O/T: Smartphone network choices for visitor to USA

It seems at least a couple of you guys are abreast of what's what in
the USA at the moment for smartphone users, so I hope you can give us
some advice.

On a previous trip we have opted for cheap GSM burners on AT&T. This
time around we will be visiting the western third of the states for 3
months (Mar-Jun) and have iPhone 3GS phones which we intend to use.

A plan isn't normally all that clever for transients. We are low
volume voice/text users and presently use v.little data (current
allowance is 50MB/month and that has never been threatened). I
understand that in terms of coverage AT&T are ahead of T-mobile (tnx
miso). So the question is really who has a pay-as-you-go (i.e.
pre-paid, no doubt) deal that we should look into, including network
resellers?

On 1/17/2012 8:01 PM, who where wrote:
> It seems at least a couple of you guys are abreast of what's what in
> the USA at the moment for smartphone users, so I hope you can give us
> some advice.
>
> On a previous trip we have opted for cheap GSM burners on AT&T. This
> time around we will be visiting the western third of the states for 3
> months (Mar-Jun) and have iPhone 3GS phones which we intend to use.
>
> A plan isn't normally all that clever for transients. We are low
> volume voice/text users and presently use v.little data (current
> allowance is 50MB/month and that has never been threatened). I
> understand that in terms of coverage AT&T are ahead of T-mobile (tnx
> miso). So the question is really who has a pay-as-you-go (i.e.
> pre-paid, no doubt) deal that we should look into, including network
> resellers?

In urban areas, T-Mob and AT&T are close. [I was shocked how good T-Mob
is in Philadelphia.] In some rural areas, T-mob is lacking if AT&T is
the only provider. Other areas AT&T and T-Mob both roam on say Cellular
One, so there is little difference. If you are going to the sticks in
the west, you probably want Verizon. I've contemplated getting a verizon
burner myself.

I know T-mob has burners in Fry's, but all you want is the simcard. You
do know the iphone has this "no simcard issue." It is not the kind of
phone you want to change simcards on and depend on it working. It is
very touchy regarding the simcard insertion/removal. That didn't get
fixed on the iphone 4. I haven't heard if the 4S hard the same problem.

I guess you've seen those phone kiosks in the states since you have been
here before. They sell simcards to visitors. I don't know much beyond
that. I had to buy a phone out of contract, had a lot of problems with
Craigslist sellers not completing deals, and ended up getting a good
deal at a local kiosk. The woman was a wiz with phone and simcards. She
unlocked my phone and plopped in an "international" simcard just to show
it was unlocked. I'm assuming you managed to unlock the 3G you are bringing.

I assume you also know about A-GPS issues.

Which remind me. I'm going to send the T-Mob CEO a letter bitching about
no roaming on well established AT&T towers. They got their $3 billion
from the failed "merger", so start the roaming.

On Wed, 18 Jan 2012 12:01:44 +0800, who where <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>So the question is really who has a pay-as-you-go (i.e.
>pre-paid, no doubt) deal that we should look into, including network
>resellers?

PagePlus Cellular, which uses the Verizon network.
Get your own cell phone off eBay or from the recyclers.
$0.05/min with a 1000 minute pre-pay.
<https://www.pagepluscellular.com/online%20store/minutes.aspx>
It reduced my $70/month Verizon bill to about $30/month.

<http://www.cellguru.net/prepaid_compare.htm>
--
# Jeff Liebermann 150 Felker St #D Santa Cruz CA 95060
# 831-336-2558
# http://802.11junk.com (E-Mail Removed)
# http://www.LearnByDestroying.com AE6KS

On Tue, 17 Jan 2012 22:28:05 -0800, Jeff Liebermann <(E-Mail Removed)>
wrote:

>On Wed, 18 Jan 2012 12:01:44 +0800, who where <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>
>>So the question is really who has a pay-as-you-go (i.e.
>>pre-paid, no doubt) deal that we should look into, including network
>>resellers?
>
>PagePlus Cellular, which uses the Verizon network.
>Get your own cell phone off eBay or from the recyclers.
>$0.05/min with a 1000 minute pre-pay.
><https://www.pagepluscellular.com/online%20store/minutes.aspx>
>It reduced my $70/month Verizon bill to about $30/month.
>
><http://www.cellguru.net/prepaid_compare.htm>

For me, Consumer Cellular is a better deal than anything I found in
that chart. Then again, that chart is a royal mess.

