Is this thread in any way OFFICIAL?
Is this thread in any way OFFICIAL?
Maybe, maybe not. I'll have to check with the incredibly redundant Official Department of Officiality first.
Just a few small points that might be worth some expansion.
I want to say Thank You for all the information on phones. It took me a long time to look at my options and decide what to do but I settled on VOIPo for my house phone and Airvoice Wireless for 3 cell phones.
I am trying to decided between Tmobile and AIO Wireless for my wifes new phone.
Can anyone point me towards a good resource for figuring out what apps use/are good?
Thanks!! I feel really stupid but didn't find the default notepad and to-do list that comes with the android system until today... I didn't realize there was a button that showed more than the home page apps, sigh, learning curve.. And don't worry, I won't be relying on my phone for stimulation, a pet peeve of mine is people being buried in their phones while life and actual people exist around them :-)Can anyone point me towards a good resource for figuring out what apps use/are good?
Onavo Count will help you identify the data hogs. Stuff like Evernote has offline data modes, as should there be options to restrict data access while on mobile data. The core guide on my site has plenty of application recommendations on SMS replacements and other miscellaneous bits here (http://www.techmeshugana.com/theguide/cell-phones/).
No comment on the puzzle game, outside of suggesting not to use your cellphoneas an instant gratification boredom killer- sorry, "for entertainment". Develop some inner psychological badassitude and reap the rewards of mental creativity and personal growth, instead of overwhelming the senses with stimuli that overrides your thinking processes.
Thanks!! I feel really stupid but didn't find the default notepad and to-do list that comes with the android system until today... I didn't realize there was a button that showed more than the home page apps, sigh, learning curve..
Yeah. Damned things really need a decent user manual.Glad I am not the only one that thinks so! My coworkers are definitely laughing at my expense, since I am 26 (and they are around the same age as me) they don't understand how I spent the last 7 years without a smartphone! I am trying to help them look into other providers since they brag about the 'great deal' they got through Verizon with our company discount... something like $100 for two lines! What a deal! Sigh.. I am so glad I found this forum and someone awesome like I. P. Daley helps out around here or I would be blindly following their example!
...they don't understand how I spent the last 7 years without a smartphone!
@i.p. daley
FutureNine has a referral program. Since a bunch of people will be forced to leave behind Google Voice soon and will likely be following whatever lead you provide, you should put up a referral link for your F9 account so we can "pay" you for all the work you've done on the SuperGuide and money you've saved us. Maybe you can get free home phone service for a while.
PTEL Data/MMS network is still down.
PTEL Data/MMS network is still down.
That's curious, Adam. I've not had a single data interruption these past 24 hours that I've known of, and it is currently working for me (just disabled WiFi on my Nokia to confirm). I'm wondering if it's a regional issue for you, and possibly tied to T-Mobile maintenance in your area?
ATT: DATA/MMS services are currently delayed and/or experiencing issues.
We will update you once data is functioning normally again. At this time we do not have an exact ETA. We are waiting for our host network to resolve the issue as this is beyond our control. It seems to be affecting most subscribers on this same host network.
We sincerely apologize and appreciate your patience in this matter as we await a fix.
Thank you!
Your help here is quite valuable, so I don't have the tiniest problem with you getting referral bonuses, especially if they're clearly labeled.
I'm trying to buy a cable modem right now (TWC lowered our price but added a modem lease fee - thanks so much). I went to your shopping hut and found the SB 6121 brown box at $85, which is on TWC's list. Searching around on Amazon, though, the SB 6121 retail box is currently a little cheaper, at $67. Then there's the SB 6141 for $82.
And google fiber may be coming our way in a couple years...
I figured it was probably regional since I didn't see anything on the internet about TMobile shutting their network down.
@i.p. daley
FutureNine has a referral program. Since a bunch of people will be forced to leave behind Google Voice soon and will likely be following whatever lead you provide, you should put up a referral link for your F9 account so we can "pay" you for all the work you've done on the SuperGuide and money you've saved us. Maybe you can get free home phone service for a while.
Thanks for bringing this to my attention, Tennis Maniac. The truth is, referral programs like this would probably be greatly beneficial to my own financial bottom line, but it's been a question I've wrestled with for quite a while. In reality, it's probably no different than the Amazon referral links I do for products that might help you save money...
...however, referrals on services with recurring bills is where I start having pangs of conscience. It's not that I don't believe in the companies I recommend, I clearly do. My concern is whether the integrity of my recommendation might be questioned once a referral program is placed in the mix, as there will always be the potential to ask the question, "Is he recommending them for the kickbacks or because it's actually a good company?" Granted, a referral payout system like F9's is a little different as I'm being comped service instead of a check with my name on it, but one could still ask the question.
The thing with the Amazon referrals boils down thusly: Amazon carries nearly everything, and I'm carefully picking items for referral income that are not always (and almost never) the most expensive, and it's a one-time cost. From my perspective, it is easier to keep my integrity visible to my readers with a setup such as this. To me, that dynamic changes when I start dealing with service providers directly with kickbacks, or through an outfit like Commission Junction. It even feels like participating in those programs borders on hypocrisy when I highlight the large referral payouts for services like StraighTalk and Republic Wireless as one of the reasons why you see so many "glowing" reviews from other bloggers where there's very little warranted given the realities and contracts of these providers.
I don't know, and I'm open to having my mind changed. If you and others here think I'm just being foolish with this approach, tell me why. If you see the logic to this approach, it'd also be nice to know I'm not just being hyper-critical to the concept. I've toyed with the idea of possibly providing referral and non-referral links right next to each other with these services, but I've been concerned about it possibly adding more confusion than integrity to the situation.
I'd be happy to hear yours and others thoughts on the subject.
F9's referral program requires that you pay for the service; therefore you can't benefit from the referrals unless you actually use the service. I guess you could use that particular service solely because, through referrals, it could be free to you, but why would you use the service if it wasn't good? Especially a phone service. MMM provides affiliate links to credit cards and gets a kickback. I personally don't see the conscience problem if you put a disclaimer as MMM does regarding you benefiting from the referral link.Just as an FYI for everybody, if you go to Daley's website (linked in his signature at the bottom of each post), you'll see his "Donate" button clearly available in the right-hand sidebar. I've used it; so should you :-) It's simpler than a referral kickback, and it's worth more.
[Future9] Introducing Future 5 - unlimited* service for $5/mo ($60/year).
Hi all,
Following the discussion and great points many of you made (»[Future9] Seeking input/opinions on a new plan..) we have decided to go ahead and launch this plan on a trial basis. If the trial succeeds (financially speaking) we will keep this plan as a permanent option, otherwise we will stop offering it - but existing users will be grandfathered at this price.
What's included:
* Unlimited residential service to the US and Canada - up to 4000 minutes/month (2000 incoming, 2000 outgoing)
* Unused minutes from the last 2 months will offset any overages in the current month
* Minutes beyond the limit will be billed at regular rates (usually 1c/min)
* Incoming Caller ID name included
* Outgoing Caller ID name included, but only in CA/PA/VA/WV/DE/MD.
* Voicemail and all other "standard" features included
* E911 available at an additional cost ($5 setup, then $1/month)
To sign up, please follow these steps:
1. Sign up at »www.future-nine.com/A2BCustomer_UI/signup/ - choose the Future 5 plan at signup.
2. Add $60 to your account - this is a yearly plan.
3. Order a new phone number, or port one in (additional $20 fee applies).
4. BYOD users welcome, but if you do not already own an adapter you can order one for $40 (shipping included). Orders for friends/family also welcome as the adapters come pre-configured.
Terms and conditions:
* Available for new accounts only at this point. Existing accounts not eligible for this offer.
* This plan is intended for individual/family use - business use not allowed. Occasional small-business use allowed but if the majority of your calls are business this plan is not for you.
F9's referral program requires that you pay for the service; therefore you can't benefit from the referrals unless you actually use the service. I guess you could use that particular service solely because, through referrals, it could be free to you, but why would you use the service if it wasn't good? Especially a phone service. MMM provides affiliate links to credit cards and gets a kickback. I personally don't see the conscience problem if you put a disclaimer as MMM does regarding you benefiting from the referral link.Just as an FYI for everybody, if you go to Daley's website (linked in his signature at the bottom of each post), you'll see his "Donate" button clearly available in the right-hand sidebar. I've used it; so should you :-) It's simpler than a referral kickback, and it's worth more.
I have succumbed into the sirens of adulthood, and have made the conscious decision of purchasing my first own television set. I'm looking for a "best bang for your buck" buy.
It needs at least one HDMI port, a flat-ish screen, and around 40-50 inches of diagonal, preferably with colors. I am ready to wait a couple months for a price drop if necessary. There were 80 inch monstrosities selling at the store for $2,000+ last week, maybe that means that a 50 inch can be had for under $400 by Christmas?
1080p is preferred because I may use it as a computer monitor from time to time. Wifi and other "smart" features are of no interest at all to me.
I've read the wire cutter's cheap TV guide (http://thewirecutter.com/reviews/the-best-500-tv/), but this site has a tendency to recommend the higher end products for no reason other than "more 5 star reviews on amazon".
How do I educate myself on the subject?
@Daley, does appending "/?tag=techmeshugana-20" to any amazon url automatically gets you some dollars, or do you need to create them manually somehow?
http://amzn.com/ASINXXXXXX/?tag=techmeshugana-20I have succumbed into the sirens of adulthood, and have made the conscious decision of purchasing my first own television set. I'm looking for a "best bang for your buck" buy.
It needs at least one HDMI port, a flat-ish screen, and around 40-50 inches of diagonal, preferably with colors. I am ready to wait a couple months for a price drop if necessary. There were 80 inch monstrosities selling at the store for $2,000+ last week, maybe that means that a 50 inch can be had for under $400 by Christmas?
1080p is preferred because I may use it as a computer monitor from time to time. Wifi and other "smart" features are of no interest at all to me.
I've read the wire cutter's cheap TV guide (http://thewirecutter.com/reviews/the-best-500-tv/), but this site has a tendency to recommend the higher end products for no reason other than "more 5 star reviews on amazon".
How do I educate myself on the subject?
@Daley, does appending "/?tag=techmeshugana-20" to any amazon url automatically gets you some dollars, or do you need to create them manually somehow?
Router troubleshooting, anyone? I have a TrendNet TEW-630GR (had it for years). Worked ok up until a couple of days ago, when the machines on wired connections started giving "network unreachable" message. Can't even access the router itself, or ping it at 192.168.10.1. However, I can still use it through the WiFi on my tablet.
So is this something that could be fixable? (And if so, how?) Or should I just get a new router?
The companion page, Home Telephone Equipment can be found here. (http://www.techmeshugana.com/theguide/voip-hardware/)
QuoteThe companion page, Home Telephone Equipment can be found here. (http://www.techmeshugana.com/theguide/voip-hardware/)
I've finally decided to go with Future9 for our home phone (1 line) but now don't know what device to go with. In a previous post it was said there's privacy concerns with the Obihai device and in the above link it's said that even the most expensive option is going to break down eventually. How long is "eventually"? It will kind of ruin the cost savings if a new device needs to be purchased every year.
QuoteThe companion page, Home Telephone Equipment can be found here. (http://www.techmeshugana.com/theguide/voip-hardware/)
I've finally decided to go with Future9 for our home phone (1 line) but now don't know what device to go with. In a previous post it was said there's privacy concerns with the Obihai device and in the above link it's said that even the most expensive option is going to break down eventually. How long is "eventually"? It will kind of ruin the cost savings if a new device needs to be purchased every year.
My old, refurbished Linksys PAP2-NA gave me three years. The current Grandstream HT286 is on its second year and still going strong (excuse a bauble earlier in the month that wasn't entirely its fault). Conservatively with even the cheapest built stuff, figure at least 2-3 years. Longer if you have it parked behind a UPS.
Have you tried doing a hard or factory reset on the device? I'm having difficulty finding a manual for your model exactly, but I suspect the 30/30/30 method (http://www.dd-wrt.com/wiki/index.php/Hard_reset_or_30/30/30) would probably work as it does with most routers, stock or third party firmware loaded.
Can I safely daisy chain both items on a dedicated power strip to free up some space on the UPS or is that a big no no?
The 30/30/30 worked!
I want to say Thank You for all the information on phones. It took me a long time to look at my options and decide what to do but I settled on VOIPo for my house phone and Airvoice Wireless for 3 cell phones.
DH and I are not using very many minutes. I am going to wait a few more month just to be sure we are OK but then I am going to keep one of the $10/month phones with rollover so we will have it for traveling or if the internet goes out and the VOIP phone is not available. Airvoice also has a $10 pay as you go that gives you 100 minutes for 90 days. That is 33 minutes a month for $3.33. We are not using even 33 minutes a month so that will cost us $40 a year versus $120 a year or an $80 savings.
I told my nephew about out new phone plans and he did 2 things. First he cancelled his home phone because he really did not use it at all--savings=$30 a month. Then he ported his AT&T cell phone number to Airvoice on the $30 per month unlimited plan. As he uses no text or data--it is more than enough. His old plan was $50 a month=savings $20 a month.
So I ordered a UPS the other day. This is the least cumbersome way I found to plug in both my router and modem on the battery-backed strip (the left strip is battery backed, the right is only surge-protected):
(http://i.imgur.com/5oShnNFl.jpg)
Grmph, stupid little rectangles getting in the way. At least I have no use for the ethernet sockets that are blocked by the top unit.
Can I safely daisy chain both items on a dedicated power strip to free up some space on the UPS or is that a big no no?
Do you know anything about "BYO Wireless"? They're apparently a startup out of Alabama.
...
I guess they're risky - only opened the doors October 2013.
Do you know anything about "BYO Wireless"? They're apparently a startup out of Alabama.
...
I guess they're risky - only opened the doors October 2013.
Familiar with them, and actually they've only been operational as an MVNO since December 2013, if I recall correctly. The biggest gamble with new Verizon MVNOs is that they have a deadline with a minimum subscriber count to remain operational. Verizon MVNOs are a revolving door of flash-in-the-pan providers who come and go with a predictable nine month cycle. As it stands, Selectel may be the first to survive the initial hump in a long, long time. Search the forums for "Talk4Good" for a bit more info.
This isn't to say that I don't want to see BYO Wireless survive... I really do. Verizon needs more MVNOs other than Page Plus, but Verizon tries really hard not to let that happen.
If I port a number to them and they don't survive - and don't shut down gracefully - do you know if my number is irretrievably lost at that point? I've had the same phone number for 14 years so I'm a bit attached.
When did they start charging all those fees? I don't remember paying any additional fees back in February when I last filled up. In fact, I just checked mint, and I paid a flat $25. What caused this change? One of the things I liked telling people about going to an MVNO is that you don't have to pay all those fees and when they tell you a plan is $12, its actually $12, not $15+.
This selectel, its a verizon network?
DH and I are not using very many minutes. I am going to wait a few more month just to be sure we are OK but then I am going to keep one of the $10/month phones with rollover so we will have it for traveling or if the internet goes out and the VOIP phone is not available. Airvoice also has a $10 pay as you go that gives you 100 minutes for 90 days. That is 33 minutes a month for $3.33. We are not using even 33 minutes a month so that will cost us $40 a year versus $120 a year or an $80 savings.
I told my nephew about out new phone plans and he did 2 things. First he cancelled his home phone because he really did not use it at all--savings=$30 a month. Then he ported his AT&T cell phone number to Airvoice on the $30 per month unlimited plan. As he uses no text or data--it is more than enough. His old plan was $50 a month=savings $20 a month.
Just a note on that PAYG plan with Airvoice: There is a $1 per month maintenance fee, so you're technically only getting 23 minutes a month for that $3.33 (effectively 14.3¢/minute/text). When you do the math, there's only a $1.67/month difference between $3.33 and $5 (a true 10¢/minute with 3.3¢/text rates), which brings us back to my PureTalk suggestion. If you're spending the money, you might as well get the most bang for the buck. Use the $5 PureTalk plan on the one line you want to switch to Airvoice PAYG, and switch to the Airvoice PAYG plan on the phone you're wanting to do the Airvoice $10/month plan on to build minutes with. If each phone is using less than 33 minutes, you could probably shift most mobile minute usage onto the single PureTalk 50 minute plan and just let the balance build with the other phone and/or only change Airvoice plans to the larger package as needed.
Your method - baseline $160/year for two cellphones ($10/mo. + $3.33/mo. Airvoice)
My proposed method - baseline $100/year for two cellphones ($5/mo. PureTalk, $3.33/mo. Airvoice)
Added savings of $5/month or $60/year.
...or you could switch both Airvoice phones to their PAYG plan, and just bank the extra minutes buying the $30 top-up first, and either add $30, $20 or $10 top-ups after that point until you have the rolling cushion you're after, or just switch between plans as needed when you travel. Buying a $30, a $20 and $10 credit would give you a year of service for $60 with 510 minutes (11.8¢/minute). Even with 30 min/mo. usage, that still gives you an extra 2.5 hours of talk time banked a year per phone.
Of course, you're truly hitting diminishing returns at this point. There is such a thing as over-optimization, just as there is wasting money on something you don't actually need. Your cell usage is straddling that fine line of need versus want. I mention it again only as a point of consideration to ponder on and present some additional lateral thinking on the subject.
Anyway, fantastic news about the nephew! Thanks for the update.
Not so long ago, folks traveled the world without needing to have a telephone on their person at all times. Perhaps this brief trip would be a chance for you to experiment with how that might feel?
Realistically though, here is an article with tips on Cancun phone options:
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Travel-g150807-c99218/Cancun:Mexico:Cancun.Faq.And.Forum.Tips.html
1. Cheapest: bring a laptop or tablet and use Skype over public wifi (hotel, cafe).
2. Rent a cell phone. "Cancun is unique in that it has two cell phone rental companies dedicated to low cost / high quality service in Cancun - cancuncalet.com and mexitel.net, with the former being postpaid (charged to your credit card) and the latter being prepaid (pay as you go). Calls to your country of choice can be made from anywhere in Cancun for as low as 11 pesos ($1USD) per phone call and phones can be delivered to your place of residence before you leave, or delivered to you upon arrival in the Hotel Zone."
What other options might one have?
Not so long ago, folks traveled the world without needing to have a telephone on their person at all times.Yes, but pay phones were a lot easier to find five years ago.
My question is whats your thought on Raspberry Pi? what are the pros & cons of it in your view?
Daley, I love your site and the abbreviated version you have here. I stumbled across something this morning that made me laugh and thought, "I wonder if Daley has thought of this??"
Daley, I love your site and the abbreviated version you have here. I stumbled across something this morning that made me laugh and thought, "I wonder if Daley has thought of this??"
Hmmm.... prozvonit. Fascinating, but personally I'd like to find out what the equivalent would be for someone doing likewise not for the sake of initiating a callback, but for the express purpose of passing along a contextual message without words (http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-26028381). I know we have a few folks from India lurking around the boards, do you guys have a specific word for this concept in Hindi, Bengali, or any other of the many languages spoken?
I also quite appreciated the word ilunga from that list, as it fits my character well and is quite reflective of a situation I'm currently wrestling with. Appreciate the link! :)
Fascinating link! I wish they had given some specific examples of how people use the codes. Is it "one ring for no, two for yes" or something like that?
I'm still getting conflicting info regarding iPhone support with Page Plus and Verizon, but I'll always tow the official line. The dealers I've talked with have said things consistent with what I've been saying regarding "official" iPhone support, and they all point to Denny Scher at Page Plus corporate and his official line. Plenty of evidence online from dealers saying the same thing, too. That official word is that iPhones are not permitted for activation on the Page Plus network. Have a couple:
http://www.phonenews.com/page-plus-to-increase-data-on-the-55-plan-to-2gb-on-june-6th-20465/#comment-58615
http://www.iphoneforums.net/forum/verizon-iphone-51/verizon-iphone-pageplus-cellular-8238/index2.html#post204038
There's also no information backing any claims of official support for any iPhones on Page Plus within the HoFo community, not from official channels and documentation, anyway. People will cite CSRs at Page Plus for "official" word on iPhone support, but they're wishy-washy and highly inconsistent. This is one of the reasons why I say what I do about the quality of customer support... most of the people there really don't know what they're doing or what official policy is. It's inconsistent at best.
Airvoice question:What you're seeing is poor placement on the website... The long distance is really part of the "$10 FREE International Long Distance". Same with the next line down about International texting.
Their 3 unlimited plans show "Long Distance" with no check next to it. I thought that was a thing of the past, landlines and such. Or is that just talking international? I mean, technically my wife's cell number would be long distance when we'd be sitting in the same room together. That can't be right...
How long does this normally take? I expected at least a "Thanks for your order, we expect it to take us X days to get it all set up." But... Nothing. I knew they were bare bones and didn't expect much help but I feel like I just sent $100 into a black hole and I'm considering a charge back.
What is the normal course of events for signing up with them?
Question for Mr. Daley:
From a business perspective, how do MVNO's exist? Is it mandated that discounted voice and data be made available to such entities for resale? Or is it by the good graces of the big companies that they are sharing?
I ask this because I wonder if my AirVoice $10/mo plans will ever be in danger should AT&T, for example, ever feel threatened by the growing market share of the MVNO's?
You write so well, Mr. Daley, thank you for your thoughts.
I guess it is similar to the reasons big car manufacturers can sell new, shiny $35,000 vehicles, even though used, $6,000 vehicles would do quite nicely. We Mustachians tend to forget we are a very small percentage of the population, and the rest of the Consumer Suckas are alive, well and even thriving. I so appreciate my $10/mo Airvoice plans. My coworkers to a man and woman all have Verizon, AT&T, Sprint or TMobile plans. They are constantly thumbing up and down their phones, burning expensive data, in an attempt to escape the disquieting thought that on their present trajectories, they will work as cubicle slaves forever, and still have debt when they are done.
So now the question for me is if there is any reason why I should not port my well known cell number to Google voice prior to giving air voice a try?
Would i need to make all outgoing calls through Google voice in order to have my known number shown in the caller id? Will that affect call quality at all? Tell me what I'm missing here...
edit: Just was reminded of texting, specifically MMS doesn't work, also, it appears that I'll need a data connection to receive the texts (just the SMS kind). That defeats the purpose of switching to the $10 plan.
Thanks man.
edit2: Called customer service and they kinda straightened it out. Since I only opted for the $10 they didn't even turn on my data. I told them I just wanted to "test drive" the $10 plan to make sure I'd successfully port my number and actually get decent signals around here before considering bumping to the $30 or $40. I was able to hit a google web page after working with them for about 15 minutes, then I just turned data back off because my signal sucks at work.
I'm confused by how MMM recommends Republic Wireless, this guide trashes it, and neither author appears to acknowledge the other. Can they reconcile their opinions?
Similar question, the guide says that TextNow is better than Republic. Has MMM mentioned TextNow anywhere?
Also about Republic, the guide says "you can replicate it on your own likely for less using any cheap carrier, Android phone, Google Voice and Talkatone", with a link to this page: https://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/share-your-badassity/communications-tech-isps-voip-cell/msg21151/#msg21151
I click that link and it redirects me to: http://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/share-your-badassity/
Soooooo, how many of the bazillion T-mobile MVNOs are having emergency meetings trying to figure out what the proposed acqui-merger with Sprint?
In other news, the Asha 303 recommended in the guide is out of stock, so I had to go with the newer Asha 302 as my lady friend's 2008 BlackBerry decided to go for a last and fatal midnight swim in a pint of beer the other day. Excited to see what the beast is like when it arrives.
What's wrong with differing perspectives? He's entitled to his position as I am to mine. In the case of Republic, I think it's healthy to have a skeptical counterpoint to MMM's unbridled "one size fits all" enthusiasm.
What's wrong with differing perspectives? He's entitled to his position as I am to mine. In the case of Republic, I think it's healthy to have a skeptical counterpoint to MMM's unbridled "one size fits all" enthusiasm.
Well, you're both champions of personal finance, experts on what is good and cheap! MMM says RW is a top choice. You say it's a pretender and a gimmick. Surely one of you has to be mistaken about how good or bad it is?
Thanks for the correct link. Are you saying that I'd have to use a carrier, a VoIP company, and then four different apps for me to replicate the "cheap cell phone over the internet" concept? That sounds like a lot of dependencies that could go wrong.
My wife and I have 2-year old Verizon phones, so I think we're going to have to buy a new phone no matter what MVNO we go to. Our house has bad signal for every carrier but Verizon, so calling over the internet sounds nice. Page Plus is the only Verizon MVNO that I see recommended and their phone lineup looks pretty bad. (My wife insists on using her phone as her main camera and I don't want crappy pictures of my newborn babies.) If we go to Ting, I'm afraid we'd have to walk outside to get a good Sprint signal. I don't see why getting a separate home line would be an improvement over using Republic. I don't understand most of your statements against its reliability. I have two friends in real life and dozens on the MMM site who say it works fine. I don't need "unlimited" stuff, just less than 500 each of minutes, texts, and MB.
