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AT&T/Sprint/Verizon & T-Mobile Alternative Carriers & Plans for All iPhone Users

Which Carrier are You with?

  • Straight Talk

    Votes: 46 7.8%

  • AT&T

    Votes: 266 45.2%

  • H2O Wireless

    Votes: 6 1.0%

  • Sprint

    Votes: 53 9.0%

  • Verizon

    Votes: 128 21.7%

  • T-Mobile

    Votes: 74 12.6%

  • Simple Mobile

    Votes: 2 0.3%

  • Red Pocket Mobile

    Votes: 3 0.5%

  • GoSmart Mobile

    Votes: 1 0.2%

  • Net 10

    Votes: 4 0.7%

  • Virgin Mobile USA

    Votes: 3 0.5%

  • Cricket Wireless

    Votes: 1 0.2%

  • Spot Mobile

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Walmart Family Mobile

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Ultra Mobile

    Votes: 2 0.3%

  • Platinum Tel (Ptel)

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Lyca Mobile

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Solavei

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Total voters
    589
S

Satnam1989

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Nov 16, 2011
1,200
0
Illinois
If you are looking to move away from AT&T/Sprint/Verizon or Don't/Cant Unlock your iPhone from AT&T Yet:

Please Note!!
iPhones Compatible with these Carriers/Plans:
- T-Mobile iPhone 4 4S 5 5C 5S = Works on Straight Talk, GoSmart, Simple Mobile, Solavei WITHOUT Unlocking (Needs to be Unlocked for all AT&T MVNO's)

- AT&T iPhone 3G 3GS 4 4S 5 5C 5S = Works on AT&T GoPhone Prepaid, H2O Wireless, Red Pocket and Straight Talk, Net10, WITHOUT Unlocking (AT&T iPhones need to be Unlocked for all T-Mobile MVNO's (Click Here))

- Verizon iPhone 5 5C 5S = Comes Factory Unlocked - Works on ALL AT&T & T-Mobile Plans/Carriers

- Verizon/Sprint iPhone 4S & Sprint iPhone 5 5C 5S= Will not work inside USA on Any Carrier Unless Unlocked via Gevey or R-SIM

- If you have a Factory Unlocked iPhone 3G/3GS/4/4S/5/5C/5S then you are GOLDEN:)

APN Settings = visit unlockit.co.nz on your iPhone to setup the desired APN for your carrier
MMS Settings =
option 1) Simplest way is to Jailbreak and Install/Purchase TetherMe or SIM-Swap(Only available on 4S) as mentioned by many threads on this forum...please search.
2) SIM Swap Trick - Google it and watch Youtube Video's - Very easy to do as long as you be patient :)
3) Use a tool I think such as iPhone configuration utility...(I cannot provide feedback/support for MMS setup as I don't use it since I have no need for it thanks to all the great apps like iMessage & Whatsapp)


2013-10-10%2005.19.31%20pm.jpg


Straight Talk http://www.straighttalk.com/ServicePlans

AT&T GoPhone http://www.att.com/shop/wireless/plans/prepaidplans.html

H2O Wireless https://www.h2owirelessnow.com/pageControl.php?page=plans&category=W

Red Pocket Mobile http://goredpocket.com/plans/

T-Mobile MVNO's - Non-T-Mobile AWS 1700 Smartphone owners Check 1900MHz Coverage http://www.airportal.de


GoSmart Mobile https://www.gosmartmobile.com/compare-prepaid-cell-phone-plans

Solavei http://www.solavei.com

Simple Mobile http://www.mysimplemobile.com/Simple-Mobile-Plan.aspx


If/When more/better plans become available I will be sure to add them to the list, If you know of a great carrier/plan(s) that are better than what I listed then be sure to let me know:)


Need to Unlock your AT&T iPhone, Samsung, HTC or any other AT&T Smartphone? Click Here

As for feedback, those of you concerned Check my eBay accounts: Here and Here

See my Threads on the forum: Here
 
Last edited:
Not sure why you made it a poll, but it is good information. It would be nice to have a thread that summarizes all the options available and this is a good start. For a couple of months I used my iPad's SIM in my old iPhone 4 for data only. $15 for 250mb. Worked great. Then can use tools like pinger's textfree for doing texts and now even voice and vm (although I rarely use voice on it).
 
