Anybody have a Lumia 920 running on MetroPCS?

[pezman726]

Hi all,

Background info: For some reason, since we (wife and myself) switched from old webOS phones to WP devices, our data usage has more than doubled. We have not changed usage patterns and have no apps installed that would be sucking down data. No social networking, no uploading pictures to places. Just basic web browsing, checking email, and looking at the weather channel app (or accuweather). Yet somehow our data usage has gone up from 70MB/month to now going Over our 200MB plan. We are on wifi at home and work. If I look online at AT&T's data usage summary, it shows I'm using sometimes 20-30MB between midnight and 1am on days when the only time i was not connected to wifi was on my 20 minute commute to and from work. Because of this, and getting charged now for the 3rd time for overages, I am thinking about switching carriers.

The only carrier I can really go to that would be cost-effective is t-mobile. I have seen multiple reports of t-mobile working fine on AT&T Lumia 920s, with the exception of tethering, which I do not plan to do. I live in the Cleveland Ohio area, and I know that LTE has been deployed around here. I am not sure if the "re-farming" has occurred. That being said, even 2g speeds are technically OK for what I am doing (though not ideal). Like I said, I'm checking email, looking up a phone number, checking the weather, stuff like that.

The only problem with going to t-mobile (proper) is the ETF I am going to have to pay to AT&T. Right now my 2 devices are only 7 months into contract. So my ETF per device is $255. The plan that I would get, the 500MB (though changing my 3rd phone to a smartphone) would be only $10 cheaper that what I'm paying now for 2 smart phones and 1 regular phone. So my ETF drops $20 per month ($10/phone) and I'd be saving $10...That does not quite make economic sense. It'd be better for me to just wait out my contract and deal with the data issues!!

Which brings me to my 3rd option. MetroPCS.

MetroPCS currently has a promotion where they will give you a $50 rebate if you bring your own phone, and a $50 rebate if you transfer your number. I would be transferring my 2 Lumia 920s and their numbers, plus my one regular phone's number. Getting me $250 in rebates. They also have their 4 lines for $100 promotion right now. For me, since I want 3 lines, it would be $90 (taxes included) So it would be $20 cheaper than my current AT&T bill. This is pretty much the only way I can see getting out of my at&t contract and it makes sense. I would recoup my losses after about 7 months, and then I would save over $200 for the last year of my contract.

TL;DR AT&T is pi***ng me off with their data plans.

I have never really looked at MetroPCS before, but now that they have merged with t-mobile and are sharing the spectrum, and t-mobile got some spectrum/cash from at&t, I feel (mostly) comfortable switching to them, but I have some questions that I wasn't qute sure about.

1.) Has anybody got their Lumia 920 to work with a MetroPCS sim. I know it'll work with t-mobile's network, but I'm assuming that T-Mobile and MetroPCS have different SIM cards.
2.) Is this pre-paid or post-paid. I've seen some references to 'pay in advance' plans. But I'm not sure if they have different types of plans.
3.) Since they are using T-Mobile's network, would the APN settings be the same? Or do they have their own 'gateway' into the t-mobile network (not quite sure how this all works)

Thanks for any help,
pez

 

[Laura Knotek]

Re: #2, MetroPCS is a prepaid carrier, not postpaid.

 

[Jeff Noisette]

Hi all,

Background info: For some reason, since we (wife and myself) switched from old webOS phones to WP devices, our data usage has more than doubled. We have not changed usage patterns and have no apps installed that would be sucking down data. No social networking, no uploading pictures to places. Just basic web browsing, checking email, and looking at the weather channel app (or accuweather). Yet somehow our data usage has gone up from 70MB/month to now going Over our 200MB plan. We are on wifi at home and work. If I look online at AT&T's data usage summary, it shows I'm using sometimes 20-30MB between midnight and 1am on days when the only time i was not connected to wifi was on my 20 minute commute to and from work. Because of this, and getting charged now for the 3rd time for overages, I am thinking about switching carriers.

The only carrier I can really go to that would be cost-effective is t-mobile. I have seen multiple reports of t-mobile working fine on AT&T Lumia 920s, with the exception of tethering, which I do not plan to do. I live in the Cleveland Ohio area, and I know that LTE has been deployed around here. I am not sure if the "re-farming" has occurred. That being said, even 2g speeds are technically OK for what I am doing (though not ideal). Like I said, I'm checking email, looking up a phone number, checking the weather, stuff like that.

