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Posted: 7/23/2010 4:50:26 AM EST
My current contract is up shortly on T-Mobile. I am thinking about buying a unlocked I-Phone and using it on the T-Mobile network. Anyone here doing this? If so what data plan do you have and how much does it run you a month? Right now I pay roughly $50 for 1K minutes a month, free nights and weekends.





Thanks
Link Posted: 7/23/2010 4:55:49 AM EST
[#1]
Tagging this. Been researching the same. So far from what I can tell you can get the 450 minute no contract plan for $29.99 and then add the Web2Go plan for $10. But I've seen a few posts where you have to be careful how you go about it because they want to bump you up to the $25 data plan if you've got an iPhone. Not certain but I think I read that Tmo was still Edge and not 3G but I may be wrong.  
Link Posted: 7/23/2010 5:00:19 AM EST
[#2]
I'm currently using a 2G on T-Mobile (had it since it came out) and back then you could use the T-Mobile "t-zones" $5 data plan after jailbreak/unlock.  Now T-Mobile has basically changed the name of the "t-zones" service to "web2go" and raised the price to $7 or $10.  The guys that do the unlock/jailbreak voodoo have been able to crack iPhone4/OS4 but not sure if you're able to use "web2go" data plan yet.

Have you considered the Galaxy S instead?

ETA: The "web2go" cheap data plan was being used by people using unsubsidized Nexus 1 phones in order to avoid the $30 contract, but apparently is being nerfed by T-Mobile with their plans being switched to the standard $29.99 data plan. Not sure if this same situation will occur on other unlocked phones trying to use the "web2go" data plan.
Link Posted: 7/23/2010 5:02:13 AM EST
[#3]



Quoted:


Tagging this. Been researching the same. So far from what I can tell you can get the 450 minute no contract plan for $29.99 and then add the Web2Go plan for $10. But I've seen a few posts where you have to be careful how you go about it because they want to bump you up to the $25 data plan if you've got an iPhone. Not certain but I think I read that Tmo was still Edge and not 3G but I may be wrong.  


Tmobile has 3G, but mostly concentrated around the larger cities.  Edge isn't too bad for mobile web use, I use it all the time on ARFCOM and it works fine for me.



 
Link Posted: 7/23/2010 5:03:45 AM EST
[#4]
I'm considering doing that as well. I know a couple people who do it and they tell me that the data service (I believe it is Edge) is slower but works ok. From what I have been told T-Mobile's 3G is a different frequency that the iPhones (3G/3GS) aren't compatable with. Apparently the new iPhone 4G can work with T-Mobile's 3G if you can find one to unlock.
Link Posted: 7/23/2010 5:04:20 AM EST
[#5]
Maybe T-Mobile is better in some areas, but it's piss poor around here (Syracuse, NY).  AT&T's coverage in this areas is as good as Verizon's.
Link Posted: 7/23/2010 5:15:37 AM EST
[#6]

I have a 3g with 3.1.2 firmware unlocked and jail-broken.  It is for my wife I have Unlimited min, texts and data for $99.00.
I also have a 3gs that is unlocked and ready to be activated, my work phone is with sprint.
Link Posted: 7/23/2010 5:15:42 AM EST
[#7]
Quoted:
Tagging this. Been researching the same. So far from what I can tell you can get the 450 minute no contract plan for $29.99 and then add the Web2Go plan for $10. But I've seen a few posts where you have to be careful how you go about it because they want to bump you up to the $25 data plan if you've got an iPhone. Not certain but I think I read that Tmo was still Edge and not 3G but I may be wrong.  


Nope TMobile finally went 3G! I got the new Blackberry Bold 9700 which is the 3g blackberry for tmobile!
Link Posted: 7/23/2010 5:18:36 AM EST
[#8]
So let me ask this questions of the iPhone experts. A very generous arfcom member gave me his old 2G iPhone to use. I mainly wanted it to run the Ballistic app and I set it up as an iTouch. It has the original SIM and I registered it on iTunes and set up an account. So it's been handy as hell just on WiFi. I use it in Airplane mode with WiFi enabled. I set up my email and figure that instead of lugging a laptop to keep up with email, I can carry the iPhone and just find a hot spot. Pandora is so good that I thinking of dumping my Sirius account. Anyway I'm unclear on just how to activate it on Tmo or another network. I assume the following:



Get a Tmo SIM

Unlock/Jailbreak iPhone

Register phone with new SIM on Tmo, configure APN?



My big question is once I Sync on iTunes with the new SIM, will I lose my apps and music downloads?
Link Posted: 7/23/2010 5:42:58 AM EST
[#9]
Thanks for the responses guys. I'm still looking as to what to get. The 3G would work fo rme just fine. I don't need the latest 4 version.



