The great phone debate

Learjet45 · Postby **Learjet45** » Sat Nov 12, 2011 9:14

Not gonna read the whole thread, but:
Heard of Republic Wireless yet? $19/mo for unlimited talk, text, and data. The only catch is that it relies heavily on Wi-Fi to lower the strain on the network. If you use the network too much (eg low access to Wifi), then you can be kicked out. They've only got one phone right now, an LG Optimus running Android 2.3, but I think it could be very interesting. The phone uses Sprint's network when using the cell network instead of Wifi I believe as well.

erod550 · Postby **erod550** » Sat Nov 12, 2011 9:14

Please, please, please do not go with a cut rate carrier. You will not be happy, especially if they're that strict about data usage. Stay with one of the big 4 if you want a smartphone.

And yea, I could get the iPhone 4s on Sprint if I wanted to now, but I don't (the iPhone 4 is also available for $99). I'm eligible for upgrade though and I'm thinking about the Galaxy SII Epic 4G. I'm just afraid there will be things I don't like about it and right now there isn't much I don't like about my HTC Evo. I'd only be upgrading to get the dual core processor and to have a new toy, but there's always the chance of it being more frustrating than fun if something you're used to doesn't work how you want it to on the new phone.

kingtut · Postby **kingtut** » Sat Nov 12, 2011 9:14

See what you started Eric!?:lol:

Good info here, but i don't understand a bit of it. Backing up phones? Dual core processors? Fragmentations? hardware? Whaa?

Dude...

speedjunkie · Postby **speedjunkie** » Sat Nov 12, 2011 9:14

^Yep, this is what I was afraid of HAHA. I'd seen people posting about OS on phones and I knew this was the right place to come, but I was afraid of too much information. Although...I do appreciate all this information, and I'm sure I'm not the only one.

So right now I'm thinking I'll keep my options open for the iPhone or an Android. I'm not really going to consider anything else at this time, like BB and probably not Palm either, just because they don't' look like they're going anywhere.

I watched a couple vids yesterday on the iPhone 4S and a couple Galaxy models. One of the vids showed a drop test (which I figure would be good for me haha) between the 4S and the Galaxy SII if I remember correctly. The 4S fared HORRIBLY, cracked not only on the screen but on the back of the phone too, while the Galaxy didn't have a single crack. But, that's just one facet to look at.

I had a lot more posted yesterday, but I'll have to go back through each post and remember what it was haha.

David, gov't computers aren't the only ones I was using when that happened, but it seemed to be most frequent haha.

Also, I'm going to look at switching carriers when I get back too. Sorry Learjet, I'm going to steer clear of that one because I don't want to take a chance on that, but thanks for the info anyway haha.

Oh, one thing I wanted to ask about...my roommate calls using WiFi from over here, so I guess it's not technically a global/world phone. That's why it doesn't cost him the extra roaming charges and all that. So I've been looking for a phone that can do WiFi calling, can iPhones do that? So for I haven't seen any that can, but I may be looking in the wrong place. I like the unlocking/jailbreak option though, that's cool.

christi · Postby **christi** » Sat Nov 12, 2011 9:14

Eric, what do you mean by wifi calling? Are you referring to facetime or skype?

Dange · Postby **Dange** » Sun Nov 13, 2011 9:14

christi wrote:Eric, what do you mean by wifi calling? Are you referring to facetime or skype?

if he is using an android he could be using google talk.
I have a buddy that canceled his verizon service and just uses his droid for that. as easy as it is to find wifi around now days.

your phone uses wifi or data. has its own phone number people can save. voicemail etc.

I am running a droid 2 on verizon and i have the bare minimum minutes. but unlimited texts/data.(grandfathered in with TRUE unlimited data)
I typically only use my phone line for friends or family. and any business calls are handled through either skype or google voice.

when i was deployed back in 08, I just used skype on my laptop.. I paid for the actual number and unlimited us and canada. beat the hell out of spawar/uso/payphones call at anytime home with no waiting in line from my own bunk. with no time limits to my calls. and if my family missed my call they could just call me back. and there wasnt NEARLY as much delay as the spawar/payphones PLUS being able to see facetime with my family if they got on their computer was SOOO worth it. kept me sane

speedjunkie · Postby **speedjunkie** » Sun Nov 13, 2011 9:14

Christi, I'm not sure. He was just saying that since we have WiFi in the dorms, he can use it to call his wife and it's actually calling from his phone. His number and everything comes up on her phone, just as if he's still in the US.

