Petrah
Psychotic Female
That's like saying well Verizon has the iPhone, so Virgin Mobile USA will eventually get one too.
VM USA and VM Canada are completely different mobile carriers and are not affiliated with one another other than the name.
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Future phones for Virgin Mobile USA?
- Thread starter dillon4126
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That's like saying well Verizon has the iPhone, so Virgin Mobile USA will eventually get one too.
VM USA and VM Canada are completely different mobile carriers and are not affiliated with one another other than the name.
MacFett
Android Expert
VM Canada is a contract carrier and is not affiliated with VM USA.
LOL
We are begging for scraps from sprint as it is. The stupid optimus black is what like 6 months old and will possibly be a boost exclusive phone. I doubt VM USA will ever get the Iphone or anything very high end.
I suspect many people have trouble understanding how different VM USA is from VM anyplace else. When I first started looking at VM I did scratch my head also at first. VM UK customers can get all sorts of awesome phones, on contract. I really think that VM is just turning into the budget el-cheapo carrier for sprint. Boost will become its "nice" no contract or value plan and Sprint will be the big boy that costs the most, but will have a big selection of "free phones" with a 2 year contract. I think sprint phones get a little better coverage and 4g also.
We are begging for scraps from sprint as it is. The stupid optimus black is what like 6 months old and will possibly be a boost exclusive phone. I doubt VM USA will ever get the Iphone or anything very high end.
I suspect many people have trouble understanding how different VM USA is from VM anyplace else. When I first started looking at VM I did scratch my head also at first. VM UK customers can get all sorts of awesome phones, on contract. I really think that VM is just turning into the budget el-cheapo carrier for sprint. Boost will become its "nice" no contract or value plan and Sprint will be the big boy that costs the most, but will have a big selection of "free phones" with a 2 year contract. I think sprint phones get a little better coverage and 4g also.
UnixPimp
Newbie
frdmspoplr
Well-Known Member
If you want super awesome phones, you're gonna have to sign a contract. I can't imagine there's much of a market for $600 phones. Most of us are on VM because it's dirt cheap. Sure, there might be a few people who would pay an arm and a leg to get a $600 phone on VM, but from a business standpoint it would be foolish for them to offer a phone that isn't going to sell a whole lot.
Petrah
Psychotic Female
I doubt many plunk down that much for a phone, even with a contract carrier. The phone may be worth 600 bucks, but when you sign a contract (or even renew) then most times you never pay that full price if anything at all.
Edit: Not everyone who is with VM is poor. Some people are frugal with their cash and don't need all the bells and whistles that comes with the carrier, but will have no issues whatsoever in plunking down several hundred bucks for a nice phone. Even during income tax return time, Id be willing to pay 300 bucks for a nice VM phone.
Edit: Not everyone who is with VM is poor. Some people are frugal with their cash and don't need all the bells and whistles that comes with the carrier, but will have no issues whatsoever in plunking down several hundred bucks for a nice phone. Even during income tax return time, Id be willing to pay 300 bucks for a nice VM phone.
Exactly. What do we expect? VM is a discount provider. It's not just now becoming that way, rather, it's always been that way. If you want the best phones and the best network, you go to Verizon and pay a lot more. If you want the absolute lowest prices, you take what you can get. I'm sure VM will get some more powerful phones this year... so will everyone else. You will most likely never be cutting edge on VM. You will, however, be able to do just about any practical task your Verizon friends do, for half the money. If you are a power user, VM probably isn't the provider for you.
No I would not drop 600 bucks for just released dual core phone with a 4.2 inch screen. However there are several options out there in the 200 to 400 range that are pretty decent phones and do not require a contract. My biggest issue is the contract and paying for the phone over time. Its a mistake to think that any carried offers a free phone. Consider Sprint, you can pay 99 on sprint or 55 on boost mobile over two years that will cost you an extra 1056 over a two year contract.
Tmobile is 80 vs 49
That is 744 extra over a two year contract.
So it really makes excellent sense to buy even a 600.00 dollar phone outright and save some money with a cheaper plan.
My only gripe with Boost is that there is no 4g and I think the coverage is not quite as good as sprint. With Tmobile the coverage and speeds are the same. Unless boost upgrades the data speeds or they offer better phones at the VM plan prices I think Tmobile will take a lot of customers from them.
Tmobile is 80 vs 49
That is 744 extra over a two year contract.
So it really makes excellent sense to buy even a 600.00 dollar phone outright and save some money with a cheaper plan.