To prevent fraudulent activity on the $60 plan, you will receive 1.5 GB of data at the time that you add your refill card. Once you complete your 1.5 GB of data, you must contact customer service at 1-888-944-2355 to apply the other 1.5 GB to your account. To prevent fraudulent activity on the $50 plan, you will recieve 1GB of data at the time that you add your refill card. Once you complete your 1GB of data, you must contact customer service at 1-888-944-2355 to apply the other 1GB to your account. To prevent fraudulent activity on the $40 plan, you will receive 500 MB of data at the time that you add your refill card. Once you complete your 500 MB of data, you must contact customer service at 1-888-944-2355 to apply the other 500 MB to your account. To prevent fraudulent activity on the $30 plan, you will receive 250 MB of data at the time that you add your refill card. Once you complete your 250 MB of data, you must contact customer service at 1-888-944-2355 to apply the other 250 MB to your account
Speaking of legal boilerplate, I actually read the fine print when I got my Airvoice SIM card in the mail.
Does anyone here have the $30-$60 "Unlimited" plans? Do you actually have to call the support desk to activate the second half of your data? I don't have the paperwork in front of me any more, but I think it said (for example):
"If you are on the $40 plan with 1GB data, you can use 500MB data and then you will have to call the support desk to activate your second 500MB for the 30 day period"
They claim it is to avoid fraud, but I imagine it doesn't hurt their bottom line when people don't A) track their usage and/or B) read the fine print and never actually call for the rest of their data.
The difference is in each of our approaches to the Iron Triangle (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_triangle), which alters who is right based on what is more important to the person taking the advice. MMM's advice is EASY and CHEAP, my advice is GOOD and CHEAP.
As for a good examination of why I'm not a big mVoIP guy, you might want to give this a read (http://www.techmeshugana.com/2013/06/may-31-in-oklahoma-city/).
A couple of things to remember with both Ting and Republic is that they're Sprint MVNOs first and foremost, not Verizon. They both claim to allow Verizon roaming, but your experience going from Verizon as your primary network to Sprint is not going to be as silky smooth as you might anticipate.
Maybe I'm still ignorant about how everythink works. I thought that Republic uses your internet at home and regular Sprint/Verizon voice/text/data service when you're away from the internet. Is that not accurate? Are you saying that it's always "data" everywhere, which is the first thing to go in an emergency? It doesn't even dial 911 like a typical cell phone?
I don't expect Sprint to be as good as Verizon. But I do like the concept of using Wi-Fi, which covers my whole house, over using either network, which can be hit or miss. Is that wrong?
I'm not going to tell you to not get a Republic handset and service. There are elements of what they provide given your attachment to doing all calls through a single mobile phone even at home that their service caters to. Just understand that you are trading quality for convenience, and if you can wrap your head around the greater picture of how everything actually operates and is set up, you might find that that convenience isn't much cheaper than the more reliable alternatives that requires learning a bit about the technology used, exercising a little self-discipline, and sacrificing a little convenience.
Now, how about my ISP? I'm in North Carolina with Time Warner (promotional pricing has expired). I saw on your page (http://www.techmeshugana.com/theguide/internet-service-providers/) that I should look into Earthlink. Do you have any more details on that? It looks like they work with Time Warner to give me the same cable internet that I already have, but under a different name with six months of promotional pricing for some reason? I'm planning to call Time Warner, ask for a lower price, threaten to cancel, and then go with Earthlink or U-Verse if they don't accept it. Any suggestions?
In other news, the Asha 303 recommended in the guide is out of stock, so I had to go with the newer Asha 302 as my lady friend's 2008 BlackBerry decided to go for a last and fatal midnight swim in a pint of beer the other day. Excited to see what the beast is like when it arrives.
*sigh* It's the last of a dying breed. Nobody wants to make phones with keyboards anymore because people are UI idiots. Hope the Asha treats your lady friend as well as the C3 has treated me.
IP, any updated advice? I know you have recommended Motorola Defy XT560 and NEC Terrain as of Sept 2013 http://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/share-your-badassity/communications-tech-the-isp-voip-and-cellphone-superguide/msg141876/?topicseen#msg141876 (http://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/share-your-badassity/communications-tech-the-isp-voip-and-cellphone-superguide/msg141876/?topicseen#msg141876). At the moment you (shopping hut) are out of the Defy, and Terrain ($85 and up) seems to be less expensive on open market vs. Defy XT560 ($125 and up). Airvoice says Defy definitely works and Terrain "should, but we haven't configured one yet so we can't promise". tia :)
Not much has really changed, honestly. ....
There's really just no QWERTY candybar form-factor handsets coming back onto the market. What's been namechecked is still the best options out there.
I was considering bumping mine up to the $30/month for a 10 day trip I'm taking, but I might just add another $10 instead.
Thanks, Daley!!!
Many thanks to I.P. Daley and this thread.
So thrilled with what I've learned from this thread and from Daley's web site, and psyched about my $15 a month cell phone plan, I blogged about it at http://mommywontwork.blogspot.com/2014/06/how-i-have-smartphone-for-only-15-month.html. Would love to have your comments on how it could be improved.
Thanks!
(http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2ev-3FfmadM/T_rcqgd-RkI/AAAAAAAABr8/pIlHwd7sgRo/s1600/huge-mistake.gif)
Unfortunately, with the exception of PureTalk (IIRC, but don't hold me to this), the USSD message issue is pretty well universal for AT&T (MVNOs included) prepaid services with balance notifications.This thread (http://www.howardforums.com/showthread.php/1784884-Balance-Notifications-after-every-call-text-data-use-on-Airvoice) seems to agree with you (second post) but it's from 2012. I don't mind shopping around and jumping ship every month until we find something that really works, the joy of not having contracts hehe.
Quick question (I have a lot of these lately...).
Getting a new 3G handset isn't a big deal, we always need backup phones for visitors and whatnot. She'll probably spring for the same Asha 302 since that will make tech support easier because we have the same at home now. Lesson learned, remote tech support sucks.
I couldn't find anything on the forum about this, but if you know of it, please point me in a direction. Anyone have experience with FreedomPop? I've looked at their page several times over the years, but have always avoided getting any of their mobile services because they've been limited to major metro areas.
However, I recently noticed that they have added on a home internet hub option. I use internet for a little bit of streaming (a few Daily Shows and some Pandora radio) every month and other than that, just checking e-mail and reading a few blogs. I'm not sure how good their home internet service might be, or how the quantities they offer (1 GB, 5 GB, 10 GB) correlate to usage.... if anyone has any input, I'd appreciate it!
So thrilled with what I've learned from this thread and from Daley's web site, and psyched about my $15 a month cell phone plan, I blogged about it at http://mommywontwork.blogspot.com/2014/06/how-i-have-smartphone-for-only-15-month.html. Would love to have your comments on how it could be improved.
Thanks!
I know I already replied to you in PM, but I did want to tell you publicly that it's an excellent post, and thank you for the attribution... it's much appreciated.
So thrilled with what I've learned from this thread and from Daley's web site, and psyched about my $15 a month cell phone plan, I blogged about it at http://mommywontwork.blogspot.com/2014/06/how-i-have-smartphone-for-only-15-month.html. Would love to have your comments on how it could be improved.
Thanks!
Has anyone used the messenger program called Telegram? How is it on data usage? Any better than Kik?
Telegram.org
As for the phones on Glyde, it's interesting that the same phone on different providers are different prices (Verizon seems less expensive than AT&T). If we know we're going with an AT&T provider, would it be better to just get the phone listed for that provider? Or could we get the cheaper Verizon model and unlock it ourselves to save a few more $?
edit: I just double checked and its $75. $25 access fee per phone, $25 for 1GB shared data. So $15 more than Airvoice (+taxes and fees, so maybe $20).
Hmmmmm not as awesome .
I think my old VZW plan charged ~$12 in taxes/fees, but that was for what was at the time a $130/mo plan. I would hope something that states it is $75 isn't going to have ~16% in taxes and fees added. $6-8 is what I would hope. But anyways, the beauty of being contract free in this case (and getting free sims and activation) is I can leave right after I get that first bill if they really try and pull something like that.edit: I just double checked and its $75. $25 access fee per phone, $25 for 1GB shared data. So $15 more than Airvoice (+taxes and fees, so maybe $20).
Hmmmmm not as awesome .
Keep in mind, back when my wife and I were with AT&T? We had a $60 plan for two lines that was $72 after taxes.
It'll vary a bit from location to location, but you're probably looking at about $25-30 more per month to AT&T over Airvoice (about $85-90/month with AT&T after everything is all said and done).
The major carriers are snakes in the grass... you have to be careful about these latest rounds of "cheap" "unlimited" service package prices because they all have so many hidden costs in the fine print that you never think about up front that simply are not there in prepaid when WYSIWYG (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WYSIWYG) for the most part as all the regulatory fees and taxes are rolled into the core services paid for, which only leaves service/sales tax.
Pageplus started adding about $1.84 to the $12 plan already (~15%). How much further behind is airvoice? Or is that part of the shady stuff you said might start when PP was taken over by American Movil?
Hi Daley - I may have missed this somewhere, but has Google Voice reduced its feature list? I had set up a number 6 or 7 years ago for testing, but recently decided to look into it as part of my telecom overhaul. However, I was surprised to find 1.) there aren't any available numbers in my area (I've moved since the original account was created) and 2.) I can't see any way to actually send or receive texts from GV online. On top of that, the video support provided doesn't appear to represent the interface that I see today. Is GV being slowly discontinued?
Also, forgot. If I give the Nexus 4 to the wife I'm going to want to port my existing phone # to google voice so I don't lose it. From what I was reading just above... am I going to lose the ability to receive texts from that number now?
Is this something only Airvoice can change?
Is this something only Airvoice can change?
Yes it is. Airvoice customer service can actually set the CNAM (Caller ID Name) to anything you like, but by default when it's ported in it is set to WIRELESS CALLER. Now, keep in mind that any phone that has the phone number already in the address book with your FIL's name attached, that name will show up on any phone, overriding the actual CNAM sent through the system. Also keep in mind that CNAM doesn't typically get transmitted over mobile networks, only the number.
We used the cell to call at least one person my FIL would never have called, and it showed my FIL's name. When he called my cell, it didn't show the name, but displayed old home town.
He's had the number for a few months now with no change; hopefully it will get changed to just the number in the next few days.
IP, I've been reading your information about phones, net etc.. It is a little too techy for me to wrap my head around.
I have a Verizon smart phone with an expired contract. Can I just downgrade to their smallest monthly text and phone plan and then use the phone via wifi at home and office for calls and web access?
I've been trying to port my number from Airvoice to Google since Tuesday. I'm not getting much traction. It doesn't help that it appears google doesn't have any tech support whatsoever for voice.
Is there another way I can 'park' my number somewhere so I don't lose it?
Just found this web site/forum and so far I like it. I hope no one minds this as a first post.
I very much enjoyed the guide but had one note/question: I don't know when it changed by now TracPhone has a BYOP option (http://tracfonewireless.com/byop/). I was wondering if anybody had tried it, does it change the outlook on using them, does this make tracphone move up a notch because of the option...?
I'm actually just curious, probably won't be changing anytime soon myself (since my verizon contract expired I'm month-to-month with an unlimited data plan for relatively cheap :-) )
Ha! Something I had long suspected but lacked the scientific knowledge to connect the dots:
http://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2014/10/t-mobile-our-network-has-trouble-with-building-walls-and-long-distances/
That explains why we've always had trouble within certain buildings, even surrounded by towers.
For the record, Verizon and AT&T both use 850MHz and 1900MHz frequency bands for voice service. Sprint uses 800MHz and 1900Mhz. T-Mobile uses 1700MHz, 1900MHz and 2100MHz. Technically, the lower the frequency, the better the signal penetration, but the difference between the frequencies are negligible with cellular services, and you get into other things like reflection and propagation that make up for the deficiency with the higher bands. The point being, YMMV, and there's a lot of factors that contribute to reception issues between providers, including the antenna designs in the handsets themselves.
I really don't understand the hate on Republic Wireless. I switched my whole family from paying $170 a month on Verizon with limited minutes and a laughable amount of data to $50 a month for unlimited talk/txt. We can't use the data because we are constantly roaming and there is a 25mb limit on data.(Emphasis added.)
It's by far the cheapest MVNO out there. Unless you could just survive off megabytes and had no will to use data outside of Wi-fi networks. There's no other MVNO that allows unlimited calling/texting for $10/mo or less. And please show me another MVNO that offers 5GB of 3G and unl txt/call for $25/mo or under. Granted, I have no use for this plan, but if I lived in an area where this was feasible, It's a solid option.
The only restrictive and negative part is the phone ecosystem. Of course we are limited to the phones they flash with their proprietary software. I don't see this as a huge downside, though, as you still can buy used and the phones themselves are excellent. So you can BYOD in a sense which makes things more fair.
I think your post needs to be updated because I have not felt that Republic's execution is lacking or that their pricing can be easily replicated. I feel its the best bang for the buck out there having used it for the past few weeks. Elaborating on execution, their customer service is getting better, their responses to issues are incredibly detailed and accurate. They list new known problems on their site and they actively correct existing issues in a timely matter if its something remotely within their power. Wi-fi to cell handoff and vice-versa works incredibly well and is basically non-noticeable. Call quality is great on cell and even better on Wi-fi. There is signal everywhere with Sprint since Sprint has MANY roaming agreements.
They also no longer tie you to their phones per se. You can eBay any of their phones now.
You're missing the point. For me, Republic is an excellent option since i live in a rural area where there are very few GSM towers. Data is horribly slow near my house so relying on Google Hangouts isn't an option. My point is that you're doing others a disservice by automatically saying Republic is a bad option for anyone since you can do better elsewhere.
The fact is that I really can't do better elsewhere. Most of the MVNOs that you recommend are GSM reliant. I can't go with Ting for pure megabytes because I use more data than that and I can't rely on Hangouts as said before. Your all inclusive guide isn't all that inclusive is all I'm saying. And you're right, using 5GB is probably shooting for the stars but even if I used 3GB, and I do quite regularly, I still would come out much better.
Your all inclusive guide isn't all that inclusive is all I'm saying.
First, we'll address your whole "Republic is a great option because of a lack of GSM" statement. Republic primarily uses Sprint and roams onto Verizon, and the fact that you can't do data because of the Verizon roaming in your area bodes ominously for your future use when they start sticking limits on all roaming services due to customers like yourself not primarily on WiFi or Sprint coverage. Their model isn't sustainable, and the recent changes show this. What you actually need is an MVNO that deals primarily with Verizon coverage where you live, not Sprint coverage, not WiFi coverage.
Next, we'll deal with your claim that Hangouts isn't somehow an option because "data is slow". Google Voice and Hangouts both can initiate calls that ring back to your mobile line, barely any data is needed for this function. If you don't care about having two phone numbers, this is a moot point. Incoming can be set to automatically ring to your mobile line or can be used in VoIP mode over WiFi, and if you can't initiate outbound over mobile via Hangouts, there's nothing preventing you from direct dialing. I never advocate using VoIP over a mobile data connection.
That's why I don't see your logic.
All I'm saying is please find a better solution for me because I've read all of your stuff and there is nothing in there any more feasible or cost effective than Republic in my situation.
That's why I don't see your logic.
You don't see the logic because you don't understand many of the competition's pricing models or how any of the technology works, nor are you working with any proper numbers. That's the heart of your problem - you're skimming and assuming, not reading and researching. As for myself, all I can do is work with what people give me if they want custom help, and that requires honesty and details.
You're asking questions and making ill-formed assumptions on basic stuff that I've already gone over in considerable detail within the unabridged guide (http://www.techmeshugana.com/theguide/) and the site itself (http://www.techmeshugana.com/) (many points addressed and explained in the very articles I already linked you). Plenty of other people get it when they take the time to actually read the guide instead of just skimming it, and when they don't, they usually ask nicely and I gladly help them anyway. If you can't make heads or tails out of it, fine. You already chose an alternate carrier and you're happy with it, stick with what works for you. In the mean time, please stop assuming things that simply aren't true and then coming in here half-cocked and telling me how to best help people when you yourself can't work out Ting's multi-line pricing or be bothered consulting coverage maps with Page Plus and Selectel.
So far, all you've mostly done is throw around accusations and question my integrity and experience. I can tell a part of you wants to learn, but I can't teach you anything until you've at least picked up the basics. Please do me the favor of actually taking the time to read the materials I've created and linked before you post again.
Hi Daley, thanks for the posts, they are really helpful.
I saw you posted the rumor back in July about Page Plus supporting 4G LTE, did you know they are officially supporting it now? Details are up on their site now. Unfortunately it's only supported for the $29.95 and up plans (not the 12 and not PAYG), but at least the SIM is only $5.
Ok I need some advice. I recently upgraded my internet from 20 Mbps to 1 Gbps At the same time I also decreased my cost from $62 to $50 and got centurylink and comcast out of my life. Now I need to get a new wireless router. My previous router was an all in one century link model and doesn't seem to have an option to put a input an Ethernet cable only phone. I know i want a router that is 10/100/1000. For cost reasons I probably want 802.11n vs 802.11ac (plus of all the connected devices in our house only 1 supports ac). Dual band with 5 GHz might be nice. And maybe dd-wrt or tomato might be nice (although I have no experience with either one). So any good suggestions?
Thanks in advance for any help!
Thank you again for all this info!!!
I just noticed an email from VoIPo about their Cyber Monday sale for existing customers - 2 more years added on to the end of your prepaid time for the new customer price of $185 (all fees included), supposedly half the regular renewal rate.
This is a good price, but do I really want to prepay all the way into the fall of 2017?!? Are their renewal rates really double the original rate? I.P. Daley, have you heard any problems with VoIPo's finances that would warrant staying away from this promotion?
I'm looking at switching to an MVNO early next year. We're currently T-Mobile users and together use on average 500mins/2000 texts/500MB per month. I just saw an ad that Ting is accepting GSM users starting in February and appears to use T-Mobile at AT&T as roaming partners. I checked my phone IMEI and it appears compatible with their service (Galaxy S3). My wife has a Galaxy Light. Have you had a chance to check this out?
you could switch right now.
I'm deployed to the Middle East for another month, and I'll have orders for my next assignment the end of January so I'll know for sure what part of the country I'll end up in next around that time. I think a data diet is easily doable since we fluctuate wildly on monthly data usage when I'm home. One month it's the normal 9 to 5 and we use 300MB while another month we do some traveling and consume close to 1GB. The texting is equal parts wife and close friends back home. I use Kik to text with my soldiers here in the region since we're all either using T-Mobile international roaming or using Kuwaiti sim cards. I see that XMS is offered on Android and IPhone. Are they compatible to talk to each other?
I've been running several scenarios between P'Tel, Airvoice, and Ting and if I'm doing the math right Ting comes out far ahead only if I bump up against the maximum of that particular bucket. The lower I go it becomes a lot less competitive than a PayGo situation with P'Tel or Airvoice. The part I'm having a difficult time reconciling is Ting offers a wide buffer in case you do have a heavy-use month. The threshold I'm looking at with Ting is the 101-500 range for each service. If I only used 101 mins/texts/MB x 2 phones on Airvoice it would be a total of $28 and $34 for P'Tel. If I used anywhere in that range on Ting it would be $38. If I used the maximum that Ting allows in those buckets on Airvoice and P'Tel the bill jumps to over $60 per phone while Ting is still $38. I know you don't like Unlimited plans, but in that scenario it makes them look attractive. The key seems to be drastically lowering my data usage.
While I've been gone my wife has used 200-400 minutes a month talk, 200-300MB of data, and the vast majority of her texts have been to me (she installed Kik tonight). Since I'm international roaming T-Mobile doesn't record my data usage at all and I don't use it to talk. I'm going to have us both download the data monitor you listed a while back. I figure a month of monitoring should tell us exactly where our data problem is and go from there.
So far the best I've found is the Red Pocket Mobile Internet Plan $50/month for 5GB but I'm wondering if anyone else is out there or if there is a better plan if I went to a family style plan.
Arumph.
http://arstechnica.com/security/2015/01/got-an-asus-router-someone-on-your-network-can-probably-hack-it/
Time to actually switch to DD-WRT or tomato...
And sorry, I.P., it's going to be an Apple product.
And sorry, I.P., it's going to be an Apple product.
NOOOOOOOOOOO! (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WWaLxFIVX1s)
And sorry, I.P., it's going to be an Apple product.
NOOOOOOOOOOO! (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WWaLxFIVX1s)
Is there a way to measure bandwidth usage on Netflix or Roku channels?
Can I bring my Verizon device?Source: https://help.ting.com/entries/105240696-Can-I-Bring-My-GSM-Device-to-Ting-Compatibility-and-Unlocking-Guide
Most Verizon devices that meet the following criteria will work on the Ting GSM network:
smartphone
LTE-capable
released on or after September 2012
Smartphones from Verizon that meet these criteria will likely be automatically unlocked for domestic use on other carriers and should be ready to go for use on the Ting GSM network. However, the level of compatibility will vary pretty widely.
That means some devices, like the iPhone 5 for example, will be mostly compatible with Ting but won't get LTE service on our GSM network. On the other hand, Verizon iPhone 5c, 5s, 6 and 6 Plus should have full compatibility with the Ting GSM network.
To know for sure which services you'll have, you'll want to check your device's IMEI in our compatibility checker.
I did a *brief* search to see if this had come up and didn't see anything right away. For those of you who are with Verizon and looking to switch out, Ting will be able to accommodate Verizon iphones (and other GSM compatible phones) very soon. Their website says they will have GSM support starting February 2015. I only looked for my iphone 5s, but if Ting said your phone wasn't compatible in the past it might be worth checking again.
Per their FAQ:QuoteCan I bring my Verizon device?Source: https://help.ting.com/entries/105240696-Can-I-Bring-My-GSM-Device-to-Ting-Compatibility-and-Unlocking-Guide
Most Verizon devices that meet the following criteria will work on the Ting GSM network:
smartphone
LTE-capable
released on or after September 2012
Smartphones from Verizon that meet these criteria will likely be automatically unlocked for domestic use on other carriers and should be ready to go for use on the Ting GSM network. However, the level of compatibility will vary pretty widely.
That means some devices, like the iPhone 5 for example, will be mostly compatible with Ting but won't get LTE service on our GSM network. On the other hand, Verizon iPhone 5c, 5s, 6 and 6 Plus should have full compatibility with the Ting GSM network.
To know for sure which services you'll have, you'll want to check your device's IMEI in our compatibility checker.
And sorry, I.P., it's going to be an Apple product.
NOOOOOOOOOOO! (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WWaLxFIVX1s)
LOL! Sometimes being FI means doing whatever you want. iPhone 6 acquired.
Now back to playing with my new toy...
Good news and bad news.
The "error 29" on my old iPhone 4s seemed to indicate a battery problem, so I paid a whopping $7 to get a battery and tools off ebay and installed it (30 minutes, tops). Good news - it works!
The bad news is that while I'm still within the 30 day return window for the iPhone 6, I'm quite enamored with the bigger screen, fingerprint thingie, and the SPEED.
I cut down my airvoice SIM to fit the 6, so it can't be swapped back, of course. I've ordered another SIM which may or may not get here before Tuesday, which is when my 30 days runs out. I also don't know if my Airvoice account (and credit) can be transferred to a new SIM.
Hedonic adaptation...
Hi I.P.,
I asked this in a different forum on MMM, but thought it would be more appropriate for here. I have been an iPhone user for the past 2 years and an Android user previous to that. I currently have about a 4gb/month 4GLTE data habit and am using cricket wireless. I would love to start going on a mobile data diet. I am impressed with your super guide and knowledge. I would prefer to stick with an ATT MVNO as I know the coverage in areas I travel to is great with ATT.
So the carrier side of things I can figure out. However, as an avid iPhone user over the past few years and current iPhone 6 user what would you recommend as a cellphone for a new "data-diet" user. I would love to pare my data usage down to 1gb per month. I use iTunes a lot and also stream music, I use GPS a lot and email and texting. I absolutely need a phone with a good camera, email, texting, gps and music capability (preferably something that would allow me to use my iTunes purchased music). I will try and give up everything else. Any recommendations, advice thoughts? Thanks!
TL;DR: Can you use Hangouts as your only phone for US calling and messaging without paying anything except related data usage when not on wifi? Does any other service do this?
Good news and bad news.
The "error 29" on my old iPhone 4s seemed to indicate a battery problem, so I paid a whopping $7 to get a battery and tools off ebay and installed it (30 minutes, tops). Good news - it works!
Do you have any links for what you bought or how to do this. My mom and dad gave us their old iPhone 4S's, but my moms battery depletes rapidly. I'd love to know how to do this!
