Recommend an unlocked gsm cell phone...

Looking to get a new smartphone that is carrier unlocked and will work with Tmobile and AT&T at a minimum. Would like the following features: 4G LTE; roughly a 4.5-5.3 inch screen; Bluetooth 4.0; micro SD card slot; mobile hot spot capability; wi-fi calling capability; and Flac codex. I want a phone I can keep and use for 3-4 years with no contract and the ability to switch carriers as plans change. Looking to try the Tmobile $30/mo prepay with 100 min talk, unlimited text & 5GB 4G LTE data and my current phone is not compatible and is in need of replacement anyway. I'd like to stay at or below $350-$400 range for phone. Any suggestions?

Edit to add: I'd like 3g as backup for when LTE is not available. Looks like some phones drop right to 2g if no LTE network. Currenly my home is not in LTE territory, but I'm expecting most providers will increase their LTE footprint over the next couple of years.

If you can get an invite, look at the OnePlus One - I'm hearing a lot of good things about it, but it's not freely available.

I missed the Christmas promotion where they let the unwashed masses buy it, but TBH I also didn't really need another cellphone.

That said, there are fewer and fewer phones out there with an SD card slot. Some of the Sonys like my Xperia Z still have them (and it would meet your screen size requirement), but I'm a bit in two minds about it so I'm not sure I'd recommend it. Most of the time I like it, but the camera is frustrating to use and the image quality is all over the place, ranging from brilliant to subterranean. It does however meet most of your requirements and you might be able to get it within your budget as a refurb from T-Mobile.

Another thing to think about is that stock Android isn't able anymore to move apps to the SD cards (some vendors with modified Android still can do that, namely Samsung) so you might be better off with a phone that has more internal storage.

BTW, with your shopping list you'll have to compromise on something, because to me that looks like you want a $700 smart phone for half the price. The OnePlus One probably comes closest.

Oh, and the 4G->2G drop seems to be pretty normal, in most cases the phones will stay on LTE until the signal gets so bad that 3G isn't working either.

In reply to BoxheadTim:

I can live without most of the things on my list, but I'd like as many as possible. Don't "need" mobile hot spot but it might be handy sometimes, same with wi-fi calling but one day I might convince SWMBO to let the landline go (doubtful, but it might happen), micro SD is only a convenience so I don't have to carry an MP3 player or use all my data streaming music (if switch from Tmobile as they are currently not counting streaming from multiple sources against data use). But it seems "unsmart" to not get LTE capability or Bluetooth 4.0 based on planning to keep the phone for 3-4 years.

Moto X 2014 looks nice.

Make sure whatever you get matches the actual frequency bands you want to use in your area with your carrier.

In reply to secretariata:

I'd definitely get LTE, I'd compromise on the BT 4.0. I know T-Mobile does enable Wifi calling on their phones (we're on a regular T-Mobile plan), dunno if they do that on the cheapo $30 pre-pay plan. TBH I don't know if that is even still available. I used to have that a while back...

Wifi calling is more of a feature that the provider sets up and less of a function of the phone unless you're using separate VOIP software for it as a landline substitute. For that you might want to look at Ooma, they have a companion app at least for Android that works with their VOIP service and box. We use Ooma for our "landline" and it works really, really well (plus it's a lot cheaper than the landline from the cable company) but I haven't tried the Wifi calling app yet.

pres589 wrote: Moto X 2014 looks nice. Make sure whatever you get matches the actual frequency bands you want to use in your area with your carrier.

Moto X doesn't have LTE from what I see.

Anybody got any knowledge about the 1st Get Moto G with LTE? Unlocked prices range from $189 to $219, Android 4.4.4, looks to have all the LTE, 3g, & 2g frequencies, Bluetooth 4.0, up to 32 GB micro SD card, 4.5" screen. Camera specs don't look great, but I don't take a lot of pics and am definitely not a photo geek.

Moto X (2014) does have LTE and it is working great off-contract with T-Mobile.

I bought directly from Motorola about 2 months ago and would highly recommend that phone.

miatafan wrote: Moto X (2014) does have LTE and it is working great off-contract with T-Mobile. I bought directly from Motorola about 2 months ago and would highly recommend that phone.

Guess I need to revisit that one. Which model did you get? (Oh, looks like the only difference on the Motorola site is the memory & the developer edition)

Maybe I was looking at the first gen Moto X?

Both gens of Moto X have LTE. I'd either get one of those or a Nexus 5.

I have a 2014 MotoX (2nd gen) that I got as part of their black friday sale. It came unlocked direct from Motorola, but I think it might be slightly above your price range at normal price.

My wife has the Nexus 5 and I was originally going to get one of those. If they're in stock, they're one of the best values in phones going right now. Both phone will do LTE on AT&T for certain and the Nexus 5 will do LTE on T-Mobile. I haven't tried my Moto X on T-Mo, but it's supposed to be good for it.

Neither one of those has a microSD slot, thought, so if that's a deal breaker, I don't know who is doing that these days. The whole mobile hotspot thing is basically a feature of Android and depending on your plan, both T-Mo and AT&T will support that. I think if you want WiFi calling, you have to get the phone direct from the carrier (or at least the carrier-branded phone), but a friend of mine who uses T-Mo WiFi calling has convinced me to avoid it. It may just be that his Internet connection is as bad as his cell service at his home, but it's basically pointless to try to talk to him if he's at home.

Amazon has the 1st Gen Moto X Developer Edition(32 GB RAM & unlocked bootloader) for $280. Anybody got an opinion?

Another vote for the nexus 5. I like the moto g but worry about longevity on a phone that cheap. I love the one plus but getting one is a chore.

My MotoG has been a tank. Freaking awesome.

Downside? I've got to flash it in order to run on PagePlus, and PagePlus won't allow flashed devices anymore, so I likely won't replace the MotoG with another (screen is busted).

secretariata wrote:

miatafan wrote: Moto X (2014) does have LTE and it is working great off-contract with T-Mobile. I bought directly from Motorola about 2 months ago and would highly recommend that phone.

Guess I need to revisit that one. Which model did you get? (Oh, looks like the only difference on the Motorola site is the memory & the developer edition) Maybe I was looking at the first gen Moto X?

I went with the Pure Edition w/32GB.

Lumia 635. The ATT go phone version was $40 on black friday. Can usually be found in the $60 ish range. I think it does all you're asking (except flac, and I'm not sure about wifi calling). It's a Windows Phone, so app availability isn't as good as android or apple, only has one camera which isn't that great (no flash). It's not a top of the line device, but works pretty well for the price you pay. I'm happy with mine (and all the money I'm saving). With the less expensive versions you'll be locked into a carrier though. But you could buy one for each carrier and still be well below your budget (and below the price of an unlocked phone).

PHeller wrote: My MotoG has been a tank. Freaking awesome. Downside? I've got to flash it in order to run on PagePlus, and PagePlus won't allow flashed devices anymore, so I likely won't replace the MotoG with another (screen is busted).

2x on the Moto G. We love ours.

http://www.motorola.com/us/Moto-G-2nd-Gen/moto-g-2nd-gen-pdp.html

$179 and you own it. We are using MetroPCS. Took a little fiddling to get the date settings right. We have two lines and 2GB of data each, all for $90 per month. Same setup would have been $95 per month for EACH phone.

I have a 16GB MicroSD in mine now with 8GB built-in. My previous work phone was an iPhone 4s and frankly this little Moto G does everything the iPhone did and more for WAY cheaper.