My only gripe with Boost is that there is no 4g and I think the coverage is not quite as good as sprint. With Tmobile the coverage and speeds are the same. Unless boost upgrades the data speeds or they offer better phones at the VM plan prices I think Tmobile will take a lot of customers from them.
I feel like it's been so long since we had some pretty reliable information about what's next for VM. The coming of the Slider and Wildfire was a non-event at best. Exciting for some I guess, but I didn't blink for a second. I wouldn't trade my rooted, overclocked OV for either of them. February is less than two weeks away and still nothing. Makes me think there really is nothing to know. VM might just be coasting right now. It's doing ok. People are still buying the Triumph (face, not everyone uses the GPS, so they'll never know it's shortcomings. the majority of my friends with androids and smartphones don't use the GPS, and have Garmins and Tom-toms instead). And VM has stirred up enough extra sales with the Wildfire and Slider to keep coasting.
Maybe VM will coast all the way into the summer with it's current lineup. Hope not. June will be 1 year since I've gotten the OV, and though it's a great little phone, I'm really itching for a bigger screen, front cam, better back cam. And I use my GPS daily, so the Triumph is NOT an option at any price.
Maybe VM will coast all the way into the summer with it's current lineup. Hope not. June will be 1 year since I've gotten the OV, and though it's a great little phone, I'm really itching for a bigger screen, front cam, better back cam. And I use my GPS daily, so the Triumph is NOT an option at any price.
Whyzor
Android Expert
The GPS is not all that bad, it just takes 1-2 minutes to cold lock and aGPS doesn't work in stock or CM7 ROMs. Subsequent locks are quicker, 15 secs or thereabouts. If VM doesn't release another large screen Android phone, getting the MT on sale is not a bad idea. It runs very smooth on CM7 w a nice big screen.
Newer batches seem to have less problems than when it first came out.
Newer batches seem to have less problems than when it first came out.
UnixPimp
Newbie
The Wildfire S would have been a good addition if they added extra RAM to it or at least took out HTC Sense. I thought VM's position was that they wanted Android phones running stock Android with no manufacturer skins. I know some people are happy with that phone, so I do not want to knock it.
The Slider is more for the QWERTY keyboard crowd who do not want to get the underperforming Intercept. If I was into Androids with physical keyboards, then I would probably have gotten that phone.
Either way, at least both of those phones have Android 2.3 (Gingerbread). Cannot say that for the older phones on VM.
As much as I hate to do it, if I don't see a new phone from Virgin USA by end of February I think I'll jump ship in favor of the LG Marqee over at Boost. I really think a lot of folks will do the same. My gut tells me that a lot of Virgin users were hoping for something bigger and better from Virgin over the hoildays. It's a disappointment to say the least. They are missing the boat.
Like my dad used to say ... "get on the bus or get run over by it" !!
Like my dad used to say ... "get on the bus or get run over by it" !!
Droidula
Android Enthusiast
All I want from a new phone in the VM lineup is:
A reliable GPS
More than 5 MB space so I can actually download apps
A bigger screen
(The GPS + signal / reception problems are part of what's keeping me from buying the Triumph.)
I've whittled down that list from other features I want, but the longer they go without releasing anything, the more features I'm willing to forego, but I wouldn't get anything without those three specs. The next thing I really want is to be able to use the phone as a hotspot, which I can do with my optimus V and quick settings. Are you able to do that with the other phones as well, as long as they're rooted?
And then, a better camera with flash, front camera, decent battery, and I'm good to go. If I can really dream, I would also love a dedicated camera button, and hard buttons rather than capacitive. A notification light would be very nice too, I don't understand why phones don't all have some way of indicating that a text was received or that you missed a call / have a voicemail. (I use flashNotify for that now.)
I would switch to another "cheap" company with a better phone, such as boost, but I'm not willing to try them, based on reviews. I have tried cricket too, and had a lot of problems with really delayed texts the whole time I was with them.
I'm losing hope that VM will ever come out with anything anytime soon.
I use the GPS on my phone all the time and would be lost without it, so I would only consider a phone that utilized GPS reliably. What do you mean that it takes a few minutes to lock the first time, but 15 secs for subsequent ones?
A reliable GPS
More than 5 MB space so I can actually download apps
A bigger screen
(The GPS + signal / reception problems are part of what's keeping me from buying the Triumph.)
I've whittled down that list from other features I want, but the longer they go without releasing anything, the more features I'm willing to forego, but I wouldn't get anything without those three specs. The next thing I really want is to be able to use the phone as a hotspot, which I can do with my optimus V and quick settings. Are you able to do that with the other phones as well, as long as they're rooted?
