[tagumcity]

I'm thinking of leaving Verizon (4 smartphones at $220/mo. for a family plan shared 700 minutes, 5 GB unlimited data each phone) The service is fine but with Tmobile prepaid I can save $1000/yr. ($30/mo. for Androids and $40/mo. for my Bold, for 100 minutes/unlimited text/5GB 4G data). With wifi, voip, and our family usage pattern that amount of savings is worth the try. Is the 5GB unlimited grandfathered really something to hold on to? I would appreciate comments.

[Laura Knotek]

If you switch to T-Mobile and use your 9930 after getting it unlocked you won't get HSPA+ (which is what T-Mobile 4G really is).

An unlocked VZW world phone will only be capable of EDGE on T-Mobile.

If the Androids are CDMA-only, rather than world phones, they cannot even be used on T-Mobile.


Sent from my Lumia 900 using Board Express

[tagumcity]

Yes, I would go with 9900 (gotta have the 4G speed), which is priced at $325+. The market is holding well for the Bold prices.

[blackberry-unlocking710]

Think you should go with T-mobile... but try to trade your 9930 for a 9900 that has the frequency bands used by T-mobile.. You can unlock your Blackberry and sell it and get a Wind / Mobilicity 9900 GSM Blackberry that will support the bands used by T-mobile for data.

[xandermac]

If you switch to T-Mobile and use your 9930 after getting it unlocked you won't get HSPA+ (which is what T-Mobile 4G really is).

An unlocked VZW world phone will only be capable of EDGE on T-Mobile.

By the end of the year this will no longer be true. T-Mobile are in the process of re-farming their 1900 MHz spectrum to be compatible with 3G. This is the primary reason I switched back to T-Mobile from AT&T knowing that my iPhone, 9800, Pré etc. will be 3G enabled on T-Mobile. I'm in Atlanta and supposedly it will be ready here by the end of the summer.

[tagumcity]

Think you should go with T-mobile... but try to trade your 9930 for a 9900 that has the frequency bands used by T-mobile.. You can unlock your Blackberry and sell it and get a Wind / Mobilicity 9900 GSM Blackberry that will support the bands used by T-mobile for data.

Thanks for the input. T-Mobile has good coverage in the metro Phoenix area, though their coverage across the Southwest is not as thorough as Verizon, the monthly savings is real. My family is using Galaxy Nexus', which are 5 band devices, and could be moved around to other prepaid plans if needed(our phone #s are all associated to Google Voice #s). I will buy a T-Mobile Bold 9900 for the benefit of the data speed, and it may be 8 months before the BB10 Bold releases, so I'm okay with buying another 9900 (I am surprised at how well the Bold 9900 prices are holding up since its release nearly a year ago).

[crackcookie]

I'm thinking of leaving Verizon (4 smartphones at $220/mo. for a family plan shared 700 minutes, 5 GB unlimited data each phone) The service is fine but with Tmobile prepaid I can save $1000/yr. ($30/mo. for Androids and $40/mo. for my Bold, for 100 minutes/unlimited text/5GB 4G data). With wifi, voip, and our family usage pattern that amount of savings is worth the try. Is the 5GB unlimited grandfathered really something to hold on to? I would appreciate comments.

What do you mean by 5GB unlimited? Either you cap is unlimited or at 5Gigs which one? And we can't answer all these questions, what you need to do is look at the amount of data you an your family use. Check your data usage, Verizon "might be cheaper" if you use their share data feature. For instance if you all only use 5gigs total a month, then Verizon would save money for you.

[tagumcity]

What do you mean by 5GB unlimited? Either you cap is unlimited or at 5Gigs which one? And we can't answer all these questions, what you need to do is look at the amount of data you an your family use. Check your data usage, Verizon "might be cheaper" if you use their share data feature. For instance if you all only use 5gigs total a month, then Verizon would save money for you.

5GB Unlimited is the carrier phrase that has been used. At Verizon the grandfathered 5GB unlimited plan has meant that the user gets 5GB at full speed and after that it may be slowed during peak times, though a number of users have went over the 5GB and had no speed reduction, with no overage charge. At T-Mobile the 5GB Unlimited means you get that amount and if you go over that amount, then you are throttled until the next billing cycle. Technically the phrase is correct but I think mostly it is a marketing ploy (the suggestive concept of "Unlimited"). Sprint still has the Unlimited 5GB according to hearsay and I stay away from AT&T like its the plague in this part of the US.

Your right that the user can best answer the questions concerning usage, which I have done. I sent the question to the forum for the purpose to "shake loose" any perspectives toward the value of keeping 4 phones with each having the grandfathered 5GB unlimited plan with Verizon. Because once I give it up, its gone permanently.

[crackcookie]

Ah. Well to look at it another way, don't you feel it is a waste to have so much money spend on phones? I don't have any kids but I already pay 130 for me and 2 people. But that sounds like you pay 130 just for data alone, I can't get jiggy with that.

[tagumcity]

Having data plans for 4 family members is a luxury item. I agree with your thought on that. If I was to have an economic hardship, like losing my job, then definitely I'd make the necessary cuts. But most everyone has a hobby or personal indulgence. The internet is our primary indulgence expense (we have other hobby type activities but the cost is negligible).

Sent from my BlackBerry 9930 using Tapatalk

[pantlesspenguin]

I switched back to T-Mobile just yesterday after having tried out Verizon since April. I was paying $40 more for less features, and sometimes an additional $10 if I happened to go over my alloted 2gb by just a smidge. The coverage and speeds really aren't that much better than T-Mo, despite what marketing would make one believe. I'm so happy to be back. T-Mo is rather hurting for customers these days and they really rolled out the red carpet for me in terms of telling me about discounts I qualified for, etc. Yes, the ETA on Verizon sucks, but I'll eventually make it back up in savings from my monthly bill. It was a lesson I needed to learn!

