What are my options other than "The Big Four" (Cellular Service)

[The UnDoug]

I have an iPhone 4S that is unlocked and which I've had on T-Mobile for a couple years now.

My daughter now has an iPhone 5S for which I'm contemplating activating cellular service (she's almost 13, and in more situations for which I think her having the ability to contact me would be good).

Both of our phones started out their lives with AT&T service, and are both now unlocked.

Currently (with T-Mobile), I have an unlimited talk and text plan which costs $50/month, and 1 GB of data per month which is free. After taxes and fees, I pay right around $60/month.

If I add my daughter's phone to my plan with T-Mobile, my bill (before taxes and fees) will be at $80, so probably $90 - $95 per month when it's all said and done. This plan, though, will up both of our data usage to 2 GB/month. I'm not sure if she can use my data if I don't, but I don't think so. I would also have to pay $15 to activate her phone. I also asked if T-Mobile had any kind of pre-paid plan option, but was told that it would end up being more expensive.

I checked with AT&T, and with a 17% discount through my employer, I can get plans for both of our phones for a total of $75/month before taxes and fees. This would be unlimited talk and texts, but only 2 GB of data which is shared between the phones. With AT&T, though, any of the 2 GB remaining at the end of the month will roll over, but only the previous month's data rolls, so you can't continually accumulate unused data. I would have to pay $15/phone ($30 total) in activation fees with AT&T.

I've seen some people here posting about some of the other carriers (MVNOs) with whom they've activated service. I'm not too familiar with all of that, though, and am hoping someone might bring me up to speed. Are there any that would support both an iPhone 4s and a 5S? Would my coverage be good in the Philadelphia area (city and suburbs)?

Most of my daughter's data usage will be watching YouTube videos, I imagine. I can't remember if T-Mobile doesn't count that against data--seems like someone made some offer like that once.

I actually think she will use *very* little "Talk" time (like less than 10 minutes per month!), and much of her texting would be on wi-fi networks, so it's primarily data that she'll use on a cellular service, but I *do* want her to have the ability to call me on the phone when she's not on wifi.

I'm not opposed to keeping my phone plan the way it is, and putting her on some other service, if that would be cheaper. Can the iPhone 5S go on Verizon/Sprint, or only T-Mobile/AT&T, if it was originally on AT&T?


Thanks, very much, for any help you can provide!

[btfc]

"I can't remember if T-Mobile doesn't count that against data"


http://www.t-mobile.com/offer/binge-on-s...video.html

[cbelt3]

t-Mo does the 2 lines 6GB each at 4G for $100 / month plan. The 5s is a 'world phone' and *should* be unlocked. Most providers don't care about talk and text measurements any more.. it's all about the data.

[jimbrady]

T-Mobiles free video streaming (Binge On) has been getting a bunch of press lately. Sounds like YouTube is not a partner in this offering, and so, while the YouTube streams for free, it comes through at a data rate that's unusable.

[bobinmurphy]

T-Mobile has a somewhat hidden pre-paid plan that costs $30/mo for unlimited text and data with 100 min of voice ($0.10/min after that). The first 5gig are at 4G speeds then it drops to 3G/2G. The activation cost is just the cost of buying a new SIM for an unlocked phone. They were running a special where you could get the SIM for $1; the regular price is $15 I think.

This plan is only available if you bring a phone you bought from Walmat and activate on-line according to their web page. But I bought a new phone from T-Mobile on their $50/mo Simple Choice plan, kept it working for two months, had it unlocked and canceled the service. Then I ordered the SIM and activated it online with my new T-Mobile phone. I did have minor problem activating it so I called them and they worked thru the issue.

Go to pre-paid under the plans on their web site, then select other plans under plans. Actually when you get to this point they'll also let you buy a new phone, but they won't unlock it for 2 years on a pre-paid plan. On a monthly plan they are required to unlock the phone after 40 days of paid up service, and the same phones are cheaper this route.

[mattkime]

>>T-Mobile has a somewhat hidden pre-paid plan that costs $30/mo for unlimited text and data with 100 min of voice ($0.10/min after that).

this is what i have. they tend to bury the option on the site. i didn't have any trouble setting it up and was on att before.

i've been very satisfied every time i see news of new plan offerings to discover that my $30/mo if going further than it would anywhere else. i think i pay 10¢/min (seems high?) if i go over my 100 minutes - its been quite a while since i've done that. i use google hangouts to call via wifi most of the time, which is free.

if tmobile offers you enough coverage theres no reason to look elsewhere.

[btfc]

"Here's how to get that $30 T-Mobile plan"


https://www.reddit.com/r/oneplus/comment...e_plan_us/

[Bill in NC]

Forget the $30 T-Mobile plan.

Move to Cricket (AT&T's prepaid).

Unlimited talk/text, plus 2.5GB high-speed data per month (then throttled)

$40 for the first line, $30 for the second - includes all taxes/fees.

$10/month more for 5GB data (per line)

Contract plans only make financial sense for those using much more data (e.g. 10GB+/month per line)

[Buzz]

We have a t-mo prepaid $25/mo. all in for unltd talk/text/data w/ first 2GB LTE data, then throttled. Since we also ported former landline, it's like 4GB LTE data if needed. Cricket sounds good, too. I'm sure there are other good prepaids; just make sure they do wifi calling/text/data to increase usable range.
==

[Ombligo]

You could use a less expensive limited data plan for yourself and then a high usage plan for her. My wife and I are with Puretalk for $15/month combined but neither of us needed data. My son lives on Data, he uses Straight Talk at $45/month for unlimited test/talk and 5gb of high speed data (then unlimited throttled). So that is %60/month for three and we are all happy.

my point is, you don't have to both be on the same carrier.