It's not just cellular tower deprioritization that MVNO/prepaid customers endure which mostly occurs on congested towers at peak hours.What does that even mean? Is that a knock at prepaid/MVNO's supposedly being "de-prioritized"? I really don't believe any of that's true. Even if it was true, does anyone really care about the speed of your download? I've been trying out Mint Sim lately which is an MVNO that runs on T-Mobile and it runs just fine. I streamed all of E3's press conferences on it and it never skipped a beat. (and this is out here in rual Idaho).
I really think all that "priority" speak is just meaningless marking talk to get you to spend top dollar.
It's not just cellular tower deprioritization that MVNO/prepaid customers endure which mostly occurs on congested towers at peak hours.
MVNO/prepaid customers often do not receive many of the other benefits as postpaid customers including (but not limited to): international calling/messaging, higher data limits, access to WiFi hotspots, tethering, Visual Voicemail, WiFi calling, call handoff.
It's not just about the speed of downloads.
I've used MVNO and prepaid services for years using both AT&T and T-Mobile towers. I get enough out of my current T-Mobile prepaid plan despite their poor coverage than AT&T in my area (SF Bay Area), but it works enough to the point where I am not compelled to consider other service.
Much as you might believe that cellular companies are magnanimous in their doling out of user benefits, sadly it is not true.None of the that is true.
I have T-Mobile Prepaid (the $35/mo. 100 min/unlimited msg/unlimited data plan). I do not have Visual Voicemail. I get 100MB of tethering. I have no access to T-Mobile WiFi hotspots, no Wi-Fi calling, no international calling built into my plan, etc.
I don't get a five-page bill, just a couple of text messages that my credit card has been charged and I'm good to go for another month.
Adding crap to crap just gets you more crap. TMob has decent coverage geographically. Their problem is that the nature of the bands they use don't have good penetration inside buildings. Maybe they'll do better with 5G but I can't hold out that long. Waiting until the iPhone 8 is almost too long. I was hoping they had improved from the 3G days, but nope.
Much as you might believe that cellular companies are magnanimous in their doling out of user benefits, sadly it is not true.
I have T-Mobile Prepaid (the $35/mo. 100 min/unlimited msg/unlimited data plan). I do not have Visual Voicemail. I get 100MB of tethering. I have no access to T-Mobile WiFi hotspots, no Wi-Fi calling, no international calling built into my plan, etc.
Over the years, T-Mobile has add some incremental improvements for prepaid customers, but by no means does it match what postpaid customers get. At one point they added the ability to take calls while traveling in Canada and Mexico for no additional charge. Prior to that, I was relying on WiFi to make VoIP calls using Google Voice.
When I had the $45 StraightTalk service a few years ago, no Visual Voicemail, no international calling/texting, no tethering at all, no WiFi hotspots, no WiFi calling.
I don't get a five-page bill, just a couple of text messages that my credit card has been charged and I'm good to go for another month.
If you don't believe me go ahead and switch to a prepaid plan or MVNO. The list of bennies is much shorter.
I've just activated my iPhone 7 Plus with Virgin Mobile and thier Inner Circle promotion. The Virgin Mobile rep told me that I'll be charged 8 cents plus fees and taxes a month. I'll see how this goes and I'll report back.
The main point to take away is that people place different values on different telephony features.Hey let me ask you this. Not that I have a dog in this fight as I asked the original question.
But with the amount of money you save on your bill, are missing the above benefits really a hang-up?
Visual voicemail i could be fine without, Tethering I never use, international calling is never used (and honestly why wouldn't you just skype someone when it's free as I don't think any carries give FREE international calls) Paper bills are just more trash to fill your garbage can. free Wifi is EVERYWHERE yet never seen a tmo wifi spot. The canada/mexico thing would be an added benefit if I ever someday visit canada but as it currently stands not a deal breaker.
honestly, the only benefit I would need is Wifi-calling as my office is in a steel framed building.
Personally, I feel like the savings outweigh any benefits hands down.
