TP2 on it's last breath, need quick advice on new phone

meltmanbob · #1 (**permalink**) 08-13-2012, 04:28 AM

Hey guys I normally would try to do more research but I've had a hell of a night. First my computer decided to die and then my TP2 decided that it was going to take it's last breath. I'm literally broke and trying to move back across the country and my brother was nice enough to let me jump on his computer to post this.

I am considering buying a used TP2 in order to avoid the $10 Sprint fee but I would really like to get a phone that is snappy. It royally pisses me off that my free Sprint phone from 05' is more responsive than my TP2 once both phones were broken in. I wouldn't mind the Arrive but not with the $10 fee because I'm sure there are better phones I could get that would better justify that increase.

I am moving to Lawton Oklahoma where Sprint doesn't have 4G, questionable 3G last time I was there which makes that fee even harder to swallow. What do you guys recommend? Stick with another used TP2? Move to Android to get a more feature packed phone than the Arrive to better justify the smartphone fee? Or something else?

Also if anyone knows how to bypass that $10 fee if I go with the Arrive, I'm all ears. I've tried and tried to get around that with no luck. I should mention that while I am really not all that happy with Sprint, I have stuck with them because of the no-cap data and I somehow got a 27% discount on my plan which is the 450 anytime unlimited plan. The no-cap on the data is important because I either barely use the data or I use it to tether as my sole internet connection for my desktop and I can't afford other carriers rates once you go past their caps.

Thanks ahead of time and I apologize for not having more time to look into this myself but with my computer crapping out, I'm on my brothers time and he loves his video games!

eric12341 · #2 (**permalink**) 08-13-2012, 08:13 PM

Perfect timing for this to happen,the WP8 phones are about to launch so I recommend getting one of them. I'm afraid there's no way to bypass that $10 fee. Best way to do that is to goto another carrier like T-mobile, they're cheaper than sprint and have faster data speeds,equal coverage and by this time next year they will have LTE. Their caps don't overcharge for going over but you will get throttled to 2G which features speeds anywhere from 64k to 250k.

**Riley** · #3 (**permalink**) 08-13-2012, 10:03 PM

I would also consider the Motorola photon Q if you like keyboard phones. Looks pretty nice. Good luck.

**gTen** · #4 (**permalink**) 08-16-2012, 09:10 PM

There are phones that bypass the $10 fee but they aren't that good (Samsung Replenish). The question boils down to how much are you paying for your plan exactly?(before taxes)

IF your sprint service is bad to where you are moving maybe consider Straight Talk, Page Plus, Republic Wireless etc

MVNO list:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of...work_operators

**gullzway** · #5 (**permalink**) 08-17-2012, 02:16 AM

I'd look into U.S. Cellular, pretty certain they have 4g lte there. And decent prices.
Not sure of their data cap?

Sent from my SPH-D710 using PPCGeeks

eric12341 · #6 (**permalink**) 08-17-2012, 02:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gullzway

I'd look into U.S. Cellular, pretty certain they have 4g lte there. And decent prices.
Not sure of their data cap?

Sent from my SPH-D710 using PPCGeeks

@gullzway
USCC offers tiered data options similar to VZ and T-mobile and has a middle ground with prices between the 2 carriers.
They have 2GB,5GB and 10GB plans but I'm not sure of their penalty for going over.

EyeB · #7 (**permalink**) 08-17-2012, 11:31 PM

this is a service that I've yet to try out, but it's pretty interesting
republic wireless - The Mobile Network that Runs on Freedom

$19/month for unlimited data/call/text provided that you use wifi when you can, when you can't you use sprint towers. Seems like sprint's testing a new connectivity model with this.

it isn't much different than buying a phone and using it with wifi all the time and using a prepaid sim for on the road, but most prepaid sim cost around $10-20/month as well and they have caps

**leadpoizon** · #8 (**permalink**) 08-18-2012, 04:37 PM

If this is the premium data charge $10 fee you are talking about, the Arrive is one of the phones that is exempt from it. I have it, and don't pay this fee. There is very shoddy documentation within sprint about this, so you have to find the right people to get the right answers. Phones that do not have 4G and were released before a certain date (like the Arrive) don't need this fee. Some of Sprint documentation has the Arrive listed as one of the phones with the data charge, and that other document is what the system actual knows. 2 out of 5 people that I talked to at Sprint knew this. The system allows the Arrive on to the plan without the data fee. The Arrive is EOL from what I heard, so it wouldn't be a good idea to get it and have to sit on it for 2 years. I'll keep releasing my ROMs for it to keep it alive, though, haha.

**gTen** · #9 (**permalink**) 08-19-2012, 02:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by leadpoizon

If this is the premium data charge $10 fee you are talking about, the Arrive is one of the phones that is exempt from it. I have it, and don't pay this fee. There is very shoddy documentation within sprint about this, so you have to find the right people to get the right answers. Phones that do not have 4G and were released before a certain date (like the Arrive) don't need this fee. Some of Sprint documentation has the Arrive listed as one of the phones with the data charge, and that other document is what the system actual knows. 2 out of 5 people that I talked to at Sprint knew this. The system allows the Arrive on to the plan without the data fee. The Arrive is EOL from what I heard, so it wouldn't be a good idea to get it and have to sit on it for 2 years. I'll keep releasing my ROMs for it to keep it alive, though, haha.

So you have a Sero or a regular plan?

meltmanbob · #10 (**permalink**) 08-20-2012, 12:16 PM

Damn! I completely forgot about posting here, been having issues with the computer still. Good to see there's a lot of replies, sorry I didn't get back to it sooner

The plan I'm on is the 450min anytime for $69.99 before taxes etc. Considering how broke I am and it will be a while before I can afford a nice, new phone I was still considering just replacing the TP2 with a used one. Ebay has some with bad ESN's but I'm sure methods for dealing with that aren't allowed to be discussed here.

Anyway I do appreciate all of your suggestions and I will look into them but there is one post in particular I'm interested in hearing more about.

Leadpoizon - If I can get a Sprint rep to do what you're talking about, I'd have already switched. I have gone up the chain as far as I can numerous times and every manager of a manager of a manager ends up telling me that they can't do anything to help me. No amount of reasoning, rationalizing or threatening to leave gets them to say anything different. Can you provide any specifics about this document you're referring to? I can call in and go through getting someone with a brain on the phone but I'm hoping I can give them something a little more specific. I know it would suck to have to wait another 2 years but I would be perfectly fine with the Arrive.

Again, sorry guys for forgetting about my thread, I really DO appreciate all of the responses!!!