Best pre-paid carriers in US for unlocked Galaxy Nexus?

Posted Apr 24, 2012 at 1:01 pm in Threads > Smartphones & Tablets

Now that the Galaxy Nexus is being sold for $399 by Google, it makes some of the pre-paid carriers much more attractive.

What are the best options to get a SIM card with no contract and get HSPA+ speeds on AT&T and T-Mobile’s network?

So far, Simple Mobile is looking pretty good. They piggy back on T-Mobile’s network.

Smartphone plans include:

$40 – Unlimited talk, text, 3G HSPA data
$60 – Unlimited talk, text, 4G HSPA+ data

What other deals are out there?

29 Comments Join the discussion!

100 Dustin Earley 04/24/12 1:25 PM

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My brother used Simple Mobile for a long time here in Michigan and loved it. Customer service is good and you can’t beat the price.

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94 B2L 04/24/12 1:30 PM

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http://straighttalksim.com/

$45 – Unlimited talk, text, 3G HSPA data

I used Simple Mobile for over a year before switching to Straight Talk. Either carrier is definitely a good choice.

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- 94 B2L 04/24/12 1:31 PM
  
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  Forgot to mention, Straight Talk uses both AT&T’s and T-Mobile network, so you can choose based on coverage in your area.
  
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  - 100 Taylor Wimberly 04/24/12 1:58 PM
    
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    How is this better than the $40 plan for 3G HSPA from SimpleMobile? Is the main advantage coverage on AT&T’s HSPA network? And do they offer HSPA+?
    
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    - 99 jaxidian 04/24/12 2:09 PM
      
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      A really good friend of mine has StraightTalk. He went that way because of the option to be on AT&T’s network. He had a gen1 WP7 device and said he got identical speeds on StraightTalk as he did when he was on AT&T with that same device.
      
      I’m unsure if gen1 WP7 devices supported HSPA+ or not.
      
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    - 94 B2L 04/24/12 2:42 PM
      
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      It’s only better if you prefer to use AT&T’s network, if T-Mobile coverage is good in your area stick with Simple Mobile. I only stick with it right now, since my International Note doesn’t support T-Mobile’s 3G bands.
      
      It doesn’t support HSPA+ as far as I know, on average I get 1-3 mbs down.
      
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    - WesGuest 04/24/12 4:24 PM
      
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      Do not, absolutely do not support Simple Mobile. I signed up for their “3G” Service with my Galaxy Nexus several months ago thinking it was an awesome deal. It turns out that they throttle you to 120 kbps on the $40 per month plan. If you call their “customer service” line they’ll tell you that it states “up to 3G speeds” in their marketing. The previous month I was using T-Mobile’s monthly 4G and was getting 6-7 Mbps down/ 3-4 Mbps up in the same locations that I was limited to 120 kbps on Simple Mobile.
      
      Unfortunately, I had a $20 credit with them, so the next month I switched to the $60 4G plan and I got the T-mobile like speeds.
      
      I have since dropped them for Straight Talk’s bring your own phone plan and I am not looking back. $45 / month and I get true 3G (6-7 Mbps).
      
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      - BonnieGuest 09/01/12 2:24 AM
        
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        I was just wondering if you phone is a galaxy nexus then isn’t it a Verizon phone? How can you switch to t-mobile or straight talk if it is not compatible for their plan? Galaxy Nexus is a CDMA and is not currently supported by straight talk correct? Please Let me know. Thanks
      - RoTimi WaddyGuest 09/19/12 11:50 PM
        
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        I chose to also go with ST with an AT&T compatible SIM. Overall, it seems to just be the best option for me & I don’t really see what people are getting out of going with the Simple Mobile plan which cost more?
        
        I’m so glad that our GSM GN’s run on either T-Mo’s or AT&T’s HSPA networks networks!!!
        
