Re: [MBZ] Military Cel Phone ???'s

[Rolf]

Ps I got an oomi. 40$ one time fee for a Google voice box you can hook up a 
proper phone to. No monthly fees.

Sent from my Droid Charge on Verizon 4G LTE

Tim C  wrote:

>On Tue, Nov 13, 2012 at 8:17 PM, Michael Canfield wrote:
>
>> I have heard the wallymart straight talk is a good deal.  I just wonder
>> about service coverage.
>>
>
>With Straight Talk you choose either AT&T or T-Mobile as your base network.
> You can voice roam to the other, but it is not technically supported - in
>other words they might turn that off.  There is no data roaming, from what
>I understand, though SWMBO is not a heavy data user.
>
>You can buy "normal" phones on Straight Talk that are CDMA (i.e. no SIM, no
>worky in Europey), I know nothing about those other than they are slightly
>cheaper and run on Sprint, so I would not buy one*.
>
>Big disadvantage of prepaid is the up-front cost of the phone, you are
>basically buying a computer with a fancy radio and touchscreen at retail
>price so it can be quite expensive.  Google's $300 Nexus 4 was a low price,
>but average smartphones would be around $500, give or take, new, less
>30-40% on Craigslist.  ALSO NOTE if your prepaid account goes inactive you
>will lose your phone number.  Look at Google Voice to get a permanent
>number to forward, but your caller ID will be wrong and it is another level
>of indirection.
>
>
>> He is mostly interested in unlimited text/data so he can use it for
>> internet access/entertainment as well as a communication device for calls
>> back home.  Limited calling minutes aren't much of an issue with Sprints
>> 450 minute plan as cel to cel and after 7pm to 7am are unlimited.  That is
>> $69.99/month.  Everything else including roaming on other networks is also
>> included.
>>
>
>T-Mobile's 100-minute, 5GB data plan ($30) is the best price if you don't
>average more than 250 minutes per month ($0.10/min overage).  If you have
>an Android phone (possibly also iPhone?) there are apps to use data for
>calls, if that's an issue.  5GB is pretty much unlimited, in my experience,
>and I think they just downgrade you to 3G rates if you go over.
>
>Postpaid Sprint and T-Mobile offer unlimited data, VZ and AT&T do not.  In
>my experience the connection rates on Sprint have become very poor since
>they got the iPhone - I often see rates in the 50-80Kbps range now.  That
>could be regional.  T-Mobile offers HSPA+ rates up to 42Mbps which should
>be a much better experience, but I think the initial cost for phones is
>higher.
>
>
>> Is roaming included in the prepaids?  Do they have the same coverage as
>> contract phones?  I have been told that they don't and that in rural area
>> they don't work as well.  Is there any truth to that?
>>
>
>Generally no, yes but of course without roaming, and sort of.  It isn't so
>much rural as region - I get horrible Sprint service in DC and VA, for
>example, but I get service fine in the empty forests around NC.  Meanwhile
>a friend couldn't get Verizon at his new house south of Raleigh.  The
>northern SC coast has strange T-Mobile coverage.  Moral of the story is
>that there are pockets everywhere, so it is worth going to the places where
>you will be and borrowing someone's phone - no one network has universal
>coverage, especially indoors.  Also, not to be ignored, phone hardware is
>really significant to receiving a signal - Samsung is the worst I've had,
>Motorola is the best, but I don't know how if that holds true across
>product lines.
>
>* I have recently had to force roaming [to Verizon] at home just to get a
>Sprint signal, I assume it's because of their LTE conversion since I used
>to get good signal with this same phone in the same place.  Because of that
>I would not buy a Sprint-based prepaid phone if I expected to keep it for a
>while.
>
>You can always dial '911' in the US from an inactive phone, so you can just
>keep a charged battery and a phone from another network in the trunk if
>that's a concern.
>
>As you can see from Mitch's response, voice-only prepaid plans are priced
>much more competitively, so your son might give some thought as to whether
>he could survive without data.  I use Google Maps too much, but a lot of my
>iPhone-toting peers are always in WiFi range and navigation doesn't matter
>to them.
>
>Best,
>Tim
>___
>http://www.okiebenz.com
>For new and used parts go to www.okiebenz.com
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>
>To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to:
>http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
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Re: [MBZ] Military Cel Phone ???'s

[Michael Canfield]

That is what I told him.  That way he can have the best of both worlds at a
good price with no contract to worry about.

Thanks to all for the good advice.

Mike
On Nov 15, 2012 4:17 PM, "Tim C"  wrote:

> On Thu, Nov 15, 2012 at 10:27 AM, Michael Canfield  >wrote:
>
> >  So, for under $200 he got a waterproof Android device, a month of
> service
> > with "unlimited" everything, a warranty through Best Buy that covers ANY
> > damage for $15/yr so he can just let someone there deal with it if he has
> > trouble and no contract to worry about.  If he doesn't like it or Sprint
> > service sucks where he is stationed he isn't out much.
> >
> > Sounds like a good choice.  You're happy, he's happy, and he has someone
> else to call for tech support.  He can deal with a deployment device
> if/when that happens. :)
>
> Best,
> Tim
> ___
> http://www.okiebenz.com
> For new and used parts go to www.okiebenz.com
> To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/
>
> To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to:
> http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
>
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Re: [MBZ] Military Cel Phone ???'s

[Tim C]

On Thu, Nov 15, 2012 at 10:27 AM, Michael Canfield wrote:

>  So, for under $200 he got a waterproof Android device, a month of service
> with "unlimited" everything, a warranty through Best Buy that covers ANY
> damage for $15/yr so he can just let someone there deal with it if he has
> trouble and no contract to worry about.  If he doesn't like it or Sprint
> service sucks where he is stationed he isn't out much.
>
> Sounds like a good choice.  You're happy, he's happy, and he has someone
else to call for tech support.  He can deal with a deployment device
if/when that happens. :)

Best,
Tim
___
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For new and used parts go to www.okiebenz.com
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To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to:
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Re: [MBZ] Military Cel Phone ???'s

[Michael Canfield]

I thought about something like that.  I also thought about setting him up
with one of HTC Evo 4g phones, rooted and flashed to Boost or Cricket.
Then I thought about Cody trying to figure it out when it messes up.  Not a
good thought, he would get frustrated and not use it.
  So, for under $200 he got a waterproof Android device, a month of service
with "unlimited" everything, a warranty through Best Buy that covers ANY
damage for $15/yr so he can just let someone there deal with it if he has
trouble and no contract to worry about.  If he doesn't like it or Sprint
service sucks where he is stationed he isn't out much.

