How many?

[n4zty]

Straight Talk has $45 BYOD plan, which beats my Metro $50 plan. If I buy Straight Talk 3 months, 6 month refill at a time, it drops to the low 40's. Plus I get a 4.65" Galaxy Nexus phone with 4.1 Jelly Bean phone right now.

__________

Yes, I'm leaving.

Im already capped at 2.5 gb and 70% of time its at 1-2 mbps now with 5 mbps or higher now we talking anyways its about balancing at home i can use wifi and when im out i can depend on my 4g for some this is a hassle cuz they depend on their 4g wherever and if so then it may or may not be for you depending on how much data you use, i also want to point out that since we dont have some1 already using thise plan from straight talk we probaly would have to go to the straight talk sub-forums and ask them and what i want to know in particular is everything counted as data on their network or just specific things? not a huge biggie for me but its always good to know.

[averagewonder]

what i wanna know is why does straight talk have a different coverage map for android phones??

[ChazzMatt]

what i wanna know is why does straight talk have a different coverage map for android phones??

You are looking at the wrong map. THIS is the BYOD sim plan coverage:

http://www.straighttalksim.com/coverage.php


One thing people don't realize about Straight Talk, and which I didn't, is you get different service, speed and options depending on which network sim you get.

Let me back up even further... Straight Talk has TWO services:

1) they sell their own phones, usually lower end hand-me-down feature phones and Androids like any pre-paid carrier or MVNO. They have agreements to use the wholesale capacity of varous carriers, like Verizon/AT&T/Sprint/T-Mobile. No official Straight Talk phones even roam (according to the official ST FAQ). For instance, if you get an lower end Straight Talk Android that runs on the Sprint network, that's all you have -- basically a "Virgin" pre-paid Android.

The "Android" map you were looking at is for their pre-paid Androids that they sell to suckers.

Ignore that.

2) Straight Talk ALSO has a BYOD plan. It's ONLY for unlocked sim phones. And it uses AT&T and T-Mobile. However, there IS a difference in those. For some reason, the ST "AT&T" sim cards seem to replicate the service and options of POST-paid AT&T customers (with full AT&T network coverage and roaming privileges), while the T-Mobile sims seem to mimic the (limited) service and options of T-Mobile PRE-paid customers.

If you have an HSPA+ sim phone on the ST "AT&T" sim card, you will get HSPA+ speeds AND the ability to roam even on T-Mobile networks, just like a regular AT&T customer.

You can ONLY buy these special sim cards online, you cannot buy them at Wal-Mart.

_________

So, to answer your question, you are looking at the wrong map. You are looking at the map coverage for Androids you BUY from Straight Talk. Those are for losers. You want the BYOD plan, and bring your own device (a sim card Android or iPhone), where your coverage will be AT&T's network coverage (if you get the ST "AT&T" sim card).

Straight Talk themselves do not make this very clear, perhaps due to contractual reasons?

http://www.straighttalksim.com/

[Gman9831]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TracFone_Wireless
On TracFones with SIM cards, the carrier can be identified in the same manner as any other SIM-based phone, by interpreting the SIM number. On T-Mobile phones, the first line of the SIM number will end in "SIMT5", on AT&T/Cingular, the first line will end in "SIMC4", on Claro phones, the first line will end in "SIMCL7".
Maybe its the same thing with Straight Talk.

[ChazzMatt]

Somebody on Straight Talk just got a Galaxy S III on "AT&T" sim:

http://www.howardforums.com/showthre...3#post14853543

I was on an AT&T Samsung Galaxy Note and I just upgraded to an International Samsung Galaxy SIII (I9300) and I am loving it.

What do you mean worth it? That question is subjective. I can tell at least the international version is FAAAST! Paired with ST, I am getting full HSPA+ at 21mb, about 6down/1up depending on area/signals (as I would with AT&T). I am able to use every feature to it's fullest extent at a fraction of the cost.

IMHO, (like tony the tiger says) it's GREAT!

EDIT: Even though the Note was capable of 42mb HSPA+, my data speeds are the same~

See? No need to "wait" anymore. The Galaxy S III is available NOW, for $45 per month. And take note he has the international QUAD CORE version of the Galaxy S III, not the wimpy U.S. dual core version.


The international quad core version works on Straight Talk because it has the sim slot for HSPA+.

[ChazzMatt]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TracFone_Wireless
On TracFones with SIM cards, the carrier can be identified in the same manner as any other SIM-based phone, by interpreting the SIM number. On T-Mobile phones, the first line of the SIM number will end in "SIMT5", on AT&T/Cingular, the first line will end in "SIMC4", on Claro phones, the first line will end in "SIMCL7".
Maybe its the same thing with Straight Talk.

