Straight Talk Prepaid Wireless Phone Service

[Dreamer]

Thanks everyone.

 

[retiredandhappy]

In answer to the question, I signed up at Walmart for Straight Talk. I never use my phone for the web so I got the 1000 minute/1000 text deal which is fine for me. In fact, it's more than I use, but I figured I'd get it to be on the safe side. An unforeseen emergency can chew up your minutes in no time.

 

[Buckeye]

In answer to the question, I signed up at Walmart for Straight Talk. I never use my phone for the web so I got the 1000 minute/1000 text deal which is fine for me. In fact, it's more than I use, but I figured I'd get it to be on the safe side. An unforeseen emergency can chew up your minutes in no time.

Have you had a chance to test drive the service or did you recently sign up?

 

[retiredandhappy]

Straight Talk

I just signed up, around Thanksgiving. So far I've had no problems. Don't know how it would work out for Alaska or somewhere like that, but the reception in Florida is good. I suppose that's because it runs on the Verizon network.

 

[moreorless]

T-Mobile Pre-Paid Plan

OP:

For us the best plan was "T-Mobile Pre-Pay", $ 100 for 1000min. Good for a year. Do not lose unused minutes.

We agree! My wife and I have two T-Mobile Phones on the 1000Min Plans & love it. The most important feature of the plan is if you do not use your 1000Min for the whole year and used lets say only 200Min...when you renew for the next year (365 days) all you have to add is 200Min or $20, just enough to get you to the 1000min level...And best of all, T-Mobile then adds addional minutes as a bonus because you qualified at the 1000min "Gold" level...Sweet!

Remember this plan is great for people that don't have the phone dangling from their ear 24 hours a day...We use these phones only as emergency or fast checkins etc...For the past 3 years, for both phones we averaged less than $5 per month total. We also use MagicJack for local & long distance as well as Google Voice for local & long distance. We used to pay close to $1300/yr for cell phone plans & home phone. We have cut our total communication costs to less than $10 month and don't really feel anything has changed.

 

[yakers]

Any of these systems include using an iphone (including a hacked model)? DW loves her iphone and internet access, not just texting. I don't need one because she has one. Younger son has a Blackberry and texts a lot.

 

[hangintough]

I have a straight talk phone because i am trying to retire early lol probably like everyone else here. Straight talk is just better than the other guys because the phone company is cheaper... Im not about crazy spending these days. Im trying to have a long retirement!

 

[Gotadimple]

I have a straight talk phone because i am trying to retire early lol probably like everyone else here. Straight talk is just better than the other guys because the phone company is cheaper... Im not about crazy spending these days. Im trying to have a long retirement!

Interesting first post.

I think one can find pre-paid plans that are less expensive than monthly pay plans. Although these plans look good if you feel you use enough minutes to justify a monthly payment.

-- Rita

 

[MasterBlaster]

I still like my STi Mobile plan -- 10 cents per day plus 10 cents per minute.

At my current rate of usage, and the fact that I've gotten refill cards at 3% off, I've been at roughtly $5-6/month.

Do you have the old STIMobile plan. The current plan is 8.9 cents per day and 8.9 cents per minute. I used to have the old plan at the rates you posted. But I called them up and they dropped their rates to the lower ones. And when you buy the minutes you can usually find a discount code of 3-8% by doing a search for stimobile discount codes.

It's a great, basic plan. I pay less than $3 a month to have the phone and maybe anothe 1-2$ a month for the small amount of minutes I use.

Where else can you get cell phone service for less than $5 a month.

My one complaint is that their phones are starting to look pretty dated. People comment on the dinosaur when I get it out. But who cares, it's really cheap.

 

[haha]

Interesting first post.

I think one can find pre-paid plans that are less expensive than monthly pay plans. Although these plans look good if you feel you use enough minutes to justify a monthly payment.

-- Rita

I have a prepaid plan $30/mo for unlimited web, 1500 minutes of combined text and voice. (It is prepay, in the sense that I pay upfront monthly, but have no contract and no opportunity to get overage charges. If I use 1500 before month end, my phone would just stop working except for 911) If I want to go unlimited, it costs $50/mo. Better coverage and fewer dropped calls, and cheaper than my previous ATT monthly bill plan.

I hate being locked into contracts, and it would be worth it to me to even pay a little more just to avoid this.

