TracFone's $45 Straight Talk unlimited plan punishes you with brutal hardware
By Chris Ziegler 
posted Jul 2nd 2009 10:59PM
posted Jul 2nd 2009 10:59PM
[Via Phone Scoop]
posted Jul 2nd 2009 10:59PM
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is it a GSM carrier? it's contract free so who cares about that ghetto hardware..
Is it too hard to ask for decent phones?
Man, that damn RAZR will never die.
At $45 unlimited talk /text/411 on the Verizon network? Yeah, it is too hard to ask of "decent" phones. Actually, Verizon restricts what a reseller can carry on their network. They have an approved handset list so they won't take away business from their contract plans.
And to further rein in potential conflicts with its own network, Verizon has a six month time trial on the ST unlimited plan. Just in case we take more then they're willing to give on their "unlimited" plan (They call it "reasonable use", bulloney for fudging on what unlimited use really means. Kind of like their "unlimited" data plans being 5 gigs).
No, it is NOT Gsm. There are NO cheap prepaid gsm unlimited carriers in the USA at this time unfortunately.. At least not a national one . All of the nationwide prepaid unlimited plans are cdma (no sim) with the sole exception of Boost iden (which uses a non gsm sim ).
Att offers $3 a day unlimited talk prepaid but that comes out to $90 a month, has no text or web.I don't count that, even though it is gsm.
Why (in an MVNO's right mind) would they choose CDMA over GSM???
What? Do they want people to have to use their crappy phone selection on their service?
What's so dad-gum wrong with allowing people to use unlocked iPhones and Nokia e71/5800/N97's on Straight Talks service?
I mean yeah, AT&T offers GoPhone plans for use with any GSM phone, but still...
Why not $45.00 a month on unlocked phones from Nokia?
I swear CDMA was built from the ground up with carriers profits in mind... From no SIM cards (so you'd have to activate phones ESN number with their knowledge to get it on their network) to crippled bluetooth file-transfer support, to customized/hacked GUI's, to Smartphone Internet Connection Sharing stripping in WIndows Mobile, to BREW apps which were far and few between compared to J2ME...
GSM carriers aren't near as bad as CDMA carriers... Sure, AT&T removes FM radio (and POP3/IMAP clients) from their standard phones for XM Radio, but those are small prices to pay when most of the other manufacturer functionality is left relatively un-touched...
When I buy a CDMA phone, I feel like I've just bought an anchor, regardless of it being pre-paid or post-paid, it feels about the same...
I wish people knew what Verizon does to their phones, ON PURPOSE!!!
Here's where the 80/20 rule applies. If you want an iPhone, you get to pay double or triple the amount for the same service on a GSM network.
Also, in defense of CDMA, voice quality on CDMA is better than on GSM, so I've found, in most cases. Also, if you judge CDMA service by Verizon sure you'll get locked-up phones, but VZ is getting a lot better with that and if you want nice phones on CDMA everyone knows you go Sprint. Right now I'm using WMWiFiROuter to make a cellular broadband hotspot while on vacation to type this post. You can do that on any WInMo phone, but my Sprint phone (and, for what it's worth, Verizon's equivalent, though they did hopelessly downgrade the specs on the HTC Touch Pro) has coverage where I need it. So does Verizon, but Sprint is giving me a better deal.
And no, you can't do what I'm doing iwth an iPhone. At least, not without jailbreaking your phone and messing with several settings. With my Sprint (CDMA) WIndows Mobile phone (yes I know, Windows Mobile sucks...I'd have the Pre if my plan allowed it and if it supported a WMWiFiRouter-esque app) it takes a few screen presses (three for the record) and maybe twenty seconds to set such a hotspot up.
Anyhow, back to Tracfone.
They're doing the 80/20 rule, as I said before. People who want the iPhone/N71/N97 are not their target market. That's why they include a mere 30MB of data and have phones that are limited to 1xRTT data (which I'd say is comparable to EDGE in my experience in terms of responsiveness). The lineup is also higher-end than all but one of Tracfone/Net10's other brand offerings; I think the only higher-end phone than the Razr v3a is the Motorola em326g from Net10. On AT&T's network. With an $80 talk-and-text unlimited plan.
