(Part 2) Best products from r/NoContract

I bought the exact phone (unlocked Moto g6) from eBay for ~$87 billed as open box a few months ago - it arrived as brand new.
I'm a cheap ass, but this is definitely the phone you want - best budget phone out there. Don't nickle and dime here.

You need to buy a sim card for it. The cheapest services run on Sprint, so you need a Sprint sim. $3 from Amazon plus shipping.

Table that shows which sim card model# you need for Moto g6 in case you want to purchase elsewhere ( it is "simolw416q")
https://s4gru.com/forums/topic/7833-the-s4gru-aio-byod-sim-compatibility-chart/

If you buy it from Amazon:

Sprint Sim Kit - Your Phone. Our Plan. - Unlimited Plans Starting $25/Month https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07SWDX7BF/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_yEOKDb81WT77K


I happily used Tello for 2 yrs for cheap ($10 + tax lasted me a year of use with their PAYG service)

But now all is changing.

The minimum now to start service is $20, and you have to recharge for $20 every 3 months. So it will cost $80 per year, which is still decent at a little less than $7 a month. The rates come out to be 1 cent/ min for calls and texting, 2 cent/mb for data. And I believe the balance rolls over indefinitely ( just emailed them to make sure and awaiting their response).

You could also sign up for the monthly plan, which is $5 or $6 at minimum per month, which is no data and 100 mins voice and free texting I believe. Verify that.

I also need to checkout pageplus and also another service called twillio or something like that.

Very dissappointed with Tello's rate inc, but yes, they still might be the best option out there for users like us.

I use the freeup free plan. It runs off ATT and is full cellular. You do NOT have to do any surveys for the free plan. You only have to log in and renew the plan each month within 7 days of the monthly renewal date. The rewards program is for upgrades and add ons.

It was started by the same man who co-founded simple mobile before that was sold to america movil - so the guy running it is reputable. So it seems like a good fit. You only need a compatible ATT or unlocked phone. With free plans there is extra risk that they won't last forever so you have to weigh up the cost saving vs whether you want something worry free.

As for the phone I wouldn't get the one you selected. Try one of these:

[$189 Moto X4] (https://www.walmart.com/ip/Motorola-Moto-X4-32GB-Unlocked-Smartphone-Sterling-Blue/821591617)

[$129 Moto E5 play] (https://www.walmart.com/ip/Motorola-Moto-E5-Play-Unlocked-Smartphone-Black/845002364)

[$140 Nokia 3.1] (https://www.bestbuy.com/site/nokia-3-1-with-16gb-memory-cell-phone-unlocked-black/6252310.p?skuId=6252310)

[$150 Samsung J3] (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07GYK8MBD)

I'd highly recommend the X4 for the price point - you get a lot of features for the money and it should last a long time.

Alternatives are:

Tracfone bundle with 1 year service and phone $80 -
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Tracfone-LG-Rebel-4-4G-LTE-1-Year-of-Service-with-1200-MIN-1200-Text-1200MB/283224680758
Each year it will cost about $50-100 to get the next year of service depending on how many minutes you need.

or the samsung J3 if you want a samsung $100-
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Tracfone-Samsung-J3-Orbit-1-Year-of-Service-with-1200-MIN-1200-Text-1200MB/283338984040

You might want to get a MC7455, a router that supports either mpcie with a SIM card slot or USB (in which case you would need a USB to mpcie adapter that has a SIM card slot), directional antennas, pigtails to attach them and some sort of mount like others are doing:

http://www.howardforums.com/showthread.php/1875694-quot-Unlimitedville-Unlimited-Sprint-Hotspot-Plans-for-42-99-month-quot-2-year-contract-Bus/page115?p=16764470#post16764470

People are seeing speeds of 40Mbps to 80Mbps using the MC7455 on band 41, but your mileage will vary. The hotspots that they provide are reportedly unreliable for anything other than light usage, so for a home internet connection, you will want to use the MC7455.

I imagine that directional arenas meant for 2.4GHz wifi would work because band 41 is on 2.5GHz. you need to be careful with those because many of the cheap high gain yagis on eBay are fake:

https://asdfghjkl.me.uk/blog/antennas/

You would probably have beat results with a parabolic reflector made by a reputable company such as this:

https://www.amazon.com/Ubiquiti-RD-2G-24-RocketDish-AirMax-Antenna/dp/B00HXT8NPK

If you buy that, you only need one because it is able to do two signals with polarizations 90 degrees out of phase, just like the cell towers do. That is actually the only way to make an antenna that supports two signals on the same frequency at once as far as I know.