So what is the cheapest VOIP provider, for mainly emergency use? My wife think we should have some form of landline phone once our child is a little older, in case he needs to call for some emergency, or to call us etc. I think landlines are silly and old fashioned, but I guess I do see some utility in this case. And it will also mean we'll have a reason not to get him a cellphone for longer:)
Seems like Verizon will charge me at least $5/month for a million min per month for a landline, and many VoIP providers are $5-10 or even $15/month! This is way overkill. Ideally I'd pay $0/month and just pay per minute in an emergency. We both have cellphones with dataplans and therefor unlimited minutes (yeahyeah I know, waste of money, whatever) so don't plan to actually use the VoIP much at all.
The cheapest looks like voip.ms, except they will charge up to $1.50/month for a number. Is there no way to keep a number for $0? Now the $20 per year isn't a big deal, just annoying since it's pretty pointless.
So what is the cheapest VOIP provider, for mainly emergency use? My wife think we should have some form of landline phone once our child is a little older, in case he needs to call for some emergency, or to call us etc. I think landlines are silly and old fashioned, but I guess I do see some utility in this case. And it will also mean we'll have a reason not to get him a cellphone for longer:)
Seems like Verizon will charge me at least $5/month for a million min per month for a landline, and many VoIP providers are $5-10 or even $15/month! This is way overkill. Ideally I'd pay $0/month and just pay per minute in an emergency. We both have cellphones with dataplans and therefor unlimited minutes (yeahyeah I know, waste of money, whatever) so don't plan to actually use the VoIP much at all.
The cheapest looks like voip.ms, except they will charge up to $1.50/month for a number. Is there no way to keep a number for $0? Now the $20 per year isn't a big deal, just annoying since it's pretty pointless.
Verizon is gonna sock you with a pile of extra taxes and recovery fees that they never mention with their phone service, and whenever you bundle services, long term, it will get more expensive as there's always a promo involved to bait you in.
The thing with VOIP.ms is that you don't need to buy a phone number to use the service, in fact, you can set the outbound caller ID to whatever number you already own, it'll just be outbound only... that said, if you're wanting to have e911 service, it will cost you a $1.50 a month. There are cheap and free DIDs available if you don't care about what area they're in. CallCentric has free NY state numbers, but then you're dealing with configuring and setting up multiple VoIP providers unless you want to pay higher outbound fees. There's also IPKall for Washington state numbers, but there's restrictions needed to keep the number active, and number turnover is worse than the pool of numbers with Tracfone/NET10 burners... using IPKall for your number is like licking the floor of the local YMCA showers, you don't know what you're gonna get exactly, but you're gonna get something. It's the old adage of you get what you pay for.
There are a lot of tech folks in Cary, believe me. My neighborhood is already organizing for google fiber, as much as we can this far out.That's great info, thanks! I'll make sure to give earthlink a call before going after the dragon. I actually work in Cary (by Crabtree lake), but know next to nothing about its demographics, aside that apparently families like it. I don't see many techies in downtown Durham, so we'll probably be last. :(
We have earthlink (have had it for years). About 5 months ago I called TWC for my Mom, who also has TWC and earthlink, to attempt to get her (non-mustachian) package of digital/DVR/phone/internet down to around $100. In my attempts, I asked about lowering the speed, and somehow got put through to earthlink, IIRC. They had a 6 month intro price of ~$30 (internet only, package independent), and told me to call back in March to get the more permanent rate of $35/month (although I'm seeing $42 on their website - we'll see next month).
There are a lot of tech folks in Cary, believe me. My neighborhood is already organizing for google fiber, as much as we can this far out.
We have earthlink (have had it for years). About 5 months ago I called TWC for my Mom, who also has TWC and earthlink, to attempt to get her (non-mustachian) package of digital/DVR/phone/internet down to around $100. In my attempts, I asked about lowering the speed, and somehow got put through to earthlink, IIRC. They had a 6 month intro price of ~$30 (internet only, package independent), and told me to call back in March to get the more permanent rate of $35/month (although I'm seeing $42 on their website - we'll see next month).
Right, there's nothing concrete yet. Don't forget to stop by the NC meetup thread in the meetup forum once you move out here, we manage to get a few people together everynow and then.There are a lot of tech folks in Cary, believe me. My neighborhood is already organizing for google fiber, as much as we can this far out.
We have earthlink (have had it for years). About 5 months ago I called TWC for my Mom, who also has TWC and earthlink, to attempt to get her (non-mustachian) package of digital/DVR/phone/internet down to around $100. In my attempts, I asked about lowering the speed, and somehow got put through to earthlink, IIRC. They had a 6 month intro price of ~$30 (internet only, package independent), and told me to call back in March to get the more permanent rate of $35/month (although I'm seeing $42 on their website - we'll see next month).
Thanks for the info, I was wondering what the internet options were in Raleigh. It looks like we'll be out there in April. Google fiber has a website that lists Carrboro, Chapel Hill, Durham, Cary, Morrisville, and Garner as the first cities, but any Cary address I plugged into their address search said "not available".
Help me please :)
I decided to try ptel. It seems to be working well so far.
I could use a guide! I currently have Consumer Cellular - the rub is there is no service outside the US. I go to Canada to visit family - no service the minute you cross the border. I travel abroad to other places - again same problem. What would you recommend?
I also need to upgrade to some kind of smart phone - company is now paying me an allowance and I need to be able to check email. Current phone is a Nokia C3 - not exactly a flip phone, but not exactly a smart phone.
thanks!
Question 2: Mobile data in France for a week. My wife will be in Paris for work for a few days, and using her phone to email/text and use google maps / translate if needed would be nice, since we would like to keep in contact and she doesn't know French.. are there any favored solutions for this? A quick google search found a 1 GB sim in english for 20 euros. Assuming her hotel has wifi, 1 GB would be very much overkill. (Oh, and we have global GSM quad band phones)10 EUR prepaid card, valid for 10 days, 500 MB of data, can be purchased from any Bouygues store.
First off, thanks for the superguide!
Restricting data: Afwall+
Question 1: Texting/IM.
Question 2: Mobile data in France for a week.
With that said, T-mo sucks in our area and I don't want to go back to it. I was looking at the different Airvoice Plans and trying to determine what would fit "best" I don't necessarily need a ton of talk minutes and I could probably stay under the texts as I use Imessage a lot too (usually on wifi) My data is pretty minimal (spotify premium allows offline listening, podcasts all downloaded off wifi etc) I do need to check email occasionally when at work/on the road, but I don't need it constantly. I also noticed with the Airvoice plans that the $10 250/500 didn't seem to include Voicemail, can anyone verify? That I do need, so would it be better to do a PAYGO option which had it listed? In terms of rollover, does the $10 plan still roll over or only Paygo? Thanks!
With that said, T-mo sucks in our area and I don't want to go back to it. I was looking at the different Airvoice Plans and trying to determine what would fit "best" I don't necessarily need a ton of talk minutes and I could probably stay under the texts as I use Imessage a lot too (usually on wifi) My data is pretty minimal (spotify premium allows offline listening, podcasts all downloaded off wifi etc) I do need to check email occasionally when at work/on the road, but I don't need it constantly. I also noticed with the Airvoice plans that the $10 250/500 didn't seem to include Voicemail, can anyone verify? That I do need, so would it be better to do a PAYGO option which had it listed? In terms of rollover, does the $10 plan still roll over or only Paygo? Thanks!
Sounds like you need/want to stick with AT&T coverage in your area. Airvoice might be an option, as might PureTalk USA, and possibly even Consumer Cellular if you put both lines on the account. Regarding your specific questions regarding the Airvoice $10/month plan, yes it includes voicemail (though like data and MMS, you might need to activate it on your account - same as Airvoice PAYGO, IIRC), and yes the unused balance rolls over.
As for the whole P'tel/Giv situation, they recently did some plan restructuring. They now have a $20 "unlimited" talk and text plan with 250MB of data, and a $25 "unlimited" talk, text and 2G data plan. Kind of an unnecessary price hack at this point.
Also, I'm not sure if you're familiar or not with my more recent official position on Cricket, GoSmart and Boost Mobile these past few months with the data pricing. A debate on the topic with my reasoning for no longer supporting the likes of Cricket and their subsequent removal from the guide can be read starting here (http://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/ask-a-mustachian/cricket-wireless-users-worth-the-savings/msg538461/#msg538461).
Both the $10/month and the $10 PAYG (that lasts 3 months) have voicemail and credit carries over. I have the former and my DH has the latter, and we both have a lot of credit that can be burned through on vacation or something.
You may have seen a mention that you don't get "visual voicemail" on the iPhone, though. You have to check to see if any messages have been left. A small disappointment.
I've been using P'Tel for a month now, and it's been a whopping $8.60. Half of the data I've used is background stuff I think I've turned off now. My girlfriend thinks I'm crazy, so it gets bonus points for that too.
Since that looked fine, they asked if we were using house wiring, which we are (and have been for many years), and said if we were, it was not supported and could degrade the adapter over time.
By that time the calls had settled down to normal, so I just dropped the issue. But really, degrade the adapter over time? What could cause that? We had one "dead air" call today and DH is about ready to change back to (overpriced) Vonage, since he doesn't remember these problems.
My mom, who also has cable through TWC and lives nearby, had problems with her phone for the same few days. I'll just blame TWC. They're used to it.
Does anyone have any recommendation on SIP apps for iOS?
Another thing, is my parents are heading off to Canada (with a few days in the States on either end), and want to have a SIM with some calls and a decent amount of data (a few gigabytes or so maybe, used for tethering to their laptop) for the six weeks they're away (at least on the Canadian leg of the trip).
...
Any recommendations?
Would I be right in saying that each of the Bell/Telus/Rogers 3G networks are 850 or 850/1900MHz?
IP, Sorry for the OT post, but is there a VOIP provider that handles SMS?
I'm on Google Hangouts now, but looking to transition to a paid VOIP for privacy/quality. That's probably the only hitch that keeps me from going whole hog.
Typically I like to keep these sorts of things in the guide discussion thread (http://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/share-your-badassity/communications-tech-discussion-thread-1/). VoIP providers from the guide itself that does SMS, however: VOIPo and VOIP.ms. Not in the guide currently, Anveo. There's also a few VoIP-based, proprietary providers that do SMS as well such as NETtalk and Rebtel. There's a few around, but not too many, especially with reasonable SMS rates. The technology term you're looking for specifically is SIP SIMPLE (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SIMPLE_%28instant_messaging_protocol%29) (though it's not the only method).
So continuing the discussion from your savings thread, which do you prefer between VOIPo and VOIP.ms?
Also, I know Android and Symbian have a native SIP client, are they also able to handle SIP SIMPLE text messages either natively or via paid apps?
My end goal is to get seamless WIFI calling such that it's transparent when in use, has only one number to give out, and easy enough for my non-techie wife to use.
Does anyone have any recommendation on SIP apps for iOS?
As with anything on iOS, the best SIP clients are pay SIP clients. Acrobits' Softphone (http://www.acrobits.cz/products/retail#tab_softphone) and Counterpath's Bria (http://www.counterpath.com/bria-iphone-edition/). Zoiper (http://www.zoiper.com/en) was the only decent, free, open provider, iOS SIP phone that I was aware of... so given its failure? If I could only buy one, I'd personally go with Counterpath's Bria.
First off, thanks for the superguide!
Thanks for reading and giving a little feedback!Restricting data: Afwall+
Not a bad tip, but Android firewalls are a touchy subject for me. I'm familiar with ukanth's work on it over at XDA Devs, and it's an excellent firewall for rooted devices... but my inner sysadmin has grown increasingly itchy about Android rooting from a purely security-minded standpoint, especially now that the OS has matured and you don't need to root anymore for so many of these functions that you used to need to do it for. That said, this is a case of do as I say, not as I do, as I'm still someone who's more inclined to root. *cough*
...and I also recognize the irony of this statement as someone who frequently advocates Cyanogenmod to users here, as it has root baked in. That said, I typically recommend CM for users who would otherwise not have more current and security patched Android builds on their handsets if not for CM, so it's again a trade-off. Patched OS for greater general security and better app compatibility, but in trade for allowing root. Yet another reason to hate smartphones on general principle - yay planned obsolescence.
Anyway, there's a way of doing a pseudo-firewall without rooting by subverting the VPN function. This method is what Mobiwol (https://dschwartzberg.wordpress.com/2013/12/16/mobiwol-no-root-firewall-for-android/) and its ilk do, but this method seems to be a bit more battery intense and a bit quirkier. (It also sounds potentially sketchy in theory, as MITM attacks would be trivial to execute with these firewalls if the dev went evil.) Kind of a six-a-one, half dozen the other situation. Firewalls on Android clearly require some sort of calculated security trade-off, and have their own quirks in the process. Fortunately, there's methods to granularly control most Android apps and data usage now without rooting or firewall usage, if you're willing to commit the time to go spelunking for the configuration settings on each and every app... but this too is still not perfect and can miss leaks. Granted, I've not tried very hard, but I've not been able to get my own mother's Moto E down below the 70MB a month mark... but I won't root her phone, don't want the added break-point of a VPNish firewall that could cause random connectivity issues, and she's also on P'tel's $20 package which includes150MB250MB of data instead of dealing with the data restrictions of PAYGO, so it's not as critical.
Now you see why I just recommend most people stick with a "smartphone" platform that's just intrinsically lean on data usage by nature.Question 1: Texting/IM.
If you're wanting to give the finger to the Balkanized mobile texting app landscape and go open standards (which I can sympathize with and deeply respect), you're already on the right track. XMPP and Xabber are probably your best option, just remember that encryption adds additional data weight to the messages. Regarding running your own XMPP server, if you really want to, go for it... but unless you're inclined to keep your conversations as private as possible, I see no advantage to going with this solution over just signing up with an account on jabber.org (or another well cared-for XMPP server (https://xmpp.net/directory.php)).
As I am just a tinkerer/hoobbyist and you are much more advanced than I, am I missing a big security hole here?
Does anyone have any recommendation on SIP apps for iOS?
As with anything on iOS, the best SIP clients are pay SIP clients. Acrobits' Softphone (http://www.acrobits.cz/products/retail#tab_softphone) and Counterpath's Bria (http://www.counterpath.com/bria-iphone-edition/). Zoiper (http://www.zoiper.com/en) was the only decent, free, open provider, iOS SIP phone that I was aware of... so given its failure? If I could only buy one, I'd personally go with Counterpath's Bria.Another thing, is my parents are heading off to Canada (with a few days in the States on either end), and want to have a SIM with some calls and a decent amount of data (a few gigabytes or so maybe, used for tethering to their laptop) for the six weeks they're away (at least on the Canadian leg of the trip).
...
Any recommendations?
Their options aren't great, unless they're spending 95+% of their time in Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary, Ottawa, Kingston, Windsor, London, and the GTA (Toronto + 'burbs). Wind Mobile (http://www.windmobile.ca/plans-and-devices/plans) would probably be the best option. The only wrinkle, they are quite fond of their 1700/2100MHz AWS bands for data, but if the data's mostly for the laptop, this might be an option (http://www.windmobile.ca/plans-and-devices/mobile-devices/device-details/unlimited-data-data-stick-bundle). If a greater coverage map is needed in addition to tethering, it looks like the only other viable option is going to be Chatr (http://www.chatrwireless.com/web/chatr.portal?_nfpb=true&_pageLabel=PlanBrowse), with $25/1GB portions of data.
Mobile service is just stupid expensive up there, so if they're wanting any serious quantity of calling, texting, and data, expect to pay $50+ CAD or more a month while up there for what's being asked for.Would I be right in saying that each of the Bell/Telus/Rogers 3G networks are 850 or 850/1900MHz?
Correct (http://www.wilsonamplifiers.com/frequencies-by-provider).
Sorry to be the bearer of bad news. For what it's worth, look into KnowRoaming (http://knowroaming.com/) as well, if some of the usage might be low enough to do PAYGO. They have the cheapest Canadian PAYGO rates I've seen, but their service requires a smartphone running Android, iOS, or Windows Mobile.
Looks like Airvoice is reducing the cost of their 'unlimited' plans? And I don't see a PAYgo anymore, but there is now a $5 for 5-day option.
I was on the $30 plan (unlimited talk & text, 100mb data/mo), that's now $20
The old $40 plan (unlimited talk & text, 1gb data/mo) is now $30
The top plan is now $50 (was $60 last I looked - unlimited talk & text, 5gb data/mo)
Other than yay for competition and lower costs, any thoughts? I was afraid they might try to upgrade folks without their noticing (same $/mo), but that doesn't seem to be the case as they contacted the spouse to explain his service fee would be going down.
I was on auto-renew option for the $30/mo plan (unlimited with 500mb data). They kept me at $30, but now I get 500mb high speed/500mb throttled speed data. I'm happy with it, because I'm getting more for the same amount of $. My kids are still on the $10/mo plan and it works for them. I'm a happy Airvoice customer.
since I got the invitation to google's project fi, I'm going to toss this out as an alternative to republic wireless.
I know how ip daley feels about republic, but google fi seems to be same setup but better, at least they refund you the data you don't use... so it is a cross between ting and republic to me
I'm not using project fi so no first hand impressions, they won't work with my passport phone so I wont use it because I like the phone more than nexus phone...
The best plan I've found so far for my sort of usage is from rok mobile - $50/month for unlimited data (5GB LTE, the rest at 3G). I don't want to be stuck in the middle of nowhere throttled to 64 kbps trying to load a webpage.
Anyone have any advice for this?
Thanks, I really appreciate the advice.
Roaming is definitely something I'd like. Basically the scenario which I face Well, Sprint and Verizon both have had a history of blacklisting new premium phones for 12-24 months from activation on their MVNOs. Sprint has gotten much better about this, but Verizon is still being picky about this as far as I know... but it is a topic that may have changed a bit with the newer introduction of LTE support with the independent Verizon MVNOs the past couple months. I can't answer this one with authority as there's not much info floating around about it yet. If you want to use a new iPhone, try calling up Selectel's customer support and ask if you can potentially activate an iPhone 6 right now, or possibly an iPhone 6s after it drops.with regularity is: if my car breaks down, it might be over a hundred miles to the closest town or gas station, so first and foremost I need to be able to make a call if there's ANY cell service whatsoever; and ideally I'd like to be able to google my problem (data). Similarly, even if there is no service wherever the hell I am, the closest town might have it, and I might need to contact someone ("stuck in BFE").
I might be willing to sacrifice data in trade for good, solid roaming. I use wifi at home and work and therefore sincerely doubt I'd hit 5 gigs. With that said, with 1) faster internet and 2) a modern browser, I'd probably consume more data (bigger files and be able to play files I currently can't.)
Would you possibly recommend the basic 1 gig prepaid plan from verizon? It's $45... I think. I would want a plan that allows me to go over the data (even better if I can toggle this option on and off), even if it absolutely destroys me with fees for doing so, because I'd only imagine going over in case of an emergency.
Can you elaborate on handset blacklist activations? I definitely plan to buy the phone outright from apple, as soon as it becomes available on discount for me.
Overall, it's kind of a shitty decision: I will need the flexibility and good service for about 3% of my yearly usage, but if I need it during that week or two, I need it.
If you can't flag down anyone and you're stranded in the middle of nowhere with no way to get the car going again, that would constitute enough of an emergency to warrant dialing 911.
You can now leverage stuff like a KnowRoaming sticker to give you additional access to the AT&T network for these sorts of occasions
Given what you've stated thus-far and what I've responded with, I'm sure you already know the answer to this.
Which brings me to ask the following question: Are your BFE reception experiences limited solely to your past experiences on CDMA networks/through Republic Wireless, and when was the last time you checked for GSM coverage in your little slice of Egypt?
Yeah, authorities don't exactly want to have to deal with dead visitors on their roadways. Would it be possible to have the 911 operator assess whether your situation is worthy of sending a trooper, and if it's not, send a tow truck instead?QuoteIf you can't flag down anyone and you're stranded in the middle of nowhere with no way to get the car going again, that would constitute enough of an emergency to warrant dialing 911.
Hmm. Interesting. I guess that might be true. That's not a bad point.
QuoteYou can now leverage stuff like a KnowRoaming sticker to give you additional access to the AT&T network for these sorts of occasions
I'm an electrical engineer, but this feels like magic.
QuoteGiven what you've stated thus-far and what I've responded with, I'm sure you already know the answer to this.
More expensive, but quite possibly logistically easier to go with a giant than a small company. I will give it serious consideration, though it doesn't seem that good of a deal. With that said, overages are pretty easy on that plan (I care a lot more about ease of use than cost.)
It's not a little slice of egypt, it's pretty much every slice of egypt in the entire country that I care about. Believe it not, it's not an unrealistic worry. Even truckers usually stick to well-travelled routes and interstates. I find the roads with signs saying "not patrolled after dark."
My experiences are that me on sprint, and other people on verizon, and if only one of us has service it is always them and not me, and having at least some basic service in some fairly surprising places.
Blacklisting might be an issue. I will look into it.
Satellite phones are not a bad idea, to be honest. That would free me up to using much cheaper plans. I must do the math for a satellite phone + strictly prepaid plan (per minute cost) + cheap cell plan versus more expensive cell service plan. I really appreciate the suggestion.
I have enough gear in my car to fix most basic things, and I have enough gear and food and water (and filtration / purification / first aid) in my car to survive for weeks in most conditions. Which is why I never considered breaking down to be a 911-level emergency, you know?
I think I'll go with Page Plus, and get the sim adapter + secondary prepaid plans whenever I feel it's necessary. Wonder if I can make that work outside the country too... hmm.
A few bucks a month in return for them actually fixing problems if they arise is not a bad trade.
The American SIM would be cheaper, but roaming would mean I'd be able to be contacted from home on my Aussie number and can roam between AT&T and T-Mobile networks depending on the best signal.
Hi Daley, thanks for that :)The American SIM would be cheaper, but roaming would mean I'd be able to be contacted from home on my Aussie number and can roam between AT&T and T-Mobile networks depending on the best signal.
Dean, didn't you mention at one time having VoIP service? If you do, I'll elaborate on a quick, dirty and cheap way to forward calls to a US number if your provider does INum call forwarding (it involves LocalPhone, which might be the cheapest way to call mobile lines back home anyway - they offer VoIP without using mobile data).
As for the whole roaming between networks, unless you want to pay for SIM cards and service on both networks, just stick with AT&T for better coverage. There's only one good BYOD MVNO I know of that roams between the two and it's Consumer Cellular, and they're not really a provider designed for visitors. Also, don't get hung up on LTE, HSPA+ service in this country is plenty zippy itself, though ping time is a bit higher.
Given your $70 budget cap just roaming, clearly we need to aim for less to make it worthwhile. The big thing is going to be data rates. The best data rate going is about $10/GB with a base cost of $20 for calling. Lucky for you, H2O Wireless' sub-brand easyGO (https://easygo.h2owirelessnow.com/) just launched a SIM program and restructured their prices. $20 for "unlimited" talk and text for 30 days with 100MB of data, a free SIM card with this calling plan, and the ability to PAYGO on data at $10/GB. If you keep yourself under ~290MB a day (4GB total), you'll be ahead of the game. Just remember to use existing data storage for the data hungry stuff like GPS maps, and turn off image loading on websites when not on WiFi, and you'll be fine.
By the way and mostly unrelated, what part(s) of our enormous country are you planning to trek across?
IP - I could use a little help in reducing our phone bill. I did read your guide - twice:) and concluded that until we paid off our two new smart phones in September 2016 I'd like to stay with our current carrier, T-Mobile.
Hi Daley, thanks for that :)
I certainly do have a VoIP line that goes largely unused. I'll have a look into the call forwarding. I probably should install CSIPSimple (I now have an Android phone too), although I haven't had much incentive to use it locally with unlimited calls on my mobile plan.
So I'm looking at $20 plus $10/GB? Does that include tax, or is tax and other charges added on top of the $20? Is it easy to get a SIM?
Ah, that $70 (actually $75 as I'll be there for 15 days) is in Australian dollars, so it's about $53US. I guess that means that if I use less than 3GB, I'm better off with the easyGO sim, but if it's over 3GB, I'm better off paying for roaming on Vodafone.
I was hoping there was a carrier that had a daily plan, didn't T-Mobile have one at one stage?
I don't know much about Google Voice here. I've got some spare Skype credit, maybe I could use that to get a US DID number for the period if I roamed on an Aussie SIM?
By the way, the AT&T and T-Mobile websites are awful to navigate.
With only two weeks, I won't be able to cover the whole place, so I'm sticking to the west coast. Flying in to Seattle via Sydney and Honolulu, driving to LA and flying directly back. I can cover the rest another time :)
Quote from: Rosy on Today at 12:10:49 PM
IP - I could use a little help in reducing our phone bill. I did read your guide - twice:) and concluded that until we paid off our two new smart phones in September 2016 I'd like to stay with our current carrier, T-Mobile.
Rosy, I'm gonna need a bit of time to process and research this one. Let me get back to you.
