6 ms·
This isn't terribly amazing. I paid $130 for my Android phone, and pay $25/month through Virgin Mobile.
by devicenull 15y ago
This isn't terribly amazing. I paid $130 for my Android phone, and pay $25/month through Virgin Mobile.
- unlimited1 15y agoIs your $25/mo plan unlimited? Is Virgin Mobile's coverage as good as Sprint's (the network this will fall back to)? What's amazing here is they are offering a Voip phone with a $19/mo plan (cheaper than, say Vonage at $25) plus fallback to a large mobile network. That is a pretty good price point.
- idiot16 15y agovirgin mobile is sprint. the network is the same. as is boost mobile. also, you're an idiot.
- unlimited1 15y agoI did not realize Virgin Mobile used Sprint, or I would not have asked that question. The fact still remains that the proposed plan is unlimited and less expensive. Plus they intend to branch out to other mobile networks as well, so they could achieve better coverage.
- maxerickson 15y agoSprint bought Virgin out of Virgin Mobile USA a couple of years ago, so more than using Sprint, Virgin Mobile is simply a Sprint brand. The "Sprint" Sprint brand has better coverage than the Virgin Mobile Sprint brand, presumably because of roaming agreements with Verizon.
- LilValleyBigEgo 15y agoThere's that and there's also the fact that Virgin is only allowed to use iDEN towers and not CDMA towers.
- maxerickson 15y agoVirgin Mobile USA is CDMA.
- dsl 15y agoSprint operates two nationwide networks. Depending on the device and the services it provides you could be using the CDMA network or the iDEN network that is mostly used for prepaid phones and direct connect. Sprint itself also has a CDMA voice and data roaming agreement with Verizon, which MVNOs and subsidiary brands do not benefit from.
- akgerber 15y agoVirgin Mobile uses Sprint's CDMA network. Sprint has very good coverage in most major cities and along most interstate highways. That covers most of most peoples' lives, except the relatively small percentage of Americans in rural areas.
- LilValleyBigEgo 15y agoVirgin only uses iDEN. That's why their coverage is ass. You could be standing in line sight of a tower and have zero connectivity because that tower isn't supported.
- trotsky 15y agothat isn't true, they are on the sprint cdma towers. Boost is their pre-paid brand that's on iden. Virgin won't roam on to verizon, though, which sprint handsets will.
- peterwwillis 15y agoWrong. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virgin_Mobile_USA http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virgin_Mobile_USA "wireless voice, messaging and broadband data services to subscribers throughout the United States via the Sprint Nextel CDMA PCS network" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boost_Mobile http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boost_Mobile "Boost Nationwide Unlimited (AKA Monthly Unlimited Plan), which differs from their previous UNLTD plans, is offered for iDEN handsets as of January 22, 2009 and CDMA as of January 2010" The reason you have sucky coverage is the PRL list is much more limited for Virgin phones and they don't allow roaming. Update the list and get better signal.
- sumukh1 15y agoThe $25 plan from Virgin Mobile offers 300 minutes of talktime.
- georgemcbay 15y agoI use Google Voice and GrooveIP on my Optimus V on Virgin Mobile on the 300 minute/$25 month plan to get significantly more than 300 minutes of talk time, since data is "unlimited" (I'm sure it isn't really unlimited, but I've yet to hit any caps that I've noticed). I agree with GP post though. This deal is good, but not quite as amazing as the article makes it seem. Even if you have to go with the newer pricing ($35 vs $25), Virgin Mobile has plans in this general range and their phones are a known quantity (and pretty well supported by CM7 ports).
- jordan0day 15y agoVirgin mobile uses Sprint's network.
- ard0r 15y agoI have the same $25/month plan, but they upped it to $30/month ($35?) for new subscribers. Still best deal on a smartphone/data plan. If this uses Sprint's network as well, then I suppose it comes down to minutes/MBs. I don't use enough of either so for me the math is simple: $19 < $25.
- peterwwillis 15y agoI have that too. The speed sucks dick but it's cheap. Thoughts: 1. I really hope it knows to just use cell while driving instead of trying to connect to random passing APs. 2. Am I the only person in America constantly surrounded by secured/non-free Wifi? 3. Why wouldn't I just pay less for my phone and $10 more a month for Virgin Mobile?
- parfe 15y agoI think the idea is that you spend most of your time at home, work, or school. Places which you generally have full access to the wifi network.
- LilValleyBigEgo 15y agoVirgin's coverage is ass.
- deleted 15y ago[deleted]
- peterwwillis 15y agoAgreed. So imagine what this other company's coverage will be like - and they aren't owned by Sprint like Virgin Mobile US is. (incidentally, if you update your PRL on your Virgin phone to a Sprint list you get better service...)
- memset 15y agoHow would I update my PRL? And what would I update it to? I had no idea that these caveats existed on Sprint's network, I had just (naviely?) assumed all Sprint-based service was "the same"
- peterwwillis 15y agoIf you google usually you can find a guide for your phone on HTC or other developer/modder/hacker forums for smartphones. It involves getting codes specific to your phone and using some software and a USB data cable to upload new settings to the phone. It's similar to firmware flashing. Oh yeah, and they really really don't like you to do it because you're basically using parts of the network they don't want you to use. So whatever you do, don't tell Sprint customer service.
- angryasian 15y agosame here and my speeds are excellent. I rarely have any complaints. I use GrooveIP for free GV voip, and the phones have great dev communities around them. I'm running cm 7.1 on my phone and for $100 phone it performs better than my old 3GS. my biggest concerns would be- Would loading custom roms effect their application/script? Is it compatible with google voice?
- memset 15y agoJust to capitalize on some of the VM love: if you have an android phone, you should give my Minutes Checker app a whirl! (It is free. And open source too. And very very useful.) https://market.android.com/details?id=com.jaygoel.virginminuteschecker https://market.android.com/details?id=com.jaygoel.virginminu...
- LilValleyBigEgo 15y agoThank you for not spamming anymore.
- ryankshaw 15y agoI use it, and thank you, good app!