By the way, 4GCommunity has a PAYITFORWARD coupon code that saves $5 on the initial order. Also, you should check this tip with a tax professional, but I believe payments to non-profits are tax deductible. 4GCommunity is a non-profit.

Edit: I asked someone I know who has a PhD in electrical engineering and does research in radio transmissions. He said that the parabolic reflector should work inoptimally since the frequencies are close, but one really ought to look at spec sheets to know actual gain and watch out for impedance mismatch. I imagine that there will not be any public information on operating a parabolic reflector outside the FCC approved frequency range from its manufacturer, but you could at least check that impedance matches what the radio expects. That is something that you might want to keep in mind when looking at antennas.

I am now using a mofi router with 2 antennas that looks like this https://www.amazon.com/Proxicast-Universal-Directional-Antenna-700-2700/dp/B00RJQ8RGC/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1537481737&sr=8-6&keywords=yagi+antenna
(sorry, I don't remember what exact brand I bought was)

I am consistently getting around 30-50mb down AND up every time I speed test. I am super happy with this set up, as I had pretty slow options living in a rural area. So cool that this is an option now!! :)

If you want an S7 with out a ton of ATT bloat ware, then you best bet would be get an international S7. That and checking out the specs on it shows it also has all the bands att is using so its fully compatible and will work on their LTE network.

Samsung Galaxy S7 G930F Specs below as well
http://www.phonemore.com/phone/samsung-galaxy-s7-sm-g930f-32gb/2551

This is a link below to amazons, Samsung S7 internatial unlocked version. G930F (EU) version.

http://www.amazon.com/Samsung-Galaxy-Factory-Unlocked-Phone/dp/B01CJU9126/ref=sr_1_1?s=wireless&ie=UTF8&qid=1464440741&sr=1-1&keywords=samsung+galaxy+s7

Hope all this information helps. Cause the Unlocked international version is the best way to go. If you need a insurance on it as well would recommend square trade as well.

Ok. Lets run a hypothetical I'm not going to dig deep on the best deal, so you can probably beat my numbers.

Cricket : 2 lines, 10GB for you, 2.5GB for Dad. Cost $60+40-$10 = $90/month. (you can join a group and save more) Savings $80/month

Buy an iPhone 6S from Swappa and a Nexus 5X from Amazon you can find better deals for the 5X.

Total for phones $895.

And just over 11 months in you break even on the new phones and save from there on out. If Cricket doesn't work for coverage reasons, both phones will move to any network you go to.

Cricket is AT&T. Like literally the same towers you just don't get pocket roaming agreements. My day to day usage since switching from Verizon has been equal or even better.

Check coverage maps. Better yet get a sim and a basic account on whatever network looks good to you and pop it into your 5S and test drive it for a week. (You'll have to pay for the service, but might be worth it.)

Highly location dependent -- but generally Cricket has good coverage.
She might like the Moto G 4th Gen. It's got a nice screen if she gets into games or youtube..

Not unless you can find an ad for it. But use my team's link for $25 off the first bill (or a rolling credit if your first month is <$25) and message me when you get set up. I'll add the cost of your SIM card (purchased at our shop, from Amazon or Best Buy) to your account as an additional credit, making the SIM effectively free.

The xiaomi phones are nice, but they don't have all of the LTE bands required to have an enjoyable experience in the US.

For your price range, I would look at the Moto G6 or wait a couple months for the G7 to come out.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07CHWMYHP/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_DBAvCbTTGTNRY

Or look for a gently used flagship on Swappa. Maybe a One Plus 6, Pixel 2 or S9.

Not inexpensive, but your problem will be solved on all future phones. I put one in my house. Works great.

weBoost Home 4G Cell Phone Signal Booster for Home and Office – Ideal for 1,500-Square-Foot Area https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00RHMFQSA/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_DmkNzb3NH2RKV

FWIW, if you need a USB broadband solution, I've had great success with the Huawei E3372. I've seen speeds up to 80Mbit/sec download.

Not a permanent replacement. It's 2G. And it doesn't support these new VoLTE functionalities. Consider it disposable after 2020 when they shut the 2G system gown.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B009IRGQPO/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Holds two Sims. These were once popular in South America where owners attached them to Yagi antennas so they could reach cell towers 50 miles away :) Battery lasts a long time. I charge our glovebox phones once per year and they always have charge. Good sounding phone - especially outgoing voice.