In the mean time, I need you to be more specific about your billable usage. I need actual minutes, texts and amounts of data used per month from your bills. This "use X feature X times a day/week/month" unfortunately doesn't tell me squat about your actual billable usage, because things like the idea of calling Germany twice a week doesn't articulate how long the phone calls are. Those two calls could literally describe anything between two minutes and sixteen hours. Same with the "bank and shopping"... I need real world usage to provide real world solutions.
Daley, do you know much about the Burner app? It seems like I could use that to get a US number while over there :)IP - I could use a little help in reducing our phone bill. I did read your guide - twice:) and concluded that until we paid off our two new smart phones in September 2016 I'd like to stay with our current carrier, T-Mobile.
Rosy, I'm gonna need a bit of time to process and research this one. Let me get back to you.
In the mean time, I need you to be more specific about your billable usage. I need actual minutes, texts and amounts of data used per month from your bills. This "use X feature X times a day/week/month" unfortunately doesn't tell me squat about your actual billable usage, because things like the idea of calling Germany twice a week doesn't articulate how long the phone calls are. Those two calls could literally describe anything between two minutes and sixteen hours. Same with the "bank and shopping"... I need real world usage to provide real world solutions.Hi Daley, thanks for that :)
I certainly do have a VoIP line that goes largely unused. I'll have a look into the call forwarding. I probably should install CSIPSimple (I now have an Android phone too), although I haven't had much incentive to use it locally with unlimited calls on my mobile plan.
So I'm looking at $20 plus $10/GB? Does that include tax, or is tax and other charges added on top of the $20? Is it easy to get a SIM?
Ah, that $70 (actually $75 as I'll be there for 15 days) is in Australian dollars, so it's about $53US. I guess that means that if I use less than 3GB, I'm better off with the easyGO sim, but if it's over 3GB, I'm better off paying for roaming on Vodafone.
I was hoping there was a carrier that had a daily plan, didn't T-Mobile have one at one stage?
I don't know much about Google Voice here. I've got some spare Skype credit, maybe I could use that to get a US DID number for the period if I roamed on an Aussie SIM?
By the way, the AT&T and T-Mobile websites are awful to navigate.
With only two weeks, I won't be able to cover the whole place, so I'm sticking to the west coast. Flying in to Seattle via Sydney and Honolulu, driving to LA and flying directly back. I can cover the rest another time :)
Right right, forgot about the monetary conversion this morning. Sorry about that. Also, yes, the major carrier websites are a trainwreck to navigate.
Taxes are rolled into those prices, excuse sales tax (if the MVNO even charges it directly). Getting a SIM card from H2O Wireless will take a bit of pre-planning if you buy directly.
What few prepaid mobile daily plans that are left are hideous expensive and don't include data. There's barely any weekly or half month plans (even from the crappy carriers) anymore.
Don't waste your time with Google Voice. If you've got the spare Skype credit, that might be an option, otherwise, LocalPhone.
Mobile data is just flat-out expensive here. H2O Wireless (not the easyGO sub-brand) at $35 and up and P'tel at $30 and up both offer "unlimited" 2G data over the high speed allotment with their "unlimited" plans. T-Mobile MVNOs such as P'tel are going to offer more data per buck than the AT&T MVNOs. You can get cheap P'tel SIM cards off Ebay, and H2O usually gives their SIM cards away with new orders. If you'd rather just have a SIM card waiting and activate, though, cheap SIMs can be had from Ebay for them as well.
Going T-Mobile, you might find a few dead spots in the Pacific NW cruising down I-5, but you'd still be able to call emergency services if anything were to happen.
Seriously, I know it'll be your primary internet connection for the visit, but employ as many data saving techniques as possible if you want to keep costs down stateside. Heck, you're on vacation, try to unplug as much as possible.
Daley, do you know much about the Burner app? It seems like I could use that to get a US number while over there :)
Getting a US number via Skype would cost me a further $3 on top of my outstanding credit.
Daley, do you know much about the Burner app? It seems like I could use that to get a US number while over there :)
Getting a US number via Skype would cost me a further $3 on top of my outstanding credit.
Burner is only a free service long enough to try it out, it'd cost you $2USD to have it last the full 14 days, and it'd still only give you 20 minutes of talk time. Combined with the one shot freebie credit (at least on iOS), you're only looking at 21 days and 25 minutes of talk time for that two bucks. If you're using it on Android, it gets a bit more expensive as the trial is only good for 24 hours and the "mini" package is only good for seven days.
If you don't mind the datamining, maybe give TextNow a look. That'll give you a US phone number with "unlimited" "free" calls and texts. Of the lot of "free" VoIP number apps, it's one of the more robust and has one of the least skin crawling privacy policies.
Thank you, Daley, for that detailed response, especially since I just now found your previous response to me in which you gave me some of the same info :)
I previously had Wifi calling on Tmobile, but it was always a pain in the ass. Dropped calls, not switching over, having to manually turn off Wifi when there was an issue. I'm sick of poor connectivity. None of the providers has a good cell signal in my house, or my office. I have strong Wifi at both. I'm also sick of the shitty/late Android updates via Samsung/Tmobile.
Notionally, Fi is supposed to seamlessly transition between Tmobile, Sprint and Wifi, automatically using the best connection. There are a million tested-good Wifi hotspots included, and the service is still in beta test.
I'll have a look at TextNow, but I'm prepared to pay a couple of bucks if need be. It's certainly more elegant than buying a $3 T-Mobile PAYG SIM and popping it in my iPhone like I was considering. :)
However, it'll really only be for the odd incoming call. Any outgoing calls will be made with my Australian SIM. I'll be changing to Vodafone for the cheap roaming. Bonus is that the first month is half price.
I'll have a look at TextNow, but I'm prepared to pay a couple of bucks if need be. It's certainly more elegant than buying a $3 T-Mobile PAYG SIM and popping it in my iPhone like I was considering. :)
However, it'll really only be for the odd incoming call. Any outgoing calls will be made with my Australian SIM. I'll be changing to Vodafone for the cheap roaming. Bonus is that the first month is half price.
Excellent. Let me know what you decide on, feel free to report back, and have a safe and fun trip!
However, none of the carriers with PAYG plans seem to have add-on data packs...except for T-Mobile. They've got their $3 a month prepaid plan with 30min/30 texts and a 7 day data pass is $10 a week for 1GB. Added bonus is I could probably pick up a SIM at the airport or a store anywhere. Even if the coverage is a bit shit outside of cities (especially as my phone works on 1900MHz 3G only, not the kooky 1700 they also use), it might be worthwhile if I can keep my data usage under 1GB a week. Free wifi's fairly widespread there, no?
Consumer Cellular lets you BYOD and gives away free SIM cards to boot.
Bottom line, though, I always recommend reusing and wearing out technology that you already own instead of buying something else. If you've got a Moto G, use it.Regarding the sports issue, if I may briefly tap into the secondary message you sent me... Ken Raggio is a Oneness Pentecostal, and though I have a couple philosophical bones to pick with the man and the movement (let's be honest, matters of faith and agreement on the more trivial stuff can be difficult at times, especially between brothers and sisters in the faith inclined toward the more scholarly pursuits - and I'm not exactly mainstream myself with my own more Messianic Jewish/Netzari positions on the faith in general), Ken's rather hard words on the subject of organized sports are not exactly disagreeable... in fact, one might say his words quite literally hit the mark regarding modern sports fandom missing the mark. I'm not saying you should have your husband read it himself, but perhaps take the lessons away and learn how to present the incompatibilities in love as they present themselves in your own walks in a way that he would understand and not just shut out when heard.I'm fixin' to do just that. Though I have noticed my cell phone "leaking data." I happened to be sitting in a meeting the other day with no wifi. In two long hours without going on to the Internet or using any cellular services, my phone used 2 MB! At $0.05 to $0.10 a MB, that kind of usage will cost me a lot. I turned off background syncing on most apps, except for SMS services and think that the data leakage has slowed. And at work I just turned off the mobile data entirely. I've read about Juice Defender and other apps. Is there on app that will reliably turn off mobile data when the phone is on wifi? I've read that some Androids, in particular, will continue using data from the cellular towers even when connected to wi fi.
You've given me a lot to think about. I've already had pangs of conscience over my love of college football due to the brain trauma question. I do admit that football, in particular, feels a bit like the gladiators in the coliseum!
I've got lots to consider in terms of possible cell plans. I've looked at Liberty Wireless and their ten dollar deal for unlimited texts and 100 minutes of voice sounds good. But then I worry that I might have a month where I need more than 100 minutes--if something were to happen to my aging parents, for instance. And there's no data. So maybe I'd be better off with Airvoice's $10 plan; then I can accrue minutes in case I need them, and make use of cheaper data to send SMS. Or the new EasyGo paygo plan looks pretty compelling, too. Voice and texts are more expensive than P-tel, but the data is so inexpensive.
And I'm trying to choose a VOIP plan. Decisions, decisions. And in the end, the price difference is largely negligible. Maybe that's why it's so hard to choose?
Short question - is there a way to make cell phone calls answerable on house wiring?
Long version - we have VoIPo, and are up for renewal soon. We don't use it much, but it seems like when we have a need, it often needs a reboot, or, like Monday when I was trying to arrange plans with a bunch of people, it was mostly out altogether (per chat with VoIPo, after we'd rebooted everything from the wall out twice).
We dislike long calls on the cell, so we keep the landline for long calls like family and those interminable customer "service" calls.
I know you're going to be disappointed with me on this one Daley.However, none of the carriers with PAYG plans seem to have add-on data packs...except for T-Mobile. They've got their $3 a month prepaid plan with 30min/30 texts and a 7 day data pass is $10 a week for 1GB. Added bonus is I could probably pick up a SIM at the airport or a store anywhere. Even if the coverage is a bit shit outside of cities (especially as my phone works on 1900MHz 3G only, not the kooky 1700 they also use), it might be worthwhile if I can keep my data usage under 1GB a week. Free wifi's fairly widespread there, no?
Sorry to hear about the spanner, mate.
Looks like at this late stage, it's now T-Mobile prepaid as your easiest option. T-Mobile's been re-farming a lot of their services across their spectrum recently, and one of the things they've done is migrated HSPA+ from the 1700MHz AWS bands over to the 1900MHz PCS bands in most of their markets now. That might help. Also, data's not a big add-on here, unfortunately. Everyone wants to mine for big bucks on data, even on the MVNO end, since it's so blasted expensive.
WiFi is reasonably available in commercial areas, but be selective about what traffic you pass on those networks, and I'd recommend you stay away from private open hotspots. Use common sense and be security minded.
I started making WiFi calls using Hangouts, but I haven't been able to turn on my caller ID.
....
Anyone had this situation?
Caller ID for calls placed in Hangouts
When you make a call in Hangouts, the Caller ID will show the number as "unknown," and you can't receive phone calls back to your number.
But if you make a call through Hangouts with a Google Voice account, your Google Voice number will display on the Caller ID.
I started making WiFi calls using Hangouts, but I haven't been able to turn on my caller ID.
....
Anyone had this situation?
Question: Do you have a Google Voice phone number associated with your Hangouts account?
From Hangouts Help (https://support.google.com/hangouts/answer/3187125?hl=en&ref_topic=3187124):QuoteCaller ID for calls placed in Hangouts
When you make a call in Hangouts, the Caller ID will show the number as "unknown," and you can't receive phone calls back to your number.
But if you make a call through Hangouts with a Google Voice account, your Google Voice number will display on the Caller ID.
The long-short of it? You either need to grab a Google Voice phone number or port a number into Google Voice to get any outbound calls through Hangouts to display anything but "unknown number"... unless you're using Sprint postpaid, then we're dealing with a whole other beast (https://support.google.com/voice/answer/115073?&ref_topic=1707989).
If you're just using Hangouts to save money and reduce mobile minutes while home, try going Localphone instead. They have US calling subscriptions (https://www.localphone.com/call/united_states) starting at 75¢/month for 250 minutes (4 hours 10 minutes), they have their own calling app (https://www.localphone.com/services/android) that doesn't require any configuration to use, and you can set your outbound Caller ID (https://www.localphone.com/help/incoming_numbers) to any phone number you can verify as having access to. Basically, it'll do everything it looks like you're wanting to do for a few pennies a month.
I know you're going to be disappointed with me on this one Daley.However, none of the carriers with PAYG plans seem to have add-on data packs...except for T-Mobile. They've got their $3 a month prepaid plan with 30min/30 texts and a 7 day data pass is $10 a week for 1GB. Added bonus is I could probably pick up a SIM at the airport or a store anywhere. Even if the coverage is a bit shit outside of cities (especially as my phone works on 1900MHz 3G only, not the kooky 1700 they also use), it might be worthwhile if I can keep my data usage under 1GB a week. Free wifi's fairly widespread there, no?
Sorry to hear about the spanner, mate.
Looks like at this late stage, it's now T-Mobile prepaid as your easiest option. T-Mobile's been re-farming a lot of their services across their spectrum recently, and one of the things they've done is migrated HSPA+ from the 1700MHz AWS bands over to the 1900MHz PCS bands in most of their markets now. That might help. Also, data's not a big add-on here, unfortunately. Everyone wants to mine for big bucks on data, even on the MVNO end, since it's so blasted expensive.
WiFi is reasonably available in commercial areas, but be selective about what traffic you pass on those networks, and I'd recommend you stay away from private open hotspots. Use common sense and be security minded.
I arrived at the airport a couple of days ago, couldn't find an AT&T or T-Mobile store. Later that day I saw a shop near the airport selling SIM cards, and the person at the store said that most were $15-25 for the card alone, plus the plan, except for Simplemobile.
I bought one of the SIMs for them, and then checked their website and it has 'Tracfone' at the bottom. Yep, America Movil, I know you're not a fan. It works OK, but I can't find a usage tracker app. Oh well, no big deal, I'm only here for a couple of weeks.
I tend to get fairly consistent 3G, but it drops a bit indoors.
Does anyone here have a possible explanation?
Will I have any problem swapping an airvoice sim into an iPhone 6 thats activated through Verizon? They have all the radios, right?
Will I have any problem swapping an airvoice sim into an iPhone 6 thats activated through Verizon? They have all the radios, right?
It shouldn't be a problem.
Do you have a recommendation of a reputable Ebay or Amazon shop that sells used, clean phones?
I previously had Wifi calling on Tmobile, but it was always a pain in the ass. Dropped calls, not switching over, having to manually turn off Wifi when there was an issue. I'm sick of poor connectivity. None of the providers has a good cell signal in my house, or my office. I have strong Wifi at both. I'm also sick of the shitty/late Android updates via Samsung/Tmobile.
Notionally, Fi is supposed to seamlessly transition between Tmobile, Sprint and Wifi, automatically using the best connection. There are a million tested-good Wifi hotspots included, and the service is still in beta test.
The thing to remember is that both T-Mobile and Google Fi are using UMA for that GSM/WiFi call handoff. Perhaps you were having problems with the implementation and hardware while on T-Mobile, but the technology allowing that supposedly seamless switch is going to be identical. If you still have problems with it after the switch to Fi, I'd potentially look into your router as a possible failure point as well.
Just heard the other day that California is introducing a tax (surcharge) on pre-paid mobile consumers, starting January 2016.
Although I'm sure this post will get lots of comments blaming the new tax on greedy bureaucrats, the real culprits are greedy mobile operators and their influence on legislators. The taxes that make up the new MTS Surcharge are not new, they have been around for years but until now they were collected directly from the mobile operators as business taxes. The operator's CTIA trade and lobbying body sponsored and pushed AB-1717, the bill that authorized moving the taxes from the operators to end users. The change means a massive windfall for the operators at the expensive of consumers. It would be nice if the operators passed at least some of that savings on to customers but I'd be surprised it that happens.
It also sounds like this charge has been around for a while, but it used to be paid by the service providers, not directly by the consumer.
Calling has been cleaner on Fi, even the pure WiFi connection is better - some of that may be the phone, but I used a T-Mobile sim on that phone for a few weeks before going Fi. Much easier for me to get LTE service out in the world too - I'm guessing the areas I found weak on T-Mobile have the holes plugged by Sprint (such as my office, on one of my projects, etc)
My situation: I'm an American living in the UK. I visit the US for ~4-8 weeks a year, spread out over typically 3 trips/year. I have kept my US phone number (I'll call it phone # 1) active by various plans (first on an AT&T PAYG + feature phone, now on AirvoiceWireless PAYG +smartphone). I have a US Skype number (I'll call it phone # 2) as well, which is how my family and friends in the US call me. Right now, when I'm in the US I have an Airvoice SIM set to phone #1 in my old iphone 4s. I pay the $10/90 days activation for PAYG to keep phone #1 while I'm abroad and use this credit (with top ups) while in the US. In the US, I use a FreedomPop device to alleviate some of my Airvoice PAYG data use and to get data access on my UK phone (Whatsapp is huge among my UK friends but not so much with my US friends/family and I can only see my Whatsapp messages on my UK phone). My issue is that I don't receive group texts from my friends, as Airvoice has an issue with MMS messages. This has been something that has become increasingly irritating over time and is the main issue I'm hoping to resolve. I'd also like to drop my Skype # and have one single US phone number (phone #1) for American friends and family to use to reach me, wherever I am.
Thanks! Truphone is incredibly tempting due to the sheer simplicity of it but I think it would cost me quite a bit more than I pay now in the UK due to data charges. I typically use Giffgaff's £10 goodybag (as they call them) which comes with far more mins and texts than I've ever used in my life and 1 GB of 4G data, no throttling. I typically use around 700 GB/month but if I anticipate a lighter use month, I drop down to the £5 or £7.50 goodybag. When I'm in the US, I don't buy a new goodybag until I'm back in the UK.
Alright, less puppies, more typing. How is RingPlus so cheap?!
I see their sugar plan at $13 + tax for unlimited talk/text and 1GB of 4G.
I wanted to post back with my results.
Just remove the timesucking apps from your smartphone.
After removing Facebook and the banking apps from mine, the compulsive checking went to near-zero. I still use it everyday for podcasts and as a kodi remote, but no more mindless tapping about.
Does PureTalk support Verizon phones?
Does PureTalk support Verizon phones?
LTE Verizon phones that can do 3G GSM, yes. It'll be AT&T tower service.
If you want to stay on the Verizon network and support a smaller MVNO, though, you'll need to go Selectel.
Wow. What happened? Did they just become insolvent?
Don't know for certain, but when an MVNO closes shop, it's usually due to finances. P'tel had survived for a decade and a half in an industry of thin margins, but this past year was the first time they had to genuinely compete against the major carriers undercutting them.
Unfortunately, MVNOs in this country aren't like the ones in most other countries where there's government regulation and a mandate for equal wholesale network access to enable competition. In this country, it's not too much different in that the MVNOs are buying wholesale airtime from the major carriers, except there's nothing stopping the major carriers from undercutting the wholesale pricing with their own product. That's exactly what's started happening with the major carriers to reclaim customers who'd defected to cheaper prepaid MVNOs in this country over the past five years. Of course, the options being offered by the major carriers are still overpriced, but they've lured people away in droves with promises of "cheaper" data and "unlimited" talk and text versus their own postpaid plans using stealth brands like MetroPCS (owned by T-Mobile), Cricket Wireless (owned by AT&T), Boost Mobile (owned by Sprint), etc., using huge ad campaigns, massive boilerplate loaded with gotchas, even crappier customer service, hidden fees, cute gimmicks, funny math, and new ways to bring back the hidden mandatory contract through subsidized phone sales and minimum service times before unlocking handsets.... and the people slurped it up in droves. Even a fairly significant number of people on these very forums openly boasted about how they didn't give a crap, they just wanted more for less, even after I warned them of the longer term game plan with these boutique corporate owned MVNOs. Nobody cared and I even got ridiculed for saying so on a couple occasions.
Telecom regulation in this country is so lax and screwed up, that it took overpriced wholesale sellers repackaging overpriced airtime into smaller package plans over a decade and a half to break the price dam stranglehold of postpaid pricing in this country and force the carriers to be more competitive. Now the carriers are fighting back to eliminate this competition so they can raise prices back up.
Now the chickens are coming home to roost because of consumer sukka tendencies in this country and even in these forums, and one of the oldest and most financially stable pioneer MVNOs in this country, one of the MVNOs that helped BUILD this prepaid market and save people genuine money over the postpaid alternatives without sacrificing quality customer service and support after fifteen years is having to shut their doors. This is the first casualty in this new prepaid mobile market without regulation and required competition. We're losing what little genuine competition that was left in the mobile market now, and without a miracle will probably be soon left with nothing more than Carlos Slim's monopolistic empire America Movil, and their MVNO brands here in the states (Tracfone, NET10, Page Plus, SIMple Mobile, Straight Talk, Total Wireless), the big four carriers pretending to be other independent carriers (Cricket, MetroPCS, GoSmart Mobile, Boost Mobile, Virgin Mobile, and their in-house prepaid brands), and hopefully the likes of Consumer Cellular and Ting.
At this point, I'm not holding much long term hope for many on the recommended list in the guide anymore. For those staying with them to support the smaller shops through the end, prepare in advance with an exit strategy. Stay on top of closure reports over at Prepaid Phone News (http://www.prepaidphonenews.com/), and remember that the good MVNOs usually wind up giving between 7-14 days notice before closing, which is better than no notice as a lot of the bad MVNOs have done over the years.
As the casualties mount up in the months ahead, and the last of the good independent competition dies off, expect to see prices creep back up again and current offerings either getting more expensive or new offerings with less replacing what's available at the same price. These price changes will start with the major carrier owned prepaid rebrands.
Consider this a warning to everyone here. Stop chasing after excessive data access with slightly cheaper prepaid plans, that's how these independent shops are being undercut and killed off, as well as how the major carriers are tightening the financial noose around your own neck. Start pushing for stronger regulation and proper wholesale access for competition in the mobile industry and stop directly financially supporting the big four now if you want to keep mobile service in this country affordable. As it stands, our future is starting to look a lot like Canada's mobile landscape... and that 'aint good.Any chance of them getting acquired by a bigger MVNO?
Nope. Even if they did, about the only company who does acquire MVNO brands here is Carlos. I'd rather see P'tel shut its doors than be taken over by them and turned into Yet Another Zombie Tracfone brand.
It was smooth sailing since then. The only annoyance my DW reports is that it takes five rings on the caller's side for her phone to start ringing.
We used GivMobile for a long time before moving to back to ATT coverage. It's hard to compete when the major companies, like T-mobile, offer all kinds of "benefits" with their post paid plans (10gb per line, after which is throttled; free music streaming, free video streaming) The math to me didnt add up when T-mobile said that 2 lines, each with 10 gb of data (and throttled there after) would be $100, making with taxes and fees somewhere around $110 on a given month. When 1 gb of data usually goes for $10, and service at a minimum for phone/messages is $20, the major carriers are certainly willing to undercut themselves to attract customers and cut out the competition. And when 90% of the population knows of 4 carriers, they tend to go with those. Then the next in line are the ones who advertise (cricket, metro, straight talk).
I'm not glad Ptel closed its doors, but I am glad I switched well before this, would hate to have to do that dance in a hurry.
A very big THANK YOU Daley for the notice regarding P'tel. My wife and I looked at some options to keep costs low and went with H2O Wireless. We picked up the sim cards from Best Buy for $2.99 each(not every store has them on stock). We are officially ported over and using their(AT&T) network. We received more consistent coverage/access at our house on the T-Mobile network so we're not happy about that change but we still have our Google Voice number for wifi calls and texts so shouldn't be many growing pains. On the positive side we will no longer be without cell access when visiting our families in Iowa since AT&T covers that area whereas T-Mobile did not.
If anyone has any questions about porting their number to H2O Wireless feel free to message me and I'll help as much as I can.
What was the $2.99 H2O sim package like? The only H2O sims that I could find at our Best Buy yesterday were $9.99 smart sim 3-in-1 sim card starter kit.
IP Daley Airvoice Question
I remember you saying even the H20 Sim needs to have an 'unlocked' phone for it to work? Or was that only for the data to work?
Data APNs are typically locked down in software on most all handsets (including AT&T) when the handset's hardware SIM card reader is also carrier locked. This way, even if you switch to an AT&T MVNO with an AT&T postpaid locked handset, it prevents the user from gaining mobile data access from a cheaper provider on their own network without paying off the phone, completing your contract, and kissing Ma Vader's rings before going on your merry way. This is also how they keep you from buying a cheaper subsidized handset from say AT&T's prepaid GoPhone and Cricket divisions and taking it to another, cheaper AT&T MVNO if you want/need data access or MMS support without first keeping it active on a GoPhone/Cricket account for 12 months to recoup the subsidy before allowing you the freedom to leave through carrier unlocking. It works this way on the T-Mobile end as well as other GSM providers around the world who practice carrier locking, too.