Thanks again Guys, Mike
On Nov 14, 2012 11:43 PM, "Rich Thomas" <
richthomas79td...@constructivity.net> wrote:

> This might be of interest http://www.wired.com/**
> gadgetlab/2012/11/hands-on-**nexus-7-with-mobile-data
>
> Tablet with cell data capability, wonder how hard it would be to hack
> voice on it (direct not skype)
>
> --R
>
>
> __**_
> http://www.okiebenz.com
> For new and used parts go to www.okiebenz.com
> To search list archives 
> http://www.okiebenz.com/**archive/
>
> To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to:
> http://mail.okiebenz.com/**mailman/listinfo/mercedes_**okiebenz.com
>
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To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to:
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Re: [MBZ] Military Cel Phone ???'s

[Rich Thomas]

This might be of interest 
http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2012/11/hands-on-nexus-7-with-mobile-data


Tablet with cell data capability, wonder how hard it would be to hack 
voice on it (direct not skype)


--R


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Re: [MBZ] Military Cel Phone ???'s

[WILTON]

I certainly wish him well.

Wilton

- Original Message - 
From: "Michael Canfield" 

To: "Mercedes Discussion List" 
Sent: Wednesday, November 14, 2012 8:06 PM
Subject: Re: [MBZ] Military Cel Phone ???'s



Cody feels VERY rich right now being his first real job and all.

Mike
On Nov 14, 2012 7:58 PM, "WILTON"  wrote:


3 1/2 years later, when I was commissioned and started flying, my total
suddenly went to $585 - I was RICH - well, I felt damned good, anyway.

Wilton

- Original Message - From: "Michael Canfield" 

>
To: "Mercedes Discussion List" 
Sent: Wednesday, November 14, 2012 7:54 PM
Subject: Re: [MBZ] Military Cel Phone ???'s


 Lol.  I think it's around $600 a month now.  Not too shabby for a single

guy with included room and board.

Mike
On Nov 14, 2012 7:52 PM, "WILTON"  wrote:

 How does a Pvt. handle all of that on $78 per month - oh, I guess pay's

gone up a little since my E-1 days.  ;<)
(And rightly so, of course, after all, It's been only nearly 56 years.)

Wilton

- Original Message - From: "Michael Canfield" <
slozuk...@gmail.com
>
To: "Mercedes Discussion List" 
Sent: Wednesday, November 14, 2012 7:36 PM
Subject: Re: [MBZ] Military Cel Phone ???'s


 Thanks everyone.  He ended.up with a Boost Mobile phone.  It is an
Android


called a Kyocera Hydro.  Supposed to be waterproof and seemed sort of
sturdy.  Price is $55 per month for "unlimited" everything with data
throttling after 2gb or something.  He will set it up to be taken out 
of

his account every month and after 18 months of current payments the
price
will be down to $40 per month.  The phone was $99 so worth it to give
it a
try for a few months and see how it works.

Thanks again, Mike
On Nov 14, 2012 2:30 PM, "Tim C"  wrote:

 On Tue, Nov 13, 2012 at 8:17 PM, Michael Canfield 



>wrote:

> I have heard the wallymart straight talk is a good deal.  I just >
wonder
> about service coverage.
>

With Straight Talk you choose either AT&T or T-Mobile as your base
network.
 You can voice roam to the other, but it is not technically 
supported -

in
other words they might turn that off.  There is no data roaming, from
what
I understand, though SWMBO is not a heavy data user.

You can buy "normal" phones on Straight Talk that are CDMA (i.e. no
SIM,
no
worky in Europey), I know nothing about those other than they are
slightly
cheaper and run on Sprint, so I would not buy one*.

Big disadvantage of prepaid is the up-front cost of the phone, you 
are

basically buying a computer with a fancy radio and touchscreen at
retail
price so it can be quite expensive.  Google's $300 Nexus 4 was a low
price,
but average smartphones would be around $500, give or take, new, less
30-40% on Craigslist.  ALSO NOTE if your prepaid account goes 
inactive

you
will lose your phone number.  Look at Google Voice to get a permanent
number to forward, but your caller ID will be wrong and it is another
level
of indirection.


> He is mostly interested in unlimited text/data so he can use it for
> internet access/entertainment as well as a communication device for 
>  >

calls
> back home.  Limited calling minutes aren't much of an issue with >
Sprints
> 450 minute plan as cel to cel and after 7pm to 7am are unlimited. >
That
is
> $69.99/month.  Everything else including roaming on other networks 
> is

also
> included.
>

T-Mobile's 100-minute, 5GB data plan ($30) is the best price if you
don't
average more than 250 minutes per month ($0.10/min overage).  If you
have
an Android phone (possibly also iPhone?) there are apps to use data 
for

calls, if that's an issue.  5GB is pretty much unlimited, in my
experience,
and I think they just downgrade you to 3G rates if you go over.

Postpaid Sprint and T-Mobile offer unlimited data, VZ and AT&T do 
not.

In
my experience the connection rates on Sprint have become very poor
since
they got the iPhone - I often see rates in the 50-80Kbps range now.
That
could be regional.  T-Mobile offers HSPA+ rates up to 42Mbps which
should
be a much better experience, but I think the initial cost for phones 
is

higher.


> Is roaming included in the prepaids?  Do they have the same 
> coverage

> as
> contract phones?  I have been told that they don't and that in 
> rural

>  >
area
> they don't work as well.  Is there any truth to that?
>

Generally no, yes but of course without roaming, and sort of.  It 
isn't

so
much rural as region - I get horrible Sprint service in DC and VA, 
for

example, but I get service fine in the empty forests around NC.
Meanwhile
a friend couldn't get Verizon at his new house south of Raleigh.  The
northern SC coast has strange T-Mobile coverage.  Moral of the story 
is

that there are pockets ever

Re: [MBZ] Military Cel Phone ???'s

[Michael Canfield]

Cody feels VERY rich right now being his first real job and all.

Mike
On Nov 14, 2012 7:58 PM, "WILTON"  wrote:

