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Any pitfalls to buying from Google and using T-Mobile ?

V.Lee

V.Lee

Member
All of my previous cell phone experience has included buying both the phone and service through the carrier. It's time to get a new phone and plan and as usual I'm shocked by the costs, particularly because I use very few voice minutes.

In any case, I'm seriously considering getting the Nexus from Google, and doing the T-Mobile $30 no contract plan from Walmart.

Never having done this piece meal before, I'm wondering what I should watch out for? Like where to I buy insurance from, because the minute I don't is when I'll drop it. I'm currently getting from my carrier. Is T-Mobile going to suddenly drop this plan and I'd suddenly have to buy a more expensive one? Can I "get away" with doing the $30 plan on the Google purchase? (I've seen where people have done it; just have visions that TM will catch on and stop it). What size sim card would I need to buy and where to get it? (I saw that the starer kit on Walmart is for the wrong sized one).

Also, is the Nexus popular enough that various apps will work on it ok? (it took forever for Huluplus to get around to including my tablet). Are there enough out there that I can buy accessories easily? Hey, I'm a girl, and things like nice cases are important to me :). Will my current Galaxy Epic's chargers work with this?

Anything else I should be aware of while I'm deciding?
 
I've got the Value plan with TMO, and have had various and sundry phones on it. Including European. They know I have a rooted Nexus S. I bought that used from Amazon. We have one line that will use whatever my kid sticks her SIM in when she comes to the US, and one voice only Nokia 6085.

There's a lot who get service from Walmart, and TMO just started a new MNVO of their own. There is also Solavei. A lot are fairly happy with it.

If you didn't buy the phone from TMO, you might have to find your insurance elsewhere.

Howard Forums has a rather large TMO community and almost every question about TMO and MNVO have been asked over there.

Since I have a family plan, and MNVO won't work for me.
 
I bought my Nexus from the Play store and Sim card and plan ($30 100 minutes/unlimited data and msgs) from T-Mobile (online).

This is the right Sim card kit for the Nexus 4: T-Mobile Micro Sim card activation kit. I tried to activate it through their website, trying to port my current phone number over to them, waited one day and nothing happened so I had a chat support session for 5 minutes, they gave me a provisional number and I was up and running. 30 minutes later I got a message saying that my number was done transferring!

I'm using Google Voice/SipDroid in case I need more minutes and so far is being great over Wifi or Mobile network.

I think the Nexus 4 is popular enough and you'll find all you need with enough variety. But you can as well check Amazon to make sure.

Not sure about the charger but I can give you the Power output so you can compare it with yours. It has 5.0V ~ 1.2A. As long as yours has the same or less than that it will work. If it has less it'll just charge slower than the original one.

Good luck!
A happy Nexus 4 owner
 
Your phone might be covered on your household insurance - check. And compare prices and cover if you have to insure it, including extending your household insurance.

No problem using whatever carrier you want as the phones from Google are unlocked.

You need the iPhone-size SIM card, and if the plan is ditched look at changing carriers.
 
We've been doing it like this for years over in Europe. The fat cats in the US cellphone industry need to realise their oligopoly is over, it's time for them to stop ripping off US customers. By buying your phone form Google and getting a SIM only deal from t-mobile you're helping this whole process.

Also, think carefully about taking out insurance. I had phone insurance for about 3 years, then I realised I had never lost or seriously damaged my phone. I've now been without it for around 5 years, saving me in the region of
 
I think most economists would say that phone insurance is a poor buy .. on average. Of course, if you do lose your phone in exactly the way that's covered (I had phone stolen - not covered - and a phone lost - covered .. explain that!), then it can seem like quite a good buy.

Personally, I haven't had phone insurance for nearly 6 years. I will now proceed to drop my phone down the loo in the next 12 hours ..
 
Thanks to everyone for the great answers so far. Keep 'em coming. I was mostly worried that this was one of those "if it sounds too good to be true..." deals and that there was a catch somewhere. The plan would be perfect for me, because if I use 60 minutes of talk time a month, that'd be a lot; my mobile calls are mostly ordering carryout to pick up on my way home.

I don't normally buy service plans, but since my previous phones have tried to commit suicide jumping out of my purse, plus I have dogs who tend to knock things over, I think I'd feel better with some sort of damage insurance. (And of course a good case!).
 
The price of the N4 is probably the most revolutionary thing about it - it's Gucci quality for Gap prices.

If there's a catch, I haven't found it yet.
 
"if it sounds too good to be true..." I had the same worries, but going no contract was the best thing I've done in a long time. Absolutely no difference in phone service.... none. With what I save, I can buy a new phone every year! :)
 
Just wanted to check back in with a follow-up. Thanks to the great info here, I took the plunge! My Nexus arrived Thursday and the SIM came on Saturday. I activated the $30 plan today.

The "hardest" part was porting over my current number, because I was leaving someone's family plan and we had to coordinate that. Even so, after I called TMobile back with the account information, it only took a few minutes to get a text confirmation of the switch, and several hours later my old number was up and running.

I'll be glad to see the end of the Sprint bills!
 
I plan to try the 30$ plan when my phone gets here this week .
I'm moving my main number to Google Voice just incase T-Mobile pulls something stupid . I had one customer service rep tell me my service would be cut off over 100 minutes unless I brought an expensive refill card with minutes that expire within 30 days . Then another one told me I could put money on the account and then pay 10 cents a minute .

I live in a house with NO reception and I rarely use over 60 minutes a month in total .

Worse come to worse I'll go and use mySimple or Straight talk , making sure my primary number is actually in Google Voice( had the number for 7 years, no intention of losing when I piss off the wrong phone company ) and calls are actually forwarded out to a mobile number .
 
N4 + no contract is the first time I've found data plan rates to be palatable. Can't see myself ever locking into a contract again.
 
I just ordered my micro sim from Tmobile's website-it was free with free overnight shipping :D Can't beat free. I plan on activating mine online and porting my number from virgin mobile, once I get the phone and the sim in the mail...crossing my fingers it goes smoothly
 
My girlfriends experience was a nightmare. Not getting the phone but trying to get a T-Mobile account activated online. I don't know what went wrong but she had a helluva time. All is good now though and she loves her phone. She did upgrade to the $50 unlimited plan though. She almost ran out of talk minutes.
 
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