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Comment by gtaylor | Hacker News Reader

I too am a frustrated Verizon + Galaxy Nexus user, but I'll be leaving them in December when my contract is up. They have handled their Android line terribly, and I can't blame Google for not wanting to deal with them. I STILL haven't got Android 4.3 on this "flagship" device, and it's their fault. I can't uninstall their bloatware without rooting, either.

Net 10, Straight Talk, and a few others are what I'm looking at now. Going to save a ton of money and get a better device with comparable service.

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Any reason you don't root? Just rooted and installed CM10.1 on my Verizon Galaxy S3 the other day and it's night and day difference. So much better than the crap they'd be pushing anyway.

I have before, but I shouldn't have to. CM can be pretty janky at times, particularly with the GPS. If I'm shelling out this much for a "flagship device", I shouldn't have to flash a custom ROM to stay up to date. I just want it to work and expect to get my updates like a Nexus device does.

Well GPS was always shitty on mine, as well was wifi stopped working (on stock software) so I had nothing to lose. No issues with it yet.

Apparently the Galaxy S3 is notorious for GPS issues, and those issues have an easy fix: Tighten the screws on the back.

http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2201668

The updates to Android in 4.1+ have made the GNex slower and less able to function as a proper device.

I've rooted and installed a few different ROMs, but there is never a fix for crap hardware and limited RAM. The NAND seems to be a real source of problems as well.

> They have handled their Android line terribly, and I can't blame Google for not wanting to deal with them.

Exactly - I'm frustrated with Verizon, not Google.

The only reason I've stuck with them is because I'm grandfathered into unlimited 4G/LTE data. Even then, I'm still toying with the idea of switching to one of the GSM carriers - I can't decide if it's worth walking away from the unlimited data, though.

As someone in the same position that has debated this endlessly in their own head -- its not going to be really 'worth' it. VZW has the best network around, being grandfathered in on unlimited data is a serious boon.

When my internet service goes out in my home -- WiFi hotspot and no worries about whether I'm going to be throttled or hit an overage.

I hate my GNex but VZW+Unlimited Data is worth more to me. Whatever new phone you get will be just as obsolete in two years as the GNex is now.

> When my internet service goes out in my home -- WiFi hotspot and no worries about whether I'm going to be throttled or hit an overage.

Amusingly, I've been getting pretty bad reception in NYC recently. Furthermore, in practice, I end up using way less than 2GB of data per month.

> Whatever new phone you get will be just as obsolete in two years as the GNex is now.

In two years, my Galaxy Nexus will be four years old. At the moment, I don't see a single Verizon phone worth getting (the are even issues with unlocking the HTC One on Verizon) and none on the horizon.

I was very excited about phones until my experience with the GNex. I was hoping VZW and Moto would be able to push out a decent Droid(w / QWERTY slider) but I don't think that is going to happen. There is nothing on the market today that I want to use.

I've even come close to getting an iPhone a couple times; even though I know it doesn't suit my life or workflow very well. I just want my phone to be useable!

>"As someone in the same position that has debated this endlessly in their own head -- its not going to be really 'worth' it. VZW has the best network around, being grandfathered in on unlimited data is a serious boon."

I felt the same way until I used a T-Mobile Nexus 4 side-by-side with my Verizon GN for a while. At least where I live and work I get consistently better speeds with the Nexus 4.

I can't say for certain, but it feels like Verizon service has gotten dramatically worse over the last year or two. It's not the phone as I have access to dozens across multiple carriers.

I've been telling myself that unlimited data will be valuable going forward for years now, but looking back I rarely crack 2-3GB in a month.

I expect that I've only gotten real value out of the unlimited plan and Verizon coverage while traveling.

For now, I plan to switch.

I love 4G/LTE and my Galaxy Nexus, but I'm seriously considering getting a nexus 5 and straight talk. I have semi decent coverage in my area.

Straight Talk supports LTE (as of a few days ago.) I got a 20 mbps speedtest with an S3, though it's generally 8.

edit: this is AT&T, and requires a new SIM ($7) for existing customers.

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