> 3 1/2 years later, when I was commissioned and started flying, my total
> suddenly went to $585 - I was RICH - well, I felt damned good, anyway.
>
> Wilton
>
> - Original Message - From: "Michael Canfield"  >
> To: "Mercedes Discussion List" 
> Sent: Wednesday, November 14, 2012 7:54 PM
> Subject: Re: [MBZ] Military Cel Phone ???'s
>
>
>  Lol.  I think it's around $600 a month now.  Not too shabby for a single
>> guy with included room and board.
>>
>> Mike
>> On Nov 14, 2012 7:52 PM, "WILTON"  wrote:
>>
>>  How does a Pvt. handle all of that on $78 per month - oh, I guess pay's
>>> gone up a little since my E-1 days.  ;<)
>>> (And rightly so, of course, after all, It's been only nearly 56 years.)
>>>
>>> Wilton
>>>
>>> - Original Message - From: "Michael Canfield" <
>>> slozuk...@gmail.com
>>> >
>>> To: "Mercedes Discussion List" 
>>> Sent: Wednesday, November 14, 2012 7:36 PM
>>> Subject: Re: [MBZ] Military Cel Phone ???'s
>>>
>>>
>>>  Thanks everyone.  He ended.up with a Boost Mobile phone.  It is an
>>> Android
>>>
>>>> called a Kyocera Hydro.  Supposed to be waterproof and seemed sort of
>>>> sturdy.  Price is $55 per month for "unlimited" everything with data
>>>> throttling after 2gb or something.  He will set it up to be taken out of
>>>> his account every month and after 18 months of current payments the
>>>> price
>>>> will be down to $40 per month.  The phone was $99 so worth it to give
>>>> it a
>>>> try for a few months and see how it works.
>>>>
>>>> Thanks again, Mike
>>>> On Nov 14, 2012 2:30 PM, "Tim C"  wrote:
>>>>
>>>>  On Tue, Nov 13, 2012 at 8:17 PM, Michael Canfield >>>
>>>>> >wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>> > I have heard the wallymart straight talk is a good deal.  I just >
>>>>> wonder
>>>>> > about service coverage.
>>>>> >
>>>>>
>>>>> With Straight Talk you choose either AT&T or T-Mobile as your base
>>>>> network.
>>>>>  You can voice roam to the other, but it is not technically supported -
>>>>> in
>>>>> other words they might turn that off.  There is no data roaming, from
>>>>> what
>>>>> I understand, though SWMBO is not a heavy data user.
>>>>>
>>>>> You can buy "normal" phones on Straight Talk that are CDMA (i.e. no
>>>>> SIM,
>>>>> no
>>>>> worky in Europey), I know nothing about those other than they are
>>>>> slightly
>>>>> cheaper and run on Sprint, so I would not buy one*.
>>>>>
>>>>> Big disadvantage of prepaid is the up-front cost of the phone, you are
>>>>> basically buying a computer with a fancy radio and touchscreen at
>>>>> retail
>>>>> price so it can be quite expensive.  Google's $300 Nexus 4 was a low
>>>>> price,
>>>>> but average smartphones would be around $500, give or take, new, less
>>>>> 30-40% on Craigslist.  ALSO NOTE if your prepaid account goes inactive
>>>>> you
>>>>> will lose your phone number.  Look at Google Voice to get a permanent
>>>>> number to forward, but your caller ID will be wrong and it is another
>>>>> level
>>>>> of indirection.
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> > He is mostly interested in unlimited text/data so he can use it for
>>>>> > internet access/entertainment as well as a communication device for >
>>>>> calls
>>>>> > back home.  Limited calling minutes aren't much of an issue with >
>>>>> Sprints
>>>>> > 450 minute plan as cel to cel and after 7pm to 7am are unlimited. >
>>>>> That
>>>>> is
>>>>> > $69.99/month.  Everything else including roaming on other networks is
>>>>> also
>>>>> > included.
>>>>> >
>>>>>
>>>>> T-Mobile's 100-minute, 5GB data plan ($30) is the best price if you
>>>>> don't
>&g

Re: [MBZ] Military Cel Phone ???'s

[WILTON]

3 1/2 years later, when I was commissioned and started flying, my total 
suddenly went to $585 - I was RICH - well, I felt damned good, anyway.


Wilton

- Original Message - 
From: "Michael Canfield" 

To: "Mercedes Discussion List" 
Sent: Wednesday, November 14, 2012 7:54 PM
Subject: Re: [MBZ] Military Cel Phone ???'s



Lol.  I think it's around $600 a month now.  Not too shabby for a single
guy with included room and board.

Mike
On Nov 14, 2012 7:52 PM, "WILTON"  wrote:


How does a Pvt. handle all of that on $78 per month - oh, I guess pay's
gone up a little since my E-1 days.  ;<)
(And rightly so, of course, after all, It's been only nearly 56 years.)

Wilton

- Original Message - From: "Michael Canfield" 

>
To: "Mercedes Discussion List" 
Sent: Wednesday, November 14, 2012 7:36 PM
Subject: Re: [MBZ] Military Cel Phone ???'s


 Thanks everyone.  He ended.up with a Boost Mobile phone.  It is an 
Android

called a Kyocera Hydro.  Supposed to be waterproof and seemed sort of
sturdy.  Price is $55 per month for "unlimited" everything with data
throttling after 2gb or something.  He will set it up to be taken out of
his account every month and after 18 months of current payments the 
price
will be down to $40 per month.  The phone was $99 so worth it to give it 
a

try for a few months and see how it works.

Thanks again, Mike
On Nov 14, 2012 2:30 PM, "Tim C"  wrote:

 On Tue, Nov 13, 2012 at 8:17 PM, Michael Canfield 
>wrote:

> I have heard the wallymart straight talk is a good deal.  I just 
> wonder

> about service coverage.
>

With Straight Talk you choose either AT&T or T-Mobile as your base
network.
 You can voice roam to the other, but it is not technically supported -
in
other words they might turn that off.  There is no data roaming, from
what
I understand, though SWMBO is not a heavy data user.

You can buy "normal" phones on Straight Talk that are CDMA (i.e. no 
SIM,

no
worky in Europey), I know nothing about those other than they are
slightly
cheaper and run on Sprint, so I would not buy one*.

Big disadvantage of prepaid is the up-front cost of the phone, you are
basically buying a computer with a fancy radio and touchscreen at 
retail

price so it can be quite expensive.  Google's $300 Nexus 4 was a low
price,
but average smartphones would be around $500, give or take, new, less
30-40% on Craigslist.  ALSO NOTE if your prepaid account goes inactive
you
will lose your phone number.  Look at Google Voice to get a permanent
number to forward, but your caller ID will be wrong and it is another
level
of indirection.


> He is mostly interested in unlimited text/data so he can use it for
> internet access/entertainment as well as a communication device for >
calls
> back home.  Limited calling minutes aren't much of an issue with >
Sprints
> 450 minute plan as cel to cel and after 7pm to 7am are unlimited. 
> That

is
> $69.99/month.  Everything else including roaming on other networks is
also
> included.
>

T-Mobile's 100-minute, 5GB data plan ($30) is the best price if you 
don't
average more than 250 minutes per month ($0.10/min overage).  If you 
have

an Android phone (possibly also iPhone?) there are apps to use data for
calls, if that's an issue.  5GB is pretty much unlimited, in my
experience,
and I think they just downgrade you to 3G rates if you go over.

Postpaid Sprint and T-Mobile offer unlimited data, VZ and AT&T do not. 
In
my experience the connection rates on Sprint have become very poor 
since
they got the iPhone - I often see rates in the 50-80Kbps range now. 
That
could be regional.  T-Mobile offers HSPA+ rates up to 42Mbps which 
should

be a much better experience, but I think the initial cost for phones is
higher.


> Is roaming included in the prepaids?  Do they have the same coverage 
> as
> contract phones?  I have been told that they don't and that in rural 
>  >

area
> they don't work as well.  Is there any truth to that?
>

Generally no, yes but of course without roaming, and sort of.  It isn't
so
much rural as region - I get horrible Sprint service in DC and VA, for
example, but I get service fine in the empty forests around NC. 
Meanwhile

a friend couldn't get Verizon at his new house south of Raleigh.  The
northern SC coast has strange T-Mobile coverage.  Moral of the story is
that there are pockets everywhere, so it is worth going to the places
where
you will be and borrowing someone's phone - no one network has 
universal
coverage, especially indoors.  Also, not to be ignored, phone hardware 
is
really significant to receiving a signal - Samsung is the worst I've 
had,

Motorola is the best, but I don't know how if that holds true across
product lines.

