The Money Mustache Community
Learning, Sharing, and Teaching => Ask a Mustachian => Topic started by: AtlantaBob on April 15, 2013, 10:43:07 AM
-
For those of you who have experience with Straight Talk Wireless, a couple of questions. (The websites out there are contradictory, and the Straight Talk web page doesn't really answer some questions as clearly as it could).
1. Has anyone moved a AT&T iPhone to Straight Talk wireless? If so, did you have to get the phone unlocked before doing so? Did you have to buy a SIM from Straight Talk (and which SIM did you use - I've seen reports of all sorts of crazy things). Did you have to change you APM profile?
2. Also, from their website (http://www.straighttalk.com/wps/portal/home/support/faqs/) it looks like you can't move a number from one area to another (quote below). I have recently moved from Atlanta, and would like to keep my old number, even in this new location. Has anyone had a problem with Straight Talk allowing that? Thanks in advance for any help!
What does "Local" mean?
This means that a number is associated with the same geographic area after it is transferred as it was before it was transferred. For example, a customer will be able to transfer a number between carriers in Atlanta, but won´t be able to transfer a Los Angeles number to Atlanta.
-
1a. I did it in December of last year.
1b. No unlocked before. I went to a website I found that changes the settings in your phone to use StraightTalk without unlocking.
1c. I bought a mini-SIM from the website
1d. Don't know, presumably that is what the website changed.
2. I transferred my old number to Google Voice, had it forwarded to the new ST number I got.
So far it has been OK. Internet access is definitely slower. I have had no problems with telephone calls or texting. The price is right for me (sorry folks, I'm not willing to give up data access as I do not have WiFi at work and I am out much of the time. Perhaps in the future as I make other lifestyle and work changes I will drop down to an even more mustachian plan).
-
I successfully moved my wife's iPhone 4 to StraightTalk in February 2012. It doesn't look like StraightTalk is offering AT&T sims any longer (they were when I switched my wife over). This means you'll need an unlocked iPhone. We no longer use StraightTalk because I don't value the unlimited minutes and I don't like their policies (check the Superguide: https://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/share-your-badassity/communications-tech-isps-voip-cell/ (https://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/share-your-badassity/communications-tech-isps-voip-cell/)). Also check out Howard Forums.
My wife now has the $30 unlimited text and data + 100 voice minutes prepaid plan from T-Mobile. I used a company called UnlockFusion to unlock an iPhone 3G (PTel) and my wife's 4. The unlocks cost about $2 each and were done within hours. I think ebay no longer allows them to list their unlocks there, but I know they're still in business. The unlock is permanent and does not require jailbreaking.