Hey guys, i'm moving to LA in just a couple weeks for school. I'm going to need to get a new cell plan and phone before then. Since i'm from the mountains, all I have is a pay as you go att blackberry so this is new territory for me. I won't have a landline so this will be my primary communication. I'm also looking at getting a smartphone (android) but know nothing about them and never used one. Pretty much every service gets 4g down there to but only verizon, att, and I suspect sprint work back home in the hills. Att and Verizon are very expensive, while sprint offers unlimited data and text and 450 minutes for less than the others. I wanted your guys' opinions on what would be the best bang for the buck service. My other option is to go with say tmobile or a pay as you go that offers unlimited data, text, and talk for less, but just get a cheap trac phone for use in the hills.

Next, give me some phone options with these providers. I come from a blackberry so i'm used to a keyboard. I've never typed on a touch screen smartphone but I remember older touch screen phones used to suck. I also like something not huge and a front cam for skype would be a great feature to. Like for instance sprint's evo shift vs evo. Smaller with keyboard and no rear cam or bigger, no keyboard (I don't know how easy it is to type on these new phones), and a front cam and better tech. So hard to choose stuff!

Any input helps.

TIA!!!!!

 

I say go with Sprint. They have a pretty good selection of Droid phones and they are cheaper then the others.

The HTC Evo Shift 4G and the Samsung Epic 4G are the only ones that I know of that have physical keyboards.

 

Touch screen phones are way better than they used to be.

I'm typing this on my HTC Evo.

 

Cool. I just looked at some pay as you go, and boost mobile has a the samsung prevail which is a small android phone with keyboard and is around $50 a month for unlimited. Or virgin mobile is a pretty damn good deal to with this motorola triumph which looks to have new tech and good features.
Virgin Mobile - Motorola Triumph No-Contract Mobile Phone - Black - MOTOROLA TRIUMPH

Both have 3g coverage which I probably good enough for me.

 

Unless you like dropped calls, taking forever to receive text messages, "could not access cellular data network" messages when trying to get your email, and overall crappy service, avoid AT&T like the AIDS virus. They spend all of their money on advertising, supposedly to get more/new suckers, but don't spend a DIME on improving their network. As a matter of fact, the reason they're throttling (cutting service) to their top "network hogs" is so that they can cram more users on to the already full network without having to upgrade, install more equipment, or make changes to service.

 

I have sprint and hardly ever have any issues. Never have issues with my bill like I hear some people do. Had the evo4g but now have the evo 4g 3d phone and it's the best phone I have ever used.

 

Ya, I wasn't planning on going with att. lol They're fine for pay as you go up where I live and that's it. I heard about the throttling and they're just dumb.

Well what do you guys know about virgin mobile? they have a phone I want and coverage in LA and a good price, but supposedly horrid customer service.

 

Oh and once you start using a touch screen it's super easy and you do get used to it. Few years back I didn't want to give up my keyboard but and very happy I did. Love having a bigger screen and no keyboard in the way.

 

I might do this. Just kinda expensive. $80 a month gets you only 450 minutes. Don't care so much about unlimited data as i'm sure I won't be using quite that much. (3g/4g smartphone noob here).

But the phones look good!

 

I suspect the same will happen for me. I heard that once you learn swype, it's easy, but it looks scary. haha\


Tmobile looks like a better deal than sprint but the upside of sprint is that I suspect it will get service back home in the hills since it supposedly uses verizon towers which we have lots of. Kinda seems like a pricey jump just for a little service up here though.
The prepaids look the best i.e. virgin mobile, but their customer service scares me. If my phone broke i'd pretty much be effed.

 

The minutes thing isn't bad because they only charge you min if you call a land line. If you are calling any cell carrier it's free. And yes data is unlimited. My husband and I share a plan and ours is 1000 min a month and lol we might only use 200 min any given month combined.

Oh and it's not as scary as it may seem

 

Seriously? SOLD! thanks Gibz.

I've been eyeing that evo 3d. I don't care about the 3d part but according to reviews it's a great phone with all the new tech.

 

My friend has that phone and I have to admit the 3D camera is pretty damn cool. You have to look at it just right but when you do, the pictures look amazing.

Makes me despise my iPhone sometimes

 

It is truly a great phone! I actually enjoy playing with the 3d as do others when they mess with my phone. Took some nice shots at bam with it lol but ya go into sprint and check them out you can't go wrong with this phone

And you are welcome

 

I would suggest getting a phone that can either tether or become a hot spot since you're coming down here for school. ATT isn't so bad, I do agree with the what has been said in other posts. Verizon is "gooder" but not the greatest either (currently verizon user), the problem with a lot of verizon phones is that they the features unless you root them. Tmob, good luck on the service but they have great prices and great phones. Alot of my tech savy friends are all on sprint and they use their phones as hot spots for internet access.