Newbie question about Samsung Galaxy S2...

[sygyzy]

uh what?

$200 subsidized + 80/mo for 2 years vs $600 unsubsidized + 80/mo for 2 years

it's not like the cost of your phone plan goes down if you buy unsub'ed.

It does if your carrier offers a non-contract, cheaper monthly rate. T-Mobile's EMP plan is exactly that (you save $20/month). The point is when you are paying $80 a month, that's not the real cost of the service plan. They make you believe that's the only option but really you are paying something like $60 for the service and $20 for the fee they need to recoup from the cost of the phone. I have been trying to find the article posted last week where the major carriers disclosed how much they recoup each month.

I am not saying the math works for all situations but it's easy to see how it would in some. Take a phone that retails for $650. You can buy it up front and pay $60 a month for service. Or you can pay $200 up front, and be under contract for 2 years for $80/month. 24 x $20 = $480 + $200 = $680. In the end you pay $30 more for paying less initially.

 

[ImDonly1]

uh what?

$200 subsidized + 80/mo for 2 years vs $600 unsubsidized + 80/mo for 2 years

it's not like the cost of your phone plan goes down if you buy unsub'ed.

Almost everyone on xda-developers who is using an unbranded galaxy s2 is using the featurephone data plan which is a lot cheaper. So, yes you do save monthly. It is also unlimited and not throttled.

You can also use it on att's gophone $50 plan with unlimited data, but the speed is throttled to 0.50 mbps or so. Some people are not throttled on the gophone though.

 

[sygyzy]

Almost everyone on xda-developers who is using an unbranded galaxy s2 is using the featurephone data plan which is a lot cheaper. So, yes you do save monthly. It is also unlimited and not throttled.

You can also use it on att's gophone $50 plan with unlimited data, but the speed is throttled to 0.50 mbps or so. Some people are not throttled on the gophone though.

What is the feature phone data plan? Do you mean Media Net? Is that loophole still present? I ask because everyone talks about it but starting a few years ago, T-Mobile and AT&T started being able to detect whether your phone was a smart phone or a dumb phone. I personally got a SMS from T-Mobile saying they are upgrading my data plan to the higher rate, and thanks have a nice day.

What exactly are people with unbranded S II's doing for plans?

 

[Ns1]

Almost everyone on xda-developers who is using an unbranded galaxy s2 is using the featurephone data plan which is a lot cheaper. So, yes you do save monthly. It is also unlimited and not throttled.

You can also use it on att's gophone $50 plan with unlimited data, but the speed is throttled to 0.50 mbps or so. Some people are not throttled on the gophone though.

1. Not seeing where featurephone data plan is "a lot cheaper". Please link me to this rate sheet in question because google fails me.

from VZW site, adding a "feature phone" to the cart and going to select plans:

data Important Data Service Information
How Much Do I Need? Why do I need Data?

Pay Per Use ($1.99/megabyte) $0.00

75 MB Data Package with Personal Email, VZ Navigator and Ringback Tones$10.00 / month

2GB Data Bundle with Personal Email$30.00 / month

5GB Data Bundle with Personal Email$50.00 / month

2. Gophone not an apples to oranges comparison (i'd argue a throttled s2 = worthless), but it's interesting that this works given the "smartphone users must buy sep. data plan" language (which negates any savings that you have been mentioning)

 

[jpeyton]

I buy off-contract phones so I can buy service through MVNO's for a fraction of what it costs through the big boys.

Unlimited Talk/Text/2GB Data: $115 through AT&T vs. $45 through Straight Talk

Same network, same coverage, same data bandwidth.

Saving $70/month is a lot of cheddar.

 

[Ns1]

In the end you pay $30 more for paying less initially.

The locked phone that's subsidized ends up costing you something like $480 or more.

 

[asjdwf]

So I just called a few AT&T stores and one of the reps said that they have been told to tell anyone who calls that the "Attain" will be out sometime late September. Man I'm so bummed LOL. I really want this phone. I'm so sick of Apple and being stuck with it!

On one hand I can buy the unlocked SGS2 and it will work on AT&T but will it get the full speed of the one that will come out here in the states? I have so many reservations. LOL

 

[abaez]

What is the feature phone data plan? Do you mean Media Net? Is that loophole still present? I ask because everyone talks about it but starting a few years ago, T-Mobile and AT&T started being able to detect whether your phone was a smart phone or a dumb phone. I personally got a SMS from T-Mobile saying they are upgrading my data plan to the higher rate, and thanks have a nice day.

What exactly are people with unbranded S II's doing for plans?

It's not a loophole. The IMEI of the international/Europe SGSii is not in ATT's database so they will never know you have it and won't be able to detect it. It's basically an "unknown" phone to them and equivalent to non-smartphones in their system. I don't believe they have ever added IMEI's for foreign phones either.

1. Not seeing where featurephone data plan is "a lot cheaper". Please link me to this rate sheet in question because google fails me.

from VZW site, adding a "feature phone" to the cart and going to select plans:

data Important Data Service Information
How Much Do I Need? Why do I need Data?

Pay Per Use ($1.99/megabyte) $0.00

75 MB Data Package with Personal Email, VZ Navigator and Ringback Tones$10.00 / month

2GB Data Bundle with Personal Email$30.00 / month

5GB Data Bundle with Personal Email$50.00 / month

2. Gophone not an apples to oranges comparison (i'd argue a throttled s2 = worthless), but it's interesting that this works given the "smartphone users must buy sep. data plan" language (which negates any savings that you have been mentioning)

The featurephone plan is on ATT and not Verizon.

