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At $45 a month for unlimited talk, text, and 2.5GB data, there’s really no question Straight Talk’s prepaid service offers one of the best values this side of T-Mobile. Operating on either T-Mobile or AT&T’s networks, the MVNO has officially announced that they’re bumping up their previous 2.5GB of “unlimited” data to 3GB — 10 times more data than what the other guys are offering for the same price.
It was only recently that, after years, Straight Talk finally came out and admitted to throttling users after using 2.5GB of data. A good thing too, as we may have never known about the new 500MB bonus on top of that. The network you’ll be using — either T-Mobile or AT&T — depends on the smartphone you bring, just keep in mind you’ll need a nano SIM to take advantage of 4G LTE on T-Mobile (such as an iPhone 5s, HTC One M8, etc.).
To grab a SIM and start your service, simply hit up your local Walmart or visit the link below to pick one up online.
I’m on the $30/mo T-mobile “Walmart” plan, featuring unlimited data (throttled after 5GB), but hampered by a 100 min/month voice limit. Finally an alternative plan rolls around I can get excited about!
“…just keep in mind you’ll need a nano SIM to take advantage of 4G LTE on T-Mobile.”
… until this line… I’m eyeing upgrading to a Oneplus One phone, which utilizes micro SIM: source: http://oneplus.net/one#specifications
Have I got a problem?
[EDIT]: After a bit of cursory googling I see there exist nano-to-micro/mini SD adapters… readily available for just a few bucks on amazon/DX. I’ll just plan on getting one of those kits when I have the opportunity to order my phone!
There are plenty out there so this should not be a problem.
I have LTE on T-Mo $30 plan with my N5 which uses a microsim. The 100 minute limit sucks ive gone over 3 consecutive months when I feel like I never use the phone but .10 a minute overage is cheap still.
I also used to be on that plan with my nexus 4, the 100 minutes was indeed very hard to keep to. I would add $10 worth of minutes anywhere from once to twice a month. Still ended up cheaper than any alternative.
However i could no longer stay as my girlfriend needs unlimited minutes for work. At that point it was just cheaper for us to get a regular family plan together. But the money i saved for that 6 month span was enough to cover the cost of my phone entirely.
My girl has straight talk (AT&T) on her N5 and works great for her, my T-Mo just renewed but since hearing about the above article next month I will probably be switching just to avoid the headache of running out of minutes. My data usage is about 3.5GB a month , if I setup tasker and or some NFC tags I’m sure I could reduce it more
Have you tried Groove IP or you can add some money to your Google Voice and see if it works. I use Groove IP and it works. They have free app for Wifi calling or paid app for over the mobile data plan calling
Those will be killed off tomorrow, never bothered anyway
That’s true – ten cents per minute for excess calling is not much to complain about, and it’s not a terribly difficult process to add some $$ when the warnings roll along, once your CC info is saved with T-mobile, but it sure can show up at inconvenient times! I think an extra $15 per month to know I won’t get cut off in the middle of an important call is probably worth it.
My normal data usage usually doesn’t approach the 5GB mark however, and when it does on the odd month I don’t mind slower data, so going from 5 to 3 sounds like something worth trying out.
Man, it sure is great to be out of contracts eh? Couldnt’ve imagined this kind of dialog 5 years ago!
Yeah come next month I will probably switch to Straight Talk, UNLESS….Google intergrates voice into hangouts tomorrow and calls will be placed using data!!
I’m a “full convert” Voice user and have been for some time, but am about fed up with Voice shenanigans myself. If google hasn’t ironed out the major kinks by the time I replace my phone, I’ve already decided to port my number back out of Voice and onto my SIM. Annoyances in regular operation just outweigh the perks for me…
BEWARE
Be VERY careful when using those SIM adapters. It’s not stated anywhere on the packaging, but using one WITHOUT the SIM card will result in the adapter getting stuck inside the slot.
I ruined my HTC One doing that by thinking I could store the adapter in the SIM slot for safe keeping while using another phone. Big mistake. :/
Anyone try this yet?
Seemingly great deal, but I read previously that the 4G speeds were capped ~8MB.
