Ditching my iPhone and going T-Mobile + Android

[ImaNihilist]

I don't know if anyone saw this, but T-mobile now has NO CONTRACT plans with unlimited text and data (and 500 minutes voice) for $60/mo.

I thought this was a pretty big deal. I pay about double for the same service with my iPhone, and it's on a 2-year contract (which expired a while ago, thankfully).

Both AT&T and Verizon charge around $120/mo for the same kind of plans, and force you into a 2-year contract. Sprint might have some better deals, but you are still forced into a 2-year contract and you are stuck with EVDO phones that only work on the Sprint network.

IMO, what T-Mobile has done here is game changing in the US. I'm going to wait until the Samsung Behold II drops later this month and then get either that or a MyTouch 3G.

NO MORE CRAPPY IPHONE! HOORAH!

[ua549]

Good for you!

That said, I've used AT&T and their predecessor for ~20 years and never been required to have a contract or had a contract. They've even offered me cash payments > $100 to sign a 2 year agreement. No dice! Right now my daughter's iPhone costs me $30 /mo for unlimited data and $10 /mo for the voice portion for a total of $40 per month. That's not a bad deal.

[qmul]

I am considering the Blackberry Storm 2 when my contract finishes since the refinements they have made over Storm 1 look very promising.

[Ashpool]

I've noticed that T-Mobile has the worst cellular service in the US but it's the cheapest and has the best customer service. This is perfect for a poor, still-lives-with-his-parents, post-grad kid who doesn't live off his phone such as me

Once things go up for me (i.e. I get a real damn job) I'm gonna move to a smartphone very quickly. I hear the Motorola Droid is the closest thing to an anti-iPhone and I know for a fact that Verizon's cellular coverage is overall the best out of anybody.

[jester22c]

Welcome to Android!

I've been extremely happy with my G1. Be sure to root whichever device you get to fully take advantage of what Android has to offer.

One app I'll go ahead an mention is "Where's My Droid?" which is available for free in the market. If you lose your phone, you can send it a specific text message and it will reply with the GPS coordinates of the device (even if GPS was turned off!). I've never had to use it (tested it of course), but it's a great piece of mind.

[ImaNihilist]

I've noticed that T-Mobile has the worst cellular service in the US but it's the cheapest and has the best customer service. This is perfect for a poor, still-lives-with-his-parents, post-grad kid who doesn't live off his phone such as me

Once things go up for me (i.e. I get a real damn job) I'm gonna move to a smartphone very quickly. I hear the Motorola Droid is the closest thing to an anti-iPhone and I know for a fact that Verizon's cellular coverage is overall the best out of anybody.

See, that's why I like about T-Mobile now. If it turns out that their service is no good where I am, it doesn't matter. I can just move to an AT&T pre-paid or another local carrier.

This is the kind of structure that actually fosters competition between carriers.

[MrDigital]

I'll probably go Moto Droid in January.

[Ashpool]

See, that's why I like about T-Mobile now. If it turns out that their service is no good where I am, it doesn't matter. I can just move to an AT&T pre-paid or another local carrier.

This is the kind of structure that actually fosters competition between carriers.

I'd agree with you if there were no such things as contracts and locked phones. Also completely uneducated customers but those plague everything (especially consumer electronics stores)

[ua549]

One can get service with any GSM carrier (AT&T and T-mobile in USA) without a contract by simply purchasing a sim for your GSM handset. Sim locked handsets are pretty much confined to North America. It is one that is easily fixed with a few keystrokes. After all, handsets are simply small computers that are easy and fun to hack. Most independent cell phone stores will unlock a GSM handset for less than $25.

I've enjoyed hacking my Moto handset. I've created custom menus and enabled using 2 phone numbers. Buried within, but now unlocked, are engineering menus with amazing capabilities such as sniffing, selecting and locking onto a specific carrier or tower, . . .

IMO an Android handset will be an amazing place to play.

[MrDigital]

How much do you want your iPhone? I want to get one for a Canadian number since it costs people like 40 cents a minute to call my LA number up here.

[ImaNihilist]

It's a 2G that's kinda beat up with crappy battery life now. I duhno, maybe $50?

[MrDigital]

Yeah that's fine. PM me when you're ready to sell it and I'll take it. Dunno how much shipping to Canada is gonna be though.

[Farmer_BOB]

I've had Tmobile for many many years and their coverage is pretty bad. We recently had some strange network problems too that prevented me from texting for about 2 hours. I know no network is perfect, but I really don't think Tmobile's network is better than ATT's. That's just my opinion though. I just keep Tmobile because my phone is rather old and I'm not into all those fancy features.

[ImaNihilist]

I've had Tmobile for many many years and their coverage is pretty bad. We recently had some strange network problems too that prevented me from texting for about 2 hours. I know no network is perfect, but I really don't think Tmobile's network is better than ATT's. That's just my opinion though. I just keep Tmobile because my phone is rather old and I'm not into all those fancy features.

Well, considering that about half the calls to my iPhone now bounce and go directly to voicemail I can't see how it can be worse.

If I'm going to pay for shitty coverage, at least I can pay $60/mo instead of $110/mo.

[ua549]

Actually T-mobile has the best coverage in my area.

At home:
T-mobile = 5 bars
AT&T = 1 bar
Verizon = 0 bar (my next door neighbor has to go outside)