Thinking about getting Straight Talk service, but...

[heyyitssusan]

I currently have an iPhone 5 through Virgin. It's not bad, but I'd like to have a service where I could get LTE and not just 3G and slow data.

However, I've read that a lot of issues have been occurring, so my questions are..

1.) If I get an unlocked iPhone 5S (or 5C) through Apple, and purchase a ST AT&T GSM Sim, could I just insert the SIM, activate it and be good to go and everything like LTE, MMS, etc would work without changing APN settings or SIM swap? Also because the latest version of iOS 7 is now 7.0.4.

2.) How long would it take to port your number over from another prepaid carrier? Like if I were to port my current number from Virgin, would there be an issues at all?

3.) Coverage wise, is it comparable to AT&T's main towers, or is there spotty coverage in some areas?

Sorry for all the questions, I was just browsing some of the threads the other night and decided to ask some of these questions so I can decide on whether or not I should do this, only because I'm paying so much for the phone and I want it to work. Thanks

 

[7thson]

Have you considered buying the phone from Straight Talk? I believe that would put you on the Verizon network. I think that coverage tends to be better. I know it is in my area. Around here, very Northern California, the AT&T coverage gets dicey around the edges, "degrading" for MVNO's, like Straight Talk. It really depends on the coverage in your area. Do you know people who use AT&T around you? Are they happy with it?

 

[869639]

I currently have an iPhone 5 through Virgin. It's not bad, but I'd like to have a service where I could get LTE and not just 3G and slow data.

However, I've read that a lot of issues have been occurring, so my questions are..

1.) If I get an unlocked iPhone 5S (or 5C) through Apple, and purchase a ST AT&T GSM Sim, could I just insert the SIM, activate it and be good to go and everything like LTE, MMS, etc would work without changing APN settings or SIM swap? Also because the latest version of iOS 7 is now 7.0.4.

2.) How long would it take to port your number over from another prepaid carrier? Like if I were to port my current number from Virgin, would there be an issues at all?

3.) Coverage wise, is it comparable to AT&T's main towers, or is there spotty coverage in some areas?

Sorry for all the questions, I was just browsing some of the threads the other night and decided to ask some of these questions so I can decide on whether or not I should do this, only because I'm paying so much for the phone and I want it to work. Thanks

1) Yes everything will work without any modifications or anything

2) Porting in your number can take few mins to few hours depending on how fast ST people do the work, there should be no issues given you provide them with the correct information to port in your number [Phone #, PIN etc]

3) Coverage is exactly the same as AT&T's main, no difference Full 4G + LTE Access where available.


PS. Pick up a Verizon iPhone 5S/5C if you are going to buy new at full price because incase your AT&T coverage in your area is not as good as you expect it to be, at least you can activate it on Straight Talk's CDMA network [Verizon] as that iPhone 5C/5S, will be CDMA Enabled [It is factory unlocked]

 

[heyyitssusan]

Sam, thanks for the answers. Should I buy the phone off the Straight Talk website instead? So if I get the SIM card, I could revert back to CDMA if the coverage from AT&T isn't as good? Glad you told me that.

 

[mattopotamus]

1) Yes everything will work without any modifications or anything

2) Porting in your number can take few mins to few hours depending on how fast ST people do the work, there should be no issues given you provide them with the correct information to port in your number [Phone #, PIN etc]

3) Coverage is exactly the same as AT&T's main, no difference Full 4G + LTE Access where available.


PS. Pick up a Verizon iPhone 5S/5C if you are going to buy new at full price because incase your AT&T coverage in your area is not as good as you expect it to be, at least you can activate it on Straight Talk's CDMA network [Verizon] as that iPhone 5C/5S, will be CDMA Enabled [It is factory unlocked]

I actually think porting a number relies more on the old carrier than the new one. My GF recently ported from verizon to tmobile and it took verizon 3 days. I switched from AT&T and it took less than 30 mins.

 

[869639]

Sam, thanks for the answers. Should I buy the phone off the Straight Talk website instead? So if I get the SIM card, I could revert back to CDMA if the coverage from AT&T isn't as good? Glad you told me that.

I think in order to get a Verizon Wireless iPhone 5C/5S you can only get it from:

- Apple Store = Ask them for Verizon Wireless Model
- Walmart Store [not online] = Ask them for Straight Talk CDMA 5S

I would recommend you just get it from Apple Store. Don't go into detail that you want to use it on other networks and stuff, just say I want a Verizon iPhone 5S/5C [Depending on what model you want], pay and go home to set it up.

The more you talk about it in store the more confusing some genius/reps [at walmart] can make you life complicated.

I am using a Verizon iPhone 5S purchased from Apple Store [I told them I just want the phone at full price and not tied to any contracts because I don't like debt of any kind and that took less than 5 mins before I was out the store with my iPhone] - - go home, if you haven't ordered your AT&T Nano sim from ST then do that, or activate it on CDMA via ST website.

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I actually think porting a number relies more on the old carrier than the new one. My GF recently ported from verizon to tmobile and it took verizon 3 days. I switched from AT&T and it took less than 30 mins.

That's entirely possible.

 

[heyyitssusan]

Alright. The nearest apple store is about an hour from me, so if I buy it in Walmart in store, is the activation for the AT&T different than the regular ST activation on their website? Also, if I were to activate the SIM, I don't need to activate the Verizon service, right?

 

[heyyitssusan]

Also, what's the difference between buying the phone on Walmart.com vs ST.com, if I can't get it in the Walmart store?