Ha

 

[Dimsumkid]

We use cell phones for emergencies only. Have 2 phones using Virgin Mobile, .18/min voice, .15/min txt. Now voice is .20/min. You buy $20 ($15 with credit card) every 90 days to top up, money rolls forward. If you add $60 within 30 days of activiation this gets you 1 yr of service extension, $90 otherwise. I was told by a rep that if you add $60 in a 72 hour period, this also extends service for 1 yr. They have something that's hard to find/identify, called Service Preserver (not sure it's still available if you don't have it already), we opted in on this about 2 years ago. I found with a $5 top up, it extends service for 1 yr, just did this in the last 2 weeks.

 

[JDARNELL]

I use the Net 10 750 min 30 day card. Advertised price is 25 but you can get them for about 18 thru fatwallet and taking one of their refurb phone deals. I just put the phone in a box and load my regular net 10 phone. Works like a charm.

Tomcat98

 

[omni550]

I use the Net 10 750 min 30 day card. Advertised price is 25 but you can get them for about 18 thru fatwallet and taking one of their refurb phone deals. I just put the phone in a box and load my regular net 10 phone. Works like a charm.

Tomcat98

Tomcat98,

I'm not familiar with Net 10, but as my Sprint contract is up in a few weeks, I'm in 'shop around mode'. I've had their 450 minutes/month plan and usually run pretty close to that (plus I've been using MANY more minutes on nights and weekends, when they are 'free').

How has your service been with Net 10 (coverage areas, dropped calls, static-y lines, etc)?

omni

 

[ERD50]

Where else can you get cell phone service for less than $5 a month.

T-Mobile pre-pay. Once you get through the first year ( ~ $130, including the phone), you can extend the service for another year for just $10, minutes rollover. That's 83 cents a month. That's less than $5.

Of course it only works for low minute users, but that's me.

I have a prepaid plan $30/mo for unlimited web, 1500 minutes of combined text and voice.

I hate being locked into contracts, and it would be worth it to me to even pay a little more just to avoid this.

Ha

That sounds good for that many minutes and the web. I wish more carriers would go with a 'bare' (bring your own phone) plan. They load the cost of replacing your phone every two years into your monthly bill, and it still costs you something to get it updated, and if you don't want a/need a new phone after two years, you continue to pay. I'd rather have the charges separate and transparent. Pay for service, pay for phone - no mix/match shell game.

-ERD50

 

[Corporate ORphan]

THis thread is really interesting.

We have an old flip phone from Motorola that doesn't keep a charge for more than a few minutes anymore so we really need to get a new phone. Right now we only really use the phone once in a while (strictly talking) but are paying almost $35 from ATT (the actual fee is about $25/month... the rest is taxes, etc.!)

We want to start traveling soon and hope to relocate so we would plan to use the phone more.

I find researching and getting a new phone just not "fun" so I keep putting it off. Anyone have a good website where the choices are summarized and/or reviewed? I find even all the choices listed in these messages here confusing.

I guess I am really in the FIRE mode and don't want to "think" too hard.

 

[JDARNELL]

Tomcat98,

I'm not familiar with Net 10, but as my Sprint contract is up in a few weeks, I'm in 'shop around mode'. I've had their 450 minutes/month plan and usually run pretty close to that (plus I've been using MANY more minutes on nights and weekends, when they are 'free').

How has your service been with Net 10 (coverage areas, dropped calls, static-y lines, etc)?

omni

With Net 10 you can identify what type of service carrier you want based on the zipcode you enter when you purchase. Check out Fatwallet.com and do a search for the latest Net10 thread. I just purchased another Refurb phone with $25 30 day 700 min card for $21.38 after discount code 44777 and since I went thru my fatwallet account I got another 15% off so my cost is $18.38 for 750 min 30 days.

My mom is trying the service out and we got her the 300min 60 day option. When she activated it she actually has 120 days and 310 min. She is keeping her sprint for now as an overlap til she can try the phone in different scenarios for dropped calls to see if it is going to fit her needs. I did the same thing for about 3 months.

My Net10 phone is AT&T backbone. I have also used their Tmobile version. For where I am at never an issue.

Their customer service lacks but once you are up and running you don't have to talk to them. I do everything online. I use a google voice number so as I am trying different phones with them my number does not change for my friends. I have cut my phone bill by 75%.

 

[Corporate ORphan]

T-Mobile sounds pretty good to us since we don't use the phone much. ANyone know how their "free roaming" works? We plan to do some traveling and T-Mobile's coverage is not as good as Verizon's. Does the phone just pick up Verizon's signal in those places?