        Just to let anyone else who also doesn’t understand these phones. You can either buy a CDMA version of this phone from Verizon & can only be used on the CDMA network OR you can buy a fully unlocked version of this phone directly from the Google Play store which will ONLY run on the AT&T or TMo GSM networks. It’s so awesome to have such a wonderful phone & to have options on which network we choose to run it on!!! Awesome!!!!
    - 95 Bpear96 04/25/12 7:35 AM
      
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      I have straight Talk with a l911 sgs2 and I can confirm they do indeed use hspa+ at least when running on the at & t network, I get 4-5 mbps in my area which is the same that postpaid att users get here. I’m not sure about ST tmobile sims but there’s a good chance they do use hspa+ as well. I’ve heard that simple mobiles “3G” plan is capped at a pretty low speed, I had the simple mobile $60 plan before I switched to st but tmobile network is just not that good I’m my area.
      
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      - 95 Bpear96 04/25/12 7:35 AM
        
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        i9100
- dylanGuest 04/25/12 1:55 AM
  
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  they actually use hspa+
  its a huge shock to me
  
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  - 94 B2L 04/25/12 7:13 AM
    
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    Seriously? Wow, I’m getting the same speeds now, as I was on the 3G only plan from Simple Mobile.
    
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    - 95 Bpear96 04/25/12 7:39 AM
      
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      I had the simple $60 full speed plan before I switched to straight Talk for att’s, network. And I’m the areas I did have coverage (tmobile is spoty I’m my area but some areas have hspa+ surprisingly.) I was getting great speeds around 7mbps on average 9 I think is the max I saw.
      
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      - 95 Bpear96 04/25/12 7:39 AM
        
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        In not I’m..
93 Alexander drzfr3shboialex 04/24/12 2:02 PM

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I use T-Mobile prepaid and its awesome 70$ unlimited everything 5gb cap on my HTC amaze

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ethicsGuest 04/24/12 2:17 PM

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I use TMobiles prepaid for $30 bucks unlimited web/text up to 5gb and 100 talk time (I rarely use it for talking but also tied it in with gvoice unlimited).

Here’s how I did it: http://asheki.com/?p=102

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CKGuest 05/31/12 8:33 AM

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I also got the Tmobile prepaid $30 for 100 min 5gbs at 4g speed unlimited data n text plan. My area is said to have Very good 4g coverage but my International Galaxy Nexus is getting edge or no data. Signal at my house is 1 to 2 bars sometime none :( very disappointed in Tmo coverage.

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CKGuest 05/31/12 8:35 AM

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So a company with AT&T towers seems to be a good alternative. Simple mobile is tmobile and tmobile seems to offer better plans at better speeds. So eliminate the middle man

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T-MinusGuest 08/23/12 4:18 PM

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T mobile service doesn’t work in rural areas like at&t does

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T-MinusGuest 08/23/12 4:21 PM

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Plus in rural areas at&t gives you 4g and gaps service where Tmobile only gives 2g.

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T-MinusGuest 08/23/12 4:22 PM

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It meant 4g and hspa

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tpGuest 08/28/12 1:40 AM

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Hey guys. I have tmobile and in my home, my 4G is off and on but I drive down the block, it blasts off like a rocket. I too am considering simple mobile 4G plan and its not $60 anymore its $50!!! Woo hoo!!! Is simple mobile 4G plan TRULY UNLIMITED??? No slowed speeds after 5gb of data??? I need full 4G speed the whole month.

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tpGuest 08/28/12 1:44 AM

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I have the mytouch 4G slide and later, I just might get an iphone 4S or iphone 5.

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FrederickGuest 09/01/12 1:51 AM

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When using the galaxy nexus, are you able to get 3g speeds, or will it run on 2g because of compatibility issues?

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- 98 redraider133 09/01/12 11:17 AM
  
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  the nexus is quad band so you get hspa speeds.
  
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phillippeGuest 09/01/12 9:56 PM

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Can someone tell me is the galaxy nexus at&t a good phone with simple mobile. Or samsung s3

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phillippeGuest 09/01/12 9:57 PM

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Can someone please tell should i get at&t galaxy nexus for simple mobile.

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samGuest 05/10/13 6:34 PM

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Do not even think about simple mobile. I had used it for a year because I was lazy to find a different carrier. Their network is very poor and data service is suck. Most of all, I have never experience such lack of customer service with any other seller. Every time I called customer service, I had to get on hold for an hour (literally) and they don”t even speak in English properly. I left them in the middle of my contract. Even I lost $50, I am glad that I left them. If you wanna experience the same then go ahead to have *******simple mobile.

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