Smart Talk Android Phone Coverage - Update in post 23

[horseshowmom]

I am seriously considering the Smart Talk plan and the Samsung Proclaim phone, but the coverage map for android phones doesn't look very good (the coverage map for non-android phones looks good though).

I live in a rural area (60 miles from the nearest city) and travel substantially in other rural areas. The site says the phone works for my zip code, but I'm concerned about whether it's going to work anywhere else much.

Any experiences out there?

ETA: Update in post 23

 

[Lewisc]

I am seriously considering the Smart Talk plan and the Samsung Proclaim phone, but the coverage map for android phones doesn't look very good (the coverage map for non-android phones looks good though).

I live in a rural area (60 miles from the nearest city) and travel substantially in other rural areas. The site says the phone works for my zip code, but I'm concerned about whether it's going to work anywhere else much.

Any experiences out there?

Unless you post your zip code and posters reading this thread not only live in your area but also subscribe to smart talk you won't get any useful information.

It's a tracfone company. From the map it looks like the android plan is using the Sprint network but not giving you roaming to fill in the gaps The only way you're going to know is either try it or find someone in your area who uses it. I think Walmart sells it. Ask the employees if they use it. Hopefully you'll get one who's telling the truth.

edit to add I know Walmart sells it. It's brand tracfone is offering exclusively to Walmart.

 

[JB2K]

I am seriously considering the Smart Talk plan and the Samsung Proclaim phone, but the coverage map for android phones doesn't look very good (the coverage map for non-android phones looks good though).

I live in a rural area (60 miles from the nearest city) and travel substantially in other rural areas. The site says the phone works for my zip code, but I'm concerned about whether it's going to work anywhere else much.

Any experiences out there?

I have a Samsung Galaxy Proclaim right here, through Net10 (Straight Talk's sister company -- both are companies owned by prepaid giant Tracfone). The only difference is Straight Talk is primarily-marketed through Walmart stores.

Here's the straight scoop on mine -- my phone costs me only $45 a month (it's normally $50 a month, but if you do auto-pay with a credit/debit card, Net10 will give you a $5 discount). That's in comparison to others I know paying (at least) $100 a month for a smartphone, while being handcuffed to a 2-year contract.

Both the ST and Net10 versions of the Samsung Galaxy Proclaim phone are fully-featured smartphones with everything you could possibly want in an Android. Best of all, this particular model runs on the Verizon Wireless national network, so if you have VZW towers in your area, you're good to go.

And right now over at HSN, you can get the Net10 version of this phone plus one month's free airtime (and a few accessories) for only $179.95.

It should be noted that the map differences between Straight Talk phones goes something like this -- most of ST's non-smartphones utilize both the AT&T and T-Mobile networks, which enables a huge nationwide footprint that's hard to beat. All Android model numbers ending with the letter "S" are provisioned on Sprint's national network, which doesn't cover nearly as much territory as AT&T and T-Mobile combined (Sprint is typcially works best in large cities and along the interstate highways), while the Proclaim is exclusively using Verizon's national network.

Take it from someone who owns and uses one of these phones, every day -- it's most definitely the "real deal"!

 

[horseshowmom]

I have a Samsung Galaxy Proclaim right here, through Net10 (Straight Talk's sister company -- both are companies owned by prepaid giant Tracfone). The only difference is Straight Talk is primarily-marketed through Walmart stores.

Here's the straight scoop on mine -- my phone costs me only $45 a month (it's normally $50 a month, but if you do auto-pay with a credit/debit card, Net10 will give you a $5 discount). That's in comparison to others I know paying (at least) $100 a month for a smartphone, while being handcuffed to a 2-year contract.

Both the ST and Net10 versions of the Samsung Galaxy Proclaim phone are fully-featured smartphones with everything you could possibly want in an Android. Best of all, this particular model runs on the Verizon Wireless national network, so if you have VZW towers in your area, you're good to go.

And right now over at HSN, you can get the Net10 version of this phone plus one month's free airtime (and a few accessories) for only $179.95.

It should be noted that the map differences between Straight Talk phones goes something like this -- most of ST's non-smartphones utilize both the AT&T and T-Mobile networks, which enables a huge nationwide footprint that's hard to beat. All Android model numbers ending with the letter "S" are provisioned on Sprint's national network, which doesn't cover nearly as much territory as AT&T and T-Mobile combined (Sprint is typcially works best in large cities and along the interstate highways), while the Proclaim is exclusively using Verizon's national network.

Take it from someone who owns and uses one of these phones, every day -- it's most definitely the "real deal"!

The comment you made about Verizon is interesting. We (as in pretty much everybody I know) have always used ATT, but I actually had to get a booster to use it at my house. Then a friend told us about Verison's MiFi internet service. It has been exceptional at my house (and doesn't work off my booster).

