Ting?

Santilli

Hairy Aussie
Joined
Jan 27, 2002
Messages
5,255
Hi
I'm going to give Ting a try. I'm paying 60 dollars a month for Sprint. With my use patterns, Ting says my bill should be around 23.00 a month.

I just ordered a Samsung Galaxy S3 for 130 dollars from them.

This is for my girlfriend that hardly ever uses her phone, and needs to upgrade from an old, small, iphone.

I suspect her monthly bill will be something like 5 dollars a month.

Since Sprint runs on CDMA, we'll see how it goes.

If it works for me, then I'm dumping sprint, and hope to be able to move my Mega over to Ting, though I don't think I'll be able to do it for awhile.

Anyone else tried their service?

From what I gather, Sprint is spotty in areas where Verizon is strong, sometimes. Only possible drawback I see.
 

DrunkenBastard

Storage is cool
Joined
Jan 21, 2002
Messages
775
Location
on the floor
Sprint network is shit unless you are in a major metropolitan area or near a major highway/interstate.

If that doesnt matter you should be ok. Which carrier does Ting buy service from? For the kids I've had good luck with StraightTalk from Walmart (uses Verizon network), $45 per month for 5GB of LTE, unlimited talk and text, then it throttles down. They have a $30 per month plan if you dont need data.
 

Santilli

Hairy Aussie
Joined
Jan 27, 2002
Messages
5,255
Sprint has worked fine for me in the Bay Area.
Since GF doesn't travel much, should be ok.

I'm thinking my GF's bill, with her usage should be between 0 and 15 dollars a month.

I'll test the phone, make sure it works, since it's a limited warranty phone.

Since the S3 was a flagship at the time, I shouldn't have much of a problem rooting it.
 

Will Rickards

Storage Is My Life
Joined
Jan 23, 2002
Messages
2,011
Location
Here
Website
willrickards.net
Ting is a sprint/tmobile mvno. If you bring a sprint phone, it will work on sprint's network. If you bring a compatible gsm phone, it will work on tmobile's network.
Ting is great if you already like those carriers coverage and don't use a lot of data. If you use more than 2GB a month (combined) you're looking at the same/more price than the carriers with none of the added benefits. If you don't use a lot of data, you could be looking at cutting your bill in half.
 

Santilli

Hairy Aussie
Joined
Jan 27, 2002
Messages
5,255
Fi? Link?

My gf uses the cell phone for emergencies only. Data only to update programs.
 

ddrueding

Fixture
Joined
Feb 4, 2002
Messages
19,716
Location
Horsens, Denmark
LMGTFY: Google Fi ;)

Their network is pretty comprehensive, any unused data is credited back, calls work over WiFi and can transfer between networks (no more cellular extenders).
 

Santilli

Hairy Aussie
Joined
Jan 27, 2002
Messages
5,255
550 For a Nexus 6 with enough storage for my music.

Appears Ting goes for a lower price point, 9 dollars for my gf's useage.
Looks like Data is about twice the cost of Google Fi with Ting.
 

ddrueding

Fixture
Joined
Feb 4, 2002
Messages
19,716
Location
Horsens, Denmark
That is why I mentioned "power user", for those with higher data needs it seems to be the best deal on the market at the moment.
 

Santilli

Hairy Aussie
Joined
Jan 27, 2002
Messages
5,255
With their plan, and a monthly payment plan, I can come in under my Sprint cost right now, save some money, and have their setup. My only concern is too many google techs start out, then get dropped...

Frankly, thought, this is so good, I don't see that happening.
 

sedrosken

Florida Man
Joined
Nov 20, 2013
Messages
1,785
Location
Eglin AFB Area
Website
sedrosken.xyz
If that doesnt matter you should be ok. Which carrier does Ting buy service from? For the kids I've had good luck with StraightTalk from Walmart (uses Verizon network), $45 per month for 5GB of LTE, unlimited talk and text, then it throttles down. They have a $30 per month plan if you dont need data.

I'm on Verizon's prepaid $45/mo plan, gets me unltd talk, text and 1GB of LTE which when exceeded shuts off. I wish Dad would listen to me and move us over to Straight Talk, but he's paying the bill so I can't say I have too many complaints. Certainly when I finally get my license and a job I'm going over to them because then I'll be footing my own bill.
 

Santilli

Hairy Aussie
Joined
Jan 27, 2002
Messages
5,255
I am expecting a bill between 14-30 dollars for my GFS phone. The Galaxy SIII is a very cool phone, and I spent all day rooting it to maximize battery, and features for my gf. We'll see if I'm right.
Most of this stuff is 10 bucks in taxes.
 

Santilli

Hairy Aussie
Joined
Jan 27, 2002
Messages
5,255
From their website, current bill is 24.00. Mainly caused by downloading updates, and programs to the phone.
 

Santilli

Hairy Aussie
Joined
Jan 27, 2002
Messages
5,255
Bill was 24.00. 6.00 basic charge, and added 6 dollars each in other usage areas, data, text, and calling.

Expect it will be 6.00 this next month.
 

Santilli

Hairy Aussie
Joined
Jan 27, 2002
Messages
5,255
I was wrong. 9 dollar bill.
Just switched her iphone 4 over to Ting, because it's GSM. Anticipate that will be the phone that goes to Europe.

Ting Now has GSM on TMobile's network, and CDMA on Sprints.
 

Santilli

Hairy Aussie
Joined
Jan 27, 2002
Messages
5,255
Also have a look at their site for 8am, EST, for deals on phones, and, I'll be converting my Samsung Mega to Ting.
 

