Those who purchase the Sprint-powered lineup of Android smartphones available on StraightTalk will now find an included bonus with the $45 unlimited rate plan, as the activation support page lists included support for international text messaging to and from non-US mobile numbers at no extra charge.
With this confirmation, the included international messaging service for the current $45 rate means that StraightTalk is actively undercutting postpaid and other flat-rate/prepaid service providers which either charge on a per-message basis to send and receive messages from international numbers separately from any active unlimited messaging plans, while other providers charge additional fees per month for unlimited international SMS options, such as Boost Mobile, MetroPCS and Cricket while limiting the scope of countries that qualify for unlimited messaging.
The International Texting feature is currently included on the Samsung Galaxy Precedent, LG Optimus Q and the recently released LG Optimus Black and is expected to be available to more Sprint-powered Android phones, should more be added in the future. This follows the week’s previous news regarding StraightTalk’s new $60 monthly unlimited plan with unlimited international calling to select countries.
The capability to send international text messages on Sprint-powered Android phones was only recently discovered after multiple StraightTalk customers confirmed the capability to send messages to other countries on the aforementioned models, but was quickly dismissed by many as a loophole that was left open and had yet to be closed. Many users had assumed that Tracfone would quickly shut down the service, based on the assumption that since international texting service was not included on AT&T and T-Mobile powered phones, it would also be excluded on Sprint-powered phones.
With this additional feature now confirmed and the additional perk of unlimited data with no immediate prospects for throttling unlike the current throttling rules being put in place with Virgin Mobile this weekend, Sprint powered StraightTalk Android phones are an even more compelling alternative to flat-rate carriers such as Cricket and MetroPCS while providing direct competition to Boost, Virgin Mobile and even Sprint itself as it seeks to sign as many wholesale network lease agreements in order to shore up its short-term cashflow to pay for its Network Vision initiative and work to return to profitability.
I am on the t-mobile s.t byop sim plan and i can txt international with no problem so what u mean they dont allow it with att n tmo? p.s my frenz is on the byop sim plan with att and he got a call from s.t automated services saying that he is “using too much data either stop or there cancel is service” and he aint even on his cycle for a month yet.So when u think about it…its not really unlimited they dont even have the courtesy to say they throttle your speed like the other company you Mention!!!! Above
The second and fifth paragraphs in this article desperately need a copy editor … unless a stream-of-consciousness writing style is actually what you’re trying to achieve.
Wow! Dunno how I missed this one! I saw the international calling, but this suits me even better and at no extra cost. Tracfone seems to be shaking things up with StraightTalk, but not seeing much on Net10-I have to wonder if N10 will eventually fall away?
I wonder if this offering is supposed to be a consolation for the fact that the android devices have ONLY sprint coverage and no roaming capabilities. Coverage in my area is horrid. I test drove the Optimus Q for a single night. It will pick up in the city, but just a few miles outside in any direction has no sprint coverage at ALL. I returned the phone the next day. I’d like one, but I’ll wait until they have a more dependable coverage map.