AT&T --> Virgin Mobile USA on Friday, June 29

[NoCleverSNForMe]

I'm an AT&T customer. I can't wait to switch to Virgin Mobile USA tomorrow.

I know I'll have slower speeds on Sprint's network, but for $87/mo less every month (I pay $137/mo for unlimited talk, text, and 3GB of data)...I can't wait to get my hands on one. $50/mo is ridiculously good, and I'm willing to give up the AT&T LTE version of the next iPhone for it.

Just wanted to share my excitement!!

 

[madridista59]

if you don't mind my asking, what part of the country are you in?

and could you please come back and post your thoughts on the experience once you've used it a bit on the VM network? thanks!

 

[pyro008]

I'm surprised there aren't more people talking about this. I suspect its because of the negative attitude towards Sprint which is completely unwarranted in certain areas.

Anyways, I'm trying to figure out whether I can afford to get an iPhone since my triumph is complete and utter crap. VM has been great for me for the past year, and $27/month for the same plan that major carriers want to charge $70-80 for can't be beat.

 

[m0dern]

I wanna get my sister an iPhone but I'll wait till Sprint complete their network vision upgrades. Once completed, evdo speeds should be in the 2mbps down.

 

[japasneezemonk]

I'm going to switch to Virgin if they get the new iPhone this fall. Paying $645 upfront is very reasonable for me because I can get by on the $35/month plan. Right now I pay about $80/month with 450 voice minutes which is overkill for me. At Virgins low rates the phone pays for itself in about a year. Although, I do wish they offered the 32GB and 64GB.

 

[Sunsean]

Sounds like you've already got the ball rolling on Virgin Mobile - but as a former AT&T customer I'd have recommended looking at Straight Talk. Prepaid sim service - unlimited everything for $45/month (50 with tax), and it uses AT&T's network, not Sprint.

 

[nburwell]

I'm an AT&T customer. I can't wait to switch to Virgin Mobile USA tomorrow.

I know I'll have slower speeds on Sprint's network, but for $87/mo less every month (I pay $137/mo for unlimited talk, text, and 3GB of data)...I can't wait to get my hands on one. $50/mo is ridiculously good, and I'm willing to give up the AT&T LTE version of the next iPhone for it.

Just wanted to share my excitement!!

Same here. Although I'm switching from Verizon to VM. It's not that I'm unhappy with Verizon, but paying $30/month over $75/month is much better since it means more money in my bank account.

BTW, you are now able to pre-order the 4S via VM's web site.

 

[aristobrat]

Sounds like you've already got the ball rolling on Virgin Mobile - but as a former AT&T customer I'd have recommended looking at Straight Talk. Prepaid sim service - unlimited everything for $45/month (50 with tax), and it uses AT&T's network, not Sprint.

Do all features (like MMS) work without having to do anything?

 

[itsbenawhile]

Same here. Although I'm switching from Verizon to VM. It's not that I'm unhappy with Verizon, but paying $30/month over $75/month is much better since it means more money in my bank account.

BTW, you are now able to pre-order the 4S via VM's web site.

its out today, one day early!

 

[reclusive46]

Out of interest what is Sprint like in Florida? More specifically the Orlando and Boca Raton areas.

 

[NoCleverSNForMe]

its out today, one day early!

Yep! It is being delivered to my office by 3pm tomorrow via FedEx. SO EXCITED!! I know, I know - it's the same iPhone that's been out for months, but it's $50/mo for unlimited service.

The big thing I have against the Straight Talk and T-Mobile recommendation is the lack of visual voicemail. It has to be a carrier supported feature, and thankfully, Virgin Mobile is now an official carrier. (Really, it's just "Sprint Prepaid", but whatever)

Activating and porting my number tomorrow! Finally getting rid of the BlackBerry.

 

[nburwell]

Yep! It is being delivered to my office by 3pm tomorrow via FedEx. SO EXCITED!! I know, I know - it's the same iPhone that's been out for months, but it's $50/mo for unlimited service.

The big thing I have against the Straight Talk and T-Mobile recommendation is the lack of visual voicemail. It has to be a carrier supported feature, and thankfully, Virgin Mobile is now an official carrier. (Really, it's just "Sprint Prepaid", but whatever)

Activating and porting my number tomorrow! Finally getting rid of the BlackBerry.

