Considering using Ting BYOD as a backup on trips

[ragnarkar]

I've just ordered a Nexus 5 from google and a T-mobile sim.. gonna use their $30/mo 100min 5gb plan because I rarely talk and use a ton of data (but less than 5g/mo) even when using wifi at home and work. I just discovered Ting as well but will probably choose T-mobile on my new phone (currently with virgin mobile)

I'm curious if Ting would work as a cheap on demand backup service when I'm going somewhere where Sprint has service but T-mobile doesn't. I'm considering keeping the Ting sim card around and activating service when I happen to be in a city with Ting but no tmobile service, activating Ting service and cancelling it once I don't need it anymore.

If I swap in the Ting sim card but don't have an active plan, would I be able to call Ting to reactivate service without any other means of communcation available?

 

[kate]

I've just ordered a Nexus 5 from google and a T-mobile sim

A Nexus 5 from Google will work with Ting. :thumb:
If you bought the Nexus 5 from T-Mobile it wont work.

I'm curious if Ting would work as a cheap on demand backup service when I'm going somewhere where Sprint has service but T-mobile doesn't.

It will work, you can activate a phone with Ting and use it within minutes. See the links in this post for the Nexus 5:
https://help.ting.com/entries/29656976-Bring-Your-Nexus-5-to-Ting
Switching carriers back and forth with the Nexus 5 might require some extra steps like carrier resets, switching between CDMA/global mode, etc. Even though Ting uses a SIM card for the Nexus 5 they are a CDMA network.

I'm considering keeping the Ting sim card around and activating service when I happen to be in a city with Ting but no tmobile service, activating Ting service and cancelling it once I don't need it anymore.

Two options - you can suspend the Ting service or disable it. All changes can be made on their website, or you can call.
Suspend: you keep your Ting phone number, can't use call/text/data, costs $6 a month (to keep the number), can re-enable anytime.
Disable: you loose the phone number but don't get charged the $6/month, can reactivate anytime.
If you expect to use Ting service more then once a month I'd just suspend it.

If I swap in the Ting sim card but don't have an active plan, would I be able to call Ting to reactivate service without any other means of communcation available?

With an unactivated/suspended SIM I don't believe you could make any calls other then 911. Dialing *611 with the Ting SIM in might work, but I don't know. However most people activate phones using the Ting website so you would just need to connect your phone to a WiFi hotspot. You could call Ting, or use their website, in advance if you know you'll be without T-Mobile service.
https://ting.com/byod <--- Activate phone.
https://ting.com/account/devices <--Reactivate a suspended phone (must be logged in).

Also most Ting customers in this forum, including me, have a Ting referral link in their signature. If you click one of them right before signing up we both get $25 off service.