* I have recently had to force roaming [to 

Re: [MBZ] Military Cel Phone ???'s

[Michael Canfield]

Lol.  I think it's around $600 a month now.  Not too shabby for a single
guy with included room and board.

Mike
On Nov 14, 2012 7:52 PM, "WILTON"  wrote:

> How does a Pvt. handle all of that on $78 per month - oh, I guess pay's
> gone up a little since my E-1 days.  ;<)
> (And rightly so, of course, after all, It's been only nearly 56 years.)
>
> Wilton
>
> - Original Message - From: "Michael Canfield"  >
> To: "Mercedes Discussion List" 
> Sent: Wednesday, November 14, 2012 7:36 PM
> Subject: Re: [MBZ] Military Cel Phone ???'s
>
>
>  Thanks everyone.  He ended.up with a Boost Mobile phone.  It is an Android
>> called a Kyocera Hydro.  Supposed to be waterproof and seemed sort of
>> sturdy.  Price is $55 per month for "unlimited" everything with data
>> throttling after 2gb or something.  He will set it up to be taken out of
>> his account every month and after 18 months of current payments the price
>> will be down to $40 per month.  The phone was $99 so worth it to give it a
>> try for a few months and see how it works.
>>
>> Thanks again, Mike
>> On Nov 14, 2012 2:30 PM, "Tim C"  wrote:
>>
>>  On Tue, Nov 13, 2012 at 8:17 PM, Michael Canfield >> >wrote:
>>>
>>> > I have heard the wallymart straight talk is a good deal.  I just wonder
>>> > about service coverage.
>>> >
>>>
>>> With Straight Talk you choose either AT&T or T-Mobile as your base
>>> network.
>>>  You can voice roam to the other, but it is not technically supported -
>>> in
>>> other words they might turn that off.  There is no data roaming, from
>>> what
>>> I understand, though SWMBO is not a heavy data user.
>>>
>>> You can buy "normal" phones on Straight Talk that are CDMA (i.e. no SIM,
>>> no
>>> worky in Europey), I know nothing about those other than they are
>>> slightly
>>> cheaper and run on Sprint, so I would not buy one*.
>>>
>>> Big disadvantage of prepaid is the up-front cost of the phone, you are
>>> basically buying a computer with a fancy radio and touchscreen at retail
>>> price so it can be quite expensive.  Google's $300 Nexus 4 was a low
>>> price,
>>> but average smartphones would be around $500, give or take, new, less
>>> 30-40% on Craigslist.  ALSO NOTE if your prepaid account goes inactive
>>> you
>>> will lose your phone number.  Look at Google Voice to get a permanent
>>> number to forward, but your caller ID will be wrong and it is another
>>> level
>>> of indirection.
>>>
>>>
>>> > He is mostly interested in unlimited text/data so he can use it for
>>> > internet access/entertainment as well as a communication device for >
>>> calls
>>> > back home.  Limited calling minutes aren't much of an issue with >
>>> Sprints
>>> > 450 minute plan as cel to cel and after 7pm to 7am are unlimited.  That
>>> is
>>> > $69.99/month.  Everything else including roaming on other networks is
>>> also
>>> > included.
>>> >
>>>
>>> T-Mobile's 100-minute, 5GB data plan ($30) is the best price if you don't
>>> average more than 250 minutes per month ($0.10/min overage).  If you have
>>> an Android phone (possibly also iPhone?) there are apps to use data for
>>> calls, if that's an issue.  5GB is pretty much unlimited, in my
>>> experience,
>>> and I think they just downgrade you to 3G rates if you go over.
>>>
>>> Postpaid Sprint and T-Mobile offer unlimited data, VZ and AT&T do not. In
>>> my experience the connection rates on Sprint have become very poor since
>>> they got the iPhone - I often see rates in the 50-80Kbps range now.  That
>>> could be regional.  T-Mobile offers HSPA+ rates up to 42Mbps which should
>>> be a much better experience, but I think the initial cost for phones is
>>> higher.
>>>
>>>
>>> > Is roaming included in the prepaids?  Do they have the same coverage as
>>> > contract phones?  I have been told that they don't and that in rural >
>>> area
>>> > they don't work as well.  Is there any truth to that?
>>> >
>>>
>>> Generally no, yes but of course without roaming, and sort of.  It isn't
>>> so
>>> much rural as region - I get horrible Sprint service in DC and VA, for
>>> example, but I get ser

Re: [MBZ] Military Cel Phone ???'s

[WILTON]

How does a Pvt. handle all of that on $78 per month - oh, I guess pay's gone 
up a little since my E-1 days.  ;<)

(And rightly so, of course, after all, It's been only nearly 56 years.)

Wilton

- Original Message - 
From: "Michael Canfield" 

To: "Mercedes Discussion List" 
Sent: Wednesday, November 14, 2012 7:36 PM
Subject: Re: [MBZ] Military Cel Phone ???'s



Thanks everyone.  He ended.up with a Boost Mobile phone.  It is an Android
called a Kyocera Hydro.  Supposed to be waterproof and seemed sort of
sturdy.  Price is $55 per month for "unlimited" everything with data
throttling after 2gb or something.  He will set it up to be taken out of
his account every month and after 18 months of current payments the price
will be down to $40 per month.  The phone was $99 so worth it to give it a
try for a few months and see how it works.

Thanks again, Mike
On Nov 14, 2012 2:30 PM, "Tim C"  wrote:


On Tue, Nov 13, 2012 at 8:17 PM, Michael Canfield wrote:

> I have heard the wallymart straight talk is a good deal.  I just wonder
> about service coverage.
>

With Straight Talk you choose either AT&T or T-Mobile as your base 
network.
 You can voice roam to the other, but it is not technically supported - 
in
other words they might turn that off.  There is no data roaming, from 
what

I understand, though SWMBO is not a heavy data user.

You can buy "normal" phones on Straight Talk that are CDMA (i.e. no SIM, 
no
worky in Europey), I know nothing about those other than they are 
slightly

cheaper and run on Sprint, so I would not buy one*.

Big disadvantage of prepaid is the up-front cost of the phone, you are
basically buying a computer with a fancy radio and touchscreen at retail
price so it can be quite expensive.  Google's $300 Nexus 4 was a low 
price,

but average smartphones would be around $500, give or take, new, less
30-40% on Craigslist.  ALSO NOTE if your prepaid account goes inactive 
you

will lose your phone number.  Look at Google Voice to get a permanent
number to forward, but your caller ID will be wrong and it is another 
level

of indirection.


> He is mostly interested in unlimited text/data so he can use it for
> internet access/entertainment as well as a communication device for 
> calls
> back home.  Limited calling minutes aren't much of an issue with 
> Sprints

> 450 minute plan as cel to cel and after 7pm to 7am are unlimited.  That
is
> $69.99/month.  Everything else including roaming on other networks is
also
> included.
>

T-Mobile's 100-minute, 5GB data plan ($30) is the best price if you don't
average more than 250 minutes per month ($0.10/min overage).  If you have
an Android phone (possibly also iPhone?) there are apps to use data for
calls, if that's an issue.  5GB is pretty much unlimited, in my 
experience,

and I think they just downgrade you to 3G rates if you go over.