It's basically this, $600 unbranded SGSII + $40 cheapest voice plan + $15 "data unlimited for non-smartphone" plan = $1920 over two years (1320+600).

Or $200 ATT SGSii + $40 cheapest voice + $25 for 2GB limited data = $1760 over two years (200 + 1560). But you're contract-locked, and limited to 2gb.

If you add any sort of texting, it evens out (since you get unlimited data/texting for non-smartphones for $30 and alot more for smartphones). So it just depends whether or not you think the extra $160 is worth it.

I'm pretty close to buying one, but just worried about the warranty.

On one hand I can buy the unlocked SGS2 and it will work on AT&T but will it get the full speed of the one that will come out here in the states? I have so many reservations. LOL

It has all of ATT's 3G bands, so it will be the same as any other 3G phone.

 

[asjdwf]

I know it will do 3G. My concern is if I buy it now......will it do LTE or 4G when it comes out here?

 

[s44]

No current phone will do AT&T LTE.

AT&T current 4G is just faster HSPA, and that will definitely work on the SGS2.

 

[asjdwf]

Ok. Seriously though, If I buy it now though not from ATT will I notice a speed difference from the one that is from ATT?

Sucks that it isn't out yet. Can't wait lol.

 

[tonygeor]

I'll be the same phone...

 

[you2]

Well i'm not sure it will be the same phone; it seems the us carriers are all going with the 4.5 version where as the current version in europe is 4.3

 

[asjdwf]

Really? Is AT&T going 4.5 inch? That's the same as the infuse right? If that's the case I'm buying from newegg lol.

 

[poofyhairguy]

I am jealous of the European phone. The main reason I want a SGS2 over other phones is to be able to replay FF7 and really enjoy it. Now that PS3 remotes work on stock android European SGS2 + CM7 = emu heaven. With AT&Ts model I have to wait for a CM7 port to get a working remote. Sigh.

 

[ImDonly1]

What is the feature phone data plan? Do you mean Media Net? Is that loophole still present? I ask because everyone talks about it but starting a few years ago, T-Mobile and AT&T started being able to detect whether your phone was a smart phone or a dumb phone. I personally got a SMS from T-Mobile saying they are upgrading my data plan to the higher rate, and thanks have a nice day.

What exactly are people with unbranded S II's doing for plans?

Featurephone or medianet plan. It is the data plan you would get if you had a 3g flip phone.

The loophole is still present. ATT never detected phones. The only phone they were able to detect I think is the first nexus phone. Also some phones that are from Bell canada since ATT is kind of related to Bell. I am not sure how you would have an unbranded t-mobile smartphone since most phones in europe don't have t-mobile bands.

You buy the voice plan + flip phone + add data in the section where you can add text messages. Data is either $15 or if you get unlimited texting you can get data for $10.
Speed is still fast on this. People are getting 5-7 mbps on it. There is no performance difference between this phone and the ATT version in terms of speed. Unless the ATT version gets LTE which seems likely. The international version can do hspa+ speeds on att.

or prepaid Att gophone is $50/mo. Speeds are throttled.

 

[ImDonly1]

1. Not seeing where featurephone data plan is "a lot cheaper". Please link me to this rate sheet in question because google fails me.

2. Gophone not an apples to oranges comparison (i'd argue a throttled s2 = worthless), but it's interesting that this works given the "smartphone users must buy sep. data plan" language (which negates any savings that you have been mentioning)

1. International galaxy S2 only works on GSM and ATT. Not VZW. VZW doesn't do sim cards so you can't swap out phones.

2. You only have to add the extra data package to smartphones on the gophone plan. Data for featurephones is included in the $50. Since ATT does not know the galaxy s2 is a smartphone because it does not have its imei, it does not need to buy the extra data. You can use the $50 featurephone plan.

 

[asjdwf]

Where are you hearing that AT&T's version is going to be 4.5 inches? That's as big as the infuse.

 

[ImDonly1]

Where are you hearing that AT&T's version is going to be 4.5 inches? That's as big as the infuse.

Never heard this. Only t-mobile will be getting the 4.5 inch version. Pictures are on tmonews.com

 

[asjdwf]

Yeah I know. you2 posted above that the U.S. Carriers have went with the 4.5 inch screen. I am just dying for this phone.

 

[you2]

That's my speculation; We shall know for sure on a few weeks.

 

[asjdwf]

So now some news online is that it may be called the Captivate 2? What's up with this? Will apple keep this phone from coming out? I need this phone.

 

[Nvidiaguy07]

I am jealous of the European phone. The main reason I want a SGS2 over other phones is to be able to replay FF7 and really enjoy it. Now that PS3 remotes work on stock android European SGS2 + CM7 = emu heaven. With AT&Ts model I have to wait for a CM7 port to get a working remote. Sigh.

Im sure there will be other roms out pretty quickly until CM7 comes to SGS2 for ATT. I wouldn't worry about it.

 

[AznAnarchy99]

This phone needs to come out now so I can cancel my Sprint and get Verizon.

 

[yh125d]

This phone needs to come out now so I can cancel my Sprint and get Verizon.

You and me both