<www.consumercellular.com>

On Tue, 17 Jan 2012 21:31:40 -0800, miso <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>Which remind me. I'm going to send the T-Mob CEO a letter bitching about
>no roaming on well established AT&T towers. They got their $3 billion
>from the failed "merger", so start the roaming.

Yep, and guess who's going to pay for the failed takeover:
<http://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/att-raises-the-cost-of-a-reasonable-data-plan-yet-again/>

--
Jeff Liebermann (E-Mail Removed)
150 Felker St #D http://www.LearnByDestroying.com
Santa Cruz CA 95060 http://802.11junk.com
Skype: JeffLiebermann AE6KS 831-336-2558

On Wed, 18 Jan 2012 12:01:44 +0800, who where wrote:

> It seems at least a couple of you guys are abreast of what's what in the
> USA at the moment for smartphone users, so I hope you can give us some
> advice.
>
> On a previous trip we have opted for cheap GSM burners on AT&T. This
> time around we will be visiting the western third of the states for 3
> months (Mar-Jun) and have iPhone 3GS phones which we intend to use.
>
> A plan isn't normally all that clever for transients. We are low volume
> voice/text users and presently use v.little data (current allowance is
> 50MB/month and that has never been threatened). I understand that in
> terms of coverage AT&T are ahead of T-mobile (tnx miso). So the
> question is really who has a pay-as-you-go (i.e. pre-paid, no doubt)
> deal that we should look into, including network resellers?

Take a look at AT&T "Go Phone" pre-paid, which I would think should be
available easily. I think it's now $.10/minute (was $.25 when I used it),
which may not be the lowest rate out there, but isn't bad for a limited
period. Hopefully the sim card would work in the iPhone. I don't know if
it supports data. Most pre-paid plans have a flat rate within the states,
but overseas calls are going to cost more, so you should inquire for
those in your research.

On 1/18/2012 5:57 PM, Jeff Liebermann wrote:
> On Tue, 17 Jan 2012 21:31:40 -0800, miso<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>
>> Which remind me. I'm going to send the T-Mob CEO a letter bitching about
>> no roaming on well established AT&T towers. They got their $3 billion
>>from the failed "merger", so start the roaming.
>
> Yep, and guess who's going to pay for the failed takeover:
> <http://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/att-raises-the-cost-of-a-reasonable-data-plan-yet-again/>
>
Well yes, I read that and snickered. Quite a bit. Of course if T-Mob
goes under, I won't be laughing.

To be fair, AT&T is going to set up LTE. T-Mob is just going to convert
their towers to higher speed versions of HSDPA or whatever. It should
top out at 42mbps with a tail wind. I assume that means about 15mbps in
real life, and never between 4pm to 7pm.

On 1/17/2012 10:28 PM, Jeff Liebermann wrote:
> On Wed, 18 Jan 2012 12:01:44 +0800, who where<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>
>> So the question is really who has a pay-as-you-go (i.e.
>> pre-paid, no doubt) deal that we should look into, including network
>> resellers?
>
> PagePlus Cellular, which uses the Verizon network.
> Get your own cell phone off eBay or from the recyclers.
> $0.05/min with a 1000 minute pre-pay.
> <https://www.pagepluscellular.com/online%20store/minutes.aspx>
> It reduced my $70/month Verizon bill to about $30/month.
>
> <http://www.cellguru.net/prepaid_compare.htm>

I get 1500 minutes from T-mob for $35. No rollover though. They make out
like bandits since I really exceed 600 minutes.

