Thinking of getting a Galaxy SIII. Who has the best data plan ?

TechLarry

TechLarry

RIP [H] Brother - June 1, 2022
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Yes, I've been to the web pages. It all seems fine until you read all the Lies and exceptions in the fine print :)

I currently have an Optimus V on Virgin Mobile's no-contract plan. $25 a month, 300 minutes, unlimited 3G data (throttled after 2.5G), unlimited text.

The problem is I need 4G tethering. Sure, 3G lets me get online and do email, but I need to be able to WORK normally from my Laptop when there are power outages (3 in the last month alone in NoVA - Sheesh).

The SIII seems to do all I want, is reasonably priced, but Virgin doesn't have it. Their only 4G is the HTC Evo V which is an old phone from what I understand.

So the question is, who has the best Data Plan for 4G? TM? ATT? Verizon?

Do tethering apps work on these, or are you forced into buying a tethering option?

I would love an iPhone 5, but won't buy one for two main reasons:

1. The plans are expensive.
2. Apple continues their iron fist over RAM expansion and they can kiss my ass.
 
of those, it depends on how much you will use....T-Mobile has an unlimited plan (truely unlimited, similar to sprint but you get decent speeds ..... assuming you have signal)

as for you rreasons

1) The iPhone 5 plan will be the same price as a plan for a Galaxy S3 ...
2) ?? You cant upgrade RAM in a phone, no idea why that would stop you......

that being said i do see the galaxy s3 as the better phone of the two anyhow.
 
I think by RAM, you mean external storage.

Verizon and AT&T or course have the best coverage and speeds and include tethering in their shared data plans. But of course they rape in in prices and that speed is useless if you actually plan on using any considerable amount of data. You could blow through their $50/month 1GB plan in literally a couple mins on LTE.

Sprint and T-Mobile are the only carriers that provide real unlimited data plans. Sprint is supposedly deploying LTE in 100 markets by the end of the year, if you're in a popular area, you may check to see if you'll be one of those areas. T-Mobile doesn't have LTE and is touting their HSPA+ (faux-G) as "4G", though in some areas I have actually seen some people get 20-30 Mb/s on their HSPA+ network. They used to throttle past 5 GBs, but I think they just changed it for the better to be truly unlimited (which is awesome, I'm glad to see carriers fighting Verizon and AT&T on this). So if you have their "4G" in your area, it should be decent enough.
 
1. The plans will be the same price for either phone.
2. S3 does have 2gb of ram vs 1gb but it's not expandable..

As for what carrier it really depends on coverage where you are. Verizon has by far the best LTE coverage righth now. Tethering apps should work fine on the S3, but I know the new ATT/Verizon plans have hotspot for free anyways, they're just going to be more expensive than Tmobile.

You could blow through their $50/month 1GB plan in literally a couple mins on LTE.
Exaggerate much?
 
Unlimited data doesn't mean shit if you're getting it at a few Mbps. Better question is who has the best data speeds.
 
DirtyB said:
You could blow through their $50/month 1GB plan in literally a couple mins on LTE.[/I]
Exaggerate much?
Click to expand...

No, when you can download at 3-4 MB/s and torrent a Linux .iso, you will kill that 1GB in a few mins. I've went through a GB on my Gnex that fast downloading something before.
 
Not that it couldn't be done, but most people refer internet down/up speed in Mbps. The equivalent of 3-4 MB/s is 24-32 Mbps.

But even with 3 Mbps, you can hit 1 GB in less than an hour.
 
T4rd said:
No, when you can download at 3-4 MB/s and torrent a Linux .iso, you will kill that 1GB in a few mins. I've went through a GB on my Gnex that fast downloading something before.
Click to expand...

Most people aren't using their phone data plans to torrent ISOs.
 
If you're not adverse to rooting, you can tether on 4G with any Android phone regardless of the plan. Officially T-mobile's new unlimited plans actually don't allow tethering so if you're not gonna root your phone it might not be an option. Their HSPA+ network has wayyy better coverage than Sprint's LTE right now, unlimited plans from either end up being about $80 for asingle line (I pay $64 on Sprint thru a student discount, before taxes/insurance).

If you want strong nationwide 4G coverage and more than a GB or two of usage, you're looking at more than $100/month for either Verizon or AT&T, VZW has the stronger 4G network right now but it's highly dependent on your location... AT&T's fallback to HSPA+ or even HSPA will usually be faster than VZW's EVDO. Bottom line: you get what you pay for with mobile plans. You can get away with prepaid or smaller carriers if you don't move around a lot, but if you do and you rely on it for work you better pucker up.
 