The thing is, most MVNO SIM cards are typically recognized by the handsets as SIM cards from their parent network on the hardware level. Airvoice and H2O SIM cards are recognized as AT&T, P'tel and Ting as T-Mobile, etc. Because of this, it'll let you make and receive calls and SMS messages even with a carrier locked handset using an active SIM card from an MVNO on the same network as the phone is locked to, but APNs for mobile data and MMS cannot be changed on the software end due to the carrier locking. Due to this nature of the GSM hardware, they may not be able to prevent the phone calls and SMS messages on these locked handsets with other MVNO's SIM cards on their network from working short of blacklisting the phone's IMEI (which they will do), but they can still cripple it by completely blocking data access and configuration.
(Fun Fact: You can actually use an unused AT&T SIM card to activate service with most AT&T MVNOs such as Airvoice Wireless.)
This is where it's gotten messy for iPhones. With T-Mobile network SIM cards, if the handset is carrier unlocked, the APN settings are accessible for manual configuration and there's no data configuration trauma with any T-Mobile or T-Mo MVNO. With AT&T network SIM cards even in an unlocked handset, however, the APN settings remain hidden away and inaccessible... and it's been this way and only gotten worse since iOS7. Clearly, this creates a problem. Unless your AT&T MVNO is on Apple's officially blessed provider list (Consumer Cellular, Cricket, GoPhone, StraightTalk) which auto-configures the APNs for you based on the carrier detected in software, any other AT&T MVNO SIM will effectively set these phones to AT&T postpaid APNs by default upon insertion due to their lack of official auto-configuration support from Apple.
Unfortunately, because you also have no way of manually configuring the APNs for your AT&T MVNO (Airvoice, H2O Wireless, Puretalk USA, Red Pocket, etc.) due to this setting lock-out "auto-configure" feature, you still have data configuration issues even after carrier unlocking. This is where needing to use unlockit.co.nz just to set your data APN now comes into play. To make matters worse, the MMS settings for these non-blessed AT&T MVNOs typically can't be configured most of the time now as well even using unlockit without jailbreaking. It's a hot mess, and it's why I typically don't recommend iPhone users who need MMS support to use any AT&T MVNOs from the guide anymore except for Consumer Cellular.
Make sense?
I'm a bit lost why MMS settings might be what she needs, but I remember you typing something about MMS and SMS being related on iPhones due to the way they send texts.
Is there even a next step?
IP Daley Airvoice Question:
Our friend has been on Airvoice for a while, is an iPhone user, but has not been able to get texts from non-iPhone users. She just got a "new to her" iPhone 5, but is still having the same problem.
We pointed her to the MMS and internet instructions on Airvoice's website, but it notes this is only for iOS 7.0 and earlier (link below)...but she's on a more recent version of iOS so they're hesitant to just start manually entering the APN settings. Any risk there? Or should they just go for it?
https://www.airvoicewireless.com/SupportIphone.aspx
I've also been kicking around a workaround that just uses Google Voice for texting, but that would be a last resort.
I'm hoping you or other forum members can help direct me to what my family needs.
It is important for consumers to know that an unlocked device is not an assurance that such device will;
- operate on any other carrier's network due to technical differences between carriers networks (for example, U.S. Cellular operates a CDMA network while some carriers operate GSM networks which are incompatible)
- or, if it does operate on another network, perform all of the functions that it performed on the U.S. Cellular network
- be accepted by any carrier for use on their network even if the device is compatible with that network to some degree.
Can I carrier "unlock" my U.S. Cellular phone?
Yes, but it depends on how you define "unlock", for instance CDMA only phones are locked with a simple 6 digit code of all zeros that will allow you to reprogram or "flash" it to another CDMA network.
If you have a non-iPhone 4G LTE device released before April 2015, it can only be unlocked to work with other CDMA/LTE networks, it will NOT work with GSM/W-CDMA(UMTS)/HSPA+ networks. Most Samsung and LG 4G LTE smartphones released on USCC will work with T-Mobile, but only with LTE. You must also be in a VoLTE enabled area and have a VoLTE capable device to make calls with a unlocked USCC device.
....
Why can't I use GSM on my non-iPhone 4G LTE USCC device?
Non-iPhone 4G LTE devices released before April 2015 are not certified by the FCC to operate on GSM, thus federal regulations require non-certified bands to be permanently disabled. Most USCC devices such as the S4 and Mega don't even have GSM hardware, it's been completely stripped off the phone. You may be able to activate your unlocked USCC device on a GSM network that supports VoLTE, but this is not guaranteed.
....
I have an iPhone from U.S. Cellular, does it come pre-unlocked like the Verizon model?
Partially, all iPhones from U.S. Cellular are already unlocked for use outside with GSM networks outside of the United States, but are locked to U.S. Cellular within in the United States and must be unlocked in order to activate on another network within the United States.
....
How do I use my U.S. Cellular iPhone with another network in the United States?
You will either need to call customer service or visit a U.S. Cellular store to have your iPhone unlocked, the rep will fill out a work-order request with the iPhone's IMEI number and will send it off to be unlocked. This process takes around a day to complete.
So I guess I am saving some money each month but from the way I'm looking at it (and maybe I'm looking at it wrong), the cost savings are not dramatic. Your thoughts?
Bottom line in your situation? I'd go Consumer Cellular first, Selectel second - with Consumer Cellular being the option that needs the least amount of potential hardware replacement.
So, technically no to the S4 for GSM service, even though technically the hardware specs say it should be able to; and yes to the 5c for GSM service, but you still have to actually carrier unlock despite what USCC's official carrier unlock FAQ says. Theoretically you might be able to take them to activate on a Sprint or (more likely) Verizon MVNO (that is, assuming either network has sufficient native coverage for your area), but it's a bit of a hot mess and I can't promise squat. YMMV. I'm still going to encourage you to contact these CDMA LTE MVNOs (Ting CDMA [Sprint + Verizon/USCC voice/SMS roaming], Selectel [Verizon + Sprint/USCC voice/SMS roaming]) to double check and confirm the ability to activate (or not) after carrier unlocking (which you can only do after you complete the contract later this year) before ditching the S4, however.
So, technically no to the S4 for GSM service, even though technically the hardware specs say it should be able to; and yes to the 5c for GSM service, but you still have to actually carrier unlock despite what USCC's official carrier unlock FAQ says. Theoretically you might be able to take them to activate on a Sprint or (more likely) Verizon MVNO (that is, assuming either network has sufficient native coverage for your area), but it's a bit of a hot mess and I can't promise squat. YMMV. I'm still going to encourage you to contact these CDMA LTE MVNOs (Ting CDMA [Sprint + Verizon/USCC voice/SMS roaming], Selectel [Verizon + Sprint/USCC voice/SMS roaming]) to double check and confirm the ability to activate (or not) after carrier unlocking (which you can only do after you complete the contract later this year) before ditching the S4, however.
When you say Verizon/USCC and Sprint/USCC -- is that "US Ceulllar = USCC" ? Does this mean that with those providers we would still be using the USCC network? That would eliminate the big unknown of how our service would be, since we already know USCC is good. Or am I misunderstanding?
Let me clarify: Ting CDMA's primary network is Sprint with roaming on Verizon and US Cellular; Selectel's primary network is Verizon with roaming on Sprint and US Cellular. Neither MVNO permits data access when roaming on non-native towers. Make sense?
I managed to unlock the old XT907 I got and ordered a SIM card from CC to try it out. I'm going to test reception/availability first before making a decision. Your advice has been a great help! I'm glad you have a donate button on your page.
Do you have a recommendation of a reputable Ebay or Amazon shop that sells used, clean phones?
(I'm still deciding between Airvoice, Selectel, and TMobile.)
Thanks!
I'm looking to move to an AT&T MNVO that can support iPhones. I noticed that Cricket Wireless wasn't mentioned in IP Daley's superguide and I was wondering why? Is it the fact that they seem to be driving the smaller guys out of the market or is there more to it?
Trying to refill a phone with Airvoice and getting a 404 error at airvoicewireless.com.
I hope this is a glitch and not an omen.
Tried to hook up Localphone for outgoing calls while on wifi but after days of working with their tech support it is still shaky call quality (sporadic one way audio and echos). So I am now trying out VOIP.ms which seems great from the start, unfortunately not as inexpensive though. We're doing this as a trial month to see how many minutes we can off load to VOIP before making the switch off of US Cellular.
Tried to hook up Localphone for outgoing calls while on wifi but after days of working with their tech support it is still shaky call quality (sporadic one way audio and echos). So I am now trying out VOIP.ms which seems great from the start, unfortunately not as inexpensive though. We're doing this as a trial month to see how many minutes we can off load to VOIP before making the switch off of US Cellular.
I spoke too soon. Am having a terrible time trying to get VoIP working. I'm experiencing great calls at first, but after a few minutes the person on the other end of the line complains I am breaking up and it is choppy. I've spent a lot of time with the Voip.ms staff trying to figure out the problem and gotten nowhere. We've tried different codecs, router settings, etc -- it's a shame we have this blazingly fast cable internet connection that can't for some reason support a simple voice telephone call. I've talked with my ISP and we've done speed tests and it all looks fine. I'm at a loss with what to do now. I don't know if this solution will work for us and that is a shame.
I'm at a loss with what to do now. I don't know if this solution will work for us and that is a shame.
What's our cheapest option?
For between $15-20, maybe consider the Blu Tank II or Z3 off Amazon. They'll be no-frills, 2G, quad band GSM handsets that should work in Italy and on T-Mobile here in the US (dual SIM, too, not that you'll need it)... and they'll be cheap, but built a smidge better than most of the burner phone crap that's new at this price point and sold in airport duty free shops. If you want more out of the phones, then we'll talk more later... but those should work for what you're needing on the handset end. 3G feature phone handsets will only get more expensive, and we enter into the used market to keep 'em cheap and/or needing to look at options that needs to ensure carrier unlocking has (or can) be done.
So, am I looking for a feature phone, an inexpensive smart phone? What are my options?
I don't do data, although I wouldn't mind occasionally doing so.
Will I be able to simply move that over to the Lumia?
Any ideas for me?
There's a lot of lower-end smartyphones, new and used, but they're not as robust as I'd like for recommendation sake. If a feature phone can easily handle the sort of data you're after, it'd probably be the better option for the money for overall durability, portability and battery life. As for reasonably durable and cheap smartphones, the Nokia/Microsoft Lumia series isn't too shabby, durability wise. There's also older, used Samsung Galaxy Active handsets, though I'd avoid the S3. It really just comes down to what you're wanting your tool to do specifically beyond call and text.
I would appreciate any help and suggestions.
I pulled up the historical usage data for last year when she was home during the summer and for the holidays, and it looks like when we are both using the service we average right under 1.5 GB for data per month. Mine is always under 0.1 GB. Hers seems to be around 1.2-1.4 GB. Average minutes for the 2 of us appear to be under 150 and texts under 100. Looking at some historical data, I am always under 100 minutes, and generally around 50 or texts.
Thank you very much! This is very helpful. After re-reading your message very carefully I reached the same conclusion. Ting GSM with existing phones makes the most sense. Now I need to figure out how to execute the switch with minimal interruptions :-)
Thank you again.
...
3) You're going to need a phone with at least GSM support with at minimum the four major bands (850/900/1800/1900MHz) to go globetrekking, whether you use local providers or or international roaming SIM cards like KnowRoaming (https://www.knowroaming.com/) or Truphone SIM (https://www.truphone.com/us/consumer/sim/). Check out what Dude linked as well as the prices with the two I've mentioned, but remember that you're likely going to have to get a carrier unlocked GSM phone specifically for any of these solutions to work due to your current phones being Verizon CDMA.
...
I am considering shelling out the $20 for the knowroaming sticker for summer travel, but the lack of SMS forwarding is kind of a doozie. I guess it beats not being reachable at all. Not that I particularly need or want to be reached.
IP Daley, are you familiar with RingPlus?
And while we're at it, my wife and I are both on Verizon with a pair of Gen5 iPhones (5s and 5c).
[snip]
Any thoughts on switching phones to use RingPlus vs. trying a Verizon MVNO option like Selectel?
You clearly don't realize this, but you're holding magical golden tickets. I'm no iPhone fan, but for handset portability away from Verizon, you have two of the easiest to take out of Verizon LTE handsets that Big Red sells... and they're already carrier unlocked! You can take those phones not only to any Verizon MVNO you like, but also any T-Mobile MVNO you like and any AT&T MVNO that Apple has blessed as being supported, and if you don't mind losing MMS/iMessage support, even the AT&T MVNO options open up full and wide.
do some app and system specific data access tweaking
Good to know! But wait, I've been under the impression that CDMA phones don't function on GSM networks, so, if we decide to keep the phones we have already, I would have discounted anything outside of Verizon MVNOs. Is that not the case? Is P'tel suddenly a good option for us?
Switching off access to our multimedia-heavy data-hog apps instead is the perfect middle solution, so thank you very much for that!
This means that although you can't activate Sprint handsets on Verizon and Verizon handsets on Sprint (or US Cellular, etc.)
Does this not apply to Sprint MVNOs (since you mentioned Ting earlier)?
Is P'tel suddenly a good option for us?
We ended March with 25.2 million clients in the U.S. following net disconnections of 458 thousand subs in the quarter, most of them under the TracFone, a voice only brand, and SafeLink brand. As regards the latter, we must de-enroll subscribers that did not confirm continued eligibility as of December 31st.
The quarter’s revenues of 1.8 billion dollars were down 3.3% compared to the prior year as a result of a 22.0% decline in equipment revenues. Service revenues were slightly lower than last year, -0.5%, reflecting the loss of TracFone and SafeLink clients although ARPU was up 1.4% to 21 dollars per user.
EBITDA declined 24.2% from a year before to 162 million dollars. The EBITDA margin stood at 9.2% down from 11.8% in the year-earlier quarter. We have intensified marketing for our StraightTalk brand, which continues to show solid growth in what remains a very competitive environment.
It's no secret that there's no love lost between myself and Carlos Slim's MVNOs. That said, it has not been a good quarter for America Movil in general (http://www.americamovil.com/amx/en/cm/reports/Q/1Q16.pdf), but far more troubling is their US numbers:QuoteWe ended March with 25.2 million clients in the U.S. following net disconnections of 458 thousand subs in the quarter, most of them under the TracFone, a voice only brand, and SafeLink brand. As regards the latter, we must de-enroll subscribers that did not confirm continued eligibility as of December 31st.
The quarter’s revenues of 1.8 billion dollars were down 3.3% compared to the prior year as a result of a 22.0% decline in equipment revenues. Service revenues were slightly lower than last year, -0.5%, reflecting the loss of TracFone and SafeLink clients although ARPU was up 1.4% to 21 dollars per user.
EBITDA declined 24.2% from a year before to 162 million dollars. The EBITDA margin stood at 9.2% down from 11.8% in the year-earlier quarter. We have intensified marketing for our StraightTalk brand, which continues to show solid growth in what remains a very competitive environment.
Some of those losses are due to continued changes in the FCC's Lifeline program, but a lot of it is not. This is the second quarter in a row with net loss subscribers for the 800lb gorilla MVNO operator in the US, after having years of steady growth. This is not a good sign. If king gorilla is starting to hurt, I can only imagine how much harder it's getting for the other, smaller independents.
Without fair wholesale access and pricing, this prepaid data price war that AT&T, T-Mobile and Sprint are doing through their respective Cricket, MetroPCS and Boost Mobile sub-brands are reducing competition and true market diversity. We lost P'tel at the end of January, and now even Tracfone is posting losses. It took the third party MVNO wholesalers in this country over 15 years to even pop these lower price mobile floodgates open. What is going to happen to prices when the core mobile network operators eventually put the wholesale companies that created and sustained service to this decades-neglected market segment out of business?
I'm again going to call for caution in the future. There's no telling what exactly is going to happen. If you're with one of the MVNOs that I've recommended, be alert, keep up with some industry (http://www.prepaidphonenews.com/) news (http://www.fiercewireless.com/), and have an escape plan in place if your phone number matters. Things are changing fast, and not for the better. That said, don't support unethical and anti-competitive businesses and their practices in your move to save money. We're facing this problem because there's insufficient wireless regulation, and people are easily swayed by advertising saturation and an insatiable appetite for quantity over quality. Do what you can to help sustain competition instead of eliminating it.
Maybe there'll be MVNO consolidation as smaller players struggle to compete and economies of scale win out?
Even if the situation does pan out as you predict, the carriers will still compete with each other.
Here it seems that the smaller independent MVNOs are getting squeezed by the big carriers at the retail level rather than at the wholesale level. Many of the plans I've seen by the major MVNOs here (at least at the $30 and over price point) don't offer that much more for the money than the equivalent plan from the major carriers.
Bottom line is, I now have my own personal [half of a] backup server sitting in the uni's server room, which my laptop backs up its drive to, nightly. This could add up to hundreds of gigabytes of traffic a month, which is probably not very compatible with the current trend of providers having caps on the absolute amount of data transferred (I couldn't care less about the speed, though, since it's all automatically done at night while I'm asleep). As of right now, my family happens to live in a house on which a certain local provider has a monopoly, so we're stuck with a slightly overpriced but thankfully unlimited plan. I am planning on moving out in the foreseeable future, though, and would like some suggestions for a Mustachian solution to this.
...use incremental backups...We do use them, of course, otherwise it would've eaten up HDD space as well as provider caps. That, however, is sometimes still not enough to prevent rsync from transferring gigabytes of data because I moved something to another directory.
f you're seriously worried about using tons of data and you have regular physical access to the university network the server is hosted in and given you're talking a laptop? A combination of about 90% sneakernet and 10% internal university network data transfers on campus for your full backup runs would be the best way to do it without eating through data caps at home.That's basically what I did for the initial uploading, except that it was 100% university network, (Since I didn't have physical access to the racks back then. This was the critical part of my friend's admin powers, second only to the fact that he was able to acquire three half-dead servers for free to pull parts from).
All this said? Be selective about what you back up in the first place, and only back up what matters. Don't waste bandwidth and rackspace storage on the operating system, on applications (for example, your office suite or a Steam profile if you have one), or digital entertainment flotsam like music and videos, and/or just keep your duplicates of those entertainment files stored on an SD card or two on your phone or tablet (if you have either) or a USB drive instead. By eliminating backups of your software as well as MP3 and AVI files (for example), you're likely going to eliminate the need for about 95% of the storage space and bandwidth needed to back up your system by eliminating the common.Now this is a great proposition, except that:
Lastly, remember this with data backups: If you only have one backup copy of a file you can't afford to lose, you don't have it backed up enough.Yep, that is what hit me on that trip: I had an external HDD with me, but it died earlier on that same trip.
The real critical stuff that doesn't get changed/updated too often?I use an encrypted microSD card for that (although I probably should have two). Regarding your safe deposit box proposition: It does get changed/updated once in a while and going to the bank to rewrite it seems a pretty terrible thing to do. And then there's the fact that I'd also be paying a hefty rate to store under a gigabyte of data securely.
That, however, is sometimes still not enough to prevent rsync from transferring gigabytes of data because I moved something to another directory.
That's basically what I did for the initial uploading, except that it was 100% university network
But my concern is, once again, with what happens when I move out of my parents' home. That not only means I'll probably be stuck with a data-capping provider, but also that I'll be geographically far from the university.
- I do backup my rootfs because it contains tons of custom configs and uses only 10G anyway (that includes all the programs as well, since half of those configs are for them and because separating them from the OS is a tricky proposition). Quickly getting a working computer with everything you need to do your [job/science/homework/whatever] is also a pretty important thing.
- Having all the digital media "up there" is also one of the purposes of this thing. First, because it's nice to have access to your stuff when you're away (which includes those smartphone/tablets), and second, because losing the media collection hurts as well. I had to leave it all behind in favor of the more critical files and I'm still missing some of it. This might constitute a certain form of stuff-hoarding, though...
Anyway, I'm not as crazy about it as with the rest, so it's just a mirror without any history or whatever.
Regarding your safe deposit box proposition: It does get changed/updated once in a while and going to the bank to rewrite it seems a pretty terrible thing to do. And then there's the fact that I'd also be paying a hefty rate to store under a gigabyte of data securely.
Sneakernet is physically walking your data to a location for data transfer. For the sake of clarity, when I say 90% sneakernet and 10% local network? It means physically taking the laptop to the university to use their LAN to upload. That is exactly what you did.Well, okay. (In my books, sneakernet constitutes not only bringing the data on a physical medium, but also plugging that medium directly into the target machine once you're there.)
1) View it as hoarding with your entertainment media. I know you're mixing work and pleasure with your computer, but it's the work that's actually going to impact your life and hurt you if you experience data loss. This isn't to say that you don't have to back it up as well, but don't do remote backups and waste precious bandwidth by using the uni server to do so. Digital media entertainment is a form of hedonic adaptation, if you lose it, it only hurts if you're not flexible enough to derive enjoyment from other forms of media to fill the gap if you need that sort of thing. Losing commercial music and video files is a personal inconvenience, nothing more. Treat it as such.Hrmph, okay. I'll have to work on that.
2) This is the more important one. Custom config files? Just back those up manually. It's unlikely you tweak those configs on a regular basis as it's the sort of thing that's set-and-forget. That's the easiest.I am indeed running *nix (Debian sid to be precise), but as I said, keeping a full copy of my root filesystem is not a problem since it's a drop in the bucket anyway, in exchange for a guaranteed-working system in case of a drive failure.
However, if you're really wanting to back up your OS, again, don't do it to a remote server! The way you're talking at points, I highly suspect you're running some flavor of *nix on your laptop.
If that's the case, ask for help or learn how to spin custom install media so you can do a fresh install of your OS and all your apps with custom config files, and keep a USB drive around to reinstall with. I personally run Ubuntu at home, I stick with LTS releases, and I don't run stock config. However, I can do a fresh base install of the OS with all my apps and changes along with security updates and patches in under an hour with nothing more than the vanilla ISO, though I could modify the install media if I wanted. It doesn't even need to be a custom spun install disk, you can even do it with a simple bash script that has a few APT and CP lines to automate installing all your programs and customizing them with your tweaked config files that'd weigh in at just a few bytes. This is the power of not-Windows.
Safe deposit boxes are for more than digital media. There will eventually be things in your life that you may find yourself needing a safe deposit box for. It's secure, off-site storage, and you store things worth the money spent to keep it safe there. If you don't ever see the value in a safe deposit box, there's still at least fire safes either in your house and/or at other people's (read family and trusted life-long friends) houses.That is more or less exactly my point. There may be things in my life that I'll find myself needing a safe deposit box for. When that day comes, putting a flash drive in as well will be a no-brainer. But right now, if it is the only thing I'd put in there, paying for the storage seems ridiculous. Paying for it on the assumption that one day I'll put something else in as well is no less ridiculous, as I could just as well not pay until that fateful day comes.
Well, okay. (In my books, sneakernet constitutes not only bringing the data on a physical medium, but also plugging that medium directly into the target machine once you're there.)
I am indeed running *nix (Debian sid to be precise), but as I said, keeping a full copy of my root filesystem is not a problem since it's a drop in the bucket anyway, in exchange for a guaranteed-working system in case of a drive failure.
But right now, if it is the only thing I'd put in there, paying for the storage seems ridiculous.
In any case, I see what you're getting at. Expend efforts&money according to how valuable the data in question are.
Thanks for the advice.
Has anyone heard of usmobile.com?
Am I analyzing this correctly?
Am I analyzing this correctly?
Eeehhhhh... ish?
A few points of consideration regarding your plan (if you weren't aware):
1) RingPlus Fluidcall only handles voice calling, you cannot do SMS messaging over WiFi with your RingPlus number.
2) SMS messaging on RingPlus is charged at your plan's normal rate for SMS messages whether you're on Sprint's network or roaming.
3) RingPlus appears to be using standard Sprint roaming partners, so yes, you should get Verizon and US Cellular roaming coverage.
4) Data roaming is 55¢/MB, so you'll want to ensure data roaming is absolutely turned off - even if you keep mobile data off most of the time, especially if regular roaming is on - which you'll need for SMS usage at home unless you drag in Google Voice as your primary number so you can text over WiFi.
5) The first of two very important facts. Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) satellites have some physical distance between you on earth, themselves, and their internet access back on earth. This is the Achilles Heel of VSAT internet access: LATENCY. Round-trip well exceeds 500ms, and frequently pushes 750ms or longer. That's one-half to three-quarters of a full second. It takes that long because a signal travels 90,000 miles or more round trip from you to a remote server and back, and though we've figured out how to get signals to reliably travel slower than C (the speed of light), making it go faster has been a bit more of a challenge and starts getting us into some fuzzy, heavy, quantum mechanical cromulentosity. This means, we're at the mercy of physics when it comes to latency with your internet access.