Yeah, but that doesn't really have anything to do with what is being discussed. You tell Straight Talk which sim you want. Nothing has to be "interpreted".

You are NOT using a crappy Straight Talk/Trac Phone phone for this BYOD deal.

The Straight Talk BYOD program is different from owning a Straight Talk/Tracfone phone. You are bringing an HSPA+ (high speed device, equivalent or faster than Metro's LTE) to that service. By buying a Straight Talk "AT&T" sim card, you are getting the EXACT same coverage as "regular" post-paid AT&T customers -- i.e. nationwide coverage at HSPA+ speeds where HSPA+ coverage is.

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


There are a bunch of us on here who are willing to pay for a good phone NOW -- but don't want a huge monthly bill -- and who are tired of waiting for Metro to get their act together. They repeatedly promised complete LTE coverage by end of 2011, they promised a half dozen LTE Androids by end of 2011.

I don't want a cheap quality, crappy Huawei. And I don't want 3mbps-4mbps some places, but no signal at all at my house or having to rely on Travel Talk at my parents house. So, why am I paying $50 each (for me and my wife, $100) on Metro? Therefore, I'm getting two Galaxy Nexus that will have true nationwide coverage and HSPA+ speeds for $45/month each.

And those HSPA+ speeds are equal to or beat Metro's LTE speeds. I know technically it's not "4G", but data speed is data speed. You can also get the new Samsung Galaxy S III (the international quad core version) on Straight Talk. See post above. When is Metro getting the Galaxy S III? MAYBE by end of the year, if you believe the rumors. But how will it be crippled? The LTE LG Esteem was supposedly the same phone as Verizon's LG Revolution (same code name Bryce), but only had 1/4 the internal memory.

Just don't make the mistake of confusing the Straight Talk/Tracfones in Wal-Mart with this Straight Talk BYOD plan. You can't even buy the BYOD sims in a store -- you have to buy them online at StraightTalk.com.

[Mrcricket23]

Done switched.
ATT HTC One X on Straight talk with a ST ATT sim card, so far good coverage. Getting HSPA speeds around 5-6 mbps for download, two times almost 3 times faster than MPCS LTE for $45 you cant beat it i bought a 1 month refill but if service continues to be good ill be getting the 6 month refills to save some $$ . Very similar to the speed test posted by Chazzmatt.
I did my research before switching so far im luvvvinggg it.

May I add i love my phone imo its an amazing device i think its right upthere with the S3 and much affordable Lol paid $400 for a bnib, and love the choice of being able to get ANY TOP TIER handset available on GSM who knows i might get an S3 or a Galaxy Nexus if i want next.(GNex brand new $350 at google store)
Got phone rooted, overclocked, running customs already counlt be happier.


EDIT - in order to use the BYOD you dont exactly need to have an unlocked handset as long you get the ST ATT sim for a native ATT phone, or a ST Tmo sim for a native Tmo phone. I bought an ATT handset and ST ATT sim bc i thought the coverage for me would be better with ATT than Tmo, since i think Tmo sucks in my area

[Kamex009]

I was thinking of leaving metro and went to Tmobile , Yes I would be getting a much better phone ( I got the LG Connect) and also superior coverage, but my lifestyle is very rutinary, I don't go out of town much and wherever I go I do get signal I live in SoCal and normally 4G is good everywhere I go , but I have the phone on CDMA only since the battery dies very fast ! ! !

For me the most important thing is the $$ , I get the 2.5GB ( i'm ok with that ) , the international talk and the insurance, I pay $115 for 2 lines with the LG Connect. I will be staying with Metro for the foreseeable future ...

Question: any one has taken the Straight Talk out of the country and see if it roams international ? ?

[Danny8360]

What's better simple mobile or straight talk? Or at least what's the pro's and cons of each of them?

Sent from my LG-MS840 using HowardForums

[Sepurb]

I left metroPCS a while back and I also recently left SimpleMobile AND Virgin Mobile. I am now with Sprint.

slight post related derail: I can VERIFY that SimpleMobile does do SOMETHING after you reach 2GB. I got a very hostile text message from them clearly stating that my service would be suspended due to "tethering" or some other means of ToS violations.

keep in mind that although I had a MyTouch 4G(one of the HTC free hotspot gold mine phones) I may have only tethered for about an hour(NetFlix on PS3) out of the bulk of my usage(downloading .RAR albums, YouTube, Netflix on phone, Pandora, etc).

so be very aware that there is a cap on SimpleMobile and you WILL be a gambler if you are a huge data user.

only other gripe I had with otherwise stellar service(granted you get the $60 plan and use data sparingly :-/), is that when I didn't pay my bill on the exact day, my phone was OFF.