Postpaid Sprint and T-Mobile offer unlimited data, VZ and AT&T do not. 
In

my experience the connection rates on Sprint have become very poor since
they got the iPhone - I often see rates in the 50-80Kbps range now.  That
could be regional.  T-Mobile offers HSPA+ rates up to 42Mbps which should
be a much better experience, but I think the initial cost for phones is
higher.


> Is roaming included in the prepaids?  Do they have the same coverage as
> contract phones?  I have been told that they don't and that in rural 
> area

> they don't work as well.  Is there any truth to that?
>

Generally no, yes but of course without roaming, and sort of.  It isn't 
so

much rural as region - I get horrible Sprint service in DC and VA, for
example, but I get service fine in the empty forests around NC. 
Meanwhile

a friend couldn't get Verizon at his new house south of Raleigh.  The
northern SC coast has strange T-Mobile coverage.  Moral of the story is
that there are pockets everywhere, so it is worth going to the places 
where

you will be and borrowing someone's phone - no one network has universal
coverage, especially indoors.  Also, not to be ignored, phone hardware is
really significant to receiving a signal - Samsung is the worst I've had,
Motorola is the best, but I don't know how if that holds true across
product lines.

* I have recently had to force roaming [to Verizon] at home just to get a
Sprint signal, I assume it's because of their LTE conversion since I used
to get good signal with this same phone in the same place.  Because of 
that
I would not buy a Sprint-based prepaid phone if I expected to keep it for 
a

while.

You can always dial '911' in the US from an inactive phone, so you can 
just

keep a charged battery and a phone from another network in the trunk if
that's a concern.

As you can see from Mitch's response, voice-only prepaid plans are priced
much more competitively, 

Re: [MBZ] Military Cel Phone ???'s

[Michael Canfield]

Thanks everyone.  He ended.up with a Boost Mobile phone.  It is an Android
called a Kyocera Hydro.  Supposed to be waterproof and seemed sort of
sturdy.  Price is $55 per month for "unlimited" everything with data
throttling after 2gb or something.  He will set it up to be taken out of
his account every month and after 18 months of current payments the price
will be down to $40 per month.  The phone was $99 so worth it to give it a
try for a few months and see how it works.

Thanks again, Mike
On Nov 14, 2012 2:30 PM, "Tim C"  wrote:

> On Tue, Nov 13, 2012 at 8:17 PM, Michael Canfield  >wrote:
>
> > I have heard the wallymart straight talk is a good deal.  I just wonder
> > about service coverage.
> >
>
> With Straight Talk you choose either AT&T or T-Mobile as your base network.
>  You can voice roam to the other, but it is not technically supported - in
> other words they might turn that off.  There is no data roaming, from what
> I understand, though SWMBO is not a heavy data user.
>
> You can buy "normal" phones on Straight Talk that are CDMA (i.e. no SIM, no
> worky in Europey), I know nothing about those other than they are slightly
> cheaper and run on Sprint, so I would not buy one*.
>
> Big disadvantage of prepaid is the up-front cost of the phone, you are
> basically buying a computer with a fancy radio and touchscreen at retail
> price so it can be quite expensive.  Google's $300 Nexus 4 was a low price,
> but average smartphones would be around $500, give or take, new, less
> 30-40% on Craigslist.  ALSO NOTE if your prepaid account goes inactive you
> will lose your phone number.  Look at Google Voice to get a permanent
> number to forward, but your caller ID will be wrong and it is another level
> of indirection.
>
>
> > He is mostly interested in unlimited text/data so he can use it for
> > internet access/entertainment as well as a communication device for calls
> > back home.  Limited calling minutes aren't much of an issue with Sprints
> > 450 minute plan as cel to cel and after 7pm to 7am are unlimited.  That
> is
> > $69.99/month.  Everything else including roaming on other networks is
> also
> > included.
> >
>
> T-Mobile's 100-minute, 5GB data plan ($30) is the best price if you don't
> average more than 250 minutes per month ($0.10/min overage).  If you have
> an Android phone (possibly also iPhone?) there are apps to use data for
> calls, if that's an issue.  5GB is pretty much unlimited, in my experience,
> and I think they just downgrade you to 3G rates if you go over.
>
> Postpaid Sprint and T-Mobile offer unlimited data, VZ and AT&T do not.  In
> my experience the connection rates on Sprint have become very poor since
> they got the iPhone - I often see rates in the 50-80Kbps range now.  That
> could be regional.  T-Mobile offers HSPA+ rates up to 42Mbps which should
> be a much better experience, but I think the initial cost for phones is
> higher.
>
>
> > Is roaming included in the prepaids?  Do they have the same coverage as
> > contract phones?  I have been told that they don't and that in rural area
> > they don't work as well.  Is there any truth to that?
> >
>
> Generally no, yes but of course without roaming, and sort of.  It isn't so
> much rural as region - I get horrible Sprint service in DC and VA, for
> example, but I get service fine in the empty forests around NC.  Meanwhile
> a friend couldn't get Verizon at his new house south of Raleigh.  The
> northern SC coast has strange T-Mobile coverage.  Moral of the story is
> that there are pockets everywhere, so it is worth going to the places where
> you will be and borrowing someone's phone - no one network has universal
> coverage, especially indoors.  Also, not to be ignored, phone hardware is
> really significant to receiving a signal - Samsung is the worst I've had,
> Motorola is the best, but I don't know how if that holds true across
> product lines.
>
> * I have recently had to force roaming [to Verizon] at home just to get a
> Sprint signal, I assume it's because of their LTE conversion since I used
> to get good signal with this same phone in the same place.  Because of that
> I would not buy a Sprint-based prepaid phone if I expected to keep it for a
> while.
>
> You can always dial '911' in the US from an inactive phone, so you can just
> keep a charged battery and a phone from another network in the trunk if
> that's a concern.
>
> As you can see from Mitch's response, voice-only prepaid plans are priced
> much more competitively, so your son might give some thought as to whether
> he could survive without data.  I use Google Maps too much, but a lot of my
> iPhone-toting peers are always in WiFi range and navigation doesn't matter
> to them.
>
> Best,
> Tim
> ___
> http://www.okiebenz.com
> For new and used parts go to www.okiebenz.com
> To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/
>
> To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to:
> http://mail.okiebenz.

Re: [MBZ] Military Cel Phone ???'s

[Tim C]

On Tue, Nov 13, 2012 at 8:17 PM, Michael Canfield wrote:

> I have heard the wallymart straight talk is a good deal.  I just wonder
> about service coverage.
>

With Straight Talk you choose either AT&T or T-Mobile as your base network.
 You can voice roam to the other, but it is not technically supported - in
other words they might turn that off.  There is no data roaming, from what
I understand, though SWMBO is not a heavy data user.

You can buy "normal" phones on Straight Talk that are CDMA (i.e. no SIM, no
worky in Europey), I know nothing about those other than they are slightly
cheaper and run on Sprint, so I would not buy one*.

