Worth it to CANCLE my Verizon plan for Nexus 4 on T-Mobile?

[fr4c]

HEY GUYS I really want to express my thanks for the advice you guys have given me! Again I'm not really keen on the phone industry and how it works more of the computer guy.

Anyways I've been hearing alot about Solavei as a provider from what I understand they use T-Mobile so it's T-Mobile without the T-Mobile? Like how do those type of providers (Boost Mobile, Criket, etc) work?

They are MVNO, and essentially run their service off whichever provider they have a contract with. Same thing with StraightTalk, except they have both AT&T and T-Mobile networks to work off of.

From my experience, they work 100% the same as if you had the parent carrier, but at a much lower cost and no monthly contracts since it's prepaid. Only thing you need to research are their usage terms (data caps/throttling), as some may cap data after 1.5GB while others are much higher.

 

[theuserjohnny]

They are MVNO, and essentially run their service off whichever provider they have a contract with. Same thing with StraightTalk, except they have both AT&T and T-Mobile networks to work off of.

From my experience, they work 100% the same as if you had the parent carrier, but at a much lower cost and no monthly contracts since it's prepaid. Only thing you need to research are their usage terms (data caps/throttling), as some may cap data after 1.5GB while others are much higher.

Yeah I was doing reading on that! Most of the ones I'm looking at are cap'd at 2-5GB depending on who it is. I might actually look into using one of these plans... they're so cheap for great value! Why haven't other's looked into these plans? I mean they're the same as the carrier just without the name?

Is it just because the carriers can offer the phones (iPhone, GS3, etc) for cheap? Where as these carriers you have to get the phones unlocked?

 

[fr4c]

Yeah I was doing reading on that! Most of the ones I'm looking at are cap'd at 2-5GB depending on who it is. I might actually look into using one of these plans... they're so cheap for great value! Why haven't other's looked into these plans? I mean they're the same as the carrier just without the name?

Is it just because the carriers can offer the phones (iPhone, GS3, etc) for cheap? Where as these carriers you have to get the phones unlocked?

Correct, these plans only benefit those who provide their own unlocked phones. So for phone-a-holics like me who switch phones a lot, it's quite a bargain since you sign no contract and is much cheaper than going with the Big 4.

Also, customer service is pretty much non-existent with these companies. But granted everything you need to know about them, such as setting up APN's and general troubleshooting, can be easily found via Google and forums as tons of people use them.

 

[rillrill]

i did this, and it was the best decision i've made since getting a cell phone. YMMV. i don't talk on the phone too much. i prefer text and internets. the $30 walmart plan on t-mo is great for me. $50 savings every month really adds up. the service, however, is spotty in my area, but not unbearable. you really have to test it out to see, but for $30, why not try it? if you don't like it, cancel it.

 

[maflynn]

It really depends on the coverage. Does T-Mo offer the same coverage and quality of service where you live? Do you mind maying the ETF just to get the Nexus 4. You'll be paying in effect around 500 dollars for the phone, is it worth that price to go to t-mo? (nexus 4 cost + estimated ETF).

I wish Google provided a Nexus phone for VZW, I'd be there in a heartbeat but they don't and VZW in my area offers better coverage, service and quality then ATT and T-MO so its a no brainer for me to stick with them

 

[mattopotamus]

i did this, and it was the best decision i've made since getting a cell phone. YMMV. i don't talk on the phone too much. i prefer text and internets. the $30 walmart plan on t-mo is great for me. $50 savings every month really adds up. the service, however, is spotty in my area, but not unbearable. you really have to test it out to see, but for $30, why not try it? if you don't like it, cancel it.

So they use these big players towers, but not all of them? I just want to know how it can be different coverage than t-mobile if they are using t-mobile towers, thanks.

 

[fr4c]

So they use these big players towers, but not all of them? I just want to know how it can be different coverage than t-mobile if they are using t-mobile towers, thanks.

I think he just meant that TMobile coverage is spotty in his area. Service coverage for postpaid and prepaid are exactly the same, except postpaid customers get priority on cell towers if congestion occurs.

 

[rillrill]

yeah, sorry. with tmo, i have 3g at work, but 2g at home. i drive in and out of 3g service a lot. it's a compromise i'm willing to make because i have an ISP.

$600 is a decent savings, plus i can switch to any phone i want that works with the service. the nexus 4 will be good enough for a few years, i think, because of google's constant updates. the only other brand i'd go with is apple. samsung takes too long to update their phones' software.

 

[theuserjohnny]

I think he just meant that TMobile coverage is spotty in his area. Service coverage for postpaid and prepaid are exactly the same, except postpaid customers get priority on cell towers if congestion occurs.

So what is the main difference between LTE and the HSPA+?

The way I look at it is that LTE is Thunderbolt and HSPA+ is USB3.

 

[maflynn]

The way I look at it is that LTE is Thunderbolt and HSPA+ is USB3.

HSPA+ download rates up to 168Mbps though real world rates are probably slower.

LTE download rates up to 299.6Mbps and again probably much slower in real world conditions.

So LTE is significantly faster on paper and I believe in real world applications, otherwise why would ATT and T-MO spend billions to roll out LTE when they have HSPA+

 

[yeah]

HEY GUYS I really want to express my thanks for the advice you guys have given me! Again I'm not really keen on the phone industry and how it works more of the computer guy.

Anyways I've been hearing alot about Solavei as a provider from what I understand they use T-Mobile so it's T-Mobile without the T-Mobile? Like how do those type of providers (Boost Mobile, Criket, etc) work?

They use the big 4's network(s), but they are stand alone networks too.

Plain english: They "borrow" the big networks and use it as their own.

 

[The Robot Cow]

I'm my opinion i wouldn't leave Verizon for t-mobile. Out here t-mobile is not that good. I have a galaxy nexus on verizon, i'm sure you can find used ones cheap, maybe even buy one for retail Last time i saw them they were a good $200 less then what i paid for

 

[2298754]

I'm my opinion i wouldn't leave Verizon for t-mobile. Out here t-mobile is not that good. I have a galaxy nexus on verizon, i'm sure you can find used ones cheap, maybe even buy one for retail Last time i saw them they were a good $200 less then what i paid for

You can even get a Galaxy S3 for dirt cheap these days too. Much better choice than a Nexus 4