On 1/18/2012 11:42 PM, default wrote:
> On Wed, 18 Jan 2012 12:01:44 +0800, who where wrote:
>
>> It seems at least a couple of you guys are abreast of what's what in the
>> USA at the moment for smartphone users, so I hope you can give us some
>> advice.
>>
>> On a previous trip we have opted for cheap GSM burners on AT&T. This
>> time around we will be visiting the western third of the states for 3
>> months (Mar-Jun) and have iPhone 3GS phones which we intend to use.
>>
>> A plan isn't normally all that clever for transients. We are low volume
>> voice/text users and presently use v.little data (current allowance is
>> 50MB/month and that has never been threatened). I understand that in
>> terms of coverage AT&T are ahead of T-mobile (tnx miso). So the
>> question is really who has a pay-as-you-go (i.e. pre-paid, no doubt)
>> deal that we should look into, including network resellers?
>
> Take a look at AT&T "Go Phone" pre-paid, which I would think should be
> available easily. I think it's now $.10/minute (was $.25 when I used it),
> which may not be the lowest rate out there, but isn't bad for a limited
> period. Hopefully the sim card would work in the iPhone. I don't know if
> it supports data. Most pre-paid plans have a flat rate within the states,
> but overseas calls are going to cost more, so you should inquire for
> those in your research.

You could go t-mob at 2G and get data. There are hacks online how to use
voice minutes as data.

In the dark ages, I used to do this over Verizon back in the day when
you had to buy a freakin' data kit just to interface to your PC. They
are still sold, though I don't know who would possibly need a data kit
these days.

> http://www.datapilot.com/

What a pile of crap. Buggy drivers. When I got a phone that was USB, I
dumped the Susteen gear in the trash rather than ebay it, just so my
rating wouldn't be ruined by selling such garbage.

Like I said before, I wouldn't be swapping iphone simcards. With Apple,
everything is simple or hard. Some say simple or impossible. Basically
the iphone doesn't like to be messed with. You really should leave it as
a turnkey device.

On 1/18/2012 12:31 AM, miso wrote:
> On 1/17/2012 8:01 PM, who where wrote:
>> It seems at least a couple of you guys are abreast of what's what in
>> the USA at the moment for smartphone users, so I hope you can give us
>> some advice.
>>
>> On a previous trip we have opted for cheap GSM burners on AT&T. This
>> time around we will be visiting the western third of the states for 3
>> months (Mar-Jun) and have iPhone 3GS phones which we intend to use.
>>
>> A plan isn't normally all that clever for transients. We are low
>> volume voice/text users and presently use v.little data (current
>> allowance is 50MB/month and that has never been threatened). I
>> understand that in terms of coverage AT&T are ahead of T-mobile (tnx
>> miso). So the question is really who has a pay-as-you-go (i.e.
>> pre-paid, no doubt) deal that we should look into, including network
>> resellers?
>
> In urban areas, T-Mob and AT&T are close. [I was shocked how good T-Mob
> is in Philadelphia.] In some rural areas, T-mob is lacking if AT&T is
> the only provider. Other areas AT&T and T-Mob both roam on say Cellular
> One, so there is little difference. If you are going to the sticks in
> the west, you probably want Verizon. I've contemplated getting a verizon
> burner myself.

I think Philly was Omnipoints (I think that was the name of the original
company) pet city. A friend worked for them. They were based in NJ.


It doesn't need to be a rural area. In general tmobile has the least
amount of infrastructure. I don't live in a rural area and tmobile only
has poor native coverage in the built up areas. When they dropped the
att roaming the few people I knew who used tmobile moved on.

I loved the fanciful att spin about "helpging rural people" to justify
the buyout..

>
> I know T-mob has burners in Fry's, but all you want is the simcard. You
> do know the iphone has this "no simcard issue." It is not the kind of
> phone you want to change simcards on and depend on it working. It is
> very touchy regarding the simcard insertion/removal. That didn't get
> fixed on the iphone 4. I haven't heard if the 4S hard the same problem.
>
> I guess you've seen those phone kiosks in the states since you have been
> here before. They sell simcards to visitors. I don't know much beyond
> that. I had to buy a phone out of contract, had a lot of problems with
> Craigslist sellers not completing deals, and ended up getting a good
> deal at a local kiosk. The woman was a wiz with phone and simcards. She
> unlocked my phone and plopped in an "international" simcard just to show
> it was unlocked. I'm assuming you managed to unlock the 3G you are
> bringing.
>
> I assume you also know about A-GPS issues.
>
> Which remind me. I'm going to send the T-Mob CEO a letter bitching about
> no roaming on well established AT&T towers. They got their $3 billion
> from the failed "merger", so start the roaming.
>