I have an old 3g, that i would like to use just as a phone ( not with a data plan at ALL)
is there a cheaper plan where I could put a sim card in that old 3g and just use it as a phone???
Everyone seems to want to include a data plan, but I wouldn't need it for texting or data, just to make calls.
 
Pay as you go.
fanboy05 said:
I have an old 3g, that i would like to use just as a phone ( not with a data plan at ALL)
is there a cheaper plan where I could put a sim card in that old 3g and just use it as a phone???
Everyone seems to want to include a data plan, but I wouldn't need it for texting or data, just to make calls.
Click to expand...
 
fanboy05 said:
I have an old 3g, that i would like to use just as a phone ( not with a data plan at ALL)
is there a cheaper plan where I could put a sim card in that old 3g and just use it as a phone???
Everyone seems to want to include a data plan, but I wouldn't need it for texting or data, just to make calls.
Click to expand...

T-mobile Pay as you go. But your iphone 3G needs to be unlocked first.
 
This is great, looks like AT&T is a winner here lol, But to anyone looking to save money Straight Talk is your best bet and you can't go wrong with $45/Month, If you do need 1.5GB+ Data then ya its worth sticking with AT&T because you can have up to 3GB but also at a cost of $65++

----------
fanboy05 said:
I have an old 3g, that i would like to use just as a phone ( not with a data plan at ALL)
is there a cheaper plan where I could put a sim card in that old 3g and just use it as a phone???
Everyone seems to want to include a data plan, but I wouldn't need it for texting or data, just to make calls.
Click to expand...

H2O Wireless has a $25/Month Plan that you can use in any combination....if you strictly use it for talking then you can have 1000Min/Month = Approx 16.7Hours/17Hours of Talk/Month! I think thats the cheapest you going to find
 
My gf is trying to switch from AT&T to Straight Talk, its correct that your iPhone does NOT need to be unlocked to use the Straight Talk simcard right?

The phone is on 4.11.08 baseband which isn't unlockable. :(
 
At this point, I would think Straight Talk has the best deal out there. $45 for unlimited everything with decent 3G, you don't need to bother with an unlock from AT&T either, because the SIM cards just work in AT&T phones. They sell a Micro-SIM for $14, so no cutting required. When you need to pay your bill, just go buy another $45 card from Wal-Mart.
 
I just find a little crazy this exist now. I remember shortly 2 years ago the crave for lots of people to have a unlocked iPhone for cheaper plans with tmobile. Now no need for that. You got this lol.
 
dontwalkhand said:
AT&T unfortunately has a very weak Android selection, and they would rather promote Windows phone right now then ever care about Android it seems.
Click to expand...

It's gotten noticeably better, but they have never had the top Android phone that's out at any given time, other than arguably sharing the Gnex with T-Mo, but that's a teeny, tiny niche. They still have a much worse selection than Verizon though, and don't have any really "WOW" phones like DROID RAZR MAXX. They have the most Android phones/phones in general, but a lot of them are garbage, and the overall selection still puts them behind Verizon.

I think M$ is paying them to promote WP7/ they want to diversify away from Apple (although better Android phones would do that a lot better than WP7).
 
I think all T-Mobile users should move to Straight Talk....honestly the 3G connection your going to get is much better than the EDGE from T-Mobile any day! It Truly is the best deal around and definitely gets you bigger bang for your buck!:)

I honestly don't find T-mobile's deals that appealing since day one....Last year I went through the trouble of getting a Nokia E71 from Straight Talk because it was the only phone along with Nokia 6790 that had a sim card in it which worked on AT&T network and was useable in any iPhone.......Rather than going with T-Mobile it was worth the trouble as 3G Connection > 2G Connection plus $45/Unlimited everything > $50+ T-Mobile w/2G Speeds

----------
scott craft said:
Through Straight Talk can you send videos or is it just pictures?
Click to expand...

You can do everything to anything you can on any other network, on Straight Talk.....Only thing is if you abuse the Data, Id say going over 1.5GB/Month is Abusing....so you will get a call from them and if you do it too many times and get too many notifications from them then sooner or later they will ban you. So I suggest anyone switching to Straight Talk, the deal is so amazing that its not worth abusing and loosing it....
 
Satnam1989 said:
I think all T-Mobile users should move to Straight Talk....honestly the 3G connection your going to get is much better than the EDGE from T-Mobile any day! It Truly is the best deal around and definitely gets you bigger bang for your buck!:)
Click to expand...