Big disadvantage of prepaid is the up-front cost of the phone, you are
basically buying a computer with a fancy radio and touchscreen at retail
price so it can be quite expensive.  Google's $300 Nexus 4 was a low price,
but average smartphones would be around $500, give or take, new, less
30-40% on Craigslist.  ALSO NOTE if your prepaid account goes inactive you
will lose your phone number.  Look at Google Voice to get a permanent
number to forward, but your caller ID will be wrong and it is another level
of indirection.


> He is mostly interested in unlimited text/data so he can use it for
> internet access/entertainment as well as a communication device for calls
> back home.  Limited calling minutes aren't much of an issue with Sprints
> 450 minute plan as cel to cel and after 7pm to 7am are unlimited.  That is
> $69.99/month.  Everything else including roaming on other networks is also
> included.
>

T-Mobile's 100-minute, 5GB data plan ($30) is the best price if you don't
average more than 250 minutes per month ($0.10/min overage).  If you have
an Android phone (possibly also iPhone?) there are apps to use data for
calls, if that's an issue.  5GB is pretty much unlimited, in my experience,
and I think they just downgrade you to 3G rates if you go over.

Postpaid Sprint and T-Mobile offer unlimited data, VZ and AT&T do not.  In
my experience the connection rates on Sprint have become very poor since
they got the iPhone - I often see rates in the 50-80Kbps range now.  That
could be regional.  T-Mobile offers HSPA+ rates up to 42Mbps which should
be a much better experience, but I think the initial cost for phones is
higher.


> Is roaming included in the prepaids?  Do they have the same coverage as
> contract phones?  I have been told that they don't and that in rural area
> they don't work as well.  Is there any truth to that?
>

Generally no, yes but of course without roaming, and sort of.  It isn't so
much rural as region - I get horrible Sprint service in DC and VA, for
example, but I get service fine in the empty forests around NC.  Meanwhile
a friend couldn't get Verizon at his new house south of Raleigh.  The
northern SC coast has strange T-Mobile coverage.  Moral of the story is
that there are pockets everywhere, so it is worth going to the places where
you will be and borrowing someone's phone - no one network has universal
coverage, especially indoors.  Also, not to be ignored, phone hardware is
really significant to receiving a signal - Samsung is the worst I've had,
Motorola is the best, but I don't know how if that holds true across
product lines.

* I have recently had to force roaming [to Verizon] at home just to get a
Sprint signal, I assume it's because of their LTE conversion since I used
to get good signal with this same phone in the same place.  Because of that
I would not buy a Sprint-based prepaid phone if I expected to keep it for a
while.

You can always dial '911' in the US from an inactive phone, so you can just
keep a charged battery and a phone from another network in the trunk if
that's a concern.

As you can see from Mitch's response, voice-only prepaid plans are priced
much more competitively, so your son might give some thought as to whether
he could survive without data.  I use Google Maps too much, but a lot of my
iPhone-toting peers are always in WiFi range and navigation doesn't matter
to them.

Best,
Tim
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Re: [MBZ] Military Cel Phone ???'s

[Mitch Haley]

Michael Canfield wrote:


Is roaming included in the prepaids?  Do they have the same coverage as
contract phones?  I have been told that they don't and that in rural area
they don't work as well.  Is there any truth to that?


Roaming and coverage are Tracfone's strong points now that a few others like 
Page Plus are notably cheaper. Tracfones introduced in the last five years or so 
all have roaming at one unit per minute, same as using home towers. I think I 
gave Craig a Nokia 2126 which charges double for roaming, but they did have a 
few with the updated pricing built in that they renamed 2126i.


If you have a CDMA Tracfone and a GSM Tracfone with AT&T SIM card in it, you're 
good to go nearly anyplace that there's a cell signal in the USA. I should 
probably transfer my CDMA Tracfone's number to Page Plus and transfer its 3000 
minutes to my GSM Tracfone. Hard to beat PagePlus's 2000 minute / one year / $80 
plan, even if they hit you with a 50 cent per month fee and 29 cents per roaming 
minute.


Mitch.

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Re: [MBZ] Military Cel Phone ???'s

[Michael Canfield]

I have heard the wallymart straight talk is a good deal.  I just wonder
about service coverage.
He is mostly interested in unlimited text/data so he can use it for
internet access/entertainment as well as a communication device for calls
back home.  Limited calling minutes aren't much of an issue with Sprints
450 minute plan as cel to cel and after 7pm to 7am are unlimited.  That is
$69.99/month.  Everything else including roaming on other networks is also
included.
Is roaming included in the prepaids?  Do they have the same coverage as
contract phones?  I have been told that they don't and that in rural area
they don't work as well.  Is there any truth to that?

Thanks again, Mike
On Nov 13, 2012 7:45 PM, "Dieselhead" <126die...@gmail.com> wrote:

> Michael Canfield wrote:
>>
>>> I guess he will be in The States for a while yet so he is going to go
>>> with
>>> a Sprint "everything" plan as it appears they allow him to suspend
>>> service
>>> with no penalties if he needs to.  He can then get whatever cheapo phone
>>> when he does get sent abroad.
>>>
>>
>> Verizon allows suspension with or without billing. With billing you pay a
>> fortune for nothing but your months under contract get used up. Without
>> billing you don't pay, but the months remaining on your contract don't go
>> away. It'd be interesting to know if the GSM providers, T-Mo and ATT, have
>> similar.
>>
>> If I were him I'd go prepaid, like Boost or Virgin, before I'd sign a
>> Sprint contract for the same network, especially if I didn't want to use it
>> every month.
>>
>> Mitch.
>>
>
> I would agree.  Go with a no contract carrier.  Even the big ripoff V Z
> has a prepaid for $50 a month unlimited everything.  All other plans are
> pretty much less than them.
>
> When #1 daughter was in Yurp 10 years ago, the phones were cheaper and no
> contracts; all prepaid.   They had sms years before the US of A.   I would
> guess cell phones the the RTW are pretty much cheap and no contract.
> (prepaid)
>
> __**_
> http://www.okiebenz.com
> For new and used parts go to www.okiebenz.com
> To search list archives 
> http://www.okiebenz.com/**archive/
>
> To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to:
> http://mail.okiebenz.com/**mailman/listinfo/mercedes_**okiebenz.com
>
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Re: [MBZ] Military Cel Phone ???'s

[Dieselhead]

Michael Canfield wrote:

I guess he will be in The States for a while yet so he is going to go with
a Sprint "everything" plan as it appears they allow him to suspend service
with no penalties if he needs to.  He can then get whatever cheapo phone
when he does get sent abroad.


Verizon allows suspension with or without billing. With billing you 
pay a fortune for nothing but your months under contract get used 
up. Without billing you don't pay, but the months remaining on your 
contract don't go away. It'd be interesting to know if the GSM 
providers, T-Mo and ATT, have similar.


If I were him I'd go prepaid, like Boost or Virgin, before I'd sign 
a Sprint contract for the same network, especially if I didn't want 
to use it every month.


Mitch.


I would agree.  Go with a no contract carrier.  Even the big ripoff V 
Z has a prepaid for $50 a month unlimited everything.  All other 
plans are pretty much less than them.


