We’ve always heard of people flashing their HTC EVO phones over to prepaid carriers like Boost and Cricket, but this often involves at least some amount of trickery, such as illegal IMEI changes that trick the carriers into thinking your EVO is something else. It also oftentimes involves complicated APN settings, and in general, it’s only for advanced users who know what they are doing – or who have the spare change to pay someone else to do it for them.
But what if a prepaid carrier actually encouraged you to bring over your old Sprint phone?
That’s precisely what Ting is going to be about. Ting is currently a little known Sprint MVNO that has quite a fantastic handset lineup all on its own, including the Samsung Galaxy S III and the Motorola Photon Q, but starting in the fourth quarter this year, it will launch “bring your own phone” plans that will work with most Sprint phones, including the latest EVO.
The only phones that won’t work with Ting’s service are the iPhone, any Blackberry device, and new Sprint DirectConnect phones.
What’s unique about Ting is that it lets you pay for various chunks of voice minutes, text messages, and data each month, and then it credits you back for unused services at the end of the month. The carrier also includes tethering at no charge. It’s unclear if there will be cheaper plans for those who bring their own devices, but even if the prices stay the same, it’s a great concept.
Once this goes live, would you consider switching to Ting?
[CNET]
Early contract termination fee is my big draw back.
” such as illegal IMEI changes”
Illegal? Really? Or just against the rules? There is a difference…
Ooh. I would seriously consider this if I don’t need to sign a contract (which isn’t clear to me from the site).
I’m looking at Ting myself. You don’t need to sign a contract with them.
How’s the coverage/3g/4g?
Ting uses the full, contract Sprint network for voice. For data, it is more limited, using the Sprint native network. But whatever your phone can handle (4G) it will use.
Not sure. Will have to look into it a little more when it becomes a bigger issue.
It isn’t quite true that tethering is no-charge. Ting doesn’t charge you an extra fee to tether through your device, but you pay for what you use, whatever channels through your account. Doesn’t that make more sense than a separate tethering fee? You pay $6 per month per device active on your account, then after that it is strictly usage, in kind of a block structure, with credit back for what you don’t use.
Ting sounds like a good thing. I’m going to do more research because this sounds like a game changer.
Ting sounds great, and I may look at reselling – but according to my current and past Sprint bills – I would pay more with Ting because my wife is a texting fiend and I use a TON of 3G and 4G data. Great idea, though.
Don’t know if I can do this, contract and all, but it seems like a good idea. If it’s big enough and people like it by the time my contract expires, will definitely have to think about it.
Im probably gonna get it and switch it to Ting. Hew is Ting avaible in NY
Why wait to switch? With my Ting reseller offer code VTIMRK6 you can get $50 off any device. The LG Optimus S (a refurbished Android Smartphone) is only $23 with the code! When they go live with the BYOD you can activate your other phones for $36 each.
http://vtimrk6.ting.com
@ Cristopher Rodriguez – Yes, Ting works great in NY. I was there 3 weeks ago visiting some relatives in Brooklyn, I never dropped below 3 bars. Ting has a coverage map on their site.
@ caywow – Absolutely no contract. You can cancel anytime without penalty.
I might be game!