6) The second of two very important facts. Most consumer-grade VoIP services aren't particularly well suited to handle latency much beyond 150ms, otherwise it starts to fall apart. There are a few codecs optimized for satellite usage (iLBC for example), but VoIP over VSAT can be a very difficult and challenging thing to take on. (I know this from professional field experience.) Skype is about the only off-the-shelf VoIP solution that can tolerate the latency involved with VSAT network access, if you can call the result... tolerable. There's a lot of talking over one another and dropped bits of dialog. Exede or Hughesnet have workable phone systems, they cost money, but if I were you? I'd still choose their prepackaged solution over trying to leverage my decades of knowledge over trying to replicate it because reliability matters. Skype works as a quick and dirty solution for civilian emergency/first response work in disaster work, but it's not... reliable.
7) RingPlus' Fluidcall VoIP implementation only officially uses the PCMU G.711μ codec which is one of those sub-150ms only codecs, and there's no plan at this point for supporting iLBC. Google Voice/Hangouts is also unfortunately a bit less tolerant of latency than Skype is, as well.
The problem isn't really a Sprint-US Cellular conflict. It's a solid idea, but it won't work worth spit for phone service without lower latency internet, which you can't get where you are. You're going to need phone service designed specifically for MEO VSAT latency if you forego mobile voice coverage and want to go VoIP. It's that or a landline. This is truly a case of pay for what you need, because using the usual price saving hacks aren't gonna work in your situation.
Hope this helps, but sorry it's not good news.
Are carrier certified (legal) cellular repeaters available in the US? Of course that might require service with one of the big four carriers, so it's probably not the most frugal option.
Would another network work better than US Cellular? Is there Verizon or AT&T coverage there?
And yeah, it sounds like a landline might be the only viable option otherwise. I guess it's the price one has to pay for living in a rural area.
The problem with boosters/amplifiers/repeaters is you still need a decent enough signal to work with in the first place in order to get any decent results. I'm not sure they'd have that, even with a good yagi antenna. This isn't to say it's not worth investigating, but it is a high price gamble if it doesn't work. One might also discover femtocells when exploring/researching these options, but they too require an internet connection with low latency to work.
SW Oregon is just one of those places... on the I-5 corridor is fine, but the instant you start wandering off that path, it starts getting sketchy. From worst to best coverage for the region, it goes Sprint, T-Mobile, AT&T, Verizon, US Cellular. I suspect the husband's StraightTalk phone is GSM/AT&T/T-Mo based, which gives you an idea of range (worse). US Cellular is literally the only mobile carrier to even build out into some of these rural areas, and in some of the more remote areas around Medford, US Cellular is about the only carrier for a couple hundred square miles in the region, so if USCC doesn't cover you, you literally don't have service. Going Sprint or Verizon MVNO with roaming (Ring Plus, Ting, Selectel), there's no advantage, both will give the same roaming results for MouseBandit given they all roam on USCC.
Yeah, probably not much luck, although depending on topography, a yagi mounted on the roof might work. Some rural folks here do that for Internet access, with the antenna connected to a 3G/4G modem, and can get service from towers tens of kilometres away. IIRC the fixed wireless component of the NBN here is based on LTE as well.
I didn't realise there were five US carriers, I thought there were just the four MNOs. :)
My next thing to test will be my old Samsung Galaxy US CELL phone, that I had unlocked or reprogrammed or something, to work with Spring network for Straight Talk. I could never get it "reset" to work with US Cell after that, but now maybe it will parlay right over to RingPlus. With a free service, and phone in hand, I see now reason to give it a try. Then, if it works as I am hoping it will, pay the fee to port over my cell number.
Problems with Google voice over data/Zoiper soft phone.
Hello, all. Thanks to this thread and to I. P. Daley's excellent communications guide, I've trimmed my personal phone bill down from about $40.00 a month to less than $3.00. This includes the money I spend with voip.ms making phone calls over WiFi. I did this by going on a data diet. I'm using TruPhone, which is very good, though there are a few irritations.
However, I'm starting to have trouble with my set up. To save money on texts, I use Google Voice and Hangouts on my old Samsung Galaxy S3 (yes, I know it's old and not very durable, but this was an old cast off of my husband's). It's running Android Jelly Bean. These two apps are set up to use background data. This system worked well for a while--and still works on WiFi. But lately I've noticed that neither of these apps works without WiFi. Messages get queued and sent/delivered only when I'm on WiFi. Any suggestions as to how to fix this?
To save money on phone calls, I use VOIP when on WiFI. We still have no landline, but I've installed Zoiper on my phone. I have two accounts: Voip.ms and also Circlenet. I occasionally have registration problems with these services. I can generally live with that. A stranger problem that I've encountered recently is sometimes when I make phone calls over VOIP, I hear ringing--two or three times, and then nothing. The call doesn't connect. Does anyone have any suggestions?
I'm becoming frustrated enough to reconsider my super cheap plan, but know that I'll end up leaving money on the table.
Thank you for your response. I'll resist the temptation to post my lengthy justification for my decisions that apparently make me "the kind of cheapskate who squeezes every dime instead of spending what's necessary" and say only that I guess it's time to move on to something else.
I feel sufficiently chastened (even shamed) for my cheapskate ways. I'll find some other solution. I can get unlimited t&t on my corporate AT&T plan for less than the price of one individual on Ting, and only slightly more than Airvoice Wireless and PureTalk's cheapest offerings. No data, but... Good bye MVNOs. Good bye VoIP. Sionara paygo. Welcome back post-paid!
Thank you for your response. I'll resist the temptation to post my lengthy justification for my decisions that apparently make me "the kind of cheapskate who squeezes every dime instead of spending what's necessary" and say only that I guess it's time to move on to something else.
I feel sufficiently chastened (even shamed) for my cheapskate ways. I'll find some other solution. I can get unlimited t&t on my corporate AT&T plan for less than the price of one individual on Ting, and only slightly more than Airvoice Wireless and PureTalk's cheapest offerings. No data, but... Good bye MVNOs. Good bye VoIP. Sionara paygo. Welcome back post-paid!
I'm concerned that I've reached some kind of cut-off with my OS that apps will start dropping off. If that's the case and I need to look at another phone, how "new" should I go?
How new should I go and be secure in that my phone will stay supported for a few years?
I.P. Daley peddling Microsoft wares... forget Brexit, NOW I have seen everything.
More seriously, they do make fine phones. My only pet peeve is the lack of real maps software.
Eh, the GPS bit is pretty good, but not as polished as Google's.I.P. Daley peddling Microsoft wares... forget Brexit, NOW I have seen everything.
More seriously, they do make fine phones. My only pet peeve is the lack of real maps software.
I know, I know. It's a little nutsy-cuckoo. Pretty sure there's a reference to both Microsoft putting out a good smartphone and me doing this as being two of the early harbingers of the apocalypse.
I'm guessing Here Maps hasn't really done it for you? Since I don't do GPS, I haven't exactly explored it too deeply yet myself, but it at least looks pretty competent. Should probably run it through some paces, though.
Edit: Nevermind. I just found out Microsoft depreciated Here Maps for Win 10 at the end of June in favor of their new in-house branded map... which is either great or terrible depending on who you ask.
Does anyone know if there is a simple phone guide I can use? I am reading through threads but am experiencing information overload.
Looking for a replacement phone service for my Dad.
He uses ~150 min/month (page plus... super cheap) and would like to try adding data.
Currently have a brand new Verizon smart phone (LG Optimus Zone 3) and an unlocked AT&T smart phone (Lumia 640) sitting at home, that I was hoping to put to use if I can find a cost effective plan.
thank you for the wealth of information. I was researching PureTalk (your link went to BatMobile)
- do you know how I can determine how far 50 MB of data will get him?
- do you want to provide a referral in case we go through this service?
I've considered just biting the bullet and upgrading to their new plan ($20 a month for unlimited talk/text and 1GB data), but the $349 price tag for a new Moto X has given me pause. I know you don't care for Republic Wireless; are there any other MVNO offerings at the $20/1GB data price point (talk/text don't matter so much to me)?
I'm looking at the $10 talk and text plan from Airvoice Wireless, but some details are unclear. You mentioned in an earlier post that unused credits are rolled over, and seemed to imply that the $10 could be used for any combination of talk, text, and data. If I don't talk or text much, could I use all of that $10 for data at $.066/MB? If I needed to go over that amount, would I still be billed at $.066/MB?
Regarding hardware options, you mention in the superguide that it is Trivially easy to BYOD as they’re an AT&T GSM carrier. Is there an easy way to compare phones that fall into this category? I'd like a physical keyboard, though it isn't a dealbreaker, and I'm already familiar with Android and the Play store for apps. I don't mind switching to another OS if there is a good reason to do so, but I'm not sure how apps and app stores are handled outside Android and iOS.
If T-Mobile only coverage is good for your area, look into US Mobile (https://www.usmobile.com/plans). It's like Ting's price structure, but better targeted price-wise for individual line accounts.
There is. GSM Arena (http://www.gsmarena.com/search.php3) is a good option, as is Phone Scoop (http://www.phonescoop.com/phones/finder.php). Basically, any 3G GSM 850/1900MHz phone will work with either AT&T or T-Mobile. You don't start getting into squirrely data band requirements unless you're chasing after LTE data bands, and that's where AT&T and T-Mobile start to drift heavily.
As for physical keyboards, even I have finally accepted that the party is pretty well over.
I finally just folded and gave up, and switched to Windows Phone. The touchscreen keyboard is decent (Biggest complaint about the Word Flow keyboard I have? My fingers don't always slide smoothly swiping on the touchscreen.), and the OS is the least terrible smartphone platform I've used as they seem to have taken the best parts of iOS and Android and combined it together with a consistent UI and an aggressively effective data restriction app. The app store is fine and works like every other one, though the major complaint there is that you can't remove apps that you've downloaded and didn't like as they stay in your app database, even uninstalled. I'm currently using a Lumia 435 (an entry level model). It and the 640 (midrange) are probably the two biggest bang for buck handsets going right now, used. You should be able to obtain an unlocked, used 640 for around $50-60 tops.
I can't find a non-4G coverage map for T-Mobile, but since I live in Phoenix, AZ, I doubt it'll be a problem.
US Mobile's offerings look really good. I assume it and Ting's "buckets" work the same way - if I go over a limit it just bumps me up to the next bucket? E.g. on US Mobile if I use 251 MB of data 1 month I get billed for the 500 MB data bucket?
LTE = 4G = high-bandwidth applications such as Netflix, Pandora, and YouTube, correct? I've mostly weaned myself off of mobile audio/video streaming, but if I wanted to show someone a video on YouTube, would I be able to do it on 3G?
In a thread from September of last year you suggested these phones (http://www.gsmarena.com/results.php3?sMakers=9&s3Gs=UMTS850,UMTS1900&sFormFactors=4&idQwerty=1); from the URL I assume they meet the 3G GSM 850/1900MHz parameters you gave me above. Are they underpowered/obsolete/not ideal for my situation?
Thanks for the suggestion. I'll keep an eye out for a used 640 on eBay.
Yeah, the carriers like to confuse/hide what bands cover what areas. Regarding "4G" with T-Mobile, one must remember that they have "two" 4G services. One, which is actually 3.5G UMTS/HSPA+, and the other which is true 4G LTE. They're farming all their 1700/2100MHz AWS band service from HSPA+ to LTE, and they should actually be done with that by now. Basically, any GSM phone with LTE support for bands 2 and 4 will pretty much receive what signal T-Mobile is providing (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T-Mobile_US#Radio_frequency_spectrum_chart).
Unfortunately, it's not automated like Ting and Consumer Cellular are with going over on your plan settings. They'll notify you when you're running close to running out and you can purchase top-ups to provide more minutes/texts/data on the plan.
...
Absolutely. 3G HSPA+ data services are considered broadband and in the case of T-Mobile, are capable of up to 42Mbps. Basically, you're going to get plenty of throughput to stream if needed so long as you're not connected at 2G data speeds.
Those are getting harder to find, the prices aren't tracking lower, most of them are feature phones with many of them old enough to suffer from the same POODLE SSL issues that have bricked the older Nokias, and the remainder are Android handsets that you're only going to get moderately current and patched if its still supported by Cyanogenmod. Also, if you want to stream video to show people, you're just going to need a smartphone with a current OS.
They're going for a good price, and the AT&T handsets support the key T-Mobile LTE bands (https://www.att.com/cellphones/microsoft/lumia-640-prepaid.html#sku=undefined) that you're after.
So, to summarize, I should be on the lookout for a used Lumia 640, specifically from AT&T for proper band support, specifically the prepaid version so I don't have to mess with unlocking it. I can stick a $4 SIM card from US Mobile in it and be on my way. I can use your used phone guide to mitigate risk when making my purchase. Any other tips/suggestions?
Guess I'll stick to dreaming about physical keyboards.
it looks like you got it nailed down.
For a reliable phone that would be used for talk only, on an infrequent basis, what kind of phone would you recommend and where is the best place to buy one? Your website recommends 'the humble and end of life Nokia Symbian S60 platform' and '[any] modern Java MIDP 2.x feature phone operating system (or even Symbian S40) combined with a WiFi chipset is fine for personal communications usage with such solid offerings as the Samsung Ch@t line, the LG C series, some Alcatel OT handsets, and of course Nokia’s Asha line of phones.' Could you translate this into a couple of concrete phone suggestions?
Most of the old Nokias with physical keyboards at this point have been left broken network-wise with any useful mobile data services due to the SSL POODLE vulnerability, there's maybe the e72/e73 at this point, and it's just not worth the price premium.
In a thread from September of last year you suggested these phones (http://www.gsmarena.com/results.php3?sMakers=9&s3Gs=UMTS850,UMTS1900&sFormFactors=4&idQwerty=1); from the URL I assume they meet the 3G GSM 850/1900MHz parameters you gave me above. Are they underpowered/obsolete/not ideal for my situation?
Those are getting harder to find, the prices aren't tracking lower, most of them are feature phones with many of them old enough to suffer from the same POODLE SSL issues that have bricked the older Nokias...
For my area, it looks like TMobile and AT&T are the dominant providers. Would the Puretalk's $10 Senior AddVantage plan be a good phone plan option? (I'm over 55.) Do I have to do something to disable incoming texts, since I don't want to send/receive and pay for these?
Is there some kind of battery back up one can keep on continuous charge to have available in the event of a long-term power outtage?
Version 5.5.3 can access:
In-app purchases
Identity
find accounts on the device
add or remove accounts
Contacts
find accounts on the device
read your contacts
Location
precise location (GPS and network-based)
SMS
send SMS messages
receive text messages (SMS)
Phone
read phone status and identity
Photos/Media/Files
modify or delete the contents of your USB storage
read the contents of your USB storage
Storage
modify or delete the contents of your USB storage
read the contents of your USB storage
Device ID & call information
read phone status and identity
Other
modify app ops statistics
receive data from Internet
manage document storage
full network access
view network connections
create accounts and set passwords
read sync settings
toggle sync on and off
use accounts on the device
prevent device from sleeping
control vibration
install shortcuts
I am currently eying used, unlocked with clean ESN Samsung Galaxy S Relay 4G (http://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_galaxy_s_relay_4g_t699-4914.php) phones because of their QWERTY physical keyboards, threaded texts, good camera, and support by Cyanogenmod (never used it, but you recommend it, soo...). They are for T-Mobile, but should work with AT&T MVNOs, right?
In theory, I could use the GroupMe app, but I don't like the permissions list or that it is yet another Microsoft product.
-snip-
So what I would love is a way to be able to get the GroupMe conversation into Pidgin. I've figured out how to send texts via the AIM account I have set up in Pidgin, but I don't know what number to use to set up to receive texts in this GroupMe conversation. I know the short code that appears on my phone as the source of IM->text replies, but I couldn't add that to the GroupMe conversation.
So, my questions are:
1) Phone - yes or no?
2) How can I unload GroupMe conversation to computer without downloading MS junk or granting MS permission to do everything to my phone/computer? I think need some phone number that can just be added to the GroupMe conversation and then have the messages go straight into Pidgin. I'm sure someone else has figured out this one, but I can't find it. Maybe a VOIP phone number? I just don't understand enough about them to know if that would work.
(And have a good Sabbath.)
just switched to Linux a month ago, so no Windows 10 here!Lovely!
The only reason I have an interest in a smartphone as opposed to another dumbphone (feature phone?) is the ability to download text conversations to my computer. That <=1MB data usage is solely MMS picture texts. I don't use phones to browse the internet, performs GPS functions, or answer emails. If I bought the phone, installed CM, and then switched off almost all internet/data access to it, would it matter if the OS was never updated? I do not know much about the security side of software, especially not on phones.I once thought I couldn't imagine myself without a smartphone and mobile data anymore, but then it stopped recognizing my SIM card about half a year ago and I was forced to switch over to my dumb phone (which I keep for things like 2-week hikes). I've been using it ever since and don't really miss all the advanced connectivity stuff. The only problem, I guess, is the severely limited memory on my model, which forces me to delete most of the messages every week or so (punching the debit-card logs into gnucash first).
I really don't want to give up the physical keyboard. I find the touchscreen keyboards very difficult to use. I have narrow fingers, so maybe the tips are just too tacky.I strongly recommend getting something with a physical keyboard. They don't make any such devices anymore, unfortunately, but the old ones are still great, check out the HTC Desire Z or Sony Xperia [ray or something, I don't remember exactly]. Those are mostly limited to old android versions though; the Z did run 4.x CM but with a serious audio problem where the device would convert hideous amounts of power into heat when playing music. It might've been just that one ROM, though; they do sometimes get bugs like that. Anyway, those two should be dirt cheap now and are great devices. And if you're hardcore, you could get a Nokia N900, a physical-keyboard-enabled smartphone with none other than Debian (slightly modified) on board. (do note that they have a nasty habit of μUSB ports getting torn off the board by regular usage; that's what killed mine. So be sure to glue the port to the board with epoxy or something if you do get one of these beauties).
I'm of one of the standard Christian branches, so I won't be peaceful until 4 this evening, but thank you!
*snip*I really don't want to give up the physical keyboard. I find the touchscreen keyboards very difficult to use. I have narrow fingers, so maybe the tips are just too tacky.I strongly recommend getting something with a physical keyboard. They don't make any such devices anymore, unfortunately, but the old ones are still great, check out the HTC Desire Z or Sony Xperia [ray or something, I don't remember exactly]. Those are mostly limited to old android versions though; the Z did run 4.x CM but with a serious audio problem where the device would convert hideous amounts of power into heat when playing music. It might've been just that one ROM, though; they do sometimes get bugs like that. Anyway, those two should be dirt cheap now and are great devices. And if you're hardcore, you could get a Nokia N900, a physical-keyboard-enabled smartphone with none other than Debian (slightly modified) on board. (do note that they have a nasty habit of μUSB ports getting torn off the board by regular usage; that's what killed mine. So be sure to glue the port to the board with epoxy or something if you do get one of these beauties).
I'm of one of the standard Christian branches, so I won't be peaceful until 4 this evening, but thank you!
A different approach entirely would be to get a portable external input device, like a chorded keyboard. the Twiddler is one; Unfortunately they're hard to find used, except for the first COM&PS/2 version, which is unfortunately mostly useless today (presumably because the people who are geeky enough to buy one are also fond of the thing and use it for years). I haven't succeeded in getting one myself yet, and I'm starting to think I'm going to have to bite the bullet and buy a brand-new one. There's also the smartphone-oriented Octodon keyboard, which unfortunately is still in development (and, due to its smartphone-orientedness, not fitting my purpose of disposing with them entirely).
I am actually the same person from this thread (http://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/ask-a-mustachian/windows-7-to-linux-when-whether-help!) who just switched to Linux a month ago, so no Windows 10 here! I do have a Skype account, but it uses a junk email, fake name, and fake info. Making a GroupMe or MS overall account would require giving a real phone number. I may just stick with paying for these extra texts.
The only reason I have an interest in a smartphone as opposed to another dumbphone (feature phone?) is the ability to download text conversations to my computer. That <=1MB data usage is solely MMS picture texts. I don't use phones to browse the internet, performs GPS functions, or answer emails. If I bought the phone, installed CM, and then switched off almost all internet/data access to it, would it matter if the OS was never updated? I do not know much about the security side of software, especially not on phones.
I really don't want to give up the physical keyboard. I find the touchscreen keyboards very difficult to use. I have narrow fingers, so maybe the tips are just too tacky.
I'm of one of the standard Christian branches, so I won't be peaceful until 4 this evening, but thank you!
I am actually the same person from this thread (http://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/ask-a-mustachian/windows-7-to-linux-when-whether-help!) who just switched to Linux a month ago, so no Windows 10 here! I do have a Skype account, but it uses a junk email, fake name, and fake info. Making a GroupMe or MS overall account would require giving a real phone number. I may just stick with paying for these extra texts.
Sorry about that, everything just kind of blurs together after a while.
Regarding "giving a real phone number"? If you're using GroupMe already, actual app or not, they already have your phone number. *shrugs*
I also fiddled around a bit with GroupMe and more fully researched the fool thing (because I've been needing to anyway), and it looks like you can log into and use the account from the website (https://web.groupme.com/signin), and can create a stand-alone account without tying an MS account into the mix.
So, I spent way too many hours on this yesterday and I actually did find a way that should get some texting to work through Pidgin. If one gets an SMS-enabled DID and VOIP service through Vitelity (which is the supplier of services to voip.ms, according to posters on dslreviews, but according to its FAQs is fine with tiny accounts), they actually have a tutorial on getting it set up in Pidgin (http://www.vitelity.com/blog/2013/05/vitelity-101-sms-enabled-dids-webinar-recording/)! As far as I can find, it works because Vitelity converts the messages between SMS and XMPP. It's designed for businesses, but it looks like it works for individuals. I would be paying $1.49/month for Vitelity's service, but that's not bad for unmetered texting that would fit all my criteria.
Are there any MVNOs that work on US Cellular network?
Thank you. The first two you mentioned, Selectel and Ting, don't work in the three places that I want to make sure I have phone service. (Broken Bow, OK, Franklin, MO, and Bismarck, MO) My husband actually has the $40 Pine plan now, but since we moved to Missouri, his bill has been over $80/month. We talk and text a lot, but we use less than 1GB of data. In looking around, I found out that Google fi is partnered with US Cellular. Is there any reason not to go with google fi? I think that our consumer cellular bill would be about the same ($30 for talk, $20 for text and data, $10 for us to both have a line.) , but we would get money back for the data we don't use with google fi.
I'm concerned that I've reached some kind of cut-off with my OS that apps will start dropping off. If that's the case and I need to look at another phone, how "new" should I go?
Sounds like you're in a good place with nothing to lose here. As much as there might be hardware issues, it might just be software issues with the phone needing a little love and a bit of an OS refresh.
If you're even remotely technically inclined (or know someone who is), it might be worth looking into CyanogenMod (https://wiki.cyanogenmod.org/). Depending on your specific model of S3 (https://wiki.cyanogenmod.org/w/Devices#vendor="Samsung";searchable="s iii";), there are several pre-built versions of CM12 and 13 available (equivalent to Android 5.x Lollipop and 6.x Marshmallow) that'll help fight off the planned obsolescence issue a bit longer, especially if it fixes your WiFi issue at the same time. The price is right (free), and it might help squeeze a bit more life out of that phone yet... heck, it might even run better than you're used to.How new should I go and be secure in that my phone will stay supported for a few years?
The problem is as you're discovering is forced planned obsolescence from the manufacturers. The best way around this if you want to continue to sup from Google is to buy/use mainstream Android handsets that're supported by CyanogenMod and take the effort to do the firmware swap or spend the premium on a Nexus device and still have the forced obsolescence happen not quite as quickly and still be left resorting to CyanogenMod to squeak out a bit more time. This isn't to say that there aren't quite a number of great independently spun firmware replacements floating around places like XDA (http://forum.xda-developers.com/) for various model Android handsets both mainstream and offbeat, but for every good one out there, there's some serious crap and compromised options as well. It's just easier and you're guaranteed a cleaner, safer and better timely update supported Android build going mainstream CM. It's kinda hard to escape, and Apple is just as bad about it.
That said? If the banking apps you're after are available on Windows Phone (https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/store/search/apps?q=banking) (and honestly they're usually just an HTML5 webpage/app wrapper for the most part), and you really want to do all your banking from an insecure wireless device like a smartphone (I refuse to trade security for convenience, myself, YMMV), consider a used unlocked Lumia like the 640 (running between $50-70)... Microsoft is actively continuing to update the platform and develop WP10 despite the ballyhooed cries from the tech media about Windows Phone being dead, they're dirt cheap (partly because they sold for cheap and everyone thinks the platform is dead now), they're pretty robust, the OS is light and responsive, the UI is consistent and very usable, it's simple to migrate your user data from other phones to the thing, the "app gap" is nearly non-existent at this point, battery life is good, batteries are end-user replaceable, mobile data usage is low, and it's easy to purge the carrier bloatware from 'em.