Before I left T-Mo, I was on the $30/mo Monthly 4G plan. When I gave up my grandfathered Even More Plus plan, I was told that I'd still get all the perks and benefits of being a contract customer, I'd just be paying less. No, this is totally not what happened. Monthly 4G people are delegated to the worst tier of customer care, and you have to jump through hoops to get a simple warranty replacement. The plan I chose was there $50 value plan (2yr contract) which has 500 minutes, unlimited text, and unlimited data (2gb before throttle). I like it!

Also, I really liked how the 9900 was still featured among the other heavy hitter devices in the T-Mo store. It was up and functional alongside the best of Android and WP and not hidden in a shady corner like at Verizon.

[o4liberty]

I like TMobile but apples for apples VERIZON will provide a much better coverage area than Tmobile. If coverage is not an issue then its a good deal.

Sent from my BlackBerry 9850 using Tapatalk

[ajst222]

$1000 a year??!! Hey as long as you can get good coverage where you want take it. Plus the Bold is 4G on T-Mobile so go for it man!

(PS) I'll take your Bold haha

[tagumcity]

I switched back to T-Mobile just yesterday after having tried out Verizon since April. I was paying $40 more for less features, and sometimes an additional $10 if I happened to go over my alloted 2gb by just a smidge. The coverage and speeds really aren't that much better than T-Mo, despite what marketing would make one believe. I'm so happy to be back. T-Mo is rather hurting for customers these days and they really rolled out the red carpet for me in terms of telling me about discounts I qualified for, etc. Yes, the ETA on Verizon sucks, but I'll eventually make it back up in savings from my monthly bill. It was a lesson I needed to learn!

Before I left T-Mo, I was on the $30/mo Monthly 4G plan. When I gave up my grandfathered Even More Plus plan, I was told that I'd still get all the perks and benefits of being a contract customer, I'd just be paying less. No, this is totally not what happened. Monthly 4G people are delegated to the worst tier of customer care, and you have to jump through hoops to get a simple warranty replacement. The plan I chose was there $50 value plan (2yr contract) which has 500 minutes, unlimited text, and unlimited data (2gb before throttle). I like it!

Also, I really liked how the 9900 was still featured among the other heavy hitter devices in the T-Mo store. It was up and functional alongside the best of Android and WP and not hidden in a shady corner like at Verizon.

Our experience is similar. (1) Verizon's coverage in the metro areas does not seem to be significantly better than Tmobile. Once in awhile Tmobile will drop a call, or have a little call interference. (2) After Verizon acquired Alltel their coverage now seems to be unmatched in the rural areas, including places like the Grand Canyon (my experience is limited to Arizona). (3) When I look closely at our usage pattern we don't make frequent use of Verizon's rural coverage, nor do we rely to great extant on its call quality. (4) I think VoIP is worth an effort to make use of. Maybe I can't make full use of it with BB 7, but certainly BB 10 will handle VoIP. (5) Sim card phones seem to have a psychological "free to do as I please" feeling.

I'm Linux only user and I'm very interested in Mozilla's B2G operating system, but after having 6 of the top Android phones my preferred daily driver is the BB.

[tagumcity]

$1000 a year??!! Hey as long as you can get good coverage where you want take it. Plus the Bold is 4G on T-Mobile so go for it man!

(PS) I'll take your Bold haha

That seems to be about where I'm headed. With the prevalence of wifi (for the benefit of VoIP), and our pattern of use, it is worth the move.

[ajst222]

That seems to be about where I'm headed. With the prevalence of wifi (for the benefit of VoIP), and our pattern of use, it is worth the move.

As long as you find something that works for ya, go for it. Same thing with mobile platforms (BB, iOS, Android). You don't need to fight people. If what you have works for you then fine.

[pantlesspenguin]

Our experience is similar. (1) Verizon's coverage in the metro areas does not seem to be significantly better than Tmobile. Once in awhile Tmobile will drop a call, or have a little call interference. (2) After Verizon acquired Alltel their coverage now seems to be unmatched in the rural areas, including places like the Grand Canyon (my experience is limited to Arizona). (3) When I look closely at our usage pattern we don't make frequent use of Verizon's rural coverage, nor do we rely to great extant on its call quality. (4) I think VoIP is worth an effort to make use of. Maybe I can't make full use of it with BB 7, but certainly BB 10 will handle VoIP. (5) Sim card phones seem to have a psychological "free to do as I please" feeling.

I'm Linux only user and I'm very interested in Mozilla's B2G operating system, but after having 6 of the top Android phones my preferred daily driver is the BB.

Yeah, my first cell provider was Alltel when I lived in a mid-sized town in central Kansas. When I moved to the Kansas City metro in 2005, I switched to T-Mo because that's what all the cool kids were doing. I loved it because I got to be part of the Sidekick craze . Fast forward to last summer, when my baby brother got married in our central Kansas hometown. My friends on Verizon and Sprint had 3G service...I was lucky to get EDGE for a few brief moments! That part sucked.

I know what you mean about Arizona, too. My parents live in Sedona and while on T-Mo I'm pretty much limited to using their wifi when at their place. In the village, forget about it. My bro and sis in law moved to Tucson a few months after their wedding, and I have no problem using T-Mo there.

[raino]

One feature T-Mobile provides that I love to point out is UMA (WiFi calling on a 9900.) It's a bit of an equalizer in some places where the network signal is pretty bad, but a WiFi connection is available. I have also used UMA extensively overseas, and did not get hit with a cent of roaming charges.