I'm on Tmobile...and it's not too bad for me. I've had an iPhone for almost four years now? I did not need data until last year. For me personally, that was great. I didn't have to fork over extra money every month for something I didn't yet need.

Last year, I decided "eff it, I'll get data". I called Tmobile and I currently am paying $5 a month for (technically) unlimited data. Albeit it's not 3G speeds, but for $5 a month? I seriously cannot complain...(and I have wifi at school, work, and home anyway)
 
fullmanfullninj said:
I'm on Tmobile...and it's not too bad for me. I've had an iPhone for almost four years now? I did not need data until last year. For me personally, that was great. I didn't have to fork over extra money every month for something I didn't yet need.

Last year, I decided "eff it, I'll get data". I called Tmobile and I currently am paying $5 a month for (technically) unlimited data. Albeit it's not 3G speeds, but for $5 a month? I seriously cannot complain...(and I have wifi at school, work, and home anyway)
Click to expand...

This is exactly the position I'm in. My phone family uses iPhones on T-Mobile, and we all love it. No need for blazing data, because I have Wi-fi at home and school as well! Love it. :D Especially now that AT&T unlocked my phone.. no more Gevey WOO!!
 
fullmanfullninj said:
I'm on Tmobile...and it's not too bad for me. I've had an iPhone for almost four years now? I did not need data until last year. For me personally, that was great. I didn't have to fork over extra money every month for something I didn't yet need.

Last year, I decided "eff it, I'll get data". I called Tmobile and I currently am paying $5 a month for (technically) unlimited data. Albeit it's not 3G speeds, but for $5 a month? I seriously cannot complain...(and I have wifi at school, work, and home anyway)
Click to expand...

How much you paying total now?

----------
Minhimalism said:
This is exactly the position I'm in. My phone family uses iPhones on T-Mobile, and we all love it. No need for blazing data, because I have Wi-fi at home and school as well! Love it. :D Especially now that AT&T unlocked my phone.. no more Gevey WOO!!
Click to expand...

How much total are you paying per line?
 
Satnam1989 said:
How much you paying total now?
Click to expand...

I guess I didn't mention I'm on a family plan. I think 80$ for 4 lines. My dad has my old 3GS with no data plan, I have a 4 with the $5 data plan, my mom has a regular flip phone.

Unlimited text and some amount of minutes we never get close to hitting. Lol.

No matter what, this is the best choice. Take my line off our family account and the price still sits at $70 ($5 to add a line, $5 for my data). None of the above options have a prepaid plan for $10 a month.

TBH, there is no one-size-fits-all plan, as I'm sure you're well aware of :p For me, this works best. For others, they find your options more fitting. Some others may find options none of us have even heard of. To each their own
 
fullmanfullninj said:
I guess I didn't mention I'm on a family plan. I think 80$ for 4 lines. My dad has my old 3GS with no data plan, I have a 4 with the $5 data plan, my mom has a regular flip phone.

Unlimited text and some amount of minutes we never get close to hitting. Lol.

No matter what, this is the best choice. Take my line off our family account and the price still sits at $70 ($5 to add a line, $5 for my data). None of the above options have a prepaid plan for $10 a month.

TBH, there is no one-size-fits-all plan, as I'm sure you're well aware of :p For me, this works best. For others, they find your options more fitting. Some others may find options none of us have even heard of. To each their own
Click to expand...

True say, I was jus curious. lol I talk, text and do tend to use a decent amount of data, mostly on WiFI...
 
Nice summary. I'm paying $64/month to AT&T right now (450 minute plan plus data with a FAN discount) for my iPhone 3GS. I'm seriously considering switching to Straight Talk. There are 2 reasons I'm delaying:

1. I'll probably be ready to upgrade on the next iPhone release.
2. I still have an unlimited data plan on AT&T. I leave AT&T and there's no getting that back.
 
trina27 said:
Nice summary. I'm paying $64/month to AT&T right now (450 minute plan plus data with a FAN discount) for my iPhone 3GS. I'm seriously considering switching to Straight Talk. There are 2 reasons I'm delaying:

1. I'll probably be ready to upgrade on the next iPhone release.
2. I still have an unlimited data plan on AT&T. I leave AT&T and there's no getting that back.
Click to expand...

$64 not bad at all!
 
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