I live basically in Austin, TX where the coverage is good. I shouldnt have a problem with that. I just have to make sure I get the correct phone and unlock / jailbreak it so I can use it.
Link Posted: 7/23/2010 5:45:22 AM EST
[#10]
This might be another phone to consider on T-Mobile:



http://phandroid.com/samsung-vibrant/





 
Link Posted: 7/23/2010 5:53:49 AM EST
[#11]
Quoted:
So let me ask this questions of the iPhone experts. A very generous arfcom member gave me his old 2G iPhone to use. I mainly wanted it to run the Ballistic app and I set it up as an iTouch. It has the original SIM and I registered it on iTunes and set up an account. So it's been handy as hell just on WiFi. I use it in Airplane mode with WiFi enabled. I set up my email and figure that instead of lugging a laptop to keep up with email, I can carry the iPhone and just find a hot spot. Pandora is so good that I thinking of dumping my Sirius account. Anyway I'm unclear on just how to activate it on Tmo or another network. I assume the following:

Get a Tmo SIM
Unlock/Jailbreak iPhone
Register phone with new SIM on Tmo, configure APN?

My big question is once I Sync on iTunes with the new SIM, will I lose my apps and music downloads?


Back up your iPhone and its current settings in iTunes, insert the new SIM card and you should be able to set up a new account and restore it from the backup you just synced.

ETA: Hell, if you're just using a SIM card that's actually activated with a # from T-Mobile you can just pop it in and use it as a phone as long as it's unlocked.
Link Posted: 7/23/2010 5:58:48 AM EST
[#12]
Quoted:
Tagging this. Been researching the same. So far from what I can tell you can get the 450 minute no contract plan for $29.99 and then add the Web2Go plan for $10. But I've seen a few posts where you have to be careful how you go about it because they want to bump you up to the $25 data plan if you've got an iPhone. Not certain but I think I read that Tmo was still Edge and not 3G but I may be wrong.  


The $10 plan will work for a while, but they will eventually make you switch.  I tried it with my Nokia N900.

Tmo has plenty of 3G service, and here in Dallas and a few other cities they have rolled out HSPA+ which can theoretically hit 4G speeds.  My phone is limited to connecting at 3.5G, it's plenty fast.
Link Posted: 7/23/2010 6:01:12 AM EST
[#13]
Quoted:
I'm considering doing that as well. I know a couple people who do it and they tell me that the data service (I believe it is Edge) is slower but works ok. From what I have been told T-Mobile's 3G is a different frequency that the iPhones (3G/3GS) aren't compatable with. Apparently the new iPhone 4G can work with T-Mobile's 3G if you can find one to unlock.


tmobiles 3g is 1700/2100
Iphones 3g is 850/1900/2100             *2100 is not found in the US .

Link Posted: 7/23/2010 6:02:35 AM EST
[#14]
I'm running an iPhone 3G, iOS4 with T-Mobile right now. Works fine...
Link Posted: 7/23/2010 6:10:07 AM EST
[#15]
Quoted:
This might be another phone to consider on T-Mobile:

http://phandroid.com/samsung-vibrant/
 


I picked up the Vibrant 2 days ago...it is very nice. I came from a mytouch, with Iphone before that.
Defiantly check it out
Link Posted: 7/23/2010 6:18:44 AM EST
[#16]
Quoted:
I'm running an iPhone 3G, iOS4 with T-Mobile right now. Works fine...


Same here and I think it's slow as hell.
Link Posted: 7/23/2010 6:34:10 AM EST
[#17]
Quoted:
Quoted:
I'm running an iPhone 3G, iOS4 with T-Mobile right now. Works fine...


Same here and I think it's slow as hell.


Really? Are you mutli-tasking?
Link Posted: 7/23/2010 7:07:49 AM EST
[#18]
Quoted:
Maybe T-Mobile is better in some areas, but it's piss poor around here (Syracuse, NY).  AT&T's coverage in this areas is as good as Verizon's.


That makes no sense seeing as how tmobile can use at&t towers
Link Posted: 7/23/2010 7:19:26 AM EST
[#19]
Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
I'm running an iPhone 3G, iOS4 with T-Mobile right now. Works fine...


Same here and I think it's slow as hell.


Really? Are you mutli-tasking?


That is part of the problem I think.  Whenever I have more then 2 or 3 programs open it really slows the phone down.  And having to go in and close each one manually is very annoying too.  Stuff like the phone, messaging app, email and such shouldn't show up on the live task bar.  

Plus with it jail broken, some of the programs seem to vanish after installing them.  Maybe I have to play with it more but some of the little nuances of how OS4 works or Apple is really annoying.  Don't get me wrong, the games and apps are cool as hell.  Just everything else about the phone kinda sucks.
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