T-Mo Samsung S3 and T-Mo/Walmart prepaid card plan

[looper]

You can use the Samsung S3 with the no-contract prepaid T-Mo/Walmart cards($30/month/unlimited txt/data/100 min calling...this prepaid card available ONLY online)...just need to do a few extra steps...

Worked like a charm, first time...

*bought a Samsung/T-Mo S3 T-999 from eBay, NOT from T-Mo...do not go in there, as they'll try to sell you an inferior $30/month card plan compared to the above...
*bought activation kit from T-Mo website ... took 3 days to get it
*took sim from above, cut to micro-sim size with cutter from Amazon (easy)
*put micro-sim in S3, charged battery
*to WalMart site, bought $30 card > 100min talk/unlimited web/text, PIN sent in email, took @ an hour to get PIN # in email
*to T-Mo site to activate phone, input info, choose PW, then enter PIN for $30 card for 1st month

Now I have to learn how to use my first smartphone... FUN, FUN.... Zoom Zoom...

 

[soulcougher73]

What do you mean by they will sell you an inferior $30/m plan? I got my Nexus activated in t-mobile store for the unlimted text, 5GB of 4G data and 100mins. That is what it shows on my account page as well when i sign into their site.

 

[Bateluer]

What do you mean by they will sell you an inferior $30/m plan? I got my Nexus activated in t-mobile store for the unlimted text, 5GB of 4G data and 100mins. That is what it shows on my account page as well when i sign into their site.

TMO sales a second 30/month plan that only offers 100MB of data at 4G speeds. The 5GB plan is a Walmart and TMO Web exclusive.

 

[ImDonly1]

Couldn't you just order a microsim card from them? They sell them for iphone users. Just a fyi. You can sometimes get a sim card from a store for free or $1, but some stores are shady about it. I prefer going to corporate stores as I believe it is company policy for them to sell a SIM card solo if you want. Third party dealers will lie and not want to give you a card without you activating your phone with them.

 

[buckshot24]

TMO sales a second 30/month plan that only offers 100MB of data at 4G speeds. The 5GB plan is a Walmart and TMO Web exclusive.

But more minutes of voice.

 

[looper]

What do you mean by they will sell you an inferior $30/m plan? I got my Nexus activated in t-mobile store for the unlimted text, 5GB of 4G data and 100mins. That is what it shows on my account page as well when i sign into their site.

As my post stated, "unlimited data..."

 

[ilkhan]

Easy way it to buy the phone, buy any cheapo T-Mo pre-paid phone, activate the SIM online using the $30/100/unlim/5GB plan exactly like would if you were using the cheapo phone and put the SIM into the S3.

The cheapo phone box provides a backup phone, the SIM, and the SIM activation number.

 

[Bateluer]

As my post stated, "unlimited data..."

The plan you referred to you in original post is unlimited, but after 5GBs, its throttled. Like all of TMO's Monthly 4G prepaid plans. TMO only offers two true unlimited data plans, and they're post-paid, 70 to 90, depending on whether you buy a phone unsubsidized or subsidized.

 

[looper]

The plan you referred to you in original post is unlimited, but after 5GBs, its throttled. Like all of TMO's Monthly 4G prepaid plans. TMO only offers two true unlimited data plans, and they're post-paid, 70 to 90, depending on whether you buy a phone unsubsidized or subsidized.

I'm retired and at home quite a bit. I have no need for the higher limits of a much more expensive plan. $30 a month allows me to not feel guilty about having a smartphone that I wanted but don't need... boys must have their toys.

 

[soulcougher73]

TMO sales a second 30/month plan that only offers 100MB of data at 4G speeds. The 5GB plan is a Walmart and TMO Web exclusive.

This is what my account page says and i did it at a T-Mobile Store.

 

[abaez]

That is alot of steps for something so simple.

1. Buy this: http://prepaid-phones.t-mobile.com/prepaid-phone/T-Mobile-Prepaid-SIM-Activation-Kit
2. Go to T-mo prepaid site and activate it on $30 plan (or whichever plan)
3. Put it in any phone you want

Done. Wal-mart doesn't even need to come into the picture.

 

[Bateluer]

This is what my account page says and i did it at a T-Mobile Store.

Interesting, did you specifically ask for the 5GB 30 dollar plan?

 

[GregMal]

The Walmart web site has a Samsung Galaxy S II plus $30 prepay card for $329.
So-so deal?

 

[soulcougher73]

Interesting, did you specifically ask for the 5GB 30 dollar plan?

Yeah. At the time i knew of the plan but didnt know it was web only. So i guess im lucky i got it set up correctly.

 

[wirednuts]

very dumb question here, but ive been a cdma user for my whole life.

so, with sim card phones, i can use any sim card phone? even if its not a t mobile branded phone?

 

[GregMal]

Yes, a T-Mobile phone or any unlocked GSM phone..........

 

[ilkhan]

very dumb question here, but ive been a cdma user for my whole life.

so, with sim card phones, i can use any sim card phone? even if its not a t mobile branded phone?

Provided it has the right frequency support, yes.
Even without the right frequencies T-Mo is adding UMTS1900 support and for now it will still work for voice and very slow data.

 

[Capt Caveman]

Noob question. Is T-Mobiles 4G HSPA+ and not LTE? And is the T-Mobile S3 compatible with any other carriers(ie. AT&T) or vice versa?

 

[Bateluer]

Provided it has the right frequency support, yes.
Even without the right frequencies T-Mo is adding UMTS1900 support and for now it will still work for voice and very slow data.

I thought they were going to use that 1900 spectrum to beef up their HSPA+ network, which has fast data? Or is that just further down the pipeline?

Noob question. Is T-Mobiles 4G HSPA+ and not LTE? And is the T-Mobile S3 compatible with any other carriers(ie. AT&T) or vice versa?

TMO's 4G is DC-HSPA+ 42Mbits, not LTE. Their LTE network isn't live yet . . . end of the year, I think?

To the second question, you should be able to take a TMO S3 to any carrier that supports the frequency bands though speeds will be dependent on both carrier infrastructure and supported frequencies.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samsung_Galaxy_S_III#Model_variants

 

[s44]

Noob question. Is T-Mobiles 4G HSPA+ and not LTE? And is the T-Mobile S3 compatible with any other carriers(ie. AT&T) or vice versa?

TMo->AT&T yes
AT&T->TMo no

 

[ilkhan]

I thought they were going to use that 1900 spectrum to beef up their HSPA+ network, which has fast data? Or is that just further down the pipeline?

1900 is currently used for voice service. They are splitting it using a portion of that spectrum for HSPA+ service. T-Mo HSPA+ is currently on 1700. That 1700 spectrum is getting split and re-used for LTE.
850 voice, 1700 UMTS/LTE, 1900 voice/UMTS should be the layout.

Along with adding LTE support this effort has the effect of letting GSM phones not designed for T-Mo work at full HSPA+ speeds on the 1900Mhz band.

At some point they could pull an ATT and split the 850 band into an HSPA+ section and move 1700 exclusively to LTE. This would put their spectrum use as close as possible to the same as ATT. ATT also has LTE at 700Mhz, but T-Mo doesn't have any 700Mhz spectrum to use like that. I don't think they'll actually do this, however. That 850 is their best spectrum for building penetration. They need it to stay on voice service. People can use wifi inside buildings for data, harder to that with voice.