I am the same way. I don't know why I'm so excited for a phone that I currently own. But I guess it's paying $30/month over $75 that I'm currently paying.

I didn't know that VM was going to support visual voicemail. That is huge!

 

[Mac_Max]

I am the same way. I don't know why I'm so excited for a phone that I currently own. But I guess it's paying $30/month over $75 that I'm currently paying.

I didn't know that VM was going to support visual voicemail. That is huge!

I'm willing to bet Apple requires it, but its also not new technology anymore. My MetroPCS Android phone has it at a similar plan price point and Sprint already has the infrastructure in place for the iPhone so it probably makes business sense for VM/Sprint as well.

 

[baller1308]

Downside is that you'll have to pay for the phone and won't recoup that money until after 12 months. You can sell your current phone and recoup that money sooner if you wanted to, especially if you can get it unlocked. I've heard great things about Straight Talk, I would consider that too. As a previous user has said, it uses AT&T's coverage which I find to be very good.

 

[chiefpavvy]

I'm surprised there aren't more people talking about this. I suspect its because of the negative attitude towards Sprint which is completely unwarranted in certain areas.

Looking at Virgin Mobile's coverage map, I'd say it is warranted in about 65-70% of the country.

It may be hard to fathom from the big city perspective but we don't all live in major metro/suburban hotspots. Get just a mile off and Sprint (Virgin) is about as good as a door stop.

No one argues that $50 is a good price but there are a lot of trade-offs to reach that...

 

[unlimitedx]

I looked at virgin mobile's coverage map. If I were to go on vacation I would still most likely be in a coverage area

 

[nburwell]

Looking at Virgin Mobile's coverage map, I'd say it is warranted in about 65-70% of the country.

It may be hard to fathom from the big city perspective but we don't all live in major metro/suburban hotspots. Get just a mile off and Sprint (Virgin) is about as good as a door stop.

No one argues that $50 is a good price but there are a lot of trade-offs to reach that...

From looking at the map, there a lot of coverage lapses out west. Usually when I travel out there, I stick to big cities, but if I were to travel out to Montana or Wyoming my VM iPhone would literally be an iPod Touch. But then again, when I'm on vacation I'm not all that concerned with FB and Twitter. If I were in the non-coverage areas, I would expect there would be at least wifi hotspots to make calls back home via Skype.

So you are right, there are definitely trade off's from having an iPhone on AT&T and VZW vs. Cricket and Virgin Mobile.

 

[Wilson1313]

Getting my iPhone 4S today from Virgin too!! I've had Virgin for about a year now and have been quite pleased at their service (I am in the $25/month plan still). I doubt they will get the iPhone 5 since they will reserve that for Sprint and the high paying customers. But honestly the 4S is still a very nice phone, and it's not worth paying over $1000 more over two years than going to AT&T or Verizon and getting the latest phone. For most people Virgin's service it totally fine unless you are in the more remote places out west- around all major cities it is totally fine with good data speeds.

 

[pyro008]

Getting my iPhone 4S today from Virgin too!! I've had Virgin for about a year now and have been quite pleased at their service (I am in the $25/month plan still). I doubt they will get the iPhone 5 since they will reserve that for Sprint and the high paying customers. But honestly the 4S is still a very nice phone, and it's not worth paying over $1000 more over two years than going to AT&T or Verizon and getting the latest phone. For most people Virgin's service it totally fine unless you are in the more remote places out west- around all major cities it is totally fine with good data speeds.

I'm pretty sure if you change to the iphone, you'll get put on their new plans, so $35/month. It may not be a big deal with the $5 off for autopay, but if they decide to stop doing that or you change to a non iphone, it'll be about $10 more per month. Something to consider.

 

[nburwell]

I'm pretty sure if you change to the iphone, you'll get put on their new plans, so $35/month. It may not be a big deal with the $5 off for autopay, but if they decide to stop doing that or you change to a non iphone, it'll be about $10 more per month. Something to consider.

I imagine they can stop the $5 discount for auto pay at any time since you're not tied down by a contract? It doesn't make much of a difference to me regardless since I'm still saving $40/month switching from VZW.