T-Mobile is by far the best

Currently paying $74.99/mo with unlimited talk, text, 5GB of data at 4G speeds (upwards of 10+ Mbps, more than most people ever need) + WiFi hotspot. Get the value plan if you want that rate ($94.99/mo otherwise on classic 2 year plan)

Got the S3 at Costco too for $389.99 w/ activation fee waived. Easily saved $200-300 over the life of hte phone, and easily saved $50+/mo compared to the equivalent AT&T or VZW plans
 
After the iPhone 5 becomes widespread, T-mobile's probably going to have the best data speeds out of the 4 carriers. Expect LTE speeds to drop significantly once those iPhone 5s crowd the LTE airwaves.
 
remember T-mobile is deploying LTE Next year as well, their s3 is not going to be compatible though
 
Verizon for fastest, AT and T for most coverage I believe(not 100% sure on this, as I get coverage almost everywhere with Verizon), and T-Mobile for best price/plan. T-Mobile seems to have gotten better with coverage as well.
 
If you can get the GS3 on T-Mobile, go for it.

I have a Galaxy Exhibit w/ the 5GB 4g(modify 3g)/text/100min talk plan for $30 prepay. Very happy w/ the service in Brandon Florida.

Using Peach Sunrise ROM that comes w/ a better tethering app which only lets you view non-secured sites. With the stock tethering app you have to login to TM to use it.
 
ZerazaX said:
T-Mobile is by far the best

Currently paying $74.99/mo with unlimited talk, text, 5GB of data at 4G speeds (upwards of 10+ Mbps, more than most people ever need) + WiFi hotspot. Get the value plan if you want that rate ($94.99/mo otherwise on classic 2 year plan)

Got the S3 at Costco too for $389.99 w/ activation fee waived. Easily saved $200-300 over the life of hte phone, and easily saved $50+/mo compared to the equivalent AT&T or VZW plans
Click to expand...

When I looked at their plans today, the $75 didn't state hotspot. The only one that did was the $95 plan.

Verizon and AT&T are out. Those guys are fricken nuts.

A galaxy S2 on TM's $60 prepaid setup is Los something I'm looking at. No contract. Phone is $299 though.
 
A lot of the issues with T-Mobile is plain FUD. Yes, their coverage can be shoddier than VZW in rural areas... but guess what T-Mobile branded phones offer? Wi-Fi calling. You connect to a Wi-Fi router, and you can operate your phone through the router as if you had reception. Funny being up in a cabin and having reception on T-Mobile when everyone else is struggling

Also, as Pylon mentioned... the other 3 carrier's LTE networks are going to eat it bad once the iPhone 5 is launched. Speeds are good now because few devices are on them, but if the iPhone 5 is anything like when the 3G launched, it's networks are going to tank.

T-Mobile's HSPA+ network is quite fast in and of itself - up to 42mbps down.

Next year, T-Mobile is supposedly launching its LTE-Advanced network, which is supposedly even faster than current iterations of LTE, which aren't using LTE-Advanced (it's a revised protocol) yet. And they'll still have their HSPA+ network as a fall back for those who don't get LTE, which is easily the fastest of the 3.5G (marketed as "4G") networks

TechLarry said:
When I looked at their plans today, the $75 didn't state hotspot. The only one that did was the $95 plan.

Verizon and AT&T are out. Those guys are fricken nuts.

A galaxy S2 on TM's $60 prepaid setup is Los something I'm looking at. No contract. Phone is $299 though.
Click to expand...

The $75 is the value plan. T-Mobile has it split between classic plans (usually $20 more per month, but you can buy phones subsidized) and value plans (cheaper, but no subsidy). Of course, if you go to a retailer like Costco or Wal Mart, the phones generally come at a cheaper price w/ the bonus of waved activation fee

The mobile hot spot is included in the 5GB data plan.

CzflF.png


So as you can see, it's $74.99/mo - well, I also have a $6/mo corporate discount so I'm paying < $70 for unlimited talk, text, 5gb of data + hot spot. Try to beat that with AT&T or VZW... it's utterly insane what they charge
 
Ok, I found this plan. It's apparently not an advertised plan.

However when I contacted T Mobile they said the only way to get this plan was with an UNLOCKED phone, which is full price.
 
TechLarry said:
Ok, I found this plan. It's apparently not an advertised plan.

However when I contacted T Mobile they said the only way to get this plan was with an UNLOCKED phone, which is full price.
Click to expand...

Apparently not at Costco though?
 
Not listed at Costco. The only sammy Galaxy that shows is the Tab.
 
TechLarry said:
Ok, I found this plan. It's apparently not an advertised plan.

