sure LTE is the future, but Metro's LTE speeds are and always will be even slower than HSPA+ top limits. (due to Metro's spectrum problems)

AT&T and T-Mobile are rolling out LTE, but until they finish in a couple of years and then even beyond, they are supporting HSPA+. In a couple of years, I may want another phone or another pre-paid service. If I port my number to Google Voice, now and in the future I can have whatever phone I want and whatever service I want.

Right now Galaxy Nexus on Straight Talk beats Metro and their LTE. The Galaxy Nexus was THE best phone out there until the new Galaxy S III, and is still very awesome. I can have it RIGHT NOW. I have have FAST SPEEDS right now, and for $45 per month!

I've been a Metro customer for over a dozen years, and I have the LG Esteem, but it's time to change.

Here's what one ST Nexus/iPHone 4S owner is getting:

Are the network speeds the same? (AT&T or T-Mobile customers going to Straight Talk)

According to my testing: Yes. I’ve used my Galaxy Nexus with both a T-Mobile SIM and Straight Talk SIM for T-Mobile’s network and found the speeds to be equal. On T-Mobile’s HSPA+ network where I live, I routinely see between 6 and 8 Mbps down, 2 Mbps up and ping times around 120 milliseconds. The same test on my iPhone 4S with a SIM from AT&T and then from Straight Talk showed no difference either.

Even if it were identical speeds to Metro's LTE, Metro's LTE signal is only in market. Out of market -- like going to visit my parents -- it drops down to Spring roaming 1X.

Whereas AT&T has good coverage there, so no roaming and HSPA+, or 3G at worst.

============================

Someone sent me a personal message about buying the Nexus and switching to Straight Talk, and I'm posting the answer from my research here also to help others:

Can u link me to the exact straight talk sim card/plans u gonna get and the unlocked nexus phone u bought?

i might go along with that since its cheaper and coverage is better and 4g seems to be a lil faster.

thanks in advance buddy!!

BUYING THE NEXUS PHONE
_________________



1) Obviously you want the Galaxy Nexus GSM/HSPA+ version (with sim card), not the LTE/CDMA version for Verizon. Straight Talk's BYOD is only for sim card phones.

This is the name and model number of the Galaxy Nexus you want:

Samsung Galaxy Nexus 16GB i9250
Model: Nexus GT-I9250
MPN: GT-I9250TSAXEU


2) Now that Google is selling them directly again (there was a temporary injunction due to Apple being weasels), your least expensive place to buy is the Google Play store. Price there is $349 + shipping.

This is the Google Play store link for that model:
http://goo.gl/ZsHlM




Plus now it will ship with 4.1 Jelly Bean installed. (That's one way Google is getting around the Apple lawyers.)


When I bought mine a couple of days ago from eBay merchants, these were the two sellers I used:

http://goo.gl/7tSYQ (silver) - $429.99 with free shipping

http://goo.gl/0vdEz (black) - $429.96 with free shipping


Both of these are the exact same "international unlocked" model that Google will send you from Google Play. Has all the frequency bands for AT&T, T-mobile, PLUS all the international carriers.

Again, the Google Play link is the best play to buy unless you need it NOW. (As of this post, Google says they will ship in 2-3 weeks.) I used eBay because Google Play still wasn't selling the Nexus on the day I wanted to buy and I didn't know when they would resume. So, I paid more than you will have to.


________

STRAIGHT TALK

________
Short version:

1. Go to straighttalksim.com.
2. Buy a SIM card (regular for Nexus, unless you want to buy micro and use with an adapter for future phones) for $14.99.
3. You will also want to buy a bundle with the $45 unlimited plan.
4. Activate new sim card by calling and getting a new number or porting old number (have your phone company info ready). If you decide to port your MetroPCS number to Google Voice, then just take the Straight Talk number assigned and forward your Google Voice calls to your new ST phone number.
5. Install SIM on iPhone and wait for activation process to complete by giving it maybe an hour to a couple hours.

