(EVO 4g)I have questions. Want them answered immediately.

foghorn67

Lifer
Jan 3, 2006
11,883
63
91
Moose that means you too.

I am ditching Verizon asap. Going to pick up a used EVO so I can be contract free.
But I don't know Sprint all that much, and I know nothing about the ROM'ing community when it comes to the EVO except that it exists.

1)Is it possible to go with Sprint contract free?
2)Are there advantages to month to month besides not being tied down? (Cheaper?)
3)EVO aftermarket ROM's, rooting, etc. What do you know? Links? A favorite developer? What does it do for you?
4)4G in Orange County, CA? Is 4G faster? I heard mixed results early in the 4G rollout.
5)How snappy is the device? I am jealous of any decent newer Android device. Probably mostly due to bigger system memory. My OG Droid re-draws if I blink.
6)-edit, almost forgot-When I bought VZW phones on CL, I would meet with the seller and ask politely if I could call in the ESN to make sure it's clean. Glad I did that. I avoided about 4 bricked Curves due to people selling blacklisted phones. Can Sprint do this over the phone as well? If they don't, will a store tell me?

If it's a bust, I'll probably pick a used G2 and go with TMO. I just don't want to because I hate physical keyboards now. I'm done with the excess. Cases are a bitch on slide out k/b phones. I bought a case for my Droid and laughed really hard at my fail.

Any insight would be appreciated.
 
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kaerflog

Golden Member
Jul 23, 2010
1,899
4
76
If you are planning to go month to month, go with T-mobile.
They don't advertise their Even more plus plan(cheaper) but I think you can still get it.
You have to worry about ESN being clean or not.
Just pop in a SIM card and you're good to go.
You can get a Vibrant dirt cheap right now. ~$225 used on CL.
I would argue that the Vibrant is as good if not better than the EVO.
EVO has flash and a front camera if thats important to you.
Vibrant has a better SoC and if you root and install a custom ROM, GPS won't be an issue.
 

AznAnarchy99

Lifer
Dec 6, 2004
14,695
117
106
Oh you're in orange county. First off I will tell you that sprints 3g is terrible. Like I get 0.15 mbit compared to people on att getting 3mbit. If you get 4g, which is along the 55, the 22, and in certain cities such as down Bristol in Santa Ana its decent ranging from 2mbit to 10mbit.

That saying, I fucking hate it and thinking of selling my phone after a year and signing somewhere else.

On the evo it stutters noticeably compared to the galaxy s but it does have a huge community compared to the epic 4g
 

Pliablemoose

Lifer
Oct 11, 1999
25,195
0
56
1.) Not sure, ask Sprint
2.) Flexibility is nice if you're month to month
3.) http://forum.xda-developers.com/forumdisplay.php?f=619 I like "Fresh" It gives me free tethering. Install ROM manager from the market, it makes custom roms pretty painless to download and install.
4.) Dunno, from the numbers I've seen, TMobile could be faster, I dont think 4G is that big of a deal, fast 3G is just as good for most stuff, 4G is nice for tethering, bigger pipes & all
5.) Custom roms and a different launcher make a huge difference, just rooted a new EVO for a friend, I was shocked at hos slow the original OS and launcher were
6.) http://www.ehow.com/how_6382457_check-sprint-esn.html

LOL, will be out of pocket this weekend in a class, hope that stuff helps, and good luck :)
 

boomhower

Diamond Member
Sep 13, 2007
7,228
19
81
Moose that means you too.

I am ditching Verizon asap. Going to pick up a used EVO so I can be contract free.
But I don't know Sprint all that much, and I know nothing about the ROM'ing community when it comes to the EVO except that it exists.

1)You cannot go contract free on Sprint. Only way to be contract free is sign up and complete a two year contract and then you'll be month to month contract free. Buy a used EVO and you will still have to sign a two year contract, they don't even do one year.

2)See above.

3)Rooting is easy on it. My current favorite ROM is MikeFroyo. CM is decent but has funny bugs, particularly voicemail. My's Warm 2.2 is popular but requires flashing radios. FreshRom was big for a while but he's slowed down his updates and improvements so a lot have moved on.
4)I'm on the other side of the country.
5)It's fine. I never have any issues with it lagging. The big problem I was having I tracked down to an aftermarket keyboard, went back to swype and it all went away. Now stock, don't know it's been so long since I've used a stock ROM.
6Either or. They will tell you if you call. But here is the rub. It doesn't protect you completely. They can sell you a good phone and go home and call it in lost/stolen. Another issue I have seen is people who won't release them from their account. I don't know if it's just bacause they are ass holes or what but I've seen it on the sprint forums more than once.

If it's a bust, I'll probably pick a used G2 and go with TMO. I just don't want to because I hate physical keyboards now. I'm done with the excess. Cases are a bitch on slide out k/b phones. I bought a case for my Droid and laughed really hard at my fail.

Any insight would be appreciated.

Answered most of your questions in the quote.

G2 would be the way to go if you want month to month.
 
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Pliablemoose

Lifer
Oct 11, 1999
25,195
0
56
G2 would be the way to go if you want month to month.

Yeah, I don't think Sprint will do month to month on a new line of service, you'd have to use Boost or something.

the problem is that you end up paying for a new phone if you open a line of service because of the carrier subsidy, TMobile is the only carrier that's addressed this with their rate plans.
 

Soccerman06

Diamond Member
Jul 29, 2004
5,830
5
81
Moose that means you too.