The capped is with AIO. Lots of off contract users like this plan except Straight talk has horrible customer service. Ping times are longer than directly through a carrier but then again you are paying a lot less. Also people complain about Straight talks throttle policy in which some people claim that their service gets shut down on heavier data use days despite it supposed to throttle once you hit the 3.5gb mark.
Just to be clear (and I’m learning all this today starting with the above article), the Straight Talk capping was previously 2.5GB (off the record), but is is now set at 3.0GB.
Is the 3.5GB mark part of the AIO discussion?
AIO will drop your speeds down to 125-250kbps once you exceed your 500Mb/2.5Gb/5Gb offering at $35/45/55 after auto refill charges (this is the total price including taxes).
“Just to be clear (and I’m learning all this today starting with the above article), the Straight Talk capping was previously 2.5GB (off the record), but is is now set at 3.0GB”
This is correct. One thing to keep in mind is that AIO is a direct subsidiary of AT&T and will keep your max at around 8Mbps (good enough to stream just about anything) while straight talk does not throttle your data speed but can either once you reach your data limit. Some claim that straight talk throttles if you stream stuff and can throttle whenever they feel like it despite the 2.5 now 3Gb cap. I do not have experience with ST since I went with AIO (mostly because I only use around 400Mb per month and it is cheaper). What I can say is that I am really happy with AIO. I just left sprint and couldn’t be happier. All of the places I go have poor sprint service while on AT&T I have almost perfect service.
Thanks very much for the clarification!
No problem.
i have net10 with 2GB w/AT&T 4G service is great no activation fees with low price 50$ even though its more than STRAIGHT TALK. But thinking bout switching since they offer 3GB of data which is MORE.
I use Straight Talk with my Galaxy Note 3 and I really have no complaints.
Plus 1, I have my Tmobile Note 3 running ATT SIM card on this plan flawless.
Ian b
I know it says get a nano sim to enjoy lte speeds but I wonder if you get full LTE speed on tmo network through this or if tmobile has set a max cap on the lte speeds you can get.
Moto X uses nano SIM as well. Just sayin’
Really, rather than an exhaustive list of phones using nano SIM natively, that short parenthetical should be edited to point out any phone can use nanoSIM with an inexpensive adapter kit.
I have a Micro SIM that I cut with a SIM cutter and put the cut Nano in my Moto X and I have the cutout that I keep around as a makeshift adapter for phones that I test, like the Find 7A that it’s in right now. It works well.
a great deal just got a bit better!
Current customers may feel happy but for new customers, limit is still less, T-Mo offers 5GB for $30……. ST must do more home work……………telecomvibe(dot)com
T-MO offers 5GB with only 100 mins talk. Many people need more than that. Now if T-MO was to make that 1,500 mins talk, then it would be real competition.
I travel and T-mo does not work well outside of the 50 biggest cities. So if you are in the mothers basement in SFO or MIA you are great but if you want to travel across Callie or Florida by car or train then you need a full service phone system.
The question is does ATT throttle Straight Talk customers? I cant believe they allowing people to get the same features for half the price? Too good to be true, whats the catch?
No throttles. I have Straight Talk with an ATT LTE sim, and get the same speeds as my cousin who is under contract with ATT. People looking at my phone don’t even know i have ST because even the service says AT&T
Damn may be i should switch from my NET10 service to Straight Talk since i only get 2GB crappy worth of data but still need to know if the offer LTE 4G on my Z1
We get SKUH-ROOD here in the states. And it only seems to be getting worse. Nobody has unlimited data anymore. I was lucky and got ‘grandfathered’ in at Sprint with a MiFi Card for unlimited 3G…but it’s friggin’ 60$ a month! As things ramped up, I was promised the ability to upgrade hdw and get 4g unlimited, but then they lied and undid it, citing manager confusion. Whatever.
Having limits is stupid. And you know what? Our grandchildren are SO going to laugh and make fun of us about it when we tell the stories. They will laugh when we tell them all about the ‘old days’ waaaay back when, when bits were still hand carved from wood, and we had USAGE limits! lol.