Personally, I think this competes with Boost Mobile and MetroPCS. Also, to some extent, CricKet (to a lesser extent because they have an EvDO network, albeit a rather crappy one). Boost has more limited coverage than Verizon, and data pokes along at 19.2 kbps. MetroPCS is coverage-limited to regional areas, phones are expensive and taxes + fees mean that their comparable plan is in the $35-$40 range. CricKet is similar, though depending on the market their plans are comparable or cheaper, even with taxes and fees.
One more thing about CDMA: higher capacity. That's why CricKet, MetroPCS, Revol, Pocket Communications, etc. use the tech. AT&T can't handle the strain being put on their network with iPhones right now; I don't want to think of what would happen if their network was flooded by $45 unlimited users. T-Mobile on the other hand doesn't have as horrible capacity issues, but why pick the nation's smallest wireless carrier over the largest one?
So the bottom line is that you can't use a $600 phone on Tracfone's service that only has 30MB of data included anyway. Which means you need to pick a different, more expensive, unlimited plan. If you must have your high-end phone, buy elsewhere. If you can live with a w385 or a Razr v3a (there is such a thing as an iPod touch), Straight Talk will work for you. As it will for probably 99.9% of the population who just need a phone that works and takes advantage of Trac's plans.
Cdma vs. gsm discussions are mobile classic topics. Cdma has greater capacity/more history with 3g technology and is generally considered to be more advanced while GSM has near universality , phone choice and ability to be easily used in most of the world.
However, when you consider the parent company of Straight Talk is Tracfone, it doesn't really matter if it is gsm or cdma. Tracfone has sold both on their Tracfone/Net10 brands and their gsm phones are so locked down as to be practically cdma. Their sims can't even be used with another gsm phone from their own company: ONLY the original phone it is married to. They have the toughest unlocking prevention measurcs in the business.
And cdma companies allow some freedom. While not as flexible, easy or capable of international use like Gsm, many independent /regional cdma carriers like Pocket, Revol, Cricket, Metro and Frawg allow other cdma devices to be "flashed" or reprogrammed for the]r networks. Granted , there are more restrictions to flashing a cdma then unlocking a gsm handset, at least there is some handset freedom as an option. It is not universal unfortunately. Verizon, Sprint and US Cellular all don't allow outside cdma devices. And even the ones that do have restrictions (flash allows talk/text only sometimes, if you flash to one network and want to use it on another, you have to reflash, flashing requires esn be entered into company's data base usually via dealer, flashing requires generally more skill and work then unlocking a gsm device, no international compatibility, etc.) Some devices can't be used in ceratin areas even with the same company (Metro and Cricket's flashed phones are useless in their newer Trimode markets). Etc.
In the end, it is preference. If Gsm had the general more advanced capabilities of cdma from the getgo, cdma would be dead. Next generation 4G devices are supposed to be using both gsm and cdma technologies, the best of both. But whether Verizon and Sprint will ever allow sims to be used on their phones is another matter. A matter of politics and policy as much as technology.
Any idea on the $30/mo - how much the 30MB for data actually equates to, usage wise? Also, the 1000 text messages - is that sent AND received or just sent?
Clearly, this is aimed at people who aren't fixated on devices and just want to make calls, send texts and save money.
I did a little digging around and I think it's the best bang for your buck. $45 a month for unlimited nationwide anytime minutes and texts. Pretty awesome!
I ordered mine from the website and will let you know how I like it. Can't beat the price though!
I have to say i have the razr from straight talk. As to say i can use my bluetooth to do just about anything. Can send and recieve files. I was a Boost Mobile customer and i hated it. There service is no good. Now I have not lost a phone call yet. I say If you want a reliable phone for a cheap price. And instead of getting ripped off from these companys that are to big for thereselves go with Straight Talk. You wont be upset. All the new gadgets are all money makers and that its. But its whatever appeals to you.
It is a great plan for those who just want a phone to talk and text on. Until last month I paid over $50 for the most basic plan on Verizon. The plan is supposed to cost $40 but with all the hidden charges and fees added, I never paid less than 50. It only gave me 450 minutes, data was charged at a ludicrous $1.99 per Mb, 411 calls cost almost 2 bucks each.
That was last month.
This month I get 1000 minutes, 1000 texts, 30mb of data and free 411 calls.
On the same network.
Now why would I worry about whether the phone is the latest, greatest model?
30MB comes to approx. 350 web pages. It's not omg-awesome but it's quite good for the price.