My daughter recently got an iPad and got Verizon on it. Yesterday, she and I went down to the trainer's to see her new horse. A lot of the time, my ATT phone had no service, but her Verizon iPad did have, and we were able to connect to the internet the entire trip (200 miles from my house which covered even more rural areas than where I live).

I looked at the HSN phone, and it's a great deal. It sounds like this might work for me!

 

[Lewisc]

From the article linked to by a PP

Of course it could be a programming error with the sites, which is not an uncommon occurrence. How the sake of the hundreds of thousands of users who only get Verizon service where they live, play or work, I hope this is the real thing.

Tracfone uses all the carriers. The coverage map on the straight talk site looks like Sprint not Verizon. The model phone is specific to Tracfone. I don't know of any reason why Tracfone couldn't use these phones on either VZ or Sprint.

My suggestion is the OP ask around. Try to find people in her area using the service.

I found this link, I don't know how reliable it is:

http://www.prepaidphonenews.com/2011/12/how-to-get-tracfone-net10-or-straight.html

 

[johde]

As others have said, straight talk contracts with all of the carriers. You need to match the phone to the network you want. The Proclaim is a new phone and the website isn't up to date. It does work on the Verizon network.

 

[plummer925]

I'm assuming you mean Straight Talk, not smart talk?

I bought a Straight Talk Android phone and it honestly does NOT work outside the area - NOTHING on it does. I thought the "talk" part would work and I'd just not have text/internet. Nope - nothing, nada. I was livid (esp since the area I am in is not even in an Android area and they shouldn't have sold me the phone - I did not find out about the other coverage mapu until later, unfortunately!).

If you need it outside that area, do NOT get an Android - it will NOT work!

 

[Lewisc]

As others have said, straight talk contracts with all of the carriers. You need to match the phone to the network you want. The Proclaim is a new phone and the website isn't up to date. It does work on the Verizon network.

That's not the way Tracfone works. You don't pick the network you want (unless you try to game the system) Tracfone picks the network based on your location. VZ is only offered in areas where the other carriers have no signal.

PP is right. Your Tracfone won't roam.

 

[horseshowmom]

I'm assuming you mean Straight Talk, not smart talk?

That's exactly what I meant! All I can say is that it has been a VERY long week!

I bought a Straight Talk Android phone and it honestly does NOT work outside the area - NOTHING on it does. I thought the "talk" part would work and I'd just not have text/internet. Nope - nothing, nada. I was livid (esp since the area I am in is not even in an Android area and they shouldn't have sold me the phone - I did not find out about the other coverage mapu until later, unfortunately!).

If you need it outside that area, do NOT get an Android - it will NOT work!

I'm definitely outside that mapped area - waaayyy out.

 

[horseshowmom]

http://www.intomobile.com/2012/05/15/straight-talk-launches-samsung-galaxy-proclaim-180-all/

Anybody know if this site is reputable? It says:

What makes the Proclaim special is that it uses Verizon’s 3G network, which means it’ll work ... near everywhere.

 

[englishteacha]

I have a StraightTalk Samsung dumb phone with a QWERTY keyboard. It's OK. I don't get the coverage I had with Verizon, that's for sure. I can't speak for the Android phone. Frankly, I hate my phone. It's not user friendly at all. But I was in a bind because I was on my sister's Verizon family plan, which she canceled. I had 3 days to find a new phone and provider I could afford.

 

[mouselovr]

I have a Straight Talk "bag phone" it is so prehistoric!! I have had it for over a year and there has only been 1 time that I have not been able to get service on it when my mom, who is on Verizon was able to and that was because i was in a verizaon roaming area. My phone is on Verizon networks and I have as good as coverage as I did when I was a real Verizon customer paying A LOT more for my phone. I currently have the $35 plan on my phone but my dad recently purchased a Samsung Smartphone from them and lives near me and has even better coverage than I do when he is at my house. I would definatly recommend them. I have saved a fortune over what my friends spend on thier iphone contracts!

 

[Lewisc]

http://www.intomobile.com/2012/05/15/straight-talk-launches-samsung-galaxy-proclaim-180-all/

Anybody know if this site is reputable? It says:

What makes the Proclaim special is that it uses Verizon’s 3G network, which means it’ll work ... near everywhere.

Go to straight talks website. Type in the zip code where you'll be using the phone. It will tell you what phones are available to you. It won't offer a VZ phone if Straight Talk doesn't want customers in your area using the VZ network.

You don't pick the network. Straight talk picks the network, based on your zip code, based on which carrier gives Tracfone the best deal while offering you service which is acceptable (to Tracfone).

May be some circumstances where you can make a request.

