VZW iPhone 5 port to ST or TM?

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ktjensen

macrumors member
I have a Verizon iPhone 5 on verizon. Activated on contract. Obviously that's CDMA I know. Yes I know I would need to pay ETF to clear the iPhone and use it on other carrier.

Want to change to straightalk or tmobile. 3G speed is fine on GSM network. I have no issue being 3G speed.

Verizon iPhone 5 can work at slower speed on gsm 3G international networks in other countries. But can it be made to work as a BYOP at 3G speed here in USA ?

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Oh and my iPhone 5 is jailbroken. Thus why I want to keep it.
 
long story short, it depends on your area. you definitely won't get lte speeds. you might see 3g (or 4g hspa whatever it's called), or you might even see slower 2g edge. on t-mobile anyway. i think straight talk might be a different story.
 
So should I just order both the TM and the ST kits for BYOP and experiment ? Or go to a third party cellphone place that fixes or activates iPhone and ask them about TM and ST in my area on iPhone 5 from VZM? Think that's maybe what I have to do.

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Siurpeeman - that's okay too. Even 2g speed. As long as TEXT works and the phone can make calls.

Slower speed means being cheaper with my data costs. Fast means much more expensive.
 
I would go with ST (or AIO). Tmobile is going to be hit or miss on 3G. You'll need to live in a area where Tmobile has refarmed their 1900mhz signal for 3G. otherwise you'll only get 2g.

Your best best is going with an AT&T MVNO. ST, AIO, Net10, etc. I'm on AIO and i've been happy so far.
 
VZW iphone5 port to ST or TM?

Dickdaney - was really looking for the BYOP iPhone5 with around 3gb of data monthly. Tmobile has that for $30 per month. (Yes I can deal with slower speeds, just not less data). AIO costs $50 per month. So $600 per year and my ETF is added for $300 more. --- $900 for a year is not much savings off staying on Verizon.

Thanks for the warning about 2G speeds being likely on iPhone byop via tmobile. Not good.
 
So after reading way too much. And having many article authors focus on talk time like it's important (it's not at all - when Skype and google voice is free ) came to some conclusions.
1) byop is terrible for iPhone 5 from Verizon. You
might end up with 2g data speeds.
2). The plans available for byop data monthly limits are 500mb, which are ridiculously small.
3). All the carriers are being tricky to not imply you can put an iPhone 5, 5c, 5s in them when in fact they all can be put in anyone. Just not with fast data, and not with reasonable monthly data limits (2 to 4 Gb is reasonable).

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Conclusion --- waiting until iPhone 6 comes out in august and the market changes completely again. If I where buying would get a WALMART STRAIGHT TALK iPhone 5 and jailbreak it and use it on unlimited data 4g LTE speed for $30 per month.
 
You need to be real careful. You will probably be limited to EDGE data on Verizon iPhone 5 with tmobile.

Reason: iPhone 5 Verizon has 3G hspa/gsm bands 850-1900. Most of tmobile's hspa (fake 4 g bands are 1700/2100 which the Verizon iPhone 5 doesn't have)

Unless you are in a reframed 1900 area. You are most likely looking at edge speeds with tmobile.

So even though $30/5gb data tmobile looks good. U will be killing yourself on edge. Can you live with 100 minutes?

AIO wireless is a better option in most areas. You will pay $45 (if you prepay) for around 2.5gb of at least hspa data (throttled after 2.5gb). But at least won't be dealing with edge.
 
VZW iphone5 port to ST or TM?

Can I put in a STRAIGHTALK AT&T SIM card and activate with straightalk ? Put that into my iPhone 5 from Verizon ?

That is also $45 per month.

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I may need to port my number to google voice while I cancel my verizon contract. Then port it back to straightalk or to aio.
 
Maybe if I am lucky AIO will port in my verizon iPhone cellphone number without having to pay the ETF and clear my verizon ECN iPhone 5 number first? Wishful thinking? Or will it work and just have to pay the ETF quickly ?
 
ktjensen said:
I have a Verizon iPhone 5 on verizon. Activated on contract. Obviously that's CDMA I know. Yes I know I would need to pay ETF to clear the iPhone and use it on other carrier.

Want to change to straightalk or tmobile. 3G speed is fine on GSM network. I have no issue being 3G speed.

Verizon iPhone 5 can work at slower speed on gsm 3G international networks in other countries. But can it be made to work as a BYOP at 3G speed here in USA ?

----------

Oh and my iPhone 5 is jailbroken. Thus why I want to keep it.
Click to expand...

Check here for Straight Talk. Looks like you could either try to get an AT&T or T-Mobile compatible SIM or try to sign it up as CDMA. Unfortunately you might be limited to GSM since the Verizon iPhone 5 is unlocked for that but locked for CDMA. I tried mine (also Verizon iPhone 5), and it was incompatible. Could be because my contract is still in effect, and I don't want to end it.

Personally I don't think it's worth it to jump to a different carrier with a phone that isn't 100% compatible. My boyfriend took his 4S from AT&T to T-Mobile and ended up trading it in later for a T-Mobile 5. He kept dropping from 4G to Edge.
 
VZW iPhone 5 port to ST or TM?

I got it May or June 2013. I am overestimating my ETF I know. Even if it is $200 still would have a difficulty switching. The resulting TM would be edge speed if lucky. And tmobile sim would be gsm only. Did order a tmobile sim for $1 but might not use it.
 
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