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Old 11-09-2011, 09:06 AM   #21
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I still think those young people who talk so much on cell phones must have sore throats, though
Actually, most of them don't have sore throats, just sore fingers from texting so much.......
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Old 11-09-2011, 09:36 AM   #22
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Originally Posted by arebelspy View Post
IMO though, now is the time to help your son by putting him on his own. Senior year of college and paying for a new phone, plan, etc? If that's important to him, he'll trim his spending elsewhere to afford it...
Well said.

It is the responsibility of parents (IMHO) to prepare our childern for "real life" - especially after we're gone.

To do less, is an injustice to both parties – both the parent and the “child” (even if an adult).
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Old 11-09-2011, 10:01 AM   #23
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IMO, you could check following options. I am in the same boat, would like to use cheapest monthly bill with data.

1. Republic Wireless, use welcome19 code to get it at half price. The phone is bit dated but will do the basic job. He needs to have a wi-fi network home and better do major data transfer at home, even yapping.
2. Virgin Mobile - Cheap monthly bills but little high upfront cost.
3. Boost Mobile - Similar to Virgin network.
4. T-mobile - Currently, they are running $50 a month unlimited plan. Data is capped after 2GB but again, he could use wi-fi at home.

Since he is already has a contract phone, can you check his current usage and guess how much he needs, there is no need to be unlimited? As long as you get unlimited data, there are many Android apps using which you could place a call over wi-fi. Ask him to figure out how to use Google Voice on Android to send and receive SMS.

Wireless carriers in this country are pure rip-offs. Little bit of discipline will get him what he wants for cheap.
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Old 11-09-2011, 10:01 AM   #24
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You could also tell us what company offered you this much better deal, which might save us a lot of looking around...
I believe he said that they are on Sprint.

Sprint in my area is a lot more expensive than what he quotes for this level of service.

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Old 11-09-2011, 10:05 AM   #25
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I heard an ad on the radio yesterday that T-Mobile is offering 4 phones for $100/month. That's cheap if you need four phones. Smart phones are another matter with the normal $30/mo/phone data plan. I know the Verizon Droid (Samsung) is the next thing to a computer.
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Old 11-09-2011, 10:51 AM   #26
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1. Republic Wireless, use welcome19 code to get it at half price. The phone is bit dated but will do the basic job. He needs to have a wi-fi network home and better do major data transfer at home, even yapping.
This looks like an interesting possibility at $20/month. Only one phone choice for now, but it is a smart phone with Android. And you need to have a wireless network at home/school. The limits on cell network usage don't look too bad. That would work for us. The main problem may be that it is in beta, accepting a limited number of users for now, and could of course disappear if this business model fails.
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Old 11-09-2011, 01:12 PM   #27
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Background: Am considering helping DS to get a smartphone. He is an advertising major in his senior year. He's done one internship in our home town and will do another down in San Diego. They need to be up on the latest mobile gadgets and be connected -- I think. This would be an Xmas gift that I'll research with his knowledge and assistance....
Does he know what phone he likes? Go from there imho. Yes, in that field he probably needs to appear to be completely knowledgeable about social networking, phone apps for same, etc.

Make sure it's a phone you like too since he may be given a tether/leash phone by his employer when he gets a job after graduation. Good luck to him!
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Old 11-09-2011, 07:30 PM   #28
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Thanks everyone for the very useful inputs on smartphones!! And keep them coming if you have more thoughts.

DS and I will discuss this over the Thanksgiving recess. This is not such an easy present to select.
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Old 11-09-2011, 08:25 PM   #29
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Thanks everyone for the very useful inputs on smartphones!! And keep them coming if you have more thoughts.

DS and I will discuss this over the Thanksgiving recess. This is not such an easy present to select.
Could you just give him a bidget and let him select? Young people are very hip to all this stuff.

Ha
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Old 11-09-2011, 08:54 PM   #30
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You could also tell us what company offered you this much better deal, which might save us a lot of looking around...
The line after the one your quoted said Sprint.

Sero plan is $30/mo for 500 minutes (plus unlimited nights, weekends, and mobile to mobile - calling any cell phone doesn't use any minutes - so I rarely use any other "regular" minutes), unlimited data, unlimited text. Was using that for the last few years. Under sero you are limited to what phones you can use. Can upgrade to serotonin premium for an extra 10/mo.

So currently Sero premium is $40/mo, then certain phones also have their own additional $10/mo for data (was only 4G phones, now pretty much every android phone and now the iPhone requires this extra $10/mo data fee)

So wife's phone is still $30, but my iPhone is $50/mo (40 for Sero premium and 10 more for iPhone data add on).

Googling or a good cell phone forum such as howardforums should provide any other details you need.
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Old 11-10-2011, 08:54 AM   #31
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Could you just give him a budget and let him select? Young people are very hip to all this stuff.

Ha
Yep, that's a real possibility. I just like to do some upfront research so I can suggest a few other info sources he might investigate. Like Sero mentioned above.

An issue for DS is that when he graduates, after a few months he'll have to support whatever service choice he makes. Right now his incomes sources are scholarships, small jobs, and Mom+Dad.inc .
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Old 11-10-2011, 02:34 PM   #32
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Could you just give him a bidget and let him select? Young people are very hip to all this stuff.
That's a good suggestion. A phone is a pretty personal thing, depending on how much one uses it, he may have strong opinions already about what he'd want in a new device, or something he's always been craving.
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Old 11-10-2011, 10:18 PM   #33
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The line after the one your quoted said Sprint.
Thanks. Apparently Sprint's price varies by location.
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