Stereodude

Not really a
Joined
Jan 22, 2002
Messages
10,865
Location
Michigan
I'm really tempted to try Ting. I currently have a 4 line 700 minute a month family plan with Verizon with flip phones, no data and no texting. It's about $95 a month which isn't bad, but it would be nice to have a smartphone with some texting / data capability without paying a $40 a month premium per line.

Hopping off Verizon to Sprint or T-Mobile has me a tad concerned though.
 

timwhit

Hairy Aussie
Joined
Jan 23, 2002
Messages
5,278
Location
Chicago, IL
I was a Sprint customer for over 10 years. I switched to Verizon a little over a year ago because of how bad Sprint's network is.
 

Mercutio

Fatwah on Western Digital
Joined
Jan 17, 2002
Messages
22,155
Location
I am omnipresent
I don't think it's bad at all, but I also don't ever go more than five miles from a major highway. I certainly don't think it's worth a 150% increase in my bill to have Verizon or AT&T.
 

Santilli

Hairy Aussie
Joined
Jan 27, 2002
Messages
5,255
Ting now works on both Sprint and Tmobile, CDMA and GSM respectively.
They are really pushing Tmobile. I had TM for awhile, but find Sprint generally better for my area.
 

Santilli

Hairy Aussie
Joined
Jan 27, 2002
Messages
5,255
StraightTalk has horrible customer support, so bad, it's off the table.
 

Santilli

Hairy Aussie
Joined
Jan 27, 2002
Messages
5,255
Just got off Sprint:
Lost my phone number. Seems it has to be active to switch to Ting.
Of course they stop you from switching if it's active, by saying you owe money, even if you've paid them extra, which I did.

Had to move my phone back to 4.4.2 to get the Ting number and service to work.

Didn't really like Lollipop more then Kitkat anyway. It was different, but Google is starting to remind me of Microsoft, doing something they want, and no one else does.
I suppose I could reinstall Lollipop, but I think I'll pass for now.
 

LunarMist

I can't believe I'm a Fixture
Joined
Feb 1, 2003
Messages
17,371
Location
USA
What is the point of Ting if you need a normal carrier anyway?
 

Santilli

Hairy Aussie
Joined
Jan 27, 2002
Messages
5,255
Hi

Do some research, figure it out, and answer your own question.

Don't bother reading anything in the thread before posting.
 
Last edited:

Santilli

Hairy Aussie
Joined
Jan 27, 2002
Messages
5,255
"Ting now works on both Sprint and Tmobile, CDMA and GSM respectively.
They are really pushing Tmobile. I had TM for awhile, but find Sprint generally better for my area. "
Asked and answered.
 

Santilli

Hairy Aussie
Joined
Jan 27, 2002
Messages
5,255
30 dollar first bill. Less then half of Sprint, and coverage seems the same.
 

Santilli

Hairy Aussie
Joined
Jan 27, 2002
Messages
5,255
My Samsung Mega sucks doing Lyft in the bay area. Poor bars, late reception, lots of bad zones.
Same area, iphone, Sprint, same as Ting, 5 bars vs. none.

I'm keeping the phone, but, the delay cost me time and money driving.

I went with Google Fi, and a Nexus 5X 32 gig, and 250 bucks. That gives me bleeding edge Google Android, no need to root, and for 250, I can throw the phone away next year. No storage slot, no battery removal.
Fi has FAR superior coverage, and so far, only one dead zone, and that was only about 20 feet. Fi uses Sprint, Tmobile, and Wifi for connection.
In the city it's perfect. Sprint Sucks in San Francisco.
Fi is 20 bucks, prepaid, unlimited text and phone, and pay for data as you use it, at the end of the month.
We'll see how it goes.
The 5x is faster then my Mega, but, it has some failings. Speaker phone?
Etc.
Ting-Sprint doesn't cover my house, but, Fi does, either with my own Wifi, or with Tmobile.
Average Ting bill is 30 bucks. Expect that's going to go way down, since I'm moving most everything over to Fi.
My GF has a 6 dollar cell phone bill, every month, since she only uses the phones for emergencies, Ting.
 

Santilli

Hairy Aussie
Joined
Jan 27, 2002
Messages
5,255
Fi bill is going to be 50 or so. 20 basik, but, I use over 3g's of data so 30 more. or so
 

Santilli

Hairy Aussie
Joined
Jan 27, 2002
Messages
5,255
Trying to limit data use this month. See how the tricks work out.
Last bill was around 65 dollars.

Lots of auto updates with 5x, and, it gives you free storage on the cloud, but charges you for data transfer, and with 1 mb pics, adds up, quick, and it checks often. turned that off.
 

Clocker

Storage? I am Storage!
Joined
Jan 14, 2002
Messages
3,554
Location
USA
Just switched my wife's Galaxy S5 from Verizon to Total Wireless. Total Wireless is actually Verizon off branded. There has been no difference in service at all since the switch other than getting a new SIM from them and having to activate a new voice mail box (for the same phone number). Phone will also work with AT&T Go Phone BYOP but it would be about $5 more per month for less data (4GB vs 5GB).

We get 5GB data per month that has unused data roll over + unlimited talk & text for $33.20 per month if you turn on auto-renew with a credit card. You can also buy 3GB of spare data for $10 that never expires if you keep your account active in case you have a heavy data usage month.

I found this site to be a good resource: https://www.whistleout.com/
 
Top