I've been very slow and curmudgeonly about abandoning my older QWERTY handsets and less "advanced" phones like the Nokia C3 and the Blackberry 9900... I've been very vocal about my dislike of both iOS and Android, and I even mourned the Nokia buyout and death of Symbian OS at the hands of Microsoft. Now, I'm not saying Windows Phone is perfect (hardly), but from my broad experiences it delivers on what Nadella has been promising, which is a platform that stands out from the competition in a good way. It's the least terrible smartphone platform out there, IMHO, and I now carry a Lumia 435. I spent $20 on the thing, and outside of build quality (the plastic case and camera photo quality give away the fact that it's an entry level phone - but it still feels pretty solid and well built), it's literally been the nicest, fastest, and easiest smartphone I've had the misfortune of using or owning. Everything just works....
...and this endorsement comes from someone who has had a standing and public 15 year grudge against Microsoft as a *nix admin. I still won't run Windows 10 on my desktop, but I will use their phones. They're no nonsense, they play nice with everyone else's cloud services, I don't have to store my contacts on Microsoft's servers, and I can even sync my Lumia with Evolution on my Ubuntu desktop. It's a bit surreal both experiencing and sharing this, but it's true. Take that however you will.
It's hard to dodge the whole planned obsolescence, you are the product due to privacy concerns and big data, and pending SaaS financial milking that everyone is driving towards with these devices... but for the time, you could do much worse for a $50 smartphone.
I wiped my phone and installed CM; however, I'm having trouble reinstalling my old apps. I can log in to my Google Play account, but it says my apps are still installed on my device and doesn't give me the option to reinstall. I'd be willing to forgo using my Google account to manage my apps, but I'm not familiar with any alternatives.
Edit: It turns out you need to download the ROM for Google Play and flash it at the same time you do the OS. Cyanogen seems to be working out okay so far. It's quite different from the factory OS so it'll take some getting used to.
I.P., do you have any recommendations on VoIP apps?
I.P., do you have any recommendations on VoIP apps?
For Android? Csipsimple, but you'll need a VoIP provider that offers a phone number (DID) to receive calls to your Google Voice number.
You might need to check quality of service settings on your router, though.
Point is - Ting ends up being way overpriced for my current usage.
I was looking at pay-as-you-go plans and discovered Tello. It's a Sprint MNVO with similar tiers as well as prepaid stuff. I realized with my current usage that I would be paying $7-$8/mo with their prepaid stuff, or $9-$10 for their tiered plans. Plus the voip.ms fees, which were a whole $0.74 for 74 minutes last month.
Have you (or anyone else) tried them? Any horror stories that I should be aware of? Any other concerns?
Anyway... Tello. I'm guessing you're considering Tello due to currently being a Ting CDMA customer, and not a Ting GSM customer? If you're on Ting GSM or your CDMA/LTE phone has sufficient T-Mobile GSM band support and is carrier unlocked, it might be worth mentioning US Mobile (https://www.usmobile.com/). If we're firmly still in the Sprint CDMA only camp, I'd be more inclined to mention/reiterate Eco Mobile (https://www.ecomobile.com/). Their PAYGO prices aren't as cheap as Tello, but there's a reason for that.
Lastly, their data billing policy is a bit... loaded in favor of the house. Minimum data usage billed per session is 100KB, which means just checking your email ten times over mobile data can potentially be billed as a full 1MB of data use. Most other MVNOs bill per actual KB used no matter the session length, and I frankly haven't seen such blatantly grabby data billing practices as theirs outside of AT&T's GoPhone.
That work?
At my current usage rate (~100 MB and ~400 SMS), EcoMobile ends up being more expensive than Ting. As I said I'm working on lowering my SMS usage, but I'm not there yet.
Yes, currently a Ting CDMA customer. Switching to GSM means either downgrading to an older phone or getting a new phone. My current phone (s4) still works fine and has pretty good AOSP support.
Depending on how technical you're inclined to be (and I'm guessing you're reasonably so given the AOSP namecheck), even though Sprint can't/won't do DSU unlocking on the SPH-L720, it's not impossible to get domestic GSM/UMTS operational for AT&T/T-Mobile use on this handset given the thing has hardware support for GSM/UMTS 850/1900. Depending on the specific model of S4, I've even heard report of LTE 850/1900 band support. There's a few guides over at XDA (http://forum.xda-developers.com/galaxy-s4-sprint/general) worth rifling through, though I haven't tried any of them personally so I can't vouch for linked file integrity or guide accuracy with any of the myriad instructions.
Thanks again!
I'm currently spending $29.90 (for 28 days) on my mobile (3GB quota), and $59.95 a month for my ADSL (250GB quota).I know a guy who does that. His connectivity is horrendous, but YMMV. Try tethering for a day or two before cancelling your ADSL.
There are mobile plans coming with more and more data, even from the majors (Optus currently has a $50 per month SIM-only plan with 15GB data, and so does Vodafone).
I'm thinking that it's almost worth cancelling my ADSL, bumping up my mobile plan and tethering for my Internet. On a typical month I only use about 30-40GB, and I could cut that a bit.
Has anyone else done this? :)
Can't believe I'm paying just a few bucks more for effectively unlimited LTE on a real phone as I was paying for 3G on that shitty old android phone courtesy of republic wireless. In retrospect, it was not the best deal ever. IP, you especially might find me saying this rather cathartic.
New dilemma: what to do about my phone as Apple decided to stop supporting the 4s. Do I need to upgrade or can I just ignore the lack of support and keep on using the phone? If upgrade, do I get a 6s or an older model? Would like stay in the iPhone family since it makes communicating with my daughter who is abroad much easier. Any suggestions?
Is there any specific Windows phone that you would recommend? If I go with an iPhone, I am looking at 6s which currently runs $550. Ideally I would like to spend much less than this and still get the functionality I am used to.
Is there any specific Windows phone that you would recommend? If I go with an iPhone, I am looking at 6s which currently runs $550. Ideally I would like to spend much less than this and still get the functionality I am used to.
If you're doing banking (honestly, there's not enough money in the world to get me to put sensitive banking information on a smartphone), it might be best to check to ensure your bank has an app, first. (Check for all apps you use, and for the record, Snapchat isn't supported.) As for model? The Lumia 640 LTE is an amazing handset for the money (used, carrier unlocked for under $75), but if you're wanting something more fancypants that does touch payments and the like, the Lumia 950 is a solid choice at under $300 refurbished/used.
The banking I do on the phone is limited to my checking account that doesn't have that much in it at any given point in time - I'm willing to live with the risk. But it looks like my current bank only has an Apple and Android app and same goes for Schwab where I have another account that I access from time to time :-(
So it seems that the main problem with a Windows phone is lack of apps...
Haha, check deposits are mostly what I do through the phone app... Saves me a trip to the bank. I'll have a look ar the windows phone over the weekend. Microsoft has a store at our local mall.The banking I do on the phone is limited to my checking account that doesn't have that much in it at any given point in time - I'm willing to live with the risk. But it looks like my current bank only has an Apple and Android app and same goes for Schwab where I have another account that I access from time to time :-(
So it seems that the main problem with a Windows phone is lack of apps...
So long as you're not doing anything like check deposits by phone, most all the features you need for management is probably just as doable anymore from a web browser as it is a dedicated app.
Is there a reason Cricket is not discussed as an alternative cell phone service provider?
Is there a reason Cricket is not discussed as an alternative cell phone service provider?
Here's a good synopsys and subsequent discussion (http://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/ask-a-mustachian/cricket-wireless-users-worth-the-savings/msg538461/#msg538461).
Long short, though, terms of service and support quality matters. Cricket fails both by the measure of standards I utilize with unreasonable terms of services, poor taxes no actual MVNOs charge, and shoddy customer support. Additionally, AT&T is playing dirty pool with their brand and their wholesale customers and data pricing. I don't like to reward bad behavior. As such, I don't feel comfortable recommending them not only for the sake of the people I help, but for the sake of the future health and market diversity of the MVNO industry.
For someone who wants 2 iPhones and combined uses about 3gb of data, < 1,000 text messages, and < 500 minutes... I'm thinking Ting may be the best option for us at this time. And it appears they have your blessing. Any specific concerns about Ting without having to read the whole thread?
For someone who wants 2 iPhones and combined uses about 3gb of data, < 1,000 text messages, and < 500 minutes... I'm thinking Ting may be the best option for us at this time. And it appears they have your blessing. Any specific concerns about Ting without having to read the whole thread?
No real concerns with Ting as a provider, and the wife and I are actually with them currently after P'tel went under (one of the casualties of the wholesale market undercutting practices that brands like Cricket have caused).
However, at the usage levels you speak of, Consumer Cellular would be the better choice between the two for the money. Your usage level pegs at $56+tax with Ting to provide the service tiers necessary to cover your needs, but for $60+tax with Consumer Cellular, your tier usage thresholds will be 1000 minutes, unlimited texts, and 3GB of data, and you have the option of AT&T with roaming coverage instead of just T-Mobile with roaming coverage.
That said? You could probably easily gut a lot of that data dependence resulting in considerably more savings with either provider, because 3GB even between two phones is a LOT of data. Try going on a data diet (http://www.techmeshugana.com/2013/12/what-is-mobile-media-costing-you/) and restrict your background data services and restrict a lot of background data usage (such as application and security updates) to WiFi only.
Is there a reason Cricket is not discussed as an alternative cell phone service provider?
Here's a good synopsys and subsequent discussion (http://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/ask-a-mustachian/cricket-wireless-users-worth-the-savings/msg538461/#msg538461).
Long short, though, terms of service and support quality matters. Cricket fails both by the measure of standards I utilize with unreasonable terms of services, poor taxes no actual MVNOs charge, and shoddy customer support. Additionally, AT&T is playing dirty pool with their brand and their wholesale customers and data pricing. I don't like to reward bad behavior. As such, I don't feel comfortable recommending them not only for the sake of the people I help, but for the sake of the future health and market diversity of the MVNO industry.
For someone who wants 2 iPhones and combined uses about 3gb of data, < 1,000 text messages, and < 500 minutes... I'm thinking Ting may be the best option for us at this time. And it appears they have your blessing. Any specific concerns about Ting without having to read the whole thread?
No real concerns with Ting as a provider, and the wife and I are actually with them currently after P'tel went under (one of the casualties of the wholesale market undercutting practices that brands like Cricket have caused).
However, at the usage levels you speak of, Consumer Cellular would be the better choice between the two for the money. Your usage level pegs at $56+tax with Ting to provide the service tiers necessary to cover your needs, but for $60+tax with Consumer Cellular, your tier usage thresholds will be 1000 minutes, unlimited texts, and 3GB of data, and you have the option of AT&T with roaming coverage instead of just T-Mobile with roaming coverage.
That said? You could probably easily gut a lot of that data dependence resulting in considerably more savings with either provider, because 3GB even between two phones is a LOT of data. Try going on a data diet (http://www.techmeshugana.com/2013/12/what-is-mobile-media-costing-you/) and restrict your background data services and restrict a lot of background data usage (such as application and security updates) to WiFi only.
It's probably Pokémon Go ;-).
No need for an app, just go to Settings -> Cellular. Scroll down and you can toggle cellular data for apps. All the way at the bottom you can reset to zero. Then check over the next week or so to see what the data hog is.
Onavo Extend
Is there a reason Cricket is not discussed as an alternative cell phone service provider?
Here's a good synopsys and subsequent discussion (http://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/ask-a-mustachian/cricket-wireless-users-worth-the-savings/msg538461/#msg538461).
Long short, though, terms of service and support quality matters. Cricket fails both by the measure of standards I utilize with unreasonable terms of services, poor taxes no actual MVNOs charge, and shoddy customer support. Additionally, AT&T is playing dirty pool with their brand and their wholesale customers and data pricing. I don't like to reward bad behavior. As such, I don't feel comfortable recommending them not only for the sake of the people I help, but for the sake of the future health and market diversity of the MVNO industry.
Should you list Cricket as a brand to ignore then?
I think once my current LG is in need of replacement, I'll just buy a cheaper phone next. I don't need a $1000 flagship, really.
Has anyone tried Mintsim?
Has anyone tried Mintsim?
Mint SIM is a sub-brand of Ultra Mobile. This means T-Mobile native network, no roaming. Been a while since I've read their TOS, but as with every provider, you should do that yourself before plopping down money. As for Ultra as a carrier specifically, I'd been hesitant to put them on the official list in the past, partly due to age and marginally due to terms of service. The terms have backed off a bit on the troubling language, IIRC, and they've now been in place for a few years... so when P'tel folded earlier this year and they offered deals for escapees, I didn't balk. They're now the only T-Mobile provider currently offering the plans they are at the prices they are, the other had been P'tel.
I used to make a big deal about business longevity in my recommendations as it demonstrated a solid business model in a cutthroat industry with thin margins and no (IMHO, necessary) government regulation to protect and preserve the wholesale wireless telecom market. Then the carriers started exploiting that lack of regulation when the wholesale MVNOs eroded away their high priced cash cow user base, and now over the past year and change, we've seen a lot of shift, consolidation, shutdowns and buyouts in the industry because of it. P'tel, one of the oldest MVNOs in the nation had to close its doors. Walmart even got out of the game. WALMART. They literally sold off their Family Mobile customers to Carlos Slim/America Movil/Tracfone Wireless this last summer. Even America Movil, the 800lb gorilla of the industry owned and run by a man who knows how to work a monopoly position, is starting to lose customers. Crap is definitely going down in the MVNO industry. The risks of using any MVNO has increased some, even the "blue chip" ones. The only "safe" long-term brands for the risk adverse are the ones owned by the actual carriers. Unfortunately, without regulation, what happens to those prices once they kill off all the competition?
I feel a bit quixotic these days. We're starting to lose the battle, but so long as we're willing to chose real competition over the carriers directly, these cheaper, alternative plans should persist in some form or fashion.
Which brings us back around to Mint SIM specifically. Their gimmick, their differentiation as a sub-brand from Ultra is their price structure. Pay for X months in advance, get a bulk rate discount on service with biggest savings for those who pay a year in advance.
Given what I've told you of the current state and health of the MVNO industry... does this sound like a safe bet for saving money?
My advice? Find a monthly plan that that gives you what you need at a price that saves you money, stick with it and fight the urge to perpetually chase after the cheapest deal available by jumping from provider to provider thus causing churn and volatility with the providers, and simply appreciate the savings you can get for as long as you can still get it.
Good info and advice. We've had my wife on Airvoice $10 a month plan and its been rock solid for over a year now. She has been complaining lately about wanting more data and MintSim is having a sale on their 3 months plan for $35(11.67 a month). It offers unlimited talk/txt and 2gb of 4g data. I went ahead and ordered the SIM and am going to give it a try. If it doesn't work out, we will probably go back to Airvoice and I'll tell her to suck it up. :) I was thinking of doing the year plan after the 3 months is up(16.58 a month) but in light of what you just told me, I'll have to reevaluate that.
Oh, and THANKS!
The $100 prepaid units look surprisingly good nowadays. A bit short on RAM (mostly 1GB) but otherwise OK. I think once my current LG is in need of replacement, I'll just buy a cheaper phone next. I don't need a $1000 flagship, really.
I spilt coffee on my old (late 2008 model) MacBook Pro's keyboard two months ago, I originally was going to buy a new machine, but I've got another top case (thanks eBay) sitting on top of my fridge. I'll put it in once my exams are finished next week. I also need to fix the screen on it.
I guess it's a bit more badass spending $50 on a new top case than spending hundreds on another laptop (or over $1000 in the case of another Mac).
So I just moved and am looking to set up an internet connection. From what I can tell, Charter Spectrum and Earthlink are the only options in my area.
Guessing there's zero xDSL options in your area?
My Samsung Galaxy S3 may have just bricked. I've been using cyanogenmod since August, and I downloaded an update last night that cause nonstop crashing. I wiped the phone to start over, but no matter which version I reloaded I got errors while in recovery mode. I don't know what I did, but now I've reached a point where hitting factory reset produces an error that won't let me wipe the phone anymore to even start over. It angers me to no end, but I may have to just go down to the T-Mobile store and buy whatever they're offering to stick my Ting SIM into to get working again. I'm traveling right now for the holidays, so patiently waiting for another E-Bay phone isn't really an option.
My Samsung Galaxy S3 may have just bricked. I've been using cyanogenmod since August, and I downloaded an update last night that cause nonstop crashing. I wiped the phone to start over, but no matter which version I reloaded I got errors while in recovery mode. I don't know what I did, but now I've reached a point where hitting factory reset produces an error that won't let me wipe the phone anymore to even start over. It angers me to no end, but I may have to just go down to the T-Mobile store and buy whatever they're offering to stick my Ting SIM into to get working again. I'm traveling right now for the holidays, so patiently waiting for another E-Bay phone isn't really an option.
I found a used phone store here in town and picked up an S4. The owner even replaced the cracked casing before selling it to me. I opened a dialog with someone on the CM forums to see if it's still possible to wipe and rebuild my S3. I'll keep at it, if for no other reason than to make the phone sellable. As you noted, the last couple nightlies were found to be unstable and I wasn't the only one who crashed. Normally I put off doing updates for a couple weeks, but for some reason as I was sitting there in the airport the update notification popped up on the phone and I went for it. It wasn't too expensive of a lesson, and I'd like to keep using CM at some point. At this point the biggest upset is I have a phone loaded with bloatware again. I'll deal with that later when I'm more comfortable messing with CM software again.
Guessing there's zero xDSL options in your area?
Absolutely nothing. No alternatives either... Verizon, Google Fiber, etc. are all not in the area. As far as I can tell, literally the only internet option is Spectrum.
So much for a free market, eh?
I'm not sure this is the right place to ask my question. If not, please tell me where to ask it.
Thanks again for your help.
It is sort of interesting, isn't it?
I'm not overly concerned if a company is datamining, for the most part.
Any MVNOs (any carrier) that have unlimited texting included for a reasonable price?
Any other considerations regarding this lifestyle choice? Any specific recommendations for a phone plan?
Any thoughts on BOOM! Mobile? People at the Howard forum seem to like it.
https://www.boom.us/
Question for Daley:
If one is going to be using a lot of public wifi while traveling, does it make sense to invest in a VPN to encrypt your data[...]
Do you recommend any free VPNs?
I've also been toying with putting Linux on my old MacBook Pro. It's stuck on El Capitan and Apple will eventually kill support for it. Is Ubuntu and it's derivatives still the one to go for? (I used Ubuntu from 2005-08)
I've also been toying with putting Linux on my old MacBook Pro. It's stuck on El Capitan and Apple will eventually kill support for it. Is Ubuntu and it's derivatives still the one to go for? (I used Ubuntu from 2005-08)
Mint is the new Ubuntu. My wife's been a happy Mint user for the past few years, though I still prefer Debian.
IP, thank you for thorough review. I didn't have time to look through all 11 pages of discussion so I was hoping you (or anyone) could help clarify something. On your original post you recommended P'Tel as a cell phone provider. When going to their website I find what appears to be multiple providers, including TPO, Total Wireless, Ting, LycaMobile, etc. Would these warrant the same "thumbs up" as you recall original P'Tel recommendation? Are they not distinct providers even though on the same P'Tel website? TPO looks like it would fit my needs. Unfamiliar with this industry so pardon my cluelessness. Thanks!
For anyone doing research, depending on your needs, I would stay away from the Windows Mobile ecosystem.
I suspect I know what the problem is with your situation, please check your private messages.
Luckily, my phone's hardware was capable of supporting the Windows Phone 10 OS, so I crossed my fingers and upgraded.
I suspect I know what the problem is with your situation, please check your private messages.
Updated my post to reflect this - thanks!
@ Daley - any thoughts on this Modem?
https://www.amazon.com/NETGEAR-340Mbps-Spectrum-Cablevision-CM400-1AZNAS ?
It's quite a bit cheaper than the ARRIS mentioned in the guide.
Anyone else heard of Sprint's "free unlimited for a year" offer? I'm relatively happy with Ting (I have pretty horrible reception in my office but otherwise few complaints) but I'm seriously considering hopping over to Sprint until next July, and then switching back to Ting or some other MVNO if the landscape has changed dramatically.
Anything I'm missing here? Both our phones are eligible to port over to Sprint, and the total cost is two new SIM cards and a $1.99/mo admin fee. I admit to chasing the bottom line, but saving an average ~$45 Ting bill x12 is nothing to sneeze at.
A standard $1.99 admin fee, $0.40 regulatory fee and other taxes and fees apply
Requires a Sprint SIM card, eBill and Sprint AutoPay ($5/mo./line discount applied within two invoices)
If AutoPay is cancelled, you’ll pay $5/mo./line
If AutoPay and eBill are removed, a $7.99/mo. charge will apply for Account Spending Limit customers
Your Spending Limit is the monthly maximum amount of spending per phone on your account based on your credit decision
For accounts with multiple phones, the total spending limit is calculated as the number of phones on the account multiplied by the spending limit per phone
Anyone else heard of Sprint's "free unlimited for a year" offer?
[snip]
Anything I'm missing here?
Req. AutoPay, eBill, and port-in from postpaid carrier.
[snip]
Excl. ports made between Sprint or related entities.
DW's Samsung Galaxy Light freezes on the welcome screen whenever she restarts it. I've had to do factory wipe/reset twice this week. I'm guessing it's dying. She's had it for about 4 years. I thought about a Cyanomod on it, but if it won't boot past the Samsung logo, then I'm not sure if changing the OS will do any good. If it's not fixable, she's still looking for a "simple" Android smartphone to replace it. Any thoughts on diagnoses or replacement options?
DW's Samsung Galaxy Light freezes on the welcome screen whenever she restarts it. I've had to do factory wipe/reset twice this week. I'm guessing it's dying. She's had it for about 4 years. I thought about a Cyanomod on it, but if it won't boot past the Samsung logo, then I'm not sure if changing the OS will do any good. If it's not fixable, she's still looking for a "simple" Android smartphone to replace it. Any thoughts on diagnoses or replacement options?
I found DW a Galaxy S5 on EBay today. It'll arrive in about 10 days.
DW's Samsung Galaxy Light freezes on the welcome screen whenever she restarts it. I've had to do factory wipe/reset twice this week. I'm guessing it's dying. She's had it for about 4 years. I thought about a Cyanomod on it, but if it won't boot past the Samsung logo, then I'm not sure if changing the OS will do any good. If it's not fixable, she's still looking for a "simple" Android smartphone to replace it. Any thoughts on diagnoses or replacement options?
I found DW a Galaxy S5 on EBay today. It'll arrive in about 10 days.
I genuinely want to apologize for missing your first post, Travis. I've not been on top of things as well as I'd like to be the past couple weeks. That said, given what you reported, knowing your past history and what you're familiar with versus what's available currently... I'm not sure I would've suggested much different for you than what you settled on. It was a good call.
No worries. I know you're a busy man and this isn't exactly your full time job.
Is it worth trying to repartition storage so that apps can be upgraded, or is it time to let it go?
I've even got a spare first-gen Moto G that would do a great job as a replacement for a while.
There's supposed to be a way to format an SD card so that the phone thinks it's more internal storage, but I haven't tried it yet.
Probably not, but there is always the SD card expansion trick Travis mentioned if you want to try. As for the Moto G, excuse the possible battery condition, consider slapping the latest stable build of Resurrection Remix (http://www.resurrectionremix.com) on that sucker first. I've found the old and dying Moto E that my mother used to have perked up a bit more with RR than with Lineage, and eeked out a bit better battery life on the old and tired battery than with the last official build from Lenovo. I suspect given your location, it's the XT1032, if so, you want the Falcon build (https://sourceforge.net/projects/resurrectionremix/files/falcon/). You'll have to do a full wipe and factory reset, unlock the bootloader (https://motorola-global-portal.custhelp.com/app/standalone/bootloader/unlock-your-device-a/action/auth) and install TWRP (https://twrp.me/devices/motorolamotog2013.html) first, though. You can grab the GApps from here (http://opengapps.org) (if you install RR 5.8.3, you'll need to go ARM, 7.1 on the GApps build - stick with Pico, Nano, or Micro builds to keep things lean.) It'll be like a whole new phone by the time you're done with it.
IP, did you know Cyanogen is defunct?
IP, did you know Cyanogen is defunct?
Yup, since the day it imploded. I've also shifted gears myself on third party Android build recommendations now that I've got Android hardware back in the house again for experimentation. Ressurection Remix is a whole lot closer to AOSP with all the nice gravy bits of Kang and the like, really matured, and runs a lot lighter than Lineage/Cyanogen. Not as many devices supported, so still recommend Lineage as they rebuild their own device libraries, but I kind of lean toward RR as a first stop now.
Note my post to Dean a couple posts back. :)
I'm tired of my Galaxy S4's internal storage being full so I was going to root it, but if Cyanogenmod won't be providing updates and Lineage hasn't gotten around to my model yet I may have to wait a little while.
Is NetTalk still the forum approved plug n play VOIP service?
I've been reading some negative things here:
http://www.dslreports.com/forum/r29347550-NetTalk-Are-they-out-of-business
Some folks are suggesting BasicTalk which is a Walmart branded Vonage service?
