Finally joining the "data plan" family ....

[Dawg52]

Quote:

Originally Posted by robnplunder Am I the only one in developed countries who is having this much difficulty in joining the "data plan" world? .

Nope and no plans to get one. I have a tablet(haven't had it long either) and take it out of town with me. It does the job for when I need access to the internet. Around the house I use my laptop or the tablet.

I simply haven't found the need to be connected 24/7. Plus I like my prepaid cell phone plan which averages around $10/mo of use.

[ziggy29]

Quote:

Originally Posted by frayne Call me a luddite but I will continue using my Verizon, LG flip-open phone for now as well as the foreseeable future.

It doesn't even mean being a Luddite. I've been goofing around and working with computers since about 1980. I have a degree in Computer Science and spent 26 years in industry before being unceremoniously downsized in April. But I never felt it was a cost-effective thing to do. I still don't really have a "data plan", though for the last 18 months or so I've had a smartphone on a cheap prepaid plan (using wifi most of the time). I went many years with an old T-Mobile prepaid plan, and I still have about 1000 minutes on it by renewing it for $10 a year, but I find I am using the phone more in the last year or so.

My own situation is complicated by the fact that AT&T and its MVNOs are my only option, since AT&T is the only carrier in town here. Even so, they have $45-50 plans from MVNOs which give 2 GB of data or so, and now some MVNOs are getting down under $40 for some decent data plans (assuming moderate usage). I'm currently using H2O Wireless (an AT&T MVNO) on a prepaid plan, but as I spend down my balance, I'm looking at their recently upgraded $30 plan which gives unlimited talk and text plus 500 MB of data. I'm pretty sure that's more than enough data for my needs, since I don't spend all my time out of the house glued to my phone.

[SteveNU]

We are switching to Republic Wireless. They have 4 plans to choose from $5 - $40 a month. They only offer one phone but it is a pretty good one. The phone uses WiFi for everything when it's available and if not then it uses sprint network. If there is no sprint signal then it roams to Verizon's network. We just made a trip to northern New Hampshire and the service was just as good on the $10 month plan as it was on my Verizon phone that I am paying $200 a month for three phones! Check them out if you don't need the latest and greatest iPhone😀

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Early Retirement Forum mobile app

[Alan]

We still just have the one cellphone between us but DW got an iPod Touch a year ago and loves it. Same look and feel as an iPhone, and she can make telephone calls using Skype when connected to a wifi network.

However, she is making noises that we should really step up to a smartphone in a year or 2.

[ziggy29]

Quote:

Originally Posted by SteveNU We are switching to Republic Wireless. They have 4 plans to choose from $5 - $40 a month. They only offer one phone but it is a pretty good one. The phone uses WiFi for everything when it's available and if not then it uses sprint network. If there is no sprint signal then it roams to Verizon's network. We just made a trip to northern New Hampshire and the service was just as good on the $10 month plan as it was on my Verizon phone that I am paying $200 a month for three phones! Check them out if you don't need the latest and greatest iPhone😀

I've been keeping an eye on them just to see how well their model works. (For us, it's a non-issue since, as I said above, we only have AT&T here.) But for me personally, the beef I have with Republic is that you have little choice in phones, AND (worse, IMO) that phone is hopelessly and forever locked into Republic. That's not a problem if you love the service and use it for years, but if it doesn't work for you, that phone becomes a brick.

Circumstances are different for different people, of course, but just as I no longer ever want a contract, I never want to use a locked phone ever again. I bought a Nexus 4 shortly before they were discontinued and after their last $100 price cut, for $199 and totally unlocked.

[MRG]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ready They know my phone works, so I just get yelled at if I don't answer or at least return the call. If the feature went away, then I guess there's nothing I could do about it.

I divert certain caller's to voicemail. If I miss DW's, she sometimes gets mad, till I point out, you're not in the voicemail list, yet. Probably doesn't help me much.
MRG

[Marita40]

I think I beat you all. Never even had a cell phone. I have a home landline only: works fine with me. And it is not like I'm computer illiterate or anything. I'm on the laptop or Android pad much of the day. I just don't do phones, if I can help it.

[SteveNU]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ziggy29 I've been keeping an eye on them just to see how well their model works. (For us, it's a non-issue since, as I said above, we only have AT&T here.) But for me personally, the beef I have with Republic is that you have little choice in phones, AND (worse, IMO) that phone is hopelessly and forever locked into Republic. That's not a problem if you love the service and use it for years, but if it doesn't work for you, that phone becomes a brick. Circumstances are different for different people, of course, but just as I no longer ever want a contract, I never want to use a locked phone ever again. I bought a Nexus 4 shortly before they were discontinued and after their last $100 price cut, for $199 and totally unlocked.

