Understanding Smartphones and Plans

[DMR]

I am completely new to the phone world and thus, I have bare minimal knowledge regarding it. I would like to understand it more before purchasing a phone and what plan to go with it. Currently, I am leaning towards the Samsung Galaxy S3. If you guys can answer these questions, it'd be great.

What does 4G exactly mean?

What should a smartphone like the Samsung Galaxy S3 have plan like? (I hear people saying, "it's useless to have a smartphone without x, x, x, etc")

Being on Facebook uses up data, correct?

Is 200MB enough for me given I watch YouTube videos just here and there while being logged on Facebook for e.g 24hrs?

What else should a phone newbie know about?

 

[slysteeler]

4G stands for the 4th generation data connection, it's currently the fastest mobile data standard out there. It's still relatively new in most parts of the world, so many phones do not have the technology yet. If you are a heavy user of mobile internet, then 4g might be helpful to you, but 3g is enough for the average user I think.

Choose your plan based on your usage characteristics, if you are a guy who likes to use social networks and watch youtube vids on the go, choose a plan with good internet allowance. Facebook does indeed use data, although it is a very little amount.

200mb isn't much, but it's enough if you will only watch a couple of vids now and then. I wouldn't keep my data connection on for 24 hrs straight, it tends to use a lot of power, and will drain your battery. There's an option for quickly disabling the data connection, so it's quite straightforward.

 

[DMR]

Alright, thanks for that! I'm guessing there isn't much else to know when it comes to phones?

 

I actually work for Bell Mobility/Virgin Mobile so I know everything there is about this shit. I'll lay it out -

4G - Unless you're planning on taking your phone international, most Western-European and North American locations have 4G connections available. 4G LTE is the newest connection type, and is still in patches here and there, but is the fastest. 3G is the absolute standard for data. All these terms are strictly related to data usage. 3G = average, 4G = fast, 4G LTE = super fast.

S III Plans - It all depends on your usage. If you're only planning on making calls and texting, don't get a data plan, and don't get the S III. Smartphones are made for webbrowsing and using apps, so if you're not going to do that don't get one. As for data, 100mb is the lowest most companies offer, and that's really only good for casual webbrowsing, emails, and things like MSN. To give you an idea, a standard Youtube video is anywhere between 6mb and 20mb. If you want to watch videos, you should probably get something in the GB range (1GB or something).

Facebook - Social networking takes up data depending on the plan you get. Some plans give you unlimited social networking, and a data cap on top of that. Other plans only give you a data cap, which means social networking takes up data. If you're going to be doing a lot of social networking, make sure you get a plan that allows for unlimited social networking use.

Other stuff

• Read the fine print, and when you get the phone, ask as many questions as possible no matter how dumb they are. If you're going with a telecom giant, they tend to knab you with surprise fees and you end up paying much more than what was initially advertised.
• If I had to give you a lasting piece of advice, don't go with a telecom giant at all. Give smaller companies a shot, and be sure to really compare plans and prices and read reviews about whichever company you go with.
• You get what you pay for. Smaller companies may offer a really good $30 plan, but may have frequent service outages or pockets of no-signal access in certain areas in their coverage zone.
• Check out roaming and international benefits/costs, so that you know if you can take your phone with you when you travel.

 

I actually work for Bell Mobility/Virgin Mobile so I know everything there is about this shit. I'll lay it out -

4G - Unless you're planning on taking your phone international, most Western-European and North American locations have 4G connections available. 4G LTE is the newest connection type, and is still in patches here and there, but is the fastest. 3G is the absolute standard for data. All these terms are strictly related to data usage. 3G = average, 4G = fast, 4G LTE = super fast.

S III Plans - It all depends on your usage. If you're only planning on making calls and texting, don't get a data plan, and don't get the S III. Smartphones are made for webbrowsing and using apps, so if you're not going to do that don't get one. As for data, 100mb is the lowest most companies offer, and that's really only good for casual webbrowsing, emails, and things like MSN. To give you an idea, a standard Youtube video is anywhere between 6mb and 20mb. If you want to watch videos, you should probably get something in the GB range (1GB or something).

Facebook - Social networking takes up data depending on the plan you get. Some plans give you unlimited social networking, and a data cap on top of that. Other plans only give you a data cap, which means social networking takes up data. If you're going to be doing a lot of social networking, make sure you get a plan that allows for unlimited social networking use.

Other stuff

• Read the fine print, and when you get the phone, ask as many questions as possible no matter how dumb they are. If you're going with a telecom giant, they tend to knab you with surprise fees and you end up paying much more than what was initially advertised.
• If I had to give you a lasting piece of advice, don't go with a telecom giant at all. Give smaller companies a shot, and be sure to really compare plans and prices and read reviews about whichever company you go with.
• You get what you pay for. Smaller companies may offer a really good $30 plan, but may have frequent service outages or pockets of no-signal access in certain areas in their coverage zone.
• Check out roaming and international benefits/costs, so that you know if you can take your phone with you when you travel.

 

[DMR]

Thanks for that Blupig! I was initially planning on going for Virgin Mobile. Do you know of any plans that offer unlimited social networking coming from them? I live in Canada as well if you were wondering. When you say surprise fees, you're talking about a one-time fee right?

EDIT: I tried looking on their site but couldn't find any so thought I'd ask someone who works there as I might just be blind.

 

Thanks for that Blupig! I was initially planning on going for Virgin Mobile. Do you know of any plans that offer unlimited social networking coming from them? I live in Canada as well if you were wondering. When you say surprise fees, you're talking about a one-time fee right?

EDIT: I tried looking on their site but couldn't find any so thought I'd ask someone who works there as I might just be blind.

I haven't memorized the plans, I usually just look at a sheet we have behind the counter lol. But honestly if you live in Canada and are in one of the Wind zones I'd go with Wind. I'm with them right now and you get unlimited everything, haven't had a problem yet except for a few pockets of deep indoor areas get poor service.

 

[1337Neo]

200MB's is sufficient, yes. Facebook doesn't require that much data. Also, get a factory unlocked phone from like eBay or something, don't buy that bullshit companies sell with plans.

-LeetNeo.

 

[slysteeler]

200MB's is sufficient, yes. Facebook doesn't require that much data. Also, get a factory unlocked phone from like eBay or something, don't buy that bullshit companies sell with plans.

-LeetNeo.

I wouldn't trust fleabay sellers with the warranty, they might screw you over.

 

[1337Neo]

I wouldn't trust fleabay sellers with the warranty, they might screw you over.

I don't care yo, if I got an Android phone, I always root it and install custom roms. So I already fucked my warranty over(I believe).

-LeetNeo.