• After 15+ years, we've made a big change: Android Forums is now Early Bird Club. Learn more here.

Need a new unlocked phone to use on metro

Blackflag4

Well-Known Member
Let me start by saying, I'm not sure where to post this since the mobile doesn't show as good as the website. Please move this where ever it needs to be.. .

Now on to the issue..
I am currently using my LG F6 on metro's $35 family plan.
I want to buy a new phone, but the ones on the metro site Are either crap I don't like, or too Damon expensive for what they are.

My question is this..
Can I get an unlocked GSM phone and put it on metro and still have everything work on it? There were a.few phones I had found that I might actually consider if this is possible.
Two are made by Samsung, and one by ZTE..

Any input and direction would be greatly appreciated. Also any decent phone suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Looking for something with at least quad core 1.2ghz+, to dual core 1.6ghz+.

Thanks in advance
 
Hiya Blackflag!
I moved your thread into the MetroPCS carrier forum.

If your thread doesn't get any traction here, let me know and I can move it elsewhere okee dokee? ;)
 
Let me start by saying, I'm not sure where to post this since the mobile doesn't show as good as the website. Please move this where ever it needs to be.. .

Now on to the issue..
I am currently using my LG F6 on metro's $35 family plan.
I want to buy a new phone, but the ones on the metro site Are either crap I don't like, or too Damon expensive for what they are.

My question is this..
Can I get an unlocked GSM phone and put it on metro and still have everything work on it? There were a.few phones I had found that I might actually consider if this is possible.
Two are made by Samsung, and one by ZTE..

Any input and direction would be greatly appreciated. Also any decent phone suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Looking for something with at least quad core 1.2ghz+, to dual core 1.6ghz+.

Thanks in advance

As long as it has a SIM slot, it can be used. Pretty much. Might miss out on some of the metrobloatware but who cares about that.
 
Let me start by saying, I'm not sure where to post this since the mobile doesn't show as good as the website. Please move this where ever it needs to be.. .

Now on to the issue..
I am currently using my LG F6 on metro's $35 family plan.
I want to buy a new phone, but the ones on the metro site Are either crap I don't like, or too Damon expensive for what they are.

My question is this..
Can I get an unlocked GSM phone and put it on metro and still have everything work on it? There were a.few phones I had found that I might actually consider if this is possible.
Two are made by Samsung, and one by ZTE..

Any input and direction would be greatly appreciated. Also any decent phone suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Looking for something with at least quad core 1.2ghz+, to dual core 1.6ghz+.

Thanks in advance

The most important thing you need to check for is that the unlocked GSM phone you want to buy is compatible with the Metro/Tmobile spectrum. Check out this thread (http://androidforums.com/threads/metropcs-guide-faq-info-of-apns-bands-etc.810843/) for more information and compare it to the bands listed on the phone(s) you are looking at.

If you have had your F6 for more than 90 days you could grab the ZTE Zmax at a Metro store for $99. 5.7" display, 1.2GHz quad core with 16GB. There is also a promotion that would allow you to upgrade your plan to the Unlimited plan for $50 a month.

The Samsung Avant is $69 at a Metro store. 4.5" display, 1.2GHz quad core with 16GB. Same promotion applies.
Samsung Light is $49 at a Metro store. 4" display, 1.4GHz quad core and 8GB. Same promotion applies.
LG F60 is $59 at a Metro store. 4.5" display and 1.2GHz quad core and even less storage than the others I mentioned.

I would say that I listed the phones in order from best to worst. If you don't like any of these options, feel free to tell us what specific phones you were looking for so we can check their bands vs the spectrum.
 
I was looking at the ZTE Nubia Z5S. Very nice specs, and is gsm.. I'll have to check the band's on that handset to see if it fits the list on the link you posted. .
 
Also, dare I say it.. I was looking into a Windows phone too.. Nokia 635 to be exact.. works on T-Mobile, but can get it unlocked..
If not that, I'll post the other ones I was looking at shortly. Hard to do from the phone. Lol
 
Will need to know if you have a budget. If the 635 is on t-mobile, you'll just have to call metro to make that switch.
 
Z5S wouldn't be compatible. The G3 would work if it was the T-Mobile brand or ATT (unlocked though). The Alpha would need to be the ATT version unlocked.
 
What Kid09 said. I'd personally look at T-mobile or AT&T phones to be safe; more so on the T-mobile side. But then it just comes down to the specific phone. There was someone here that started a thread a few weeks ago that was using an unlocked LG G3 (I think) and had most things working except he couldn't send/receive MMS. Turns out that was a problem for others on the interwebs. So just be sure to do a search on any phone you have and see what others say (if anything) about issues with bringing that particular phone to another carrier.
 
I have decided to go with the ZTE ZMax Z970. Seems like an ok phone, but now I must ask...

Is there a manual or auto root method for this specific phone? I really want to unlock it's potential, if it has any. lol
 
I have decided to go with the ZTE ZMax Z970. Seems like an ok phone, but now I must ask...

Is there a manual or auto root method for this specific phone? I really want to unlock it's potential, if it has any. lol

No root available in any way, shape or form. Possibly in the future, but so far, nada. That being said, there's not a lot of bloat on this phone and at its current price point (US$99), it's worth it even without root.
 
Yeah, it seems like a decent phone, but I have noticed a few things I don't like too much about it so far.

Seems a bit laggy out of the box for a quad core with 2gb of ram.

I was actually feeling like Maybe I shoulda gotten the LG F60. I had an LG F6 before and that thing was fast by comparison. The only downside was the 1.2gb internal storage it had. The F60 has 3.98gb.
 
Back
Top Bottom