T-Mobile LG Optimus L9 Android 4.0 Prepaid Smartphone w/ 4.5" Screen + $50 Prepaid Card $200 + Free Shipping

I don't see the $50 card offer on the L9 page any more. Is this deal dead?

Quote from dbwells : I don't see the $50 card offer on the L9 page any more. Is this deal dead?

I'm not seeing the $50 card either. I hope I didn't miss it. Does anyone know if the deal is still on?

Does anyone know if this phone can be used for wifi calling? I plan to get this for parents to use on the pay as you go plan ($100 for 1150 mins/texts for a year). Since they have wifi at home, I'm wondering if they can use their wifi to send/receive calls at home. And can they browse via wifi?

Thanks in advance for the assistance.

Quote from weekendwarrior8 : Does anyone know if this phone can be used for wifi calling? I plan to get this for parents to use on the pay as you go plan ($100 for 1150 mins/texts for a year). Since they have wifi at home, I'm wondering if they can use their wifi to send/receive calls at home. And can they browse via wifi? Thanks in advance for the assistance.

Tmobile phones have a wifi calling app installed & linked to your account, but it doesn't work with prepaid accounts. You can get a free Google Voice account, and have free wifi calling & SMS texting through that and not activate on tmobile or any carrier. This works on any Android phone, including this one.

Quote from weekendwarrior8 : Does anyone know if this phone can be used for wifi calling? I plan to get this for parents to use on the pay as you go plan ($100 for 1150 mins/texts for a year). Since they have wifi at home, I'm wondering if they can use their wifi to send/receive calls at home. And can they browse via wifi? Thanks in advance for the assistance.

WiFi calling is available on this phone but prior to use you need to specify the emergency contact ('911') address in the owner's "My T-mobile" account. Without that, the feature won't work. In addition, WiFi calling uses account minutes.

Browsing the web will work, of course as long as the phone is connected to the wifi.

Quote from harshacash : Went to Target in San Francisco. They had the phone, but no promotion or 20% discount on phone + $50 recharge card :-(

Did you try any other ones like Daly City/Colma/So. SF?

Quote from whyzir : Tmobile phones have a wifi calling app installed & linked to your account, but it doesn't work with prepaid accounts.

Well, it works on mine (currently on the $30 / 100 min plan). Just tested it to make sure.

Quote from Szyszka : Well, it works on mine (currently on the $30 / 100 min plan). Just tested it to make sure.

Thanks for the reply. Does wifi calling detract from your minutes?

I got burned on the T-Mobile prepaid Samsung Exhibit II 4G and plan that Slickdeals featured several times through Walmart last year. Had a handful of issues with the phone, and service.

The phone would always freeze, icons would disappear, keyboard input would lag. I would always power cycle it, update firmware, run virus scans, and do factory resets, but the issues persisted. The 4G data speed and reliability was inconsistent, and T Mobile does not give prepaid users access to a call log, and I was not able to retrieve an important number that had called me earlier.

I switched to iOS and a different carrier and its been smooth sailing since. Im not constantly fighting with my phone trying to get it to work properly.

Maybe this will be better with a different brand, and model, but I dont give second chances with tech stuff.

Quote from weekendwarrior8 : Thanks for the reply. Does wifi calling detract from your minutes?

Yes, it does. The only benefit of this feature would be to still be able to use the phone in areas where network coverage is poor to non-existent yet one has access to wifi.

Quote from Szyszka : Yes, it does.

At least you get WiFi calling. A lot of users want it for the Nexus 4...the bounty is currently at $1200.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/s...?t=2012468

..I bet you someone already figured out how to do it, and is just waiting for the bounty to reach like 10k.

Quote from mandangolo : I got burned on the T-Mobile prepaid Samsung Exhibit II 4G and plan that Slickdeals featured several times through Walmart last year. Had a handful of issues with the phone, and service. The phone would always freeze, icons would disappear, keyboard input would lag. I would always power cycle it, update firmware, run virus scans, and do factory resets, but the issues persisted. The 4G data speed and reliability was inconsistent, and T Mobile does not give prepaid users access to a call log, and I was not able to retrieve an important number that had called me earlier. I switched to iOS and a different carrier and its been smooth sailing since. Im not constantly fighting with my phone trying to get it to work properly. Maybe this will be better with a different brand, and model, but I dont give second chances with tech stuff.

So you went from a ~$150 off contract phone to a $600+ off contract ($200 on contract) phone and you are happier. I would too.

Service is always ymmv. All depends on where you are. No carrier is good everywhere.

Quote from Szyszka : Yes, it does. The only benefit of this feature would be to still be able to use the phone in areas where network coverage is poor to non-existent yet one has access to wifi.

You're talking about TMobile's wifi app, which I've never used.

Quote from weekendwarrior8 : Thanks for the reply. Does wifi calling detract from your minutes?

Wifi calling through Google Voice app & Groove IP (or Talkatone for example), are completely free within U.S. And does not subtract from TMobile minutes. This is what I use.

More info can be found in this thread:

http://forum.xda-developers.com/s...?t=1646755

Beware: T-Mobile's return process is extremely slow. While returning the 2 LG Optimus L9's from the previous deal back in January, I was informed that it would take up to 30 business days to receive a refund, and being that it has been over 20 business days already, that statement proves true. Ironically, that is the only accurate thing a T-Mobile employee has told me so far.

Once you order, you can't cancel, and when you return it, they're not giving you your money back without half a dozen phone calls pressing the issue.