Want to get my first smartphone... what plan?

[Woosta]

I've been wanting to get an HTC Evo with Sprint, since I heard the 59.99 plan with unlimited data is the shit... can anyone offer any insight on whether this is true or whether there are equally nicer plans?

I currently am on Verizon prepaid with some sh1t phone, so I don't care about switching carriers. I really wanna go with Android though since I wanna do some scripting on it eventually.

I live in Rockville, MD if that has any bearing on service status...

Only requirements are:

- unlimited data
- under $60/month
- 100+ minutes per month ( dont care about unlimited voice )

 

[shortylickens]

I recommend Virgin Mobile with unlimited data.
25 bucks.

 

[Soccerman06]

If you want the Evo, wait a few months for the 3D, much faster. The cpu is somewhere between 2-3x as fast and the gpu is 4-8x, not to mention twice the ram. Nexus S and Galaxy 2 will be out very soon. You will get service everywhere, but it may be roaming. IDK what 4g status is anywhere with any carrier, but Verizon does have some very capable phones already and are getting more relatively soon.

 

[GT1999]

Verizon is an awesome carrier if you ask me. If you have the money, go for the Thunderbolt. This is coming from a guy who's on ATT with the Inspire "4G". I'll use the term 4G lightly there... haha.

 

[Woosta]

I recommend Virgin Mobile with unlimited data.
25 bucks.

i've heard of that plan too - Do you use an unlocked or modified phone with it ( can you include specifics )? Where do you live and how's the service?

 

[shortylickens]

i've heard of that plan too - Do you use an unlocked or modified phone with it? Where do you live and how's the service?

You HAVE to use their phones.

You get service anywhere there is Sprint. NO ROAMING on verizon! Its Sprint or nothing but 911.

 

[Woosta]

You HAVE to use their phones.

You get service anywhere there is Sprint. NO ROAMING on verizon! Its Sprint or nothing but 911.

Seems like LG Optimus V™ is the shit. Is that what you have?

 

[ImDonly1]

I have the sprint $69 450 minute plan. It is awesome because you don't have to worry about anything. I get unlimited calls to mobile numbers, which is almost all of them. Unlimited text, data (really unlimited). If you work anywhere or go to school it is easy to get a discount too. I get one and pay $59 after tax. I have an older phone and don't have the 4g fee though.

Not sure where you got $59 in your post. It is $69 + $10 smart phone fee.

The bad:
$10 4g free on all smartphones now makes it more pricey and makes me want to switch. Like I said above, $69 + 10 4g fee is $79 which is close to a plan on verizon for $89.

T-mobile
The even more plus plans are somewhat cheap no? The non-contract ones. This is where I might be switching to under a family plan. Their data is throttled after 2gb.

Simplemobile (google for website). It is a pre-paid service that uses the t-mobile network. They do unlimited everything for $60/month? Also with pre-paid there is no taxes I think? Not sure if there data is unlimited or throttled after 2gb like t-mobile.

Virgin mobile. Uses sprint service. Doesn't have all the high end phones though, so you don't use too much data. Boost mobile is also similar. Very cheap prices though.

Straighttalk. Google for website. They use either verizon's network or att's depending on the phone you get. The neat thing is... you get everything for $45... but they will cut you off sometimes if you use you use too much data and I mean cancel your plan and blacklist your phone. There is a trick on howardforums telling you how to use an iphone or any phone from att on the service. This makes it the cheapest option after the initial start cost.

You could also try cricket or metropcs. I think cricket will flash some phones to their service.

 

[Woosta]

i just one day ship ordered the Optimus V on ebay and i'll go with virgin mobile.

 

[BoberFett]

Seems like LG Optimus V™ is the shit. Is that what you have?

I got one a couple weeks ago, and I'm really liking it. If I find that Virgin's service is poor maybe I'd move to one of the big carriers, but for now it's working for me.

 

[AstroManLuca]

i just one day ship ordered the Optimus V on ebay and i'll go with virgin mobile.

Cool, that's probably a better fit for you. All of Sprint's plans are actually $10 more than advertised. You can get a discount to bring the base price down to $60/mo, but then you add the $10 smartphone fee and it's $70 plus taxes even with a basic discount (unless you qualify for a larger employee discount, which only works if you work for a large company).

 

[stlc8tr]

Not sure where you got $59 in your post. It is $69 + $10 smart phone fee.

Everything Plus is $60/month (plus $10 smartphone fee). It's even 500 minutes instead of 450. Use "Russ.S.McGuire@Sprint.com" and "383" (Russ McGuire has this info on his blog).

No NVP discounts though so if you have a good discount, it might be cheaper to go with the normal plan and apply the NVP discount.

Or you can try hunting down someone who's willing to TOL a SERO Premium plan over to you. $50/month with no smartphone fee.

 

[Suspicious-Teach8788]

You HAVE to use their phones.

You get service anywhere there is Sprint. NO ROAMING on verizon! Its Sprint or nothing but 911.

Doesn't roaming depend on agreements in certain areas? In certain areas where Sprint knows it has NO coverage, it might ask VZW to allow roaming. It really depends. In most metro areas carriers are on their own, and it's assumed they cover 100%, so if you hit deadspots, don't count on roaming. In rural areas, there are more agreements typically because people don't want to go build out in the middle of nowhere just for minor coverage improvements.

 

[ImDonly1]

Doesn't roaming depend on agreements in certain areas? In certain areas where Sprint knows it has NO coverage, it might ask VZW to allow roaming. It really depends. In most metro areas carriers are on their own, and it's assumed they cover 100%, so if you hit deadspots, don't count on roaming. In rural areas, there are more agreements typically because people don't want to go build out in the middle of nowhere just for minor coverage improvements.

I think this is usually the case, but that's only for the big carriers/plans. Roaming doesn't usually apply to prepaid.

From virgin mobile, the second question...
http://web.virginmobileusa.com/help/service/coverage/general

 

[zerocool84]

i just one day ship ordered the Optimus V on ebay and i'll go with virgin mobile.

The Optimus phones are all good lower end smartphones. Reviews for them are pretty good.

 

[NetGuySC]

I just got the Optimus V last week on Virgin Mobile. So far I am very impressed with the phone but Sprint coverage is lacking in this area, the Line2 app helps makes this manageable.

 

[SAWYER]

I use Sprint and it is great service. we signed up for the Employee Referral Plan two years ago and we have the family everything unlimited data for 109/month for two blackberries