When #1 daughter was in Yurp 10 years ago, the phones were cheaper 
and no contracts; all prepaid.   They had sms years before the US of 
A.   I would guess cell phones the the RTW are pretty much cheap and 
no contract. (prepaid)


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Re: [MBZ] Military Cel Phone ???'s

[Craig]

On Tue, 13 Nov 2012 18:48:43 -0500 Mitch Haley  wrote:

> If I were him I'd go prepaid, like Boost or Virgin, before I'd sign a
> Sprint contract for the same network, especially if I didn't want to
> use it every month.

What about Tracfone?


Craig

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Re: [MBZ] Military Cel Phone ???'s

[Mitch Haley]

Michael Canfield wrote:

I guess he will be in The States for a while yet so he is going to go with
a Sprint "everything" plan as it appears they allow him to suspend service
with no penalties if he needs to.  He can then get whatever cheapo phone
when he does get sent abroad.


Verizon allows suspension with or without billing. With billing you pay a 
fortune for nothing but your months under contract get used up. Without billing 
you don't pay, but the months remaining on your contract don't go away. It'd be 
interesting to know if the GSM providers, T-Mo and ATT, have similar.


If I were him I'd go prepaid, like Boost or Virgin, before I'd sign a Sprint 
contract for the same network, especially if I didn't want to use it every month.


Mitch.

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Re: [MBZ] Military Cel Phone ???'s

[Michael Canfield]

I guess he will be in The States for a while yet so he is going to go with
a Sprint "everything" plan as it appears they allow him to suspend service
with no penalties if he needs to.  He can then get whatever cheapo phone
when he does get sent abroad.

Thanks for the info and tips,
Mike
On Nov 13, 2012 8:06 AM, "Mitch Haley"  wrote:

> Dieselhead wrote:
>
>> 'Don't know the details of Grndson's phone during his school year in
>>> France, but it also worked great from Budapest, Hungary; Sarajevo, Bosnia,
>>> Milan, Italy; Vilnius, Lithuania; Kiev, Ukraine; Krakow & Auschwitz,
>>> Poland, etc., also.
>>>
>>> Wilton
>>>
>>
>> GSM phone.
>>
>
> IIRC, not all GSM is created equal, due to differing frequencies.
> Get a quad band model to be sure it'll work everywhere.
>
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/**GSM_frequency_bands
>
> __**_
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> http://www.okiebenz.com/**archive/
>
> To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to:
> http://mail.okiebenz.com/**mailman/listinfo/mercedes_**okiebenz.com
>
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Re: [MBZ] Military Cel Phone ???'s

[Mitch Haley]

Dieselhead wrote:
'Don't know the details of Grndson's phone during his school year in 
France, but it also worked great from Budapest, Hungary; Sarajevo, 
Bosnia, Milan, Italy; Vilnius, Lithuania; Kiev, Ukraine; Krakow & 
Auschwitz, Poland, etc., also.


Wilton


GSM phone.


IIRC, not all GSM is created equal, due to differing frequencies.
Get a quad band model to be sure it'll work everywhere.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GSM_frequency_bands

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Re: [MBZ] Military Cel Phone ???'s

[Dieselhead]

'Don't know the details of Grndson's phone during his school year in 
France, but it also worked great from Budapest, Hungary; Sarajevo, 
Bosnia, Milan, Italy; Vilnius, Lithuania; Kiev, Ukraine; Krakow & 
Auschwitz, Poland, etc., also.


Wilton


GSM phone.

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Re: [MBZ] Military Cel Phone ???'s

[WILTON]

'Don't know the details of Grndson's phone during his school year in France, 
but it also worked great from Budapest, Hungary; Sarajevo, Bosnia, Milan, 
Italy; Vilnius, Lithuania; Kiev, Ukraine; Krakow & Auschwitz, Poland, etc., 
also.


Wilton

- Original Message - 
From: "clay monroe" 

To: "Mercedes Discussion List" 
Sent: Monday, November 12, 2012 9:19 PM
Subject: Re: [MBZ] Military Cel Phone ???'s



Rings a bell.

I was advised to not take any of my electronics with me, as they would be 
scoured at port of entry and loaded with worms and virii.  Go in clean, 
get your tech on the ground and dump it when you exit.


clay

On Nov 12, 2012, at 6:18 AM, Max Dillon wrote:

Sprint offers a military discount, I've been using them for over a 
decade, here in the states.


For OPSEC purposes (operational security), when overseas, get a new local 
phone on base.  It will probably be far cheaper, (pay-as-you-go, or 
month-to-month contact) and if you let the contact lapse, next trip just 
purchase a new agreement with new SIM chip.


Bad People will get your overseas phone info, listen in at will.  Won't 
be able to stop that over there, but refraining from using your US phone 
while abroad will keep them from listening in when you are back in the 
USA.

--
Max Dillon
Charleston SC
'95 E300
'87 300TD

Michael Canfield  wrote:


Hey Guys,
Our new Marine wants to get a cel phone.  Can any of you suggest a
carrier that will provide him with good service hear and abroad?  How
about
the best price for active service members?  Anything elese he should
think
about when shopping for a phone?
Thanks for your help!

Mike
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Re: [MBZ] Military Cel Phone ???'s

[clay monroe]

Rings a bell.

I was advised to not take any of my electronics with me, as they would be 
scoured at port of entry and loaded with worms and virii.  Go in clean, get 
your tech on the ground and dump it when you exit.  

clay

On Nov 12, 2012, at 6:18 AM, Max Dillon wrote:

> Sprint offers a military discount, I've been using them for over a decade, 
> here in the states.
> 
> For OPSEC purposes (operational security), when overseas, get a new local 
> phone on base.  It will probably be far cheaper, (pay-as-you-go, or 
> month-to-month contact) and if you let the contact lapse, next trip just 
> purchase a new agreement with new SIM chip.
> 
> Bad People will get your overseas phone info, listen in at will.  Won't be 
> able to stop that over there, but refraining from using your US phone while 
> abroad will keep them from listening in when you are back in the USA.
> -- 
> Max Dillon
> Charleston SC
> '95 E300
> '87 300TD
> 
> Michael Canfield  wrote:
> 
>> Hey Guys,
>> Our new Marine wants to get a cel phone.  Can any of you suggest a
>> carrier that will provide him with good service hear and abroad?  How
>> about
>> the best price for active service members?  Anything elese he should
>> think
>> about when shopping for a phone?
>> Thanks for your help!
>> 
>> Mike
>> ___
>> http://www.okiebenz.com
>> For new and used parts go to www.okiebenz.com
>> To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/
>> 
>> To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to:
>> http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
> ___
> http://www.okiebenz.com
> For new and used parts go to www.okiebenz.com
> To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/
> 
> To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to:
> http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com


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Re: [MBZ] Military Cel Phone ???'s

[clay monroe]

The rest of the world likes the GSM phones, so look at T mobile for something.  
Might be better to figure out if he is headed to the Sand Box, which would 
require a rather stout and simple phone, or one of the resort postings in 
Europe where a much more option soaked phone will do fine.