Really cheap if you can find any.

The Moto E4 would be a good choice. The unlocked/TMO version supports T-Mobile's VoLTE, has good reviews, and MetroPCS offers it for $60 after mail-in rebate.

If you don't feel like doing a MIR and want a fingerprint reader as well, it's also available on Amazon for $120: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B077Y79RBY

Does anyone know if this One M8 will work Cricket in the US? It seems like a great deal at $500 off contract.

Thanks!

i see.
and rooting allows me to do what?
i've been looking at this phone and it seems like a good deal.
i'm wondering if i can use it with page plus or ting or some other non-contract service.
do you have any thoughts on that?
i'm just looking for a cheap smart phone that can surf, take/receive pics,vids. for next 2 months till i wait for my family plan to upgrade.

A regular tablet or an LTE tablet? It would be much easier to get a $50-200 phone.

Moto G is probably the best phone out there under $100 if you don't need any service. Calls won't need bluetooth or be awkward if you need to use the device http://www.amazon.com/Moto-Boost-Mobile-Prepaid-Phone/dp/B00HPP3VW2/

The ZTE ZMax from T-mobile is also available if you want something bigger (5.7 inch screen) for $200 at bestbuy. Not any insane specs but good for the price. http://www.bestbuy.com/site/t-mobile-prepaid-zte-zmax-4g-no-contract-cell-phone-black/9574094.p

I recently got this for an international visitor who needed data only for email/whatsapp:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0728N8PT9/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

It lets you choose number of service days. You can choose network (AT&T/Tmobile/Verizon). For 2 months, you will probably spend roughly $5-$10 (after Amazon gift card) depending upon how much data you need.

What about this sort of thing? I have an old cell phone that I could hook-up to it for them? Seems like it would work with any phone or plan that way, right?

https://www.amazon.com/VTech-DS6621-2-Expandable-Bluetooth-Answering/dp/B00KJJCL9K/ref=pd_sbs_107_t_1/135-0766618-2293469?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B00KJJCL9K&pd_rd_r=ca81653e-babc-4e46-b789-ece757397218&pd_rd_w=uMbkA&pd_rd_wg=CQmkR&pf_rd_p=5cfcfe89-300f-47d2-b1ad-a4e27203a02a&pf_rd_r=R7QJTECZJ125SYGXQD07&psc=1&refRID=R7QJTECZJ125SYGXQD07

Question-- would that ebay link sim plan work with this phone: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07GBRB55Z/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&psc=1 ?

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It says "Smartphone Plan" on the ebay link, just want to make sure.

You can use https://www.fakepersongenerator.com/imei-generator to generate ipad imei and sign up for the ATT iPad unlimited data plan. I just generated a few below to see if you can use any. Once you activate AT&T sim card with the following imei, take this sim card and place it in any unlocked phone or AT&T phone and you should have a data connection. You can also place it in a AT&T hotspot device or you can place it in your phone and use google voice for all incoming/outgoing calls as well as text. Port your actual number to Google voice because in order to use google voice, you just need data which you are going to get it with AT&T iPad unlimited plan. If you go with the hotspot device, the link is below:

https://www.amazon.com/ZTE-Velocity-Mobile-Hotspot-Unlocked/product-reviews/B0747PF6P6/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_viewopt_srt?ie=UTF8&reviewerType=all_reviews&sortBy=recent&pageNumber=1

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iPad IMEI generated numbers: 358531057468284, 126670081228974, 990001276725975, 130990004976267

So will this work? And is this all I would need besides the SIM card?

https://www.amazon.com/ZTE-Velocity-Mobile-Hotspot-Unlocked/dp/B0747PF6P6

Or do I need another hotspot and/or something else?

$2.99 from https://www.amazon.com/Sprint-Sim-Kit-Unlimited-Starting/dp/B07SWDX7BF/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=sprint+sim&qid=1573975383&sr=8-1

which is a kit that includes sims for all current phones.

You could try going to Walmart and picking up either this or this and using one of those to activate on Red Pocket Mobile.. I am not sure at all if that will work and the packages for AT&T and T-Mobile look the same in store. Amazon also sells 3 carrier SIM cards online but again I am not sure they will work either. If you 100% want it to work, you have to buy a Red Pocket SIM card. Either on eBay or their website. I cant think of any retail stores that sell starter kits for Red Pocket since they mostly sell service online.