Yep that is the only catch but if you just want unlimited voice and text and data for a really good price it is a great option. And the phone is a pretty good one too. I figure in 4 months I will break even and then I will be saving at least $100 a month with no difference in the service I have.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Early Retirement Forum mobile app

[Calico]

Quote:

Originally Posted by RockyMtn Still have my Motorola Razr V3 flip phone. Small, compact, light and makes and receives phone calls. When it dies I'll probably get another one off Ebay for $25. Read somewhere that some guy was robbed at gunpoint. Robber took his buddies Iphones but laughed at his Razr and said "what the f*** is this and gave it back...so I have that going for me as well!

I saw this same story today and it made me laugh. Anyone who mugs me for my cell phone is in for an unpleasant surprise.

I have a Tracfone flip phone. No camera, no special features. It does four things: makes calls; receives calls; sends texts; receives texts. I buy time for it once a year and then forget about it.

I w*rk on computers all day at my j*b, and basically live on my iPad or laptop when at home. I have no desire or need to be tethered to a phone, or to use it for anything other than the occasional phone call.

I have no plans to change my (phone) dinosaur ways.

ETA: IIRC, I paid $29.95 for the phone.

[MasterBlaster]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Calico I saw this same story today and it made me laugh. Anyone who mugs me for my cell phone is in for an unpleasant surprise. I have a Tracfone flip phone. No camera, no special features. It does four things: makes calls; receives calls; sends texts; receives texts. I buy time for it once a year and then forget about it. I w*rk on computers all day at my j*b, and basically live on my iPad or laptop when at home. I have no desire or need to be tethered to a phone, or to use it for anything other than the occasional phone call. I have no plans to change my (phone) dinosaur ways. ETA: IIRC, I paid $29.95 for the phone.

+1

For light users like me - why should I pay much for a service plan ?

I got one of the Tracfone older gen smartphones. The smartphone handset cost around $50 and I pay about $6.66/month ($20 for 3 months) for (lightly used) service.

Mainly I make a few phone calls a month and a few texts. I also lightly connect to the net but mostly use the (free) WiFi capability to check the news when I'm near a WiFi spot.

Less than $7/month gives me all that I need.

[Calico]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marita40 I think I beat you all. Never even had a cell phone. I have a home landline only: works fine with me. And it is not like I'm computer illiterate or anything. I'm on the laptop or Android pad much of the day. I just don't do phones, if I can help it.

Until a few years ago I was of the exact same mindset. However, after ending up with a few too many flat tires/other mechanical issues with my 18-year-old car at the time, I gave in and bought a cheap Tracfone to keep in my glove compartment for the inevitable monthly-ish phone call to AAA from the middle of nowhere. The phone lived in the car for a few years, and then one fall the guy who came to pump out my septic tank cut right through the outside phone line while digging, and I just decided not to repair it, so there went the landline. So the Tracfone is the only phone now. I have a newer car, so no more calls to AAA!

The phone has come in handy on a few occasions when extended family members were in the hospital, in terms of getting updates and arranging "shifts" for sitting with the patient, but most of the time it is turned off. I am like you - I don't do phones either. Anyone who wants to reach me knows email is the way to go.

[Walt34]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Calico I have a Tracfone flip phone. No camera, no special features. It does four things: makes calls; receives calls; sends texts; receives texts.

That's what we use too.

I've thought about getting a smartphone but I can't help but wonder if I'd really use it enough to justify the expense. We don't go shopping much and when we do it's mostly online with our desktop computer.

I have a Nikon DSLR for pictures, don't need a phone for that and it takes better pictures. Never sent a text message. Got a GPS for the car, for the rare occasions when we use it.

And I hadn't thought about disappointing a mugger.

[Lsbcal]

Walt34, I have the same profile. ☺

[Sue J]

DH and I each have old flip-phones with legacy prepaid plans. Calls are $0.15/min and texts are$0.10. We are fine not having smartphones because these old plans have no monthly fee and the prepaid dollars don't expire. I can add $15 when needed and it lasts me for 6 months or more.

We hardly use our phones, it's mostly to call while out and see if I need to pick up something. At home I keep my iPad handy and while it would be nice to have that connectivity while out, right now I'm not feeling the need to pay for it.

The best part about our old flip-phones is that they make phone calls just fine and there is no monthly fee.

[audreyh1]

We haven't had a landline phone in almost 10 years.

DH had been wanting to get an iPhone for a couple of years [a major beef was small numbers on the dumb phones], but we just couldn't get past the plan pricing.