Perhaps not quite plug and play, but I set up voip.ms yesterday and it was pretty easy and seems to work well. Nice BYOD and cheap. Used a simple Cisco ATA for $40. Just follow a wiki, fill in the config page and it works. If you can do ikea furniture you can do it..Is NetTalk still the forum approved plug n play VOIP service?
I've been reading some negative things here:
http://www.dslreports.com/forum/r29347550-NetTalk-Are-they-out-of-business
Some folks are suggesting BasicTalk which is a Walmart branded Vonage service?
Two things:
1) The thread you linked, check the dates: 2014-Jun-26. Nettalk is still clearly in business and functioning.
2) Nettalk was really only the go-to for people attracted to things like MagicJack or the free tier of Ooma as a less awful option, and were unwilling to spend a couple extra sheckels a month on something like PhonePower or VOIPo and/or pay for a year or two of service in advance, which both offer pre-configured ATA devices or let you bring your own. That said, PhonePower's pre-configured ATA devices are currently only available for pick-up at Fry's Electronics. Down at the cheap end, there's also OBiTALK these days, but it falls into the same category of service as Nettalk as far as features, service quality and support. Not terrible, but not great.
I checked most voip providers and voip.ms seemed best /cheapest for infrequent and emergency use we want. I pay 85 cents per month plus a per minute charge, but I never expect to use it. There's also $1.50/ month for E911. So 2.50 per month is a bit more than I'd prefer, but think that was the cheapest I could find it.
It showed download speeds very much in line with the max Mbps we are subscribed for, which slightly surprised me because of Daley's 'potholes"...Pothole #1 – oversubscribing and data throttling, Pothole #2 – data metering, and Pothole #2-A
I just noticed that Ting now lets you finance devices.
It's purely because my employer requires a receipt of my "phone bill" for reimbursement and I've taken that as meaning they want a single receipt, not an explanation of how I paid upfront and would like to get reimbursed $50 at a time. But I suppose I could ask what for their exact policy.I just noticed that Ting now lets you finance devices.
How is this different than buying a phone on a credit card or through Swappa with Paypal Credit and taking your sweet time repaying it? >.>
QuoteI checked most voip providers and voip.ms seemed best /cheapest for infrequent and emergency use we want. I pay 85 cents per month plus a per minute charge, but I never expect to use it. There's also $1.50/ month for E911. So 2.50 per month is a bit more than I'd prefer, but think that was the cheapest I could find it.
My research suggested voip.ms for incoming calls/e911 and localphone.com for outgoing is the cheapest. That's if you actually use it though.
QuoteI checked most voip providers and voip.ms seemed best /cheapest for infrequent and emergency use we want. I pay 85 cents per month plus a per minute charge, but I never expect to use it. There's also $1.50/ month for E911. So 2.50 per month is a bit more than I'd prefer, but think that was the cheapest I could find it.
My research suggested voip.ms for incoming calls/e911 and localphone.com for outgoing is the cheapest. That's if you actually use it though.
Interesting, I didn't look at localphone. Do you happen know how much their fixed monthly cost is? I'm a bit annoyed I'm paying $2.35/month now. But $1.50 is gov fee (at least voip.ms claims) for E911. Yeah if our voip phone gets used >5 times in the next 8 years I'd be surprised.. I mean I always have a cell phone, I really see almost no need for a "landline". Only thing is 911, or so our kids can call in emergency once their older. Funnily, calling abroad is cheaper with google Fi than our voip line!
QuoteI checked most voip providers and voip.ms seemed best /cheapest for infrequent and emergency use we want. I pay 85 cents per month plus a per minute charge, but I never expect to use it. There's also $1.50/ month for E911. So 2.50 per month is a bit more than I'd prefer, but think that was the cheapest I could find it.
My research suggested voip.ms for incoming calls/e911 and localphone.com for outgoing is the cheapest. That's if you actually use it though.
Interesting, I didn't look at localphone. Do you happen know how much their fixed monthly cost is? I'm a bit annoyed I'm paying $2.35/month now. But $1.50 is gov fee (at least voip.ms claims) for E911. Yeah if our voip phone gets used >5 times in the next 8 years I'd be surprised.. I mean I always have a cell phone, I really see almost no need for a "landline". Only thing is 911, or so our kids can call in emergency once their older. Funnily, calling abroad is cheaper with google Fi than our voip line!
There is no fixed monthly cost. It's half a cent per minute to US landlines or cells, the international rates are also listed at their site.
https://www.localphone.com/prices
Hey,
I just wanted to pass on a tip I learned today regarding customer service/troubleshooting with Cricket Wireless; I didn't want to start a new thread, but thought if you thought it was beneficial to other forum members, you could integrate it into your guide.
Basically, after a week of working with the customer reps in the store, via phone, and online (via their website chat option) I finally had our problem solved via the Facebook chat in about ~30 minutes. There was an issue porting over our second phone after a store rep started, but did not cancel or finish porting it over (they didn't have the less expensive phone that my wife wanted in stock and tried to up sell to the iPhone 6..) So, their system thought we needed to complete activation, but wouldn't let us order a phone to complete the activation. I was told by multiple reps through multiple sources that it would be, "fixed today or tomorrow by noon" every day this last week. I finally was able to speak with a manager, who admitted that they have no idea on the timeline.
Out of frustration with the cricket adds on my Facebook, I messaged them to tell them how poor my experience was, and within a few minutes it was fixed. I have previously spent 5+ hours this week with phone, chat, and store reps without anything being done. So, hopefully others can skip the hassle and try the Facebook messaging system with cricket first.
A fellow forumite passed along the following message to me earlier regarding Cricket Wireless.QuoteHey,
I just wanted to pass on a tip I learned today regarding customer service/troubleshooting with Cricket Wireless; I didn't want to start a new thread, but thought if you thought it was beneficial to other forum members, you could integrate it into your guide.
Basically, after a week of working with the customer reps in the store, via phone, and online (via their website chat option) I finally had our problem solved via the Facebook chat in about ~30 minutes. There was an issue porting over our second phone after a store rep started, but did not cancel or finish porting it over (they didn't have the less expensive phone that my wife wanted in stock and tried to up sell to the iPhone 6..) So, their system thought we needed to complete activation, but wouldn't let us order a phone to complete the activation. I was told by multiple reps through multiple sources that it would be, "fixed today or tomorrow by noon" every day this last week. I finally was able to speak with a manager, who admitted that they have no idea on the timeline.
Out of frustration with the cricket adds on my Facebook, I messaged them to tell them how poor my experience was, and within a few minutes it was fixed. I have previously spent 5+ hours this week with phone, chat, and store reps without anything being done. So, hopefully others can skip the hassle and try the Facebook messaging system with cricket first.
Yes, you've read that right. The advice passed on in regard to how to resolve a service issue with Cricket? Fight with them futilely for a week and then shame them in social media to get the problem resolved.
Folks, nobody should have to resort to publicly shaming their mobile carrier into action to resolve a technical issue. It is issues and stories like this that lead me to warn others off of using Cricket in the first place and go with smaller MVNOs that have better service and support. If you don't want to listen to me because I refuse to use Cricket, listen to what's being said by those who are using Cricket.
This is a cautionary tale, not a solution. Value your money and your patronage more than this next time you choose a mobile carrier.
Not defending the earlier stupidity, but he says he messaged them (private) not that he posted about it, so there was no shaming.
At those prices, without economies of scale, a carrier would have to be struggling.
So, can anyone recommend refurbished handsets? I've only owned new previously.
The HTC 10 is available refurbished for some pretty low prices. I'm very tempted to replace my cheap burner Huawei with something just a little nicer.
Also, are third party laptop batteries generally to be avoided? My MacBook's on its second battery (and it's dying). Given the age of the machine (8.5 years), I'm debating whether to buy a new battery (it's already on its second) or look at replacing the whole thing. Spending $100-150 on a new decent battery for a machine that's stuck on El Capitan and has a slightly dodgy keyboard might be throwing away money. Hence my considering the eBay batteries.
A friend says Airvoice is having trouble :-(
Howard Forums thread (http://www.howardforums.com/showthread.php/1901170-Cannot-contact-Arvoice-now-for-a-week?p=16909743#post16909743). Their FB page is also full of people who can't contact Airvoice.
I will want to port out soon, but where.
CC and Puretalk will sure cost us more!
Red Pocket has better plans, which means they'll probably go under faster.
Nooooooooooooo. It looks like Ting is in our future.
I have a question about these plans that use "buckets" (like Ting). If you get 1 text or 100, it's $3 for that month? Same with calls?
Thanks for that Daley. Decided to order the phone. Hopefully it's going to be OK, there's a small warranty from the eBay seller (who seems to have a pretty good rating). It's 30% of the price it would have been new when released, is apparently getting Oreo, and there's some aftermarket ROM support. Not too bad.
With the laptop, I've actually got one of the last models which did have a user replaceable battery (the late 2008 15", first of the unibody design). I've been running one of these (http://www.newertech.com/products/macbpro_batt_15_uni.php) for the last few years, but a new one here is $150. That's a fair bit to sink into such an old machine (that's likely on borrowed time as it is), but there's got to be something in between the $30 eBay units and a $150 battery, hopefully. Knowing my luck I'd spend $150 on a new battery and something else on it would shit itself two weeks later :)
I'll keep the Thinkpads in mind next (I like the large glass trackpad on the Mac so I'd be leaning towards the T440/T440s if I went down that path). Hopefully it's easier to repair than a MacBook. To replace the keyboard (I spilt coffee on the MacBook last year and the keyboard was toast), I had to replace the top case, and had to remove the motherboard and everything. It would have been rather nicer if I could have replaced a keyboard for $20 rather than dissect the whole thing and spend $50+ for a used B grade top case.
The keyboard thing is partly my fault, I bought a slightly B grade top case, and removed the space bar temporarily when fitting it, and the space bar has never been quite right. Sometimes it doesn't register when I press it and it doesn't feel quite right. My guess is one of the rubber things underneath is either broken or misaligned (or I've not got the mechanism in quite right). The backlight doesn't work, but whatever.
The hardware otherwise seems fine (8GB of RAM and 128GB SSD), and I believe El Capitan gets security updates for another year, but I'm open to going (back, as I used it regularly about ten years ago) to Linux afterwards (or on my next machine). Once I've finished my exams I might nuke my old HDD (still with a Lion install on it) and try a few distros out natively rather than via a VM. I still like the old GNOME2 style interface so I liked Ubuntu MATE when I was playing with Linux earlier this year, but I'll give Elementary a go.
This just in: Puretalk lowers their basic plan to $20.
Wow, really impressed you dissected your computer and removed the motherboard yourself. I recently replaced the battery on my mid-2010 13" MBP (I was still able to get ~2h out of the OEM battery after 7.5 years) and put in an SSD. My computer is also running kind of hot, so I thought about replacing the heat sink ... until I saw a video of what removing the logic board would entail. No way I'm capable of doing THAT without doing some serious damage to a critical connection. I'm running a free trial of iStat Menus, and it looks like the temperature doesn't go above 80 degrees C, so I'm just leaving it.
The link you posted showed replacement battery for $100. I got mine from ifixit, which is also around that price. I think it might be worth getting a replacement to keep the laptop going for another couple years, if the keyboard doesn't bother you too much. I, um, use my spacebar quite a lot, so it might bother me. In any case, your MBP has lived a good life.
I'm also running El Capitan because it seems to be the last OSX that plays well with Office 2008. I'm hoping to get another 5y out of my MBP. I'm also taking the 500gig SSD I just got to my next computer. I've never used Linux, but I may play around with it at some point. I wonder how LibreOffice would handle the Word and Excel files I need to open for my work.
Ah, well I've been messing around with the insides of computers since the 90s, so I guess I felt confident to have a go. iFixit guides and the fact that the machine's already quite old, and not much to lose. A couple of things don't work properly after it's operation (the iSight camera and keyboard backlight), but I can deal with that :)
LibreOffice is available for OSX/macOS and Windows also if you wish to 'try before you buy'. Just in case you're unaware, Office 2008 reached 'end of support' by Microsoft in April 2013 (https://support.microsoft.com/en-au/lifecycle/search?sort=PN&alpha=Office%202008%20for%20Mac).
http://www.zdnet.com/article/a-popular-office-for-mac-version-reaches-the-end-of-the-support-line/
With the cooling, maybe get a can of air and blow it into the fans/heatsinks.
Can anyone recommend the most cost effective way to unlock a cell phone? I have a Lumia 435 I bought off ebay that was supposed to be unlocked, but it appears not to be after all once I put my Airvoice SIM in it. I'd rather not pay $20 for an unlock code. Are there other solutions?
Can anyone recommend the most cost effective way to unlock a cell phone? I have a Lumia 435 I bought off ebay that was supposed to be unlocked, but it appears not to be after all once I put my Airvoice SIM in it. I'd rather not pay $20 for an unlock code. Are there other solutions?
Which carrier is it locked to? Is it just a carrier locking or does it not support the network Airvoice uses?
Are there other solutions?
These days I don't use my MacBook as often as I used to, and could go for something a bit more lightweight. A Linux install that's a bit more 'Chromebook minus Google' than 'Windows/macOS minus Microsoft/Apple'. Maybe Lubuntu/LXDE/Ubuntu MATE is in my near future?
These days I don't use my MacBook as often as I used to, and could go for something a bit more lightweight. A Linux install that's a bit more 'Chromebook minus Google' than 'Windows/macOS minus Microsoft/Apple'. Maybe Lubuntu/LXDE/Ubuntu MATE is in my near future?
If you're already thinking about Lubuntu, maybe give LXLE (http://lxle.net) a try instead. Dang if it isn't zippy on older hardware in a way I've not seen many other distros handle in a long time... even in comparison to Lubuntu. My only complaint is the default browser (Seamonkey - though I do understand the choice), which can be easily enough swapped out for something like Vivaldi.
Looking around at the smartphone market now, the scene is even bleaker than 4 years ago if you're someone who prefers the durability and utility of the old QWERTY + smaller screen form factor. I still see some sliding phones but my experience with those is that they tend to suck.
Follow-up question - with Airvoice being an AT&T MVNO, will any old AT&T-locked phone work with my SIM card, or must it be an unlocked device?
I.P. Daley, I did read your recent blog post for your RVing friends and learned a great deal. I'll be ordering a Dual Sim Adapter from your link shortly to make my life easier with our growing selection of SIMs ;)
I am looking to supplement our various carrier options we have patched together over the pasts months, with Verizon or a VZ MVNO.
[snip]
I have done some research on VZ and VZ based options.
I want 3ish GB, T+T does not have to be unlimited, 100 each is plenty, but I want to be able to call overseas on occasion when necessary
Of course I want to spend as little as possible, ideally below $30, unless there are good reasons to spend more.
Are there any pros and cons for the above solutions that you can think of?
Are there any other options I am overlooking?
Is there a way to use another affiliate link for the dual sim adapter (read amazon or something?) or US Mobile?
Regarding international calling I usually use skype and have a couple other options if that fails (freedompop, whatsapp, signal).
So I don't need another service like LocalPhone. I will bear it in mind, though if the others I use won't become available.
What I was referring to is a real carrier based option in case all the others solutions I have fail.
Speaking of, it's worth pointing out that US Mobile doesn't currently offer any international direct dial calling or SMS access, but it is in the works. If direct dial from the MVNO is that important, about the only Verizon MVNO that I know of from the short list of "approved" carriers that give you a fixed amount of international calling credit as part of the existing plan is Red Pocket. This isn't to say that other Verizon MVNOs such as Selectel can't provide international direct dial, it's just that you have to pay extra for the feature. Thus the Localphone suggestion.
Back to MMS and photo texts on an iPhone6. If I switch to an MVNO with Verizon, these both would work?
Red Pocket is running a sale for their 3 months and a sim for $20 (their usual $10/month plan).
Worth a try?
BTW, your shopping hut link is down, just saying ;)
IP, did you know Cyanogen is defunct?
Yup, since the day it imploded. I've also shifted gears myself on third party Android build recommendations now that I've got Android hardware back in the house again for experimentation. Ressurection Remix is a whole lot closer to AOSP with all the nice gravy bits of Kang and the like, really matured, and runs a lot lighter than Lineage/Cyanogen. Not as many devices supported, so still recommend Lineage as they rebuild their own device libraries, but I kind of lean toward RR as a first stop now.
Note my post to Dean a couple posts back. :)
I tried flashing my S4 to a RR build this evening, but I'm getting the following error when I try to flash on the phone:
E footer is wrong
E signature verification failed
I've searched all night for a loading app, but Heimdall doesn't work anymore and Odin won't do zip files which is what RR runs. I tried registering on their forum to talk about it, but their site won't allow me to complete the registration process.
I tried flashing my S4 to a RR build this evening, but I'm getting the following error when I try to flash on the phone:
E footer is wrong
E signature verification failed
I've searched all night for a loading app, but Heimdall doesn't work anymore and Odin won't do zip files which is what RR runs. I tried registering on their forum to talk about it, but their site won't allow me to complete the registration process.
Don't use Heimdall or Odin for installing RR/Open Gapps... TWRP (https://twrp.me/) is the preferred method/recovery tool these days (and once you get it on there, you'll understand why). Installation's pretty easy if you already have root (https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=me.twrp.twrpapp), but check install instructions for your specific model of S4 first (https://twrp.me/Devices/Samsung/).
Only the earliest S4 for AT&T has a bootloader that is vulnerable to loki. If you took any updates or bought your device later on, you cannot install TWRP. Chances are, if you don't already have TWRP installed, you cannot use TWRP. Our images are already patched with loki so just root and flash. You cannot flash TWRP with Odin on this model.
This bit from their site has me confused:QuoteOnly the earliest S4 for AT&T has a bootloader that is vulnerable to loki. If you took any updates or bought your device later on, you cannot install TWRP. Chances are, if you don't already have TWRP installed, you cannot use TWRP. Our images are already patched with loki so just root and flash. You cannot flash TWRP with Odin on this model.
Are they talking about Odin or TWRP coming with the phone as stock software?
Back to MMS and photo texts on an iPhone6. If I switch to an MVNO with Verizon, these both would work?
Correct.Red Pocket is running a sale for their 3 months and a sim for $20 (their usual $10/month plan).
Worth a try?
If the phone supports Verizon's service bands and activation, perhaps it is.
I'm just a bit personally nervous telling people to prepay for service with any substantial chunk of time and/or money committed to it... but this isn't near as bad as, say, a year and $150.
This bit from their site has me confused:QuoteOnly the earliest S4 for AT&T has a bootloader that is vulnerable to loki. If you took any updates or bought your device later on, you cannot install TWRP. Chances are, if you don't already have TWRP installed, you cannot use TWRP. Our images are already patched with loki so just root and flash. You cannot flash TWRP with Odin on this model.
Are they talking about Odin or TWRP coming with the phone as stock software?
Is your phone already rooted with Samsung Knox disabled? Installing alternate bootloaders with Loki/Odin isn't possible on the AT&T S4 if the Android firmware is even remotely current, given AT&T has locked the bootloader on the device.
I'm not going to be able to walk you any further, but this might be of use to you. (https://forum.xda-developers.com/galaxy-s4-att)
I had a similar issue with my old LG G3 and a new battery fixed it for a while. It's worth a try, how much is a new battery anyway?This bit from their site has me confused:QuoteOnly the earliest S4 for AT&T has a bootloader that is vulnerable to loki. If you took any updates or bought your device later on, you cannot install TWRP. Chances are, if you don't already have TWRP installed, you cannot use TWRP. Our images are already patched with loki so just root and flash. You cannot flash TWRP with Odin on this model.
Are they talking about Odin or TWRP coming with the phone as stock software?
Is your phone already rooted with Samsung Knox disabled? Installing alternate bootloaders with Loki/Odin isn't possible on the AT&T S4 if the Android firmware is even remotely current, given AT&T has locked the bootloader on the device.
I'm not going to be able to walk you any further, but this might be of use to you. (https://forum.xda-developers.com/galaxy-s4-att)
I've pretty much given up on trying to put a custom OS on this thing, but now I'm thinking I may have to replace it anyways. About a month ago (before I started playing with the OS) it would randomly shut off or go into a restart loop when using various apps. Sometimes when it does this it dumps most of the battery too. It only happens when I'm running an app, whether it be a game or Chrome. It never happens when at rest. It also never happens when plugged into a power source even if I'm using the same apps. Is this a CPU problem or a battery problem?
I had a similar issue with my old LG G3 and a new battery fixed it for a while. It's worth a try, how much is a new battery anyway?This bit from their site has me confused:QuoteOnly the earliest S4 for AT&T has a bootloader that is vulnerable to loki. If you took any updates or bought your device later on, you cannot install TWRP. Chances are, if you don't already have TWRP installed, you cannot use TWRP. Our images are already patched with loki so just root and flash. You cannot flash TWRP with Odin on this model.
Are they talking about Odin or TWRP coming with the phone as stock software?
Is your phone already rooted with Samsung Knox disabled? Installing alternate bootloaders with Loki/Odin isn't possible on the AT&T S4 if the Android firmware is even remotely current, given AT&T has locked the bootloader on the device.
I'm not going to be able to walk you any further, but this might be of use to you. (https://forum.xda-developers.com/galaxy-s4-att)
I've pretty much given up on trying to put a custom OS on this thing, but now I'm thinking I may have to replace it anyways. About a month ago (before I started playing with the OS) it would randomly shut off or go into a restart loop when using various apps. Sometimes when it does this it dumps most of the battery too. It only happens when I'm running an app, whether it be a game or Chrome. It never happens when at rest. It also never happens when plugged into a power source even if I'm using the same apps. Is this a CPU problem or a battery problem?
I had a similar issue with my old LG G3 and a new battery fixed it for a while. It's worth a try, how much is a new battery anyway?This bit from their site has me confused:QuoteOnly the earliest S4 for AT&T has a bootloader that is vulnerable to loki. If you took any updates or bought your device later on, you cannot install TWRP. Chances are, if you don't already have TWRP installed, you cannot use TWRP. Our images are already patched with loki so just root and flash. You cannot flash TWRP with Odin on this model.
Are they talking about Odin or TWRP coming with the phone as stock software?
Is your phone already rooted with Samsung Knox disabled? Installing alternate bootloaders with Loki/Odin isn't possible on the AT&T S4 if the Android firmware is even remotely current, given AT&T has locked the bootloader on the device.
I'm not going to be able to walk you any further, but this might be of use to you. (https://forum.xda-developers.com/galaxy-s4-att)
I've pretty much given up on trying to put a custom OS on this thing, but now I'm thinking I may have to replace it anyways. About a month ago (before I started playing with the OS) it would randomly shut off or go into a restart loop when using various apps. Sometimes when it does this it dumps most of the battery too. It only happens when I'm running an app, whether it be a game or Chrome. It never happens when at rest. It also never happens when plugged into a power source even if I'm using the same apps. Is this a CPU problem or a battery problem?
$10 on Amazon. This drama with my phone started months ago when I kept filling the memory (I blame AT&T bloatware on the phone). I might try a new battery just to drag this out a little while longer.
So what do you think..sleep overnight in front of the Apple store for the latest and greatest or MMM your way to a $30 phone?
So what do you think..sleep overnight in front of the Apple store for the latest and greatest or MMM your way to a $30 phone?
Given my known position on Apple devices in this community and the fact that I'm still currently using a Microsoft Lumia that I paid $20 for... you tell me? ;)
As for Xfinity Mobile, I'm glad you're happy and it's working for you, but I've gotta be honest... I've dealt with Comcast in the past. The less ongoing money, business and overall "Comcastic" interactions that I have to have with an outfit like that is something I view as a net benefit. I'd rather spend money on my mobile service than get it free with them, even if they were my only internet option. (Though, like doing business with AT&T directly, doing direct business with Comcast in my book is never going to happen again as I've personally blackballed them in my own life for health and sanity reasons. I would rather do without than deal with those people again.) All I'm saying is, you're braver than I.
Ha! Don't get me wrong, I'm not exactly a cheerleader for Comcast; but, they do provide our home broadband service and thus, we qualify for their discounted mobile product. As for the cons, their usage tracker rounds up to the tenth of a GB, so there is no real way to more granularly monitor usage to determine when you may be approaching a billing threshold. We can use our phones' built in capability or third party apps to approximate. And, if you are using mobile data, they do round up when on the $12 per GB plan..so no line charge, but, with the allotted 100MB of free data 1.1000001 GB would invoke another $12 data charge or $24 in this case. (or 100.0001 MB would cost $12). Of course, the notification function doesn't start until 1GB, so, in theory, I'd already have accrued next tier charges before getting notified....maybe I'll call Comcast for clarification (20 minutes on hold, person who probably won't have a clue, etc..etc..etc..Ha!).
As for your phone suggestion and the possibility of alternative OS', I'm thinking that's for a very small sliver of techies; but, I am now of the mind that almost any of the "budget" Androids are clearly a better value for most users than their $1,000 counterparts from Apple and Samsung.