And then, a better camera with flash, front camera, decent battery, and I'm good to go. If I can really dream, I would also love a dedicated camera button, and hard buttons rather than capacitive. A notification light would be very nice too, I don't understand why phones don't all have some way of indicating that a text was received or that you missed a call / have a voicemail. (I use flashNotify for that now.)
I would switch to another "cheap" company with a better phone, such as boost, but I'm not willing to try them, based on reviews. I have tried cricket too, and had a lot of problems with really delayed texts the whole time I was with them.
I'm losing hope that VM will ever come out with anything anytime soon.
I use the GPS on my phone all the time and would be lost without it, so I would only consider a phone that utilized GPS reliably. What do you mean that it takes a few minutes to lock the first time, but 15 secs for subsequent ones?
Well .... take a peek below. Even StraightTalk is getting it !! There are 2 new phones coming by end of the month. I was a ST user but dropped them this summer in favor of Virgins OV. I'm tellin ya .. Virgin needs to regroup in a hurry !!
LG Optimus Black and Optimus 2X Coming Soon To Straight Talk – Prepaid $45 Unlimited Talk, Text, Data
I just got an email from StraightTalk for an opportunity to reserve these phones. Apparently coming to WalMart soon. I guess read it and weep for Virgin !
LG Optimus Black and Optimus 2X Coming Soon To Straight Talk – Prepaid $45 Unlimited Talk, Text, Data
I just got an email from StraightTalk for an opportunity to reserve these phones. Apparently coming to WalMart soon. I guess read it and weep for Virgin !
UnixPimp
Newbie
Boost Mobile is owned by Sprint and runs the same Sprint network as Virgin Mobile. The main difference between VM and Boost for Android phones is that VM offers different tiers of service, while Boost only offers an unlimited plan. However, Boosts unlimited plan has their "shrinkage" concept, where they cut off $5.00 from your montly bill after so many months of paying for service on time. Therefore you could get unlimited service for $40 after 18 months with them.
I have heard some people say Straight Talk is a better deal. They supposedly use Sprint's Network as well. I do not know a lot about them, so you would have to do some research on them.
MacFett
Android Expert
No VMU phone is supposed to be used as a hotspot. Their only plans that include this is their Broadband2go which is only available on a mifi device.
Wow
I would post this in the NET 10 forum, but there is not one... yet.
It seems Net10 is getting the LG optimus 2x. I have been drooling over this phone on T-Mobile for a while so I am really interested in seeing how much this will cost on Net10. They will also offer the Optimus Black I think.
I would post this in the NET 10 forum, but there is not one... yet.
It seems Net10 is getting the LG optimus 2x. I have been drooling over this phone on T-Mobile for a while so I am really interested in seeing how much this will cost on Net10. They will also offer the Optimus Black I think.
frdmspoplr
Well-Known Member
It means exactly what he said. The first lock will take a minute or two, then say you close Maps or put in a different destination, it will take a few seconds to lock. I've needed to use the GPS numerous times and never had any issues. I just moved from Florida to Ohio and had no GPS issues (no service issues either). The only time it could be an issue is if you need an INSTANT lock. Whenever I'm going somewhere I'll set the destination a couple minutes before I get in the car and by the time I'm all ready to go, it has a lock.
frdmspoplr
Well-Known Member
Whyzor, out of curiosity, if VM does end up getting the Black, would you consider switching, or stick with the Triumph? I'd be seriously tempted to switch, just because of the Triumph's QC issues, but your improvements, especially with the touchscreen reliability, have definitely made me reconsider that. (Isaac and TG have definitely played a big part as well, but you've definitely improved on their work).
Whyzor
Android Expert
All GPS systems take a long time to get a fix when they haven't been used in a while. But most have working aGPS system to try to get a general fix sooner. Once a fix is achieved that data is cached and set to expire within a certain time. So if locking again w a valid cache, it'll be faster.
I'm undecided, the CM7 ROM makes this a pretty nice phone, so I may only switch if the price is low and a stable ICS ROM is available on the next phone.
Well that's encouraging news from someone to upgrade to a smartphone and have the same monthly bill
frdmspoplr
Well-Known Member
I wouldn't be surprised if there was like a $10 4g charge.Well that's encouraging news from someone to upgrade to a smartphone and have the same monthly bill
But at the very least that means that VM has to come out with at least one new phone this year! That's marginally exciting, right?
And a pretty high-end phone. Mid range and low-end phones won't be profitable enough to switch out the radios. Whatever phone(s) Sprint gets soon with LTE, we can guess would show up on VM maybe sometime late 2012 or early 2013.
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