[hennesseystealth]

The way I was getting around T-Mobile pricing was to use Solavei. However, I got an email today that if I want to keep my level of service (unthrottled up to 4Gb), I would have to pay 40% more ($70). That is the T-Mobile price range but TMO doesn't give LTE to the MVNO's. So, who's jobbing who?

[howarmat]

what is your current plan? how many SMS, minutes etc do you get and how much is it. Also how many minutes do you use?

[raino]

T-Mobile's numbers have been insane for a while now, to the point where I too have wondered how the hell do they plan to survive? Their postpaid ARPU has been dropping, but they definitely have a buzz going and seem to be adding customers like crazy. It's interesting to hear Solavei will be raising their prices, because MVNOs operate on razor-thin margins as is, and if they're raising prices to TMO's levels, throttling (which TMO doesn't for unlimited,) and using TMO HSPA (not LTE) towers, guess who I'm more likely to get service from? But it definitely makes you wonder if TMO is essentially operating at or close to MVNO margins in order to gain customers.

T-Mobile has pulled off some really brilliant moves with their UnCarrier approach. The way I look at it, they're essentially killing, or at least denting the used phone market big time, and making sure phones used on their network are bought from them. Cautious buyers won't risk buying a used, or hell...sometimes even a non-TMO sold new phone unless the phone's been fully paid off.

[hennesseystealth]

what is your current plan? how many SMS, minutes etc do you get and how much is it. Also how many minutes do you use?

Right now I get unlimited phone and text and unlimited data but if you go over 4Gb in a month, they technically could reduce your speed. That plan was $49.99 and they raised the price to $69.99.

EDIT: all their plans have unlimited talk and text, the only difference is how much data before they have the right to reduce speeds.

[hennesseystealth]

T-Mobile's numbers have been insane for a while now, to the point where I too have wondered how the hell do they plan to survive? Their postpaid ARPU has been dropping, but they definitely have a buzz going and seem to be adding customers like crazy. It's interesting to hear Solavei will be raising their prices, because MVNOs operate on razor-thin margins as is, and if they're raising prices to TMO's levels, throttling (which TMO doesn't for unlimited,) and using TMO HSPA (not LTE) towers, guess who I'm more likely to get service from? But it definitely makes you wonder if TMO is essentially operating at or close to MVNO margins in order to gain customers.

T-Mobile has pulled off some really brilliant moves with their UnCarrier approach. The way I look at it, they're essentially killing, or at least denting the used phone market big time, and making sure phones used on their network are bought from them. Cautious buyers won't risk buying a used, or hell...sometimes even a non-TMO sold new phone unless the phone's been fully paid off.

I bought an ATT Z10 from a real estate company that never used it. Unlocked it and put in the Solavei card. The only difference I saw is the splash screen went from ATT to T-Mobile.

[raino]

I bought an ATT Z10 from a real estate company that never used it. Unlocked it and put in the Solavei card. The only difference I saw is the splash screen went from ATT to T-Mobile.

Which probably confirms they're a TMO MVNO. So if the choice is to pay $70 at TMO vs. Solavei, it seems like an easy one.

[hennesseystealth]

Which probably confirms they're a TMO MVNO. So if the choice is to pay $70 at TMO vs. Solavei, it seems like an easy one.

They clearly advertise that they are with T-Mobile.

[raino]

They clearly advertise that they are with T-Mobile.

Ahh ok. I wasn't completely sure, just guessing from your post. So have you decided what you're going to do? What about Straight Talk? Simple Mobile?

[hennesseystealth]

Ahh ok. I wasn't completely sure, just guessing from your post. So have you decided what you're going to do? What about Straight Talk? Simple Mobile?

That's the question. I just got the pricing notification from Solavei, so I will be checking what other offers are out there using an STL100-3 Z10.

[ekarakaya]

If u like tmobiles service, get their mvno gosmart mobile. 45$ for unlimited everything data throttled after 5gb

Posted via CB10

[ekarakaya]

I forgot to mention, as of now, straight talk is on tmobile service and they throttle after like 2gb, so go amart is ur better choice

Posted via CB10

[hennesseystealth]

If u like tmobiles service, get their mvno gosmart mobile. 45$ for unlimited everything data throttled after 5gb

Posted via CB10

Do you know what they consider 3G? Are they only giving you Edge or HSPA+?

[raino]

Do you know what they consider 3G? Are they only giving you Edge or HSPA+?

Do carriers (MVNO or network owner) have the ability to modulate speeds like that? I wouldn't think so, because that would be bad if you're in a UMTS 1900 market (and don't have a dual UMTS 1700/1900 band phone.)

[hennesseystealth]

Do carriers (MVNO or network owner) have the ability to modulate speeds like that? I wouldn't think so, because that would be bad if you're in a UMTS 1900 market (and don't have a dual UMTS 1700/1900 band phone.)

Well, I know that Solavei was giving me HSPA+ until I moved to 10.2.1.1055 and then the radio signal fell to HSPA. Or 10.2.0.1803 was lying...So, if both services are MNVO's for T-Mobile, I would hope that GoSmart is just more accurate in calling HSPA/HSPA+ 3G vs. the old lie that 3.5G = 4G.