I didn't want a smart phone, but I did want to upgrade my ancient LG phone.

Fortunately, mid-year 2013, Verizon briefly offered a special "loyalty upgrade" deal to it's long-time out of contract customers to upgrade iPhone5 $100 off usual price and a lower cost data plan.

They split our two-phone family plan - letting me keep a very cheap dumb plan with 300 minutes and free upgrade to new LG dumb phone. My husband got an extra $100 off the iPhone of his choice and an unlimited text/talk 2GB data plan for much less than the published rate.

What a relief! We were getting ready to switch carriers because we didn't like any of the new plan pricing and I didn't want to pay for data on my dumb phone - or text either.

[homestead]

I bought a iphone 4 for $120 and got it programmed to work on pageplus network without a data plan. And for $80 for 2000 minutes pre-paid that last 1 yr. It works for email and browsing on my home wi-fi and any hot spots in town. Love it.

[Calico]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Walt34 That's what we use too. I've thought about getting a smartphone but I can't help but wonder if I'd really use it enough to justify the expense. We don't go shopping much and when we do it's mostly online with our desktop computer. I have a Nikon DSLR for pictures, don't need a phone for that and it takes better pictures. Never sent a text message. Got a GPS for the car, for the rare occasions when we use it. And I hadn't thought about disappointing a mugger.

I figure if someone is going to mug me, it serves them right if all they get out of it is my "stupid" phone.

I'm thinking of having a t-shirt made with the words "My phone is a Tracphone" emblazoned on it, to discourage potential bad guys.

The GPS in my car is old school also - it's called a M.A.P. None of the young folks in my life know what it is........

[martyp]

I've had an iPhone for 4 yrs. I currently have an iPhone 5. I have an AT&T unlimited data plan from way back. I never actually speak on the phone. It is a small computer and internet connection in my pocket. I use the camera feature the most. Facebook. Traffic maps. Etc. I don't wear a watch anymore. I just check the time on my phone. Wouldn't leave home without it. If you can't afford it . . . well that is one thing. But just to resist the technology for the sake of resisting. I never understood that.

If everyone had dial phones and you wanted to walk over to their house and talk face to face . . . would you resist getting a phone?

[Bestwifeever]

I have the smart phone equivalent of your flip phone, Calico--the HTC One with Virgin Mobile. It was the last 3G smart phone sold as I apparently have Sucker written on my forehead, so the data is slow and awful and the sound is even worse. But it is unlimited data and everything else at $35/month which should make me feel better about it, but frugality is sometimes overrated. And the camera is terrible too! How I let myself be talked into this at Best Buy is beyond me. It replaced my ATT go phone or whatever that was called, prepaid minutes plan, that stopped holding a charge.

Meanwhile, DH is on his second iPhone with Verizon.

[Katsmeow]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Walt34 That's what we use too. I've thought about getting a smartphone but I can't help but wonder if I'd really use it enough to justify the expense. We don't go shopping much and when we do it's mostly online with our desktop computer.

I think it just depends on how you would use it (or if you would). Things I use my iPhone for (and DH uses his Android phone similarly):

1. As our phone. We have no landline so a good phone is important to us.

2. For texting. Yes, that can be done on a "regular" (aka dumb) phone but it is easier on a smartphone (IMHO).

3. Reading books. Today DH and I went out shopping. He was in a slow line at the store so I went back to the car and opened up a Kindle book on my phone and read.

4. Flashlight.

5. Compass

6. Level

7. Sync my Fitbit through Bluetooth on it.

8. Camera - I even have a new lens to make the camera better.

olloclip macro, telephoto, wide angle, fish-eye, and polarizing iPhone photo lenses

Yes, I have a "real" camera but I've found with this phone that it handles about 99% of my photo needs.

9. Upload photos and posts to Facebook (and read Facebook)

10. Keep recipes on Cook'n, my recipe program.

11. Look up calories and WW points for restaurants while I'm at the restaurant or if we decide while out to go somewhere.

12. Calculate WW points for food I look at in the grocery store.

13. Read the newspaper

14. Listen to music

15. Watch videos

16. Check the weather

17. Find my way using the map and GPS

18. Check the stock market

19. Buy things at auction on World of Warcraft

20. Provide my authenticator for my World of Warcraft account

21. Use Skype

22. Record what I eat on MyFitnessPal

23. Play games.

24. Use the calculator

25. Use it as a remote for my TV.

26. Take notes

27. Record and look up reminders

28. Use Twitter

29. Read this forum.

30. Make deposits to my bank

Hmm...need to go get some more apps....