 

[JB2K]

http://www.intomobile.com/2012/05/15/straight-talk-launches-samsung-galaxy-proclaim-180-all/

Anybody know if this site is reputable? It says:

What makes the Proclaim special is that it uses Verizon’s 3G network, which means it’ll work ... near everywhere.

HSM - the best way to gauge the actual coverage area for the Samsung Galaxy Proclaim is to look at this map from Verizon (Don't forget to click "prepaid"!). The darker color suggests the locations where Verizon owns/opearates their own towers (the rule of thumb applying to this particular smartphone is that it should work flawlessly in those locations, whether it be the Net10 or the ST variant).

I did have the oppotunity to take mine on the road recently, and I can confirm the 90-minute stretch of I-65 from south of Louisville, KY to the KY/TN state line has no coverage, at all (since VZW does not sell/market any their of wireless phones in this region at any store -- the dominant carrier serving the cities of Bowling Green and Elizabethtown, KY is Elizabethtown-based "Bluegrass Celular"). This does not apply to Verizon's post-paid (contract) phones, as they have a solid roaming agreement (and partnership to expand 4G LTE) with BC.

Hope this helps...

 

[johde]

That's not the way Tracfone works. You don't pick the network you want (unless you try to game the system) Tracfone picks the network based on your location. VZ is only offered in areas where the other carriers have no signal.

PP is right. Your Tracfone won't roam.

My point was with Straight Talk/Trac Phone, was the phone picks the network. At our local walmart as have the Samsung Proclaim and the Samsung Precedent side by side. The Precedent has CDMA-V on the bottom to denote Verizon, the Proclaim has CDMA-S to denote Sprint. They also have GSM-A for ATT and GSM-T for T-mobile. Although I don't think our store had any t-mobile phone currently. So for our area what I said was true. The phone you pick up, picks the network. The brochure shows all four maps and how to tell them apart.



I do agree with out that in general they try to stear you away from Verizon. Until recently, when I looked on the website, the proclaim didn't show up with my zip code but it did for the next town over. We have coverage from everyone but just east of here is Verizon only land. Today when I looked though, the Proclaim was showing up.

 

[horseshowmom]

I talked to the folks at Walmart and was assured that the Proclaim uses Verizon. I checked a lot of zip codes in the areas where I will use the phone the most, and it showed as working on all of them.

The only issue that I found was that the guy at Walmart said that if the Verizon tower was swamped with calls, prepaid customers essentially went to the bottom of the list and might get kicked off. He said it wasn't something he had heard of happening very often.

I'm going to go with this phone, but my parents (who won't have smart phones) are going to use ATT phones. The nice thing is that if I'm not satisfied, I'm not going to be under contract!

 

[JB2K]

I talked to the folks at Walmart and was assured that the Proclaim uses Verizon. I checked a lot of zip codes in the areas where I will use the phone the most, and it showed as working on all of them.

The only issue that I found was that the guy at Walmart said that if the Verizon tower was swamped with calls, prepaid customers essentially went to the bottom of the list and might get kicked off. He said it wasn't something he had heard of happening very often.

He's right -- I have never known that to happen, at all. I don't believe it works as a "priority" system anyway, since Tracfone buys all these minutes from the carriers at bulk pricing.

I'm going to go with this phone, but my parents (who won't have smart phones) are going to use ATT phones. The nice thing is that if I'm not satisfied, I'm not going to be under contract!

And that's the beauty of the whole thing -- if you don't like it, you're not on the hook for two years (or a $150 early termination fee).

Enjoy!

 

[Lewisc]

And that's the beauty of the whole thing -- if you don't like it, you're not on the hook for two years (or a $150 early termination fee).

Enjoy!

You're not on the hook for two years or a $150 termination fee. You just paid $150-$180 for the phone. You probably could have gotten the equivalent, or better, phone for free with a contract.

Find out what the return policy is and make sure it suits your needs before it's up.

 

[horseshowmom]

You're not on the hook for two years or a $150 termination fee. You just paid $150-$180 for the phone. You probably could have gotten the equivalent, or better, phone for free with a contract.

Find out what the return policy is and make sure it suits your needs before it's up.

The site says that I have 30 days to return it which should give me plenty of time to make a decision.

 

[johde]

You're not on the hook for two years or a $150 termination fee. You just paid $150-$180 for the phone. You probably could have gotten the equivalent, or better, phone for free with a contract.

Find out what the return policy is and make sure it suits your needs before it's up.

I've been on Prepaid most of the time for Cell Phone. And I'd agree that you need to compare what you're saving each month vs. what you are paying in a full price phone. I decided to buy a used AT&T phone to use with Straight Talk's new bring your own phone plan. http://www.straighttalksim.com/ . It works with GSM based phones (AT&T or T-Mobile).