[raino]

if both services are MNVO's for T-Mobile, I would hope that GoSmart is just more accurate in calling HSPA/HSPA+ 3G vs. the old lie that 3.5G = 4G.

I think that's what happening, and GoSmart's being honest. The best way to tell would be a speed test on a TMO and MVNO SIM done at the same place.

[hennesseystealth]

I think that's what happening, and GoSmart's being honest. The best way to tell would be a speed test on a TMO and MVNO SIM done at the same place.

I know with HSPA on Solavei I am roughly 2x2Mbps. It would be nice to test other SIM cards (T-Mobile, GoSmart...).

[menghak ma]

hey now if you paying the 49 a month and was paying that before the change which happen Friday, well that 69 wont go to you. it will only go to the new customers. you still get that 49

[hennesseystealth]

hey now if you paying the 49 a month and was paying that before the change which happen Friday, well that 69 wont go to you. it will only go to the new customers. you still get that 49

No, the email I got said my new data limit is 2gb instead of 4. If I want my original 4gb, I have to pay $69.

Posted via CB10

[gariac]

Do you know what they consider 3G? Are they only giving you Edge or HSPA+?

TMobile plans on dumping EDGE, which is 2g.

We more or less figured out that 3g =4g, so I don't think you get 3g. That is, they are on the same frequency.

Posted via CB10

[hennesseystealth]

TMobile plans on dumping EDGE, which is 2g.

We more or less figured out that 3g =4g, so I don't think you get 3g. That is, they are on the same frequency.

Posted via CB10

Since T-Mobile hasn't given LTE to their MVNO's, then likely they are all HSPA/HSPA+.

[raino]

From Android Central talking about some phone,

Interestingly, the Flo doesn't offer LTE data. Instead, it relies on T-Mobile's HSPA+ network, as T-Mobile is GoSmart's parent company.

So GoSmart is basically a T-Mobile subsidiary like Koodo is of Telus, Aio Wireless is of AT&T, etc. IMO this places them ahead of the MVNO line when it comes to getting LTE.

[dmnall]

hey now if you paying the 49 a month and was paying that before the change which happen Friday, well that 69 wont go to you. it will only go to the new customers. you still get that 49

Actually the new plans start on Sunday *December 1st* or whenever the renewal of their plan starts. I left an at&t mvno net10 due to their data policy of 1.5 gigs of data and after the cap data is completely cut off *3 months after I joined* before net10 I was a post paid at&t customer but due to a major billing issue they never fixed. So for the past 7 months I have been on Solavei up until yesterday where I switched over to T-Mobile post paid but I kept my nexus 4 since the phones are 7 months old as well. Solavei was great but I did not like the following: one of my lines had used 4.5 gigs of data back in September, I had used 3.8 gigs but I also used 1900 minutes and a week into november after paying for both lines the line that used 4.5 gigs got a data warning at almost a gig that the data was almost half used. Now it looks like the cutting of data happened to some users back as early as September or so because there have been users getting messages back then and as well as getting texts that they were using too much voice *Solavei mobile service forum*. Now I had questioned Solavei if the service was unlimited voice, text, and data. Why are people being warned about voice or data? I understand the data cap for high speed data, but not voice. Looking at the bar under usage at my Solavei the bar shows like there is a limit of voice to 2000 minutes and data was 4 gigs but it will be dropped to 2 gigs. Now add the fact an extra $ 20 for a total of 4 gigs made me look into other options. What threw me over the edge was how some of the Solavei members that are at a level of thousandaire status has a rude attitude towards people that have not even made a trio and when Ryan Weurch came out with a song and dance about getting trios for free service as well as stating cutting the caps down was to benefit the members which I thought was complete be considering in my area it is damned near impossible to sell a service when other mvnos offer similar service for less money. St offers 2 gigs of high speed service for $45 *I would not sign up because their customer service is crap*, Walmart offers wfm post paid for 40 a month with 2.5 gigs of data and even metro pcs offers cheaper plans as well. Now considering anyone wanting 4 gigs of data can spend a dollar more and get truly unlimited data with T-Mobile as well as 2.5 gigs of tethering. Now look at the fine print of Solavei they do not offer tethering because it is against their tos and they can cut off your service when they see fit. Also a few times I had my service suspended 2 days before it was actually due. So I had service cut off after 28 days when I had to pay by cash. Now Solavei is only running with the rest of the mvnos with their new plans.

I had quite a few people going to sign up in December but I had let them know and they said why for $ 40 a month on recurring billing they can go to straight talk or even wfm for less money. Even harder sale with the cut in data compared to the original 49 a month with a 4 gig cap as well as what about the people who invested into advertising of the $ 49 a month when now they cut the data and offer 3 other plans..

Just my $.02,
Charlie

[hennesseystealth]

I had a friend that used Solavei as a mobile hotspot for a very short period of time and didn't come near his data cap...still got an email saying they would cut him off if he didn't stop the hotspot...not sure how they knew.