However when I contacted T Mobile they said the only way to get this plan was with an UNLOCKED phone, which is full price.
Click to expand...

Doesn't T-mobile offer some sort of "pay by installment" option for their Value plans? It's sort of like a subsidy, but not really.
 
Pylon said:
Doesn't T-mobile offer some sort of "pay by installment" option for their Value plans? It's sort of like a subsidy, but not really.
Click to expand...

They used to, basically you pay the $500 for a new phone or whatever it is over the course of several months... They might not be offering it in stores anymore though, seems like value plans in general were getting scuttled to online and tele sales.
 
Costco's online store doesn't necessarily reflect in store stock anyway.
 
With the T-Mo value plan you can get a used phone on Craigslist for WELL below full price. Thats how ive done it, and am currently on the Value plan, great deal ...

TechLarry said:
Ok, I found this plan. It's apparently not an advertised plan.

However when I contacted T Mobile they said the only way to get this plan was with an UNLOCKED phone, which is full price.
Click to expand...
 
Tl;Dr

Best Dataplan is sprint. They offer essentially unlimited data (actual cap is ~100gb/month) at full speed.
T-mo offers limited data at full speed (2gb iirc) then unlimited EDGE
ATT+VZW are both tiered plans at ~$10/gb (which isnt bad depending on your usage. browsing forums, email, etc I can easily stay within ATT's 3gb/month @$30, but that means veing VERY careful with video and downloads)
 
T-Mo has true unlimited now as well .... they also have a 2GB and a 5GB plan (where basically they dont care if you teather or not .... their unlmited on the other hand...)

Ashton said:
Tl;Dr

Best Dataplan is sprint. They offer essentially unlimited data (actual cap is ~100gb/month) at full speed.
T-mo offers limited data at full speed (2gb iirc) then unlimited EDGE
ATT+VZW are both tiered plans at ~$10/gb (which isnt bad depending on your usage. browsing forums, email, etc I can easily stay within ATT's 3gb/month @$30, but that means veing VERY careful with video and downloads)
Click to expand...
 
Ok, I went with the Walmart Special...

I got the Galaxy SII. The Phone was $299. It's a no contract phone.

The plan I got is a Walmart exclusive. 100 minutes talk (more than enough for me), unlimited text and data, with 5GB of G4 included. $30 a month.

That gives me a good phone, the emergency data access I need, and plenty of talk time for me (I actually hate using Cell Phones, and voice would be for emergencies only).

Also, this appears to be a hopped up version of the SII. Instead of the 1.2Ghz processor, it has a 1.5Ghz Dual-Core Snapdragon S3. Also, instead of the 4.3" Super Amoled Plus display, it has a 4.52" Super Amoled Plus.

Now the only problem is I can't get the damn thing activated. TMobile says the SIM card is invalid, and Walmart will have to give me another card. So it's back to Walmart tonight :(

The only place you can get this phone on their Monthly 4G no contract is Walmart. They had trouble ringing it up and had to do it manually. This is a promotion that just started a week or so ago, and I have a feeling the process doesn't have all it's ducks in a row yet.
 
TechLarry said:
Ok, I went with the Walmart Special...

I got the Galaxy SII. The Phone was $299. It's a no contract phone.

The plan I got is a Walmart exclusive. 100 minutes talk (more than enough for me), unlimited text and data, with 5GB of G4 included. $30 a month.
Click to expand...

Sort of... it's available at Walmart and also online via T-Mobile's website. Not really exclusive and you'll find it's the most popular no-contract GSM option on these forums.

TechLarry said:
Also, this appears to be a hopped up version of the SII. Instead of the 1.2Ghz processor, it has a 1.5Ghz Dual-Core Snapdragon S3. Also, instead of the 4.3" Super Amoled Plus display, it has a 4.52" Super Amoled Plus.
Click to expand...

It's the SGH-T989, a 'variant' of the Galaxy SII released only through T-Mobile. It dumps the usual 1.2ghz dual core Exynos in favor of the 1.5ghz Snapdragon (because the Exynos doesn't like the high bandwidth side of T-Mobile's HSPA+ network). The Exynos is actually better for all around usage (despite the difference in clock speed) but you get a nice boost in screen size to make up the difference and the Snapdragon is no slouch either.

Remember that this phone is going to be carrier locked to T-Mobile's network. That means that if at any point in the future you want to try the handset on AT&T's network (perhaps through Straight Talk) you'll need to have it unlocked.
 
I'm not really worried about having to switch companies. T Mobile seems at least as good as the rest, and considerably cheaper overall.