More Detailed Version:

You want the Straight Talk BYOD plan.

First, go here and choose the sim card. The BYOD is ONLY for sim card phones.

www.straighttalk.com/ShopSims



In the picture above, do NOT choose the generic "unlocked" sim. Why? If you choose the generic unlocked sim, Straight Talk decides which one to send you (AT&T or T-Mobile) based on your zip code. But you really, really want the "AT&T" sim card, NOT the "T-Mobile" sim card.

Why? Because the ST "AT&T" sim card gives you better service and more options, reportedly just like AT&T POST-paid customers, while the ST "T-Mobile" sim card gives you only service and options comparable to T-Mobile's PRE-paid customers.

What better service and options? For instance, if you have the ST "T-Mobile" network sim card and T-Mobile network is not available, you have no signal, as T-Mobile's pre-paid customers don't have roaming privileges. However, if you have the ST "AT&T" sim card, and you can't get an AT&T signal you can roam for free on T-Mobile network signal as a ST customer, as AT&T post-paid customers do have roaming rights on T-Mobile. The Straight Talk "AT&T" sim replicates the service and privileges of AT&T post-paid customers for $45 per month.


I'm just telling you what other Straight Talk customers are saying. So, that's why I ordered the Straight Talk "AT&T" sim.


So, at this link, www.straighttalk.com/ShopSims

Choose "AT&T compatible phone", NOT the generic "unlocked" sim. If you choose that, they will give you the sim THEY want to give you which might be the inferior ST T-Mobile coverage.

The Nexus uses the "regular" sim card (actually a min sim, but that is the "regular" sim nowadays. Only choose the "micro" sim if you want to use an adapter, to use the same sim for some future phone that might require a micro sim. I just ordered the regular sim.

Then they ask the zip code. I gave them my parents zip code 40 miles away, as there's no T-Mobile coverage there. (Just to make sure I got the ST AT&T sim.) Then when I went to pay they noticed the discrepancy between by billing address zip code and the coverage zip code, and asked if I were sure? I told them to ignore the discrepancy.

Sim cards are a one-time $14.99 charge. Then you want to pay for a plan.



I chose the $45 plan. BYOD starts at $45.

So, cost at this time was $59.99 + shipping but from now on will be $45 + tax per month (unless I buy multiple months for the discount).



If you plan to port your MetroPCS number to Google Voice and use that as your default number, then just accept the Straight Talk number assigned when you go to activate the sim.

However, if you want to transfer your Metro number to Straight Talk instead, then you will need to do that when you activate the sim. Otherwise, if you change your mind later and want to port that number to Google Voice, ST will charge you $14.99 for another sim card.

Hope this helps!

_________________________


Also, here's a FAQ about Straight Talk. Ignore the "Nokia Sim" questions, that was a trick to get your own device on the Straight Talk network but now with BYOD there's no need for that. All the other questions and answers are very helpful.

FAQ: considering straight talk? READ THIS FIRST!
http://www.howardforums.com/showthre...AD-THIS-FIRST!



Here's a blog article from a guy who just went through all this:

Straight Talk SIM: The BFF of a Galaxy Nexus or iPhone
http://gigaom.com/mobile/straight-ta...xus-or-iphone/

(he states the Nexus price is $399, but it's since dropped to $349 after he wrote the blog article)


___________

I will keep you udated as I receive my phones and sim cards, and make the switch.

[mike2828]

Chazz thanks a lot men very nice breakdown I will wait a couple of months and let's see but will also study this option as well

Sent from my LG-MS910 using Tapatalk 2

[Sepurb]

hey hulk,

http://www.engadget.com/2012/07/10/s...ort-documents/

getting closer!

[The Hulk]

hey hulk,

http://www.engadget.com/2012/07/10/s...ort-documents/

getting closer!

sweet, I'll wait for the price to drop, doesn't make sense to pay full retail for phones anymore lol