Also, anyone recommend a phone that works with their pre-paid plan? WE just want a decent phone (voice) and maybe a camera built in (nice to have if you have an accident).

THanks!

 

[Gotadimple]

Can't answer your question about roaming because it depends on where you are in the country. I have travelled much of the northwest without a problem.

The T-Mobile site will show you which phones work with their pre-pay plans. They have 2-3 with your requirements.

-- Rita

 

[haha]

I have a T-Mobile monthly pay without a contract. It works well for my needs, and here T-Mobile has excellent coverage. I previously had ATT. In live right in the city, but nevertheless I had many dropped calls just walking along. In particular, if I entered Trader Joe, I lost contact within 10 feet of the door. With T-Mobile I have not had one dropped call at TJ's, and almost none anywhere else.

Ha

 

[Mulligan]

T-Mobile sounds pretty good to us since we don't use the phone much. ANyone know how their "free roaming" works? We plan to do some traveling and T-Mobile's coverage is not as good as Verizon's. Does the phone just pick up Verizon's signal in those places?

Also, anyone recommend a phone that works with their pre-paid plan? WE just want a decent phone (voice) and maybe a camera built in (nice to have if you have an accident).

THanks!

For what its worth, I use the Common cents plan I got at walmart. It is run by Sprint. Its 7 cents a minute and rounds down not up on your minute usage. I've used it in Missouri, Nevada, Minnesota, and Virgin Islands and it worked fine everywhere I went. I just bought the cheap $9 phone and it works fine for me. Its little and I dont like big phones. I still keep my landline for local calls and make my friends call back on my landline with their cell phone!

 

[Corporate ORphan]

THanks Ha Ha and gotadimple for your comments on T-Mobile. We are planning to go to the PNW so it helps to know T-Mobile will work there because that is one of the places it looked a little sparse.

Mulligan, I never heard of Common Cents before. I was already to sign up with T-Mobile but it looks like CC might be a better deal. It's coverage though looks like its even less than TM. Do you know if you were out of their stated coverage range and it worked? Also, which plan did you get?

It sounds like you have to add minutes every 30 days unless you get the $150 plan or am I reading it wrong? THanks!

 

[Mulligan]

THanks Ha Ha and gotadimple for your comments on T-Mobile. We are planning to go to the PNW so it helps to know T-Mobile will work there because that is one of the places it looked a little sparse.

Mulligan, I never heard of Common Cents before. I was already to sign up with T-Mobile but it looks like CC might be a better deal. It's coverage though looks like its even less than TM. Do you know if you were out of their stated coverage range and it worked? Also, which plan did you get?

It sounds like you have to add minutes every 30 days unless you get the $150 plan or am I reading it wrong? THanks!

To be honest with you, I saw their coverage map and was concerned because Sprint tends to focus on metro areas and the roads linking them, but it has always worked for me and I am on the outer edge of it Stl metro area. I really did it knowing I had little invested in it, a $9 phone and $20 card, but I've had it a year. I usually get the $30 60 day card. I buy it at walmart though you can can buy it directly off your phone or computer. Your minutes are rolled over but you do have to keep buying unless you do the $150 thing. I tend to almost run out every 60 days so it works for me. If you are a texter though, it wouldnt be a good plan as every text in and out is 7 cents. Its cheaper to talk on it than text. Iwas surprised it worked in St John on USVI. There is no roaming charges. If I wasnt going to have a local phone, I wouldnt have this plan though.

 

[TromboneAl]

Thanks guys. I need to get serious about changing over. Does anyone have a certain type of Tracfone that they really like? I would like one that keeps a good charge. My DH will probably want one that looks good, has camera, caller id, etc. Neither of us text or do anything other than talk. Our first cell phones were Nokia and we liked them. We now have Motorola and our phones do not hold the charge for near as long as the Nokia. I would like to get a phone that has the double minutes for life.

I am quite happy with the LG220C

I've never even run low on the battery. This phone went through the laundry, and still worked.

Last I checked, we spend <$10 per month on cell phones.

 

[omni550]

I am quite happy with the LG220C

I've never even run low on the battery. This phone went through the laundry, and still worked.

Did it go through the dryer too? If not, how did you dry it?


omni

 

[TromboneAl]

Did it go through the dryer too? If not, how did you dry it?


omni

Wash only. Put it on dehumidifier output for several days.

The battery never quite the same after that.

Full story here: http://www.early-retirement.org/forums/f27/tracfone-gets-laundered-51533.html