Sounds like you're on a crappy MVNO. I have Cricket. I pay $55 and have unlimited LTE (currently on my 31st gig), visual voicemail, free Canada and Mexico international calling and texts, and, if I wanted, I could reduce my plan and add tethering.
Prepaid has come such a long way since they first began tackling the market. Many offer almost all of the benefits provided to postpaid.
[doublepost=1498073924][/doublepost]
When you say 'my' 7 Plus, does that mean you were able to bring your own? I was under the impression it had to be a newly purchased device.
iPhone 7 (64GB for $749.99)
What does that even mean? Is that a knock at prepaid/MVNO's supposedly being "de-prioritized"? I really don't believe any of that's true. Even if it was true, does anyone really care about the speed of your download? I've been trying out Mint Sim lately which is an MVNO that runs on T-Mobile and it runs just fine. I streamed all of E3's press conferences on it and it never skipped a beat. (and this is out here in rual Idaho).
I really think all that "priority" speak is just meaningless marking talk to get you to spend top dollar.
So Virgin is essentially charging $1 + $100 premium for the phone... a 64GB iPhone 7 is only $649.99.![]()
So Virgin is essentially charging $1 + $100 premium for the phone... a 64GB iPhone 7 is only $649.99.![]()
What does that even mean? Is that a knock at prepaid/MVNO's supposedly being "de-prioritized"? I really don't believe any of that's true. Even if it was true, does anyone really care about the speed of your download? I've been trying out Mint Sim lately which is an MVNO that runs on T-Mobile and it runs just fine. I streamed all of E3's press conferences on it and it never skipped a beat. (and this is out here in rual Idaho).
I really think all that "priority" speak is just meaningless marking talk to get you to spend top dollar.
Speaking as someone who used to be on virgin mobile, I can tell you that you are wrong. It might be great in rural Idaho, but if you tried using your phone around the metropolitan Los Angeles area you'd have a much different opinion. At a baseball game with lots of people? Forget it. At Disneyland? Good luck, you'll need it to even get on social media. What good are cheap rates if you literally cannot use your phone when you are out and about? I dumped Virgin, switched to T-mobile and never looked back.
lol @ everyone hating on Sprint. Cheapest pricing and best Unlimited plan and have had zero issues with service or reception anywhere. It isn't 2005 anymore.
I can’t speak for the other haters but personally Sprint sucks in and around the Walt Disney World, and Orlando areas. My coworkers come to me for Apple help all the time, and the biggest complaints come from Sprint customers. Half a mile from the tower and they struggle to get more than 10Mbps while my Tmo phone is 40+ and ATT is 20-30. During heavier tourist weeks they get next to nothing while others are fine. It may not be 2005 anymore but they sure wouldn’t know it.
I'm on H2O wireless, $36 per month with auto-pay, no other taxes or fees, for unlimited calls/texts and 8GB data.Hey let me ask you this. Not that I have a dog in this fight as I asked the original question.
But with the amount of money you save on your bill, are missing the above benefits really a hang-up?
Visual voicemail i could be fine without, Tethering I never use, international calling is never used (and honestly why wouldn't you just skype someone when it's free as I don't think any carries give FREE international calls) Paper bills are just more trash to fill your garbage can. free Wifi is EVERYWHERE yet never seen a tmo wifi spot. The canada/mexico thing would be an added benefit if I ever someday visit canada but as it currently stands not a deal breaker.
honestly, the only benefit I would need is Wifi-calling as my office is in a steel framed building.
Personally, I feel like the savings outweigh any benefits hands down.
No wireless company, especially prepaid should only offer one phone.
I will admit that it has been many years since I've used Sprint or VM. I am seriously considering this plan, though.
$50 x 12 = $600.
For the cost of an iPhone, you basically have free unlimited phone service for one year. This really might be too good of a deal to pass up. And a 14-day return policy, in case I find that their service sucks. Decisions, decisions...
You should speak with friends and family who use the Sprint network in areas that you expect to be in.I almost fell for this! Glad I read the comments because I didn't know how horrible this network would be. WHEW!