The only problem with going to t-mobile (proper) is the ETF I am going to have to pay to AT&T. Right now my 2 devices are only 7 months into contract. So my ETF per device is $255. The plan that I would get, the 500MB (though changing my 3rd phone to a smartphone) would be only $10 cheaper that what I'm paying now for 2 smart phones and 1 regular phone. So my ETF drops $20 per month ($10/phone) and I'd be saving $10...That does not quite make economic sense. It'd be better for me to just wait out my contract and deal with the data issues!!

Which brings me to my 3rd option. MetroPCS.

MetroPCS currently has a promotion where they will give you a $50 rebate if you bring your own phone, and a $50 rebate if you transfer your number. I would be transferring my 2 Lumia 920s and their numbers, plus my one regular phone's number. Getting me $250 in rebates. They also have their 4 lines for $100 promotion right now. For me, since I want 3 lines, it would be $90 (taxes included) So it would be $20 cheaper than my current AT&T bill. This is pretty much the only way I can see getting out of my at&t contract and it makes sense. I would recoup my losses after about 7 months, and then I would save over $200 for the last year of my contract.

TL;DR AT&T is pi***ng me off with their data plans.

I have never really looked at MetroPCS before, but now that they have merged with t-mobile and are sharing the spectrum, and t-mobile got some spectrum/cash from at&t, I feel (mostly) comfortable switching to them, but I have some questions that I wasn't qute sure about.

1.) Has anybody got their Lumia 920 to work with a MetroPCS sim. I know it'll work with t-mobile's network, but I'm assuming that T-Mobile and MetroPCS have different SIM cards.
2.) Is this pre-paid or post-paid. I've seen some references to 'pay in advance' plans. But I'm not sure if they have different types of plans.
3.) Since they are using T-Mobile's network, would the APN settings be the same? Or do they have their own 'gateway' into the t-mobile network (not quite sure how this all works)

Thanks for any help,
pez

My sister has it on the metropcs and I have the 820 on metro. I'll tell you the settings if you want.

 

[pezman726]

My sister has it on the metropcs and I have the 820 on metro. I'll tell you the settings if you want.

That would be awesome! Also, how is the coverage in your area. I live in the Cleveland Ohio area, and when you look at the map, when you get more than 10-20 miles away from the lake, coverage looks kind of spotty. Does your map look similar, and how is your reception in areas that are outside of LTE. (assuming you are in an LTE area!)

Thanks a ton!

Pez

 

[Jeff Noisette]

That would be awesome! Also, how is the coverage in your area. I live in the Cleveland Ohio area, and when you look at the map, when you get more than 10-20 miles away from the lake, coverage looks kind of spotty. Does your map look similar, and how is your reception in areas that are outside of LTE. (assuming you are in an LTE area!)

Thanks a ton!

Pez

Well I'm in Georgia. Coverage sucks where I'm at since im not in a big city. When I was down in Miami though coverage was pretty good. You already know we're using T-Mobiles network so yes T-Mobile has bad indoor reception but hopefully that changes soon. You're in Cleveland so you should be find with LTE

 

[AUCLABruin]

I'm on MetroPCS (though on an 810), and can help with some details concerning the company. You will have access to 4G/LTE, but it will slow down to 3G/2G once you pass your limit of 500 MB, but at least it's unlimited. As mentioned, MetroPCS is a prepaid division of T-Mobile now, and the day you activate service will be the due date for your bill. The APN settings are similar to T-Mobile's, but use MetroPCS instead. Yes, the MetroPCS and T-Mo SIM cards are different. I would have recommended buying the SIM cards online, but it may be best to port your number at a store. If you can, go to a corporate store, they usually have nicer service and can provide much more help in porting and getting your rebate forms correctly. Finally, expect the rebates to take months to process and arrive. I really can't help with determing how the 920 will me on Metro, due to a T-Mo 810 working fine on that network, but if you have any more questions/comments on MetroPCS, post them and I will try my best to answer them. Good luck on your switch.

 

[E Angeles]

My sister has it on the metropcs and I have the 820 on metro. I'll tell you the settings if you want.

Hi I have the 810 and I'm trying to get it on metro. Do I just need to put in the right settings, buy a new sim card and have Metro switch over my service?

 

[AUCLABruin]

Hi I have the 810 and I'm trying to get it on metro. Do I just need to put in the right settings, buy a new sim card and have Metro switch over my service?

As long as the ESN is clean, it should work on MetroPCS without being unlocked, since Metro and T-Mobile use the same SIM cards and service, but only with different branding.