I am ditching Verizon asap. Going to pick up a used EVO so I can be contract free.
But I don't know Sprint all that much, and I know nothing about the ROM'ing community when it comes to the EVO except that it exists.

1)Is it possible to go with Sprint contract free?
2)Are there advantages to month to month besides not being tied down? (Cheaper?)
3)EVO aftermarket ROM's, rooting, etc. What do you know? Links? A favorite developer? What does it do for you?
4)4G in Orange County, CA? Is 4G faster? I heard mixed results early in the 4G rollout.
5)How snappy is the device? I am jealous of any decent newer Android device. Probably mostly due to bigger system memory. My OG Droid re-draws if I blink.
6)-edit, almost forgot-When I bought VZW phones on CL, I would meet with the seller and ask politely if I could call in the ESN to make sure it's clean. Glad I did that. I avoided about 4 bricked Curves due to people selling blacklisted phones. Can Sprint do this over the phone as well? If they don't, will a store tell me?

If it's a bust, I'll probably pick a used G2 and go with TMO. I just don't want to because I hate physical keyboards now. I'm done with the excess. Cases are a bitch on slide out k/b phones. I bought a case for my Droid and laughed really hard at my fail.

Any insight would be appreciated.

1 doubtful, you buy this phone from contract or contract free.
2 pretty sure you have to do a 2 year contract or contract free
3 there is a huge community for you, check out http://androidforums.com/htc-evo-4g/
4 idk about the availability in OC but it usually ranges from 3-10mb throughout the network
5 device is nice and quick for me, theres a bug here and there, but atleast its updated and the roms fix all of it (i think theres a gingerbread floating around for it somewhere)
6 donno
 

Raduque

Lifer
Aug 22, 2004
13,140
138
106
If you don't like the keyboards, get a myTouch 4G and go T-Mobile's Even More Plus. It's contract-free, month-to-month, and the MT4G has an FFC if that's important to you. It's basically a 1ghz G2 w/no keyboard.
 

foghorn67

Lifer
Jan 3, 2006
11,883
63
91
Thanks for your input guys. It looks like Sprint is a no-go.
Makes me sad about the 2 year thing, but oh well.
 

sjwaste

Diamond Member
Aug 2, 2000
8,757
12
81
Call them about the contract situation - ask if you can bring your own device. Don't write off an entire carrier because some people on the internet speculated that you coupldn't open a line month to month with your own phone.

Pretty sure you can pay full price for a phone from sprint and go without a contract, so I don't see why you can't with your own phone. Shit, if you can't pick up the phone, Sprint has its representatives available via chat.
 

foghorn67

Lifer
Jan 3, 2006
11,883
63
91
Call them about the contract situation - ask if you can bring your own device. Don't write off an entire carrier because some people on the internet speculated that you coupldn't open a line month to month with your own phone.

Pretty sure you can pay full price for a phone from sprint and go without a contract, so I don't see why you can't with your own phone. Shit, if you can't pick up the phone, Sprint has its representatives available via chat.

Those "some people on the internet" were correct. Sprint confirmed this. :(
 

Pliablemoose

Lifer
Oct 11, 1999
25,195
0
56
Yeah, that's why I just bit the bullet and signed a contract.

If you want to break it many times the used value of the phone covers the etf or helps cover it... or wait till they change the terms and argue your way out of the contract. I've done that several times.
 

kaerflog

Golden Member
Jul 23, 2010
1,899
4
76
Simple solution really.
Open up a new line with Sprint and you can get the EVO for under $99 at Amazon.
I've seen the EVO go for FREE at certain point.
I'm assuming you will use Sprint for at least 6 months anyway.
No ETF from Amazon.
ETF for Sprint at 6 months is only $180, -$10 for every month.
So worst case scenario, phone will cost you $280.
Switch to Sprint at the right time and it will be even cheaper.
 

AznAnarchy99

Lifer
Dec 6, 2004
14,695
117
106
Yeah, that's why I just bit the bullet and signed a contract.

If you want to break it many times the used value of the phone covers the etf or helps cover it... or wait till they change the terms and argue your way out of the contract. I've done that several times.

Yup even if I get 200 from my epic, etf at 1year is only 100.
 

notposting

Diamond Member
Jul 22, 2005
3,498
33
91
This thread is good. Found out about Even More Plus.

And everytime I see the topic title, I read it something like this.
 

finbarqs

Diamond Member
Feb 16, 2005
3,617
2
81
i have sprint, and the EVO, and i dont like EVO. Sprint is just fine. But to each his own!
 

ew915

Senior member
Jun 19, 2001
748
0
76
You guys forget one thing, the secondary market for CDMA phones is very limited, nobody will buy your EVO for $200 next year.
 

Pliablemoose

Lifer
Oct 11, 1999
25,195
0
56
I'm still wowing people with my EVO, and trying to talk them into waiting a bit instead of buying one...
 

ew915

Senior member
Jun 19, 2001
748
0
76
You'd be wrong. CDMA phones have pretty good resell value. I can usually buy a flaship phone on contract, use it for a year, sell it, buy a new one on contract and be out nothing.

I don't know about other phones but at the rate the android phones go, next year we will have dual cores, phones with 1Gb of ram, 1080p video recording, 1080p video out. I don't know if anyone would pay $200 for your phone. With GSM you have a much broader market, you can even sell it to other countries.
The EVO is already below the $300 mark on craigslist, the 3Gs on the other hand is still selling at $600 in china for a used one in very good condition. The thing is you'll always be getting the short end with a CDMA phone. May be is an extreme case but GSM phones will always have a higher resell value.