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I canceled my ATT wireless and...

Serial Midget

Al Bundy
Jun 25, 2002
13,053
1,896
Fort of Rio Grande
I wonder if my 10 month old LG smart phone can be used with another provider? I cancelled because of poor internet service. Are these phones proprietary? My dad uses an iPhone with burner cards he gets from Walmart phones, I'd like to do this -any advice?
 

jdcamb

Tool Time!
Feb 17, 2002
19,799
8,383
Nowhere Man!
Correct me if I am wrong... But even if you get a different simm Card it still operates on AT&T's GSM service. You need to find out who has better coverage in your area... Sadly in order for you to change services you more then likely need to change your phone...
 

syadasti

i heart mac
Apr 15, 2002
12,690
290
VT
Correct me if I am wrong... But even if you get a different simm Card it still operates on AT&T's GSM service. You need to find out who has better coverage in your area... Sadly in order for you to change services you more then likely need to change your phone...
It depends on what frequencies the phone supports. Some models will work on various carriers and some have roaming agreements with each other (ATT&T-mobile or Verizon and Sprint - etc)

Straight Talk is a LOT cheaper than ATT so if the coverage is poor its not as big of a waste. Its around $45/month or so (depending on how many months you prepay) for unlimited everything. You can buy a single month and test the coverage - there is no contract.
 
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Sandwich

Pig my fish!
Staff member
May 23, 2002
21,030
5,918
borcester rhymes
It'll probably work on T-Mobile, since they both use GSM (VZW uses CDMA). Typically though, AT+T has better service than Tmo, at least everywhere I've ever looked. T-mo has an excellent prepaid plan though. Worked great for me as I don't talk on the phone often and never send texts, but then I decided I *needed* mobile interwebs...
 

syadasti

i heart mac
Apr 15, 2002
12,690
290
VT
It'll probably work on T-Mobile, since they both use GSM (VZW uses CDMA). Typically though, AT+T has better service than Tmo, at least everywhere I've ever looked. T-mo has an excellent prepaid plan though. Worked great for me as I don't talk on the phone often and never send texts, but then I decided I *needed* mobile interwebs...
Nope. T-mobile uses different 3G bands so on most smartphones so you'd be stuck with piss-poor 2G data.

ATT 3G is 850MHz/1900MHz
T-Mobile 3G is 1700 MHz/2100 MHz
 

Sandwich

Pig my fish!
Staff member
May 23, 2002
21,030
5,918
borcester rhymes
huh, i guess you're right. I didn't know that...but I haven't considered either in two years. Might go to tmo now that verizon is getting all weird.
 

syadasti

i heart mac
Apr 15, 2002
12,690
290
VT
huh, i guess you're right. I didn't know that...but I haven't considered either in two years. Might go to tmo now that verizon is getting all weird.
Sprint coverage is pretty decent, I'd take a look at them before tmo.
 

BUFFALO

Vigorous Giver of Reputation
Feb 11, 2005
150
0
Renton, wa
A guy here at my work just signed up with Virgin. Bought one of their phones and cheap contracts. He hasn't complained about any of the service. Might be worth looking into if they are in your area.
 

jekyll991

Monkey
Nov 30, 2009
478
1
Belfry, KY
www.cowboom.com sometimes has some good deals on smart phones. I believe CDMA is what you want to get for verizon/sprint and GSM for t-mobile and AT&T, but someone correct me if I'm wrong as that has happened twice before.
 

syadasti

i heart mac
Apr 15, 2002
12,690
290
VT

jdcamb

Tool Time!
Feb 17, 2002
19,799
8,383
Nowhere Man!
Just buy a cheap, used smartphone at a pawn shop that runs on whatever carrier has the best coverage in your area. Take it to the carrier and activate it.
We need Syadasti to work out a few more details for us. It usually takes him 3 or 4 posts before he warms up and posts something useful...
 

Serial Midget

Al Bundy
Jun 25, 2002
13,053
1,896
Fort of Rio Grande
Its around $45/month or so (depending on how many months you prepay) for unlimited everything. You can buy a single month and test the coverage - there is no contract.
My old contract ran out years ago with altel and was grandfathered in at ATT for 100 a month taxes included. Last month I used 11 minutes of hone time and could not access the net for more than 5 minutes at a time.

My current phone is paid through the 11th of July so I have about 2 weeks to find something.