I'm talking "can't-even-call-611-to-pay-the-bill-from-the-phone-OFF"......... sign up for auto pay lol.

virgin mobile was cool but I kinda just went there to get away from SimpleMobile. i planned on getting their iPhone(VirginMobile) but went to Sprint instead.

[Sepurb]

What's better simple mobile or straight talk? Or at least what's the pro's and cons of each of them?

Sent from my LG-MS840 using HowardForums

I haven't used ST, but I'm sure it's better than SimpleMobile considering you have many service options(AT&T and Tmobile if you bring your own device).

plus SimpleMobile doesn't even say there is a cap but there IS. the 3G is ridiculously slow and you WILL decide to get the $60 plan if you have an HSPA+(4G) device.

it's true you can use any Tmobile or unlocked phone but if it's not on their approved list, you will have to do research to get it working properly.

although I've heard horror stories about ST's data cap, I believe they ADMIT it on their website.

simple mobile advertises UNLIMITED DATA. no bueno, IMHO!!

edit: check the SimpleMobile forum here. you can read all TRUE statements about SimpleMobile in the posts.

[ChazzMatt]

What's better simple mobile or straight talk? Or at least what's the pro's and cons of each of them?

Just be clear there are TWO Straight Talk services run by Straight Talk:

1) Straight Talk -- sells crappy phones, no roaming.

2) Straight Talk BYOD -- for sim phones you already own, runs on AT&T or T-mobile network at HSPA+ speeds (if you have an HSPA+ device). They sell you the sim and the monthly serivce. The ST AT&T sim acts very much as if you are a regular AT&T customer (but speeds are capped at 7mbps). The T--mobile sim gives you higher HSPA+ speeds (10mbps or even 12mbps) but when you are out of T-Mobile network coverage you are out of luck. Supposedly the "AT&T" sim lets you roam, even if the HSPA+ speeds are a little lower. (One caveat -- to roam at higher speeds on the ST "AT&T" network you need a phone that supports the T-Mobile bands. The Galaxy Nexus does.)

$45 per month for unlimted talk/text/data -- but everyone knows there really is a limit. Seems to be 100mb per day or 2GB per month. Others have gone up to 5GB with no issues, but apparently they are just lucky.

Read more here:


http://gigaom.com/mobile/straight-ta...t-or-t-mobile/

https://plus.google.com/107460400955...ts/5rcbHTTNapM

http://gigaom.com/mobile/straight-ta...xus-or-iphone/

[olague88]

Just be clear there are TWO Straight Talk services run by Straight Talk:

1) Straight Talk -- sells crappy phones, no roaming.

2) Straight Talk BYOD -- for sim phones you already own, runs on AT&T or T-mobile network at HSPA+ speeds (if you have an HSPA+ device). They sell you the sim and the monthly serivce. The ST AT&T sim acts very much as if you are a regular AT&T customer (but speeds are capped at 7mbps). The T--mobile sim gives you higher HSPA+ speeds (10mbps or even 12mbps) but when you are out of T-Mobile network coverage you are out of luck. Supposedly the "AT&T" sim lets you roam, even if the HSPA+ speeds are a little lower.

$45 per month for unlimted talk/text/data -- but everyone knows there really is a limit. Seems to be 100mb per day or 2GB per month. Others have gone up to 5GB with no issues, but apparently they are just lucky.

Read more here:


http://gigaom.com/mobile/straight-ta...t-or-t-mobile/

https://plus.google.com/107460400955...ts/5rcbHTTNapM

http://gigaom.com/mobile/straight-ta...xus-or-iphone/

Chazz what do u think of boost mobile 4g

Sent from my LG-MS840 using HowardForums

[n4zty]

boost mobile 4g is at around 1.60 mbps average for now im glad they went lte that way they force metro to compete and when companies compete we win

[ChazzMatt]

Chazz what do u think of boost mobile 4g

Haven't had time to check out Boost Mobile. I've been spending all my time since end of last week checking out all the intricacies of the Straight Talk BYOD which is almost like a separate division of the company.

(I've had to tell a lot of people, FORGET what you think you know about Straight Talk. This is NOT regular Straight Talk. This is basically AT&T for $45 per month on whatever sim card phone you bring to the party -- as long as you select the ST "AT&T" sim card. If you choose the ST T-mobile sim card, you don't get as much coverage.)

Seeing what other people have said, seeing what other Galaxy Nexus do on Straight Talk... Waiting for my sims to arrive as well as the phones. One phone may arrive today, sims coming Thursday, 2nd phone tracking shows Friday (coming all the way from California). I had to use two different merchants to get two different colors.

Plus investigating porting both numbers to Google Voice, and how long that can take? Can't get any definite answers on that question.

My wife is leaving for a 2-week trip on Thursday and unless I get everything switcher over, she can't take it with her. So, it's a race.