A world phone from any of the carriers will do well.  I would think about 
sourcing a burner phone and using pay as you go SIM card here and then hit the 
souk and pick up another burner SIM when in country.  No massive roaming 
charges.  You do end up with a new number each time though.

clay

On Nov 12, 2012, at 5:56 AM, Michael Canfield wrote:

> Hey Guys,
>  Our new Marine wants to get a cel phone.  Can any of you suggest a
> carrier that will provide him with good service hear and abroad?  How about
> the best price for active service members?  Anything elese he should think
> about when shopping for a phone?
>  Thanks for your help!
> 
> Mike
> ___
> http://www.okiebenz.com
> For new and used parts go to www.okiebenz.com
> To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/
> 
> To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to:
> http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com


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Re: [MBZ] Military Cel Phone ???'s

[Randy Bennell]

Another issue altogether, but there are military spec phones that are 
much tougher than an average phone.

My younger son was very hard on cell phones.
His latest has been one of the military spec phones and it has lasted 
more than 3 full years.

Supposed to be waterproof, dust proof and capable of surviving falls etc.
A plain phone without the extras but a rubberized case and tough.

Randy

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Re: [MBZ] Military Cel Phone ???'s

[Tim C]

On Mon, Nov 12, 2012 at 8:56 AM, Michael Canfield wrote:

> Hey Guys,
>   Our new Marine wants to get a cel phone.  Can any of you suggest a
> carrier that will provide him with good service hear and abroad?  How about
>

Not enough information:
- living in an urban area in the US?
- how long?
- deploying to Europe / Asia / ?
- wants to keep the same phone in both places?
- is data important, or voice-only?

If yes/a while/Europe-ish/yes/..., GSM providers (AT&T, T-Mobile, some
Straight Talk phones) are the way to go.  I would hate paying for service
in the US while stationed internationally so I would heavily weigh paying
full price for an "unlocked GSM phone" and going with either Straight Talk
or T-Mobile while in the US, then buying local SIM cards in whatever
country.  He can set up Google Voice to have a US number forward to
whatever the current number is.

Best bet to buy an "unlocked GSM phone" is Craigslist or Amazon (or Google,
the Nexus 4 should be available new for $300).

the best price for active service members?  Anything elese he should think
>

In the US, the best GSM plan prices I know about are prepaid.  If you buy a
carrier-subsidized (contract) phone then it will probably come locked, it
used to be that AT&T would unlock it after 3 months - not sure about
T-Mobile.  I do not know about military discounts.

Prepaid pricing domestically:
$45/month for unlimited talk/text/data* on Straight Talk [Wal-Mart] - bring
a phone, buy a SIM kit for $15, start paying.  Wife uses this.
$30/month for unlimited text/100 minutes talk/5GB data on T-Mobile - again,
bring a phone, SIM is free in store.  I am going to start this once I get a
Nexus 4, and drop my Sprint plan.

Notice that data is important to me, you can get plans much much cheaper if
you just need talk time - I have a $10 per three-month T-Mobile phone I
keep active for "emergencies".  You really have to have a handle on how
much talk time you need, though, or you end up overpaying.

Internationally prices for minutes are cheaper and less punitive on
prepaid, but I've noticed fancy phones are often more expensive overseas
(at least where I've been).

Best,
Tim


> about when shopping for a phone?
>   Thanks for your help!
>
> Mike
> ___
> http://www.okiebenz.com
> For new and used parts go to www.okiebenz.com
> To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/
>
> To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to:
> http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
>
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Re: [MBZ] Military Cel Phone ???'s

[Greg Fiorentino]

When my son was in Kuwait and Iraq he was often able to get a wifi signal
and contact us with Skype.  So I would suggest a phone that can use wifi.  I
would think that he would need a different SIM card to enable normal phone
use overseas.

Greg

-Original Message-
From: mercedes-boun...@okiebenz.com [mailto:mercedes-boun...@okiebenz.com]
On Behalf Of Michael Canfield
Sent: Monday, November 12, 2012 5:57 AM
To: Mercedes Discussion List
Subject: [MBZ] Military Cel Phone ???'s

Hey Guys,
  Our new Marine wants to get a cel phone.  Can any of you suggest a carrier
that will provide him with good service hear and abroad?  How about the best
price for active service members?  Anything elese he should think about when
shopping for a phone?
  Thanks for your help!

Mike
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http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/

To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to:
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Re: [MBZ] Military Cel Phone ???'s

[Rich Thomas]

If he is going overseas it might make sense to buy a "burner" phone and 
a SIM card you can reload with minutes, wherever he lands.  The phones 
are like $20 and you can buy minutes to top them off whenever you need 
them.  Some US phones have provisions for SIM cards too, so you can use 
them on non-US networks (which tend to be GSM-based, different from the 
US modes).  Look into Skype and Google voice too for making cheap calls 
back to US (and from here too -- she had a US # I could call and it 
would ring her local # in Spain on the burner phone).  Using a US phone 
with international roaming costs big money.  Using Skype and iChat and 
whatnot for "calls" on the computer works well too, all you need is a 
wi-fi connection.  Most of the new phones have those capabilities too, 
to use wi-fi connections and not the cell service.


My daughter did all this when she was in Spain last year, I must confess 
to having mimimal knowledge of it other than what I wrote above.


--R

On 11/12/12 8:56 AM, Michael Canfield wrote:

Hey Guys,
   Our new Marine wants to get a cel phone.  Can any of you suggest a
carrier that will provide him with good service hear and abroad?  How about
the best price for active service members?  Anything elese he should think
about when shopping for a phone?
   Thanks for your help!

Mike
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Re: [MBZ] Military Cel Phone ???'s

[Max Dillon]

Sprint offers a military discount, I've been using them for over a decade, here 
in the states.

For OPSEC purposes (operational security), when overseas, get a new local phone 
on base.  It will probably be far cheaper, (pay-as-you-go, or month-to-month 
contact) and if you let the contact lapse, next trip just purchase a new 
agreement with new SIM chip.

Bad People will get your overseas phone info, listen in at will.  Won't be able 
to stop that over there, but refraining from using your US phone while abroad 
will keep them from listening in when you are back in the USA.
-- 
Max Dillon
Charleston SC
'95 E300
'87 300TD

Michael Canfield  wrote:

>Hey Guys,
>  Our new Marine wants to get a cel phone.  Can any of you suggest a
>carrier that will provide him with good service hear and abroad?  How
>about
>the best price for active service members?  Anything elese he should
>think
>about when shopping for a phone?
>  Thanks for your help!
>
>Mike
>___
>http://www.okiebenz.com
>For new and used parts go to www.okiebenz.com
>To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/
>
>To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to:
>http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
___
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[MBZ] Military Cel Phone ???'s

[Michael Canfield]

Hey Guys,
  Our new Marine wants to get a cel phone.  Can any of you suggest a
carrier that will provide him with good service hear and abroad?  How about
the best price for active service members?  Anything elese he should think
about when shopping for a phone?
  Thanks for your help!

Mike
___
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For new and used parts go to www.okiebenz.com
To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/

To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to:
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