Straight Talk Phones

[Budman]

Currently I have Verizon and I will be changing carriers soon. I have looked at the Straight Talk phones and rates and they seem extremely low. I will be getting a smart phone with web access, email, ect. This is not going to be a hobby phone but my RL work/personal phone. Does anybody have any experience with their smart phones? I have a Straight Talk hobby phone that is just a cheap ass phone but it works OK for the hobby but would not be what I want for everyday use. If you have a ST Smart phone how is the service and quality of calls and web access?

Thanks for your input, Bud

[davester]

A relative of mine was using a pocket phone (or cricket?) for a while which piggy backed on Sprint's network. I have Sprint and his old work phone was on Sprint and the reception and network speed was considerably less on his pre-paid plan. I'm not sure if it'll be the same with ST, but I think they piggy back on Sprint's network too.

Is there any reason you're choosing pre-paid as opposed to post paid?

[Budman]

Originally Posted by davester

A relative of mine was using a pocket phone (or cricket?) for a while which piggy backed on Sprint's network. I have Sprint and his old work phone was on Sprint and the reception and network speed was considerably less on his pre-paid plan. I'm not sure if it'll be the same with ST, but I think they piggy back on Sprint's network too.

Is there any reason you're choosing pre-paid as opposed to post paid?

Not really. The rates seem pretty damn good if the service is good. $45 for unlimited calls, texts and web. Plus I hate Verizon and the phone I have with them. My contract with Verizon ends in May so I'm looking at different options. I may buy-out my contract if I find another option that I like.

[FootLong]

Have heard good about Boost, which piggybacks on Sprint. Starts at $50, then goes down to 45, then 40 (might end there or go to 35) so good rate, no contract and decent carrier network. Everything unlimited, some Droid phones (ie. Smartphones) available.

[F-Seven]

unlimited data on AT & T. got it like 6 years ago, so... probably gonna be at&t my whole life now just for that freaking data plan

[Sonya Playmate]

(Well said footlong)

I'm using boost moblie now for about a year. So far that service has been very good & no problems so far lol. Hope you can find that right carrier for your needs..

[Precious_b]

Don't have the second tier system (ST, Boost, Cricket, etc.) but can say I like the Unlimited everything with Sprint.

F-Seven, sorry but I HATE att. Their all about the money and no support.

[FootLong]

Concur with PB on att. I will never get ATT.

[dent]

Originally Posted by Budman

Does anybody have any experience with their smart phones? I have a Straight Talk hobby phone that is just a cheap ass phone but it works OK for the hobby but would not be what I want for everyday use. If you have a ST Smart phone how is the service and quality of calls and web access?

Straight Talk is a Tracfone brand. Unlike Tracfone & Net10 (another Tracfone brand) some ST phones are CDMA which means those phones are carried on Verizon's network here in SA. The other ST phones are GSM like all Net10/Tracfone phones: in SA Tracfone buys GSM spectrum from AT&T.

I have a LG 800G Net10 smartphone (not Android based) for my hobby phone. Data access is 3G EDGE, though I don't use data all that often. For comparison, the first iPhone data was EDGE. More recent iPhones have gone to UMTS and asynchronous HSDPA (the 4 and 4S added HSUPA), which is faster than EDGE. However I also have a Samsung Galaxy S II for my personal/work phone which has AT&T FauxG (HSPA+) and the network speed difference is drastic compared to any AT&T iPhone, even though it's not real 4G (LTE).

That said, Net10 has just rolled out a couple of LG Android phones on their $50/mo unlimited plan. Not sure if they are EDGE, UMTS or HSPA/HSPA+ devices.

Honestly, no carrier will be perfect. I had Sprint then Nextel then Nextel/Sprint for 10 years: no complaints. I have had AT&T for 5 years: no complaints.

Originally Posted by FootLong

Have heard good about Boost, which piggybacks on Sprint.

Originally Posted by Sonya

I'm using boost moblie now for about a year. So far that service has been very good & no problems so far lol.

Boost was Nextel's prepaid brand running on iDEN. I believe Boost (and Nextel) still runs on iDEN, despite Sprint's annoucement a few years back to phase out iDEN by 2010. Virgin Mobile, however, is a MVNO operating on Sprint's CDMA network; I don't believe Sprint has a CDMA prepaid service of their own. EDIT: Looks like Sprint bought Virgin Mobile in 2009, so VM is no longer a MVNO.

If it were me, I would seriously consider Verizon's prepaid service or a Virgin Mobile payLO phone & plan. Both have unlimited plans in the ~$50 monthly range, and a good selection of Android smartphones to choose from. It will be a year or two before LTE phones trickle down into the prepaid and MVNO markets, so not having an GSM phone won't be the worst thing in the (pre-paid) world. Don't expect to have super fast (LTE or HSPA+) data, but you should try to find a phone & carrier that allows you access to something faster than EDGE (GSM) or RTT (CDMA).

I also recommend porting your current phone number to Google Voice before you terminate your Verizon contract. nb This will cancel your Verizon contract as you will not have a phone number with Verizon anymore. If you are not at the end of your contract, this will trigger an ETF.

Porting your number to Google Voice will allow you to keep that same number, no matter which carrier you switch to now and in the future. Just point GV to your new mobile number and everyone who has your "old Verizon" number can still find you without further effort from you. Google Voice integrates seamlessly with Android phones, making it easy to manage voicemails, phone calls, contacts, etc.

[-dent-]

[FootLong]

Boost also has a CDMA series (in addition to the iDEN)...

Great post, dent, albeit a bit geeky.

[Biggysmalls]

WHAT THE FUCK DENT??? ARE YOU ALEXANDER GRAHAM BELLS GREAT GRANDSON?

WOW- YOU KNOW YOUR SHIT, HEY ARE YOU THAT GUY AT MY PHONE STORE WITH THE HUGE SMILE ON HIS FACE? YOU LOST ME AT SD PHONES AND (CMDA) ??

I HAVE AN I=PHONE WITH ATT, WOULD ANYBODY CARE TO HAVE IT OR SHOULD I JUST GO AHEAD AND BURN DOWN MY NEAREST ATT STORE...LOL

[davester]

I'll take the iPhone. $.50?

[Budman]

Thanks for all the info.

Dent,
How do I find out if a phone has EDGE, CDMA, UMTS... I have absolutely no idea what any of that means. When I stopped by WalMart to look at the phone I don't remember anything on the packaging telling me this info.

[dent]

Originally Posted by Budman

How do I find out if a phone has EDGE, CDMA, UMTS... I have absolutely no idea what any of that means. When I stopped by WalMart to look at the phone I don't remember anything on the packaging telling me this info.

That kind of information will not be on the package unfortunately.

Do a Google search for "straight talk model name review" and read several online reviews to determine & corroborate the network (GSM vs. CDMA) and the 3G technology (EDGE vs. UMTS; RTT vs. EVDO). Some reviews may only state the network while another may only state the 3G technology.

"Hands-on review" formats are better because they are "real" reviews of the actual hardware & software - the ones with video links are best. Non hands-on reviews are often copy-n-paste jobs of the tech specs and marketing blurbs that tell you exactly what you can read on the package.

[-dent-]

[Budman]

Thanks Dent.