I looked at Aio. $55/mo for 2GB. So for our family of four that is $220/mo which is no less than what our ATT family plan is w/ four smartphone data plans (2 at 2 GB, 2 at unlimited). And when one of us needs a new iPhone, it is $500-600 out of pocket. Why is this a good idea? Is ST any better?

I am in a different situation. Just me on a grandfathered "unlimited data" plan with rollover minutes. I am paying with taxes about $80/month.

I am also an IT consultant and the big part of our business is email / connectivity. So on any given day I may be carrying Apple, Android or a Windows phone depending on what platform a client is evaluating. The ability to just move the SIM is important to me.

AIO at $55 including tax will save me $25 / month. Anyone know if the ST at $55 includes all taxes? If not, then staying with an AT&T owned subsidiary is the way I'll go.

I figure, an un-subsidized iPhone will cost $450 more than a subsidized one, so if I replace the phone every 2 years, that is $20/mo additional cost for Aio.

The new Google phone @ $349-399 changes things up a bit, ( I'm thinking Google is eating some of the cost)

Nexus5 + ST = $939/yr

Subsidized + Contract =$1367 (based on my costs @ 89/mo for plan)

Premium unsubsidized + St = 1239/yr

Going prepaid will save me between $128-$478/yr, depending on which package I choose...That saving though not huge.... is still meaninful.

The reason I'm looking into this is my Verizon phone (Droid Razr Maxx) can only be used on the Verizon network. I feel I have been duped. My phone is a brick If I don't stay with Verizon's service.

I might just buy the Nexus5 and a ST card to try, If ST doesnt work out, I can always take my phone to ATT, T-mobile, Sprint etc, and get pre paid plan

F Verizon

Straight Talk at $45/mo for the "unlimited" plan (actually 2.5GB/mo data then throttled to low speed for the rest of the month) so $180/mo for my family. That will save about $40/mo. Plus I have to pay $550-650 for each phone (depending on what we get) so over the next year, that's $2,400 or so, and repeat every 2 years.

So not compelling. I think ST and Aio make sense if you don't use a family plan, use cheap phones (Huawei etc), and/or keep your iPhones for 3-4 years (like you're still using a 3G today).

EVERY GSM carrier in the US uses different data bands to every other, just about. This is masked by chipsets that handle multiple bands - like the last 3 generations of Nexus devices, which have the bands for AT&T or T-Mobile/common Euro frequencies in the same chipset, rather than a specific phone/model for each carrier.

The actual data protocols each carrier's equipment talks over those bands to the handset - are yet another issue/source of incompatibility again.

Non-GSM phones? Who the heck cares... CDMA is so 20th century...

There IS NO 4G in the US - there's about 12-15 test markets world-wide for 4G right now - all in Europe/Scaninavia as far as I know, but maybe a couple in Asia..

The "4G" you're being sold is really properly called "3.5G" or "3.9G" - "LTE", by definition, is actually 3G. Blame the marketers for jumping the gun in their endless oneupmanship dance (and the ITU, for muddying the waters).


Careful what you wish for - when you really get 4G/LTE Advanced, band/protocol fragmentation (and thus carrier/network mobility) will get probably get much, much worse. Which is fine for those of you that "upgrade" your phone every 2-3 years anyway, and get locked into a contract - and not so great for people who want unlocked standards-based devices that work anywhere in the world on a local SIM.

Data bandwidth on a mobile device pretty much became irrelevant to me once it stepped up to be comparable with fixed broadband - which made it viable for emergency tethering/access. But if I want to stream video, I think I'll watch that on my 55" TV, thanks :)


I used Straight Talk on the T-Mobile plan with a Google phone (my personal preference is for the Galaxy Nexus over the Nexus 5) for almost 2 years. Service identical to T-Mobile - because it uses the same towers/network. Data is stated to be "unlimited" - but apparently isn't - like many other carriers. Think Sprint is the only truly "unlimited" data cap carrier, interwebs have lots of information on this if you care; I never came anywhere close to hitting the (2G? 5G?) monthly cap with just maps/Google music/web browsing. Customer Service was just fine.

The radios specs that a recently released phone can work on...
It is amazing that with all the bands that carriers use. that any of us can make phone calls send texts, images at all!!

Yes apparently there is no "family discount" with ST... for me... the numbers work going with an alternate..

I can get a high end phone and use it on an non contract system and save around $500/yr

That makes sense to me.

Try shopping another service where you can make your Verizon handset work on another carrier.....Opps you cant...Your high end Droid Razr can never work on ATT/Tmobile /Sprint/etc networks..

Have you checked out the latest Nexus 5 I think it might upset the force a bit..


I don't need a family plan.. from what Spuggy posted, ST will work fine for my needs,, and save me some coin..

I pay $70 per month for 3gb of LTE service and basically unlimited minutes and texts. ST saves me $25 per month. After 2 years that's $600. With AT&T after two years I get a $600 phone for $200 and sell my old phone for $200. Why would I switch to ST?

I switched 2 of my phones to ST a couple months ago; other 2 will be switching when their contracts end (Verizon). The network coverage sucks balls at my house, but seems great everywhere else. Which...really is fine with me, I don't like being bothered by the phone when I'm at home, anyway :)

Just signed up with AIO and transferred my number from AT&T after 10+ years. Should have the new SIM on Wednesday. I'll report back on how things go.

Back up your phone to a computer, then throw your phone away and port your # to a Virgin mobile smartphone. Measured voice, Unlimited text and data as low as $35/mo with no contract. $30/mo with direct CC billing. It uses the sprint network so you need to check coverage in your area. I am saving $120/mo for two phones after ditching Verizon. Better service and big savings.
http://www.virginmobileusa.com/cell-phone-plans/beyond-talk-plans/overview/

On Monday I signed up on-line with AIO Wireless. Charge against my CC was $66'ish, that included 1st month of service, the new SIM and shipping. The card arrived a few minutes ago.

The instructions were to log onto the "activate" site, enter 2 pieces of info from the packing slip. Then insert the SIM into my phone and power it on. Voice came up instantly. However no data. I called and had a service rep within 2 minutes. My Google Nexus 5 was too new for built-in APN info, so the rep walked me through in less 3 minutes. Now I had LTE data and text. All was great.

I tried to go to ST in 2012 and never got there. The level of customer service was the exact opposite. They were less than helpful in the process, neither hand seemed to know what the other was doing.

So if AT&T coverage is good for you, you own your own phones and don't want to pay a rate to subsidize your buddies, give AIO a try.