Review by tkdslr 
member for 8.9 years, 1122 visits, last login: a few hours ago
updated 108 days ago
 Pompano Beach,Broward,FL
 $30 per month about 1 days "5GB data, unlimited text.. 100 minutes of airtime, extra airtime $0.10min" "Exhibit II 4g, 4G service likes to hang." "Best Purchase I've made in a decade.."
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It's been 10 months since purchasing my Samsung Exhibit II 4G ($200+sales tax from Walmart) and things are getting better.. Voice service always solid and clear..
4G data service seams to hangs up, (in upload mode), a couple of times a day. Jumping into airplane mode and back out again restores 4G service. Average usage 4 to 5GB of data a month.
Initially I had to call t-mobile to change phone settings in order to get data service working. (Check mark Packet data & Roaming under Settings->Wireless and Networks->Mobile networks"). That call lasted 15 minutes or so.
Took several months to figure out how to purchase additional airtime while still on the $30 Walmart plan. (T-mobile doesn't document this very well, neither do CS reps know about it.) Solution, just keep extra money in prepaid account, each minute you go over deducts $0.10min from the account.
Speeds up to 9Mb(D)/2Mbit(U) so far.. I've gotten higher speeds on my TM ZTE hotspot, but that has a better radio(21Mbps verses 14Mbps).
But, I just forced my II 4G (hidden menu setting) to use T-mobiles new HSPDA+ 1900Mhz WCDMA service.. wow.. instead of 2, maybe 3 bars.. I now get a full 4 bars.. Very nice..
I'll update this review with the outcome of that experiment..
Note: That particular experiment failed a couple of months ago..I.E. no data, but that was then, and this is now.. Yeah..
Rooted, removed or disabled a couple of t-mobile's apps & spyware.
One thing I've learned is to disable all updates. Very selectively do I allow any update. Allowed Andriod OS to update to 2.3.5.. but not 2.3.6(yet)..
It seams that app vendors have a propensity to ruin a once useful app with an update. So no more updates. if an app works, it going stay working, just like I found it.
Favorite FREE apps so far..
older "My tracks" v1.1.16 in widget mode, Very handy for Bicyclists.
"Titanium backup" v5.5.1
"Flashlight" v4.9.2 in widget mode..
"Compass" v1.2.1
"Anti sms spam" v1.42
RF hazard like all cell phones, I rarely put my Andriod phone in my pocket. Instead it goes in a nap stack pocket with at least a few inches of separation from my body.. (also better view of the sky for the GPS app "my tracks")..
At home, I use a Siemens Gigaset one bluetooth gateway to route all TM calls to my cordless phones(with talking caller id). Bluetooth connection seams to fail to sync up a couple of times a month. But, forcing a bluetooth unpairing then reconnect on TM phone fixes this.
That's all for now.. This is one of the best deals I've gotten in long time..
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