Dange, yeah I'm using Skype right now. I pay $3/mo for unlimited calls, and skyping is free of course so I can video chat with people. I think it's $3 anyway, it might be $8 now, I don't remember for sure. This is the only way I can call my family because they aren't in a town with military bases, so I can't use DSN to call them through the base and I haven't bought a phone card to use to call them from work haha. Sometimes service is really crappy, and that's mostly when calling computer to computer or computer to cell phone, but computer to home phone is usually really good. I had a really good connection when I talked to my Mom on her cell phone last night though, so it's hit or miss. And it's probably because of the wifi here anyway. Each trailer has a wifi hub and I think someone set up their own network and is stealing bandwidth, really pisses me off. We tried to use a feed horn and spectrum analyzer to find whoever was doing it last year, but the Spec A we were using didn't have a long enough power cord and the battery on it sucked lol.

I checked coverage maps of the big 4 companies and they all cover C Springs, and it looks like most of them will have good to decent coverage. I like Sprint because of the unlimited data and prices aren't too bad, but one of their maps looks kinda sparse.

christi · Postby **christi** » Sun Nov 13, 2011 9:14

Sprint also has shitty customer service. In my opinion, you need good customer service to enjoy your cell phone company.

Aye, I got it now Eric. More than likely it's skype to skype or facetime to facetime, lol if he has a iPhone.

Dange this is true. Except Google Talk is not yet compatible with the iPhone which annoys me. It took them 4 years to get Google Talk as a free application on the Appstore.

I`m Batman · Postby **I`m Batman** » Sun Nov 13, 2011 9:14

Facetime is strictly Wifi (it doesn't go through your carrier so it doesn't use your minutes at all, strictly data only) unless you Jailbreak and use 3G. My friend uses Facetime (on his iPhone) to call his family (with iPad or iPod Touch) in Thailand for free.

There are a lot of other free Wifi VoIP phone apps out there like Whistle Phone. I used it when I went to Canada for work. You can hook up your Google Voice to Whistle or any other VoIP apps that you have that has a phone number. So, the only phone number you need to give out is your Google Voice number.

You can also get a free Text app like TextFree with Voice and hook up your Google Voice to that and people can text you too. Either directly to the app's phone number or Google Voice number. Depending on how you want to set it up. AND ITS ALL FREE!

Operator · Postby **Operator** » Sun Nov 13, 2011 9:14

Yeh, I dropped my texting plan. I use TextNow, but have used google voice and textplus in the past for texting. Only real draw back is bot being able to recieve mms nessages but at least you can send them. I also use google voice for free calls, and Skype for vid calling.

Justin · Postby **Justin** » Sun Nov 13, 2011 9:14

dommo_g wrote:I came from Palm phones, so I'm by no means bashing Palm, but that platform is dead. The only reason to get that phone is if you're strictly a fan of the new Palm OS, or whatever HP calls it since they took over Palm. I wanted that phone so bad when it came out, but decided against it after researching more. It has absolutely no advantage over an Android phone other than the fact that it offers true multitasking. And it will have the smallest fraction of apps available compared to Android. That's if anyone is even developing apps for it anymore.

x2. Palm is dead. I'd go with an Android phone or iphone. Blackberry tends to be a good option if you're just doing email and calls.

speedjunkie · Postby **speedjunkie** » Sun Nov 13, 2011 9:14

christi wrote:Aye, I got it now Eric. More than likely it's skype to skype or facetime to facetime, lol if he has a iPhone.

Neither. It's just using wifi to call. He has facetime but his wife doesn't have a smartphone. He has a MyTouch with T Mobile.

Operator · Postby **Operator** » Sun Nov 13, 2011 9:14

Yep, they offer wifi calling: http://www.androidcentral.com/t-mobile-officially-announces-wifi-calling-new-mytouch-and-defy-android-phones

chromal · Postby **chromal** » Sun Nov 13, 2011 9:14

I heard about Republic Wireless about a week after signing up for and transferring my cell number to Virgin Mobile with a Motorola Triumph android phone. $35/mo for 300 minutes, unlimited data and messages. They run on Sprint's network. There's no contract, but you have to pay out-of-pocket for the phone. (Mine was $299).

erod550 · Postby **erod550** » Mon Nov 14, 2011 9:14

christi wrote:Sprint also has shitty customer service. In my opinion, you need good customer service to enjoy your cell phone company.

You're going to hear people talk about bad experiences they've had with customer service for all of the big 4. Plus, having worked in the customer service call center industry for the last decade I know it's just the luck of the draw on who you get on the phone that day. All companies have good and bad phone reps, no matter what awards they've won for great customer service, and you always have a chance of getting a bad one no matter if it's your cell phone company or cable/satellite company or any other company with a call center. It's just how it is. They get paid jack shit to sit and listen to people complain all day and be really rude, all while trying to stay positive and calm and it's not easy.

Anyway, I've been with Sprint for about 10 years now and they're usually pretty good when I need to call them. To me, customer service is a really minor thing though since you only have to talk to them maybe once every two years when it's time to upgrade your phone unless you have a problem with your bill. But most of the time when people have a problem with their bill it's because they didn't get the plan they should have and then find unexpected charges. If you make sure you have the right plan up front, you'll probably never need to talk to customer service at all.

The great phone debate

Who is online