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Comment by tracker1 | Hacker News Reader

It isn't the most powerful Android phone out there, but it does run stock, has regular updates, will run third party ROMs, and is absolutely the best value for an out of contract smart phone, even more so with the $100 price drop.

If you're in a T-Mobile coverage area, look at Simple Mobile ($50/month unlimited everything)

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Or, if you don't talk a lot, the $30/month 100 minutes / unlimited / unlimited plan:

http://prepaid-phones.t-mobile.com/prepaid-plans

"$30 per month - 100 minutes talk | Unlimited text | First 5 GB at up to 4G speeds"

Fine print: "New activations only." A new SIM card ($10) counts as a new activation. ;-)

For more detailed discussion: http://news.cnet.com/8301-33620_3-57587175-278/is-this-the-b...

I'm on this plan, and can definitely recommend it. Also, enabling LTE on the Nexus 4 is very, very easy if you're in a T-Mobile LTE area.

"don't talk a lot" - and "First 5 GB at up to 4G Speeds" - on a smart phone this is somewhat confusing. I talk a lot - 2-3 hours/day, typically conference calls, but also with family, friends - and I'm trying to recall the last time I used any of my "Minutes" with my telco. Skype and Whatsapp get used a lot on my phone @ 8kilobytes/second (=30 megabytes/hour, 1.8 Gigabytes/month @ 2Hours/day talking)

I'm on this plan, and it's adequate but the service is pretty shoddy during parts of my commute (...no reliable 4G within a 5 min drive either side of Golden Gate Bridge?!) VZW definitely didn't have that problem.

I'm not sure if it's T-Mobile hardware or towers, but given I just use the phone to f around and am not reliant on it for work, I don't really feel it's worth trying to RMA or anything

100 minutes talk is outgoing and ingoing. Learned it the hard way. Luckily the interview was over.

"First 500 MB of data at up to 4G speed"

Basically don't watch tons of videos or stream and excessive amount of music over the mobile network and it'll be no problem.

Anyways, for $10 more you can get 2.5 GB of 4G data, which should suffice for anyone.

Yeah, I'm not a heavy data user, but I almost always run out the first week of every month.

What app consumes the most data for you?

I've used 40 MB of mobile data in the past month and 1.6 GB of WiFi data.

To clarify, after that, you can use data, just not over 4G. You won't lose connectivity.

Or Ptel (PlatinumTel) - $40/month unlimited everything, except first 250MB data at 4G, 3G thereafter. Or $50/month for truly unlimited.

Also a T-mobile reseller, I believe.

EDIT: http://www.ptel.com/plans

EDIT2: ALSO forgot to mention that unlike most month-to-month providers, they actually allow conditional call-forwarding, which is necessary for using Google Voice as your voicemail.

I never stop wondering how those prices are possible. I had a 2e/month plan on my mobile, unlimited everything. Adding to that 0,07 e per sms/minute. Lucky me company now pays my bills so I save whopping 5e/month.

Buyer beware, it looks like Simple Mobile doesn't allow tethering. For 70/mo T-Mobile will give you unlimited everything and 500mb of tethering.

Serious question: how can they tell if you're tethering if you're on an unlocked phone?

The OS allows me to tether without issue.. I've only used it a few times, but it does work. Most of the time I'm in a location on WiFi.

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