The main difference between the T989 I have and the one they have on TMobile.com (which is free with a 2 year plan - limited time special) is access to the special Walmart plan. The normal $30 Monthly no-contract plan on TMobile has little if any High Speed access included. It might be 100MB at best.

The Walmart plan is different in that it includes the 5GB of high speed. That's about it, but that's a big ass difference :)
 
TechLarry said:
The normal $30 Monthly no-contract plan on TMobile has little if any High Speed access included. It might be 100MB at best.
Click to expand...

http://prepaid-phones.t-mobile.com/monthly-4g-plans

You'll see that the $30/month plan you're referring to is available here, directly from T-Mobile's Monthly4G website (no-contract). You can use it with any GSM phone (carrier unlocked or T-Mobile locked). It's not really a Walmart exclusive.

The 'other' $30 plan you're referring to is also available, known as the '1500 Talk & Text' plan.
 
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For the 100/unlimited/unlimited/5G High speed plan, look in the comment section to the right:

"New activations only. Available exclusively in-store at Walmart, on Walmart.com, and T-Mobile.com."

Yes, I realize it also adds "and T-Mobile.com". The problem is, they do not offer the T989 as a Monthly Contract Option from T-Mobile.com. The most powerful phone you can get is the Galaxy Blaze and it's the same $299 as the T989 from Walmart.

The only way to get the combination of The T989 and the $30 plan with 5GB of High Speed is at Walmart. And they won't let you leave the store with out them activating it first, probably because the $299 no-contract price is actually pretty darned good for a phone of this caliber.

Here is the press release:

Press statement &#8211; No Annual Contract Samsung Galaxy S II at Walmart (9/4/12)

Today, T-Mobile and Walmart announced a national retail exclusive of the T-Mobile Samsung Galaxy S&#8482; II as a no annual contract kitted option, providing a premium smartphone experience at a discounted price for no annual contract customers. Now available, the Galaxy S II costs $299.00 when paired with a T-Mobile Monthly4G no annual contract plan of $30 per month or higher.

The Monthly4G $30 per month plan offers unlimited Web, with the first 5 GB at up to 4G speeds; unlimited text; and 100 minutes of talk, with 10 cents per minute after the first 100 minutes. In addition, Monthly4G plans require no annual contract, no credit check and no deposit, offering great value and flexibility to customers.

With the addition of the Galaxy S II to the lineup of no annual contract devices offered at Walmart, customers have access to premium devices, fast nationwide 4G network speeds and affordable service plan prices &#8211; all without an annual contract.

The Galaxy S II is also available through Walmart&#8217;s Family Mobile service, a monthly, no-annual-contract wireless plan powered by T-Mobile&#8217;s nationwide network. The Walmart Family Mobile Unlimited Talk, Text and Web plan is $45 per month for the first line and $35 per month for additional lines, and provides unlimited access to Web surfing, data and social media for all lines on the account (base plan includes the first 250MB per month at up to 3G speeds). Available at Walmart stores nationwide and on Walmart.com, Walmart Family Mobile was designed with families in mind and is one of the best value options available on any national carrier.

Currently, T-Mobile services, as well as a wide range of smartphones and handsets, are available at Walmart stores nationwide and on Walmart.com.

For more information about T-Mobile&#8217;s no annual contract Samsung Galaxy S II, please visit:www.walmart.com

 
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TechLarry said:
Um... You missed the fine print like everyone else does :)

For the 100/unlimited/unlimited/5G High speed plan, look in the comment section to the right:

"New activations only. Available exclusively in-store at Walmart, on Walmart.com, and T-Mobile.com."
Click to expand...

LOL
 
Blue Falcon said:
LOL
Click to expand...

I realize that. I had a ninja edit in progress explaining why it don't matter :)

I must apologize here. My failure to clearly indicate I was only discussing the T989 and the Walmart plan together sent things sideways for a bit...
 
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Unlocking T-Mobile isn't that hard either.

Just call them up, say you're traveling overseas for a bit of time, and you'd like the unlock code. Presto.

Not like @$$hole AT&T who hesitates to unlock the phone even after your contract is up
 
Why not just get the $30 plan with a $350 Galaxy Nexus? (newer phone, quicker updates since it's a Nexus) Paying $300 for an SGS2 right now seems like a waste, I'm sure they go for like $200 used. (or less, I sold my EVO 3D for $150 several months ago)
 
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verizon before july 8, 2012 after tmobile or sprint for contract i would say strait talk with an unlocked phone as it uses verizons network and is unlimited but only 3g as pay as you go...
 
Straight Talk is a GSM provider, they use T-Mobile and AT&T's network, not verizon.
 
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