Cell Phones

[Zero]

Verizon has a $30 phone with $10 airtime included and $25 activation. Then the cost is $1.99/day "used" and it has unlimited time. If a person could get most of their phone calls done in one or two days per month that is a cheap deal. Just call all the friends and relatives on the same day. Unlimited chatting with them.

Would fit my style because I use the phone maybe once every 2 months so the $10 airtime would cover my calls. Cost for 1 year phone service = $55, nice.

 

[chinaco]

We use pay as you go... we dumped our contact several years ago.

Saved alot of money since we only use a cellphone for brief conversations most of the time.

 

[ERD50]

Verizon has a $30 phone with $10 airtime included and $25 activation. Then the cost is $1.99/day "used" and it has unlimited time. If a person could get most of their phone calls done in one or two days per month that is a cheap deal. Just call all the friends and relatives on the same day. Unlimited chatting with them.

Would fit my style because I use the phone maybe once every 2 months so the $10 airtime would cover my calls. Cost for 1 year phone service = $55, nice.

Their website was confusing - is there a basic monthly charge, or 'refill' amount required? If it is unlimited, where does the 'airtime' charge come in? Is it applied to the $1.99 per day used?

OK, I see your $55 includes the phone, activation and first $10. So how long would the next $10 cover you for? At one day every two months, would it last 5 months, or is there a time-out also?

-ERD50

 

[Independent]

I have a Verizon pay-in-advance. I bought the phone at WalMart for $15.99, then activated it online.

The cheapest plan for me was one that charges $1.00 the first time you use it each day, then $0.10 for each additional minute. I put $100 in last April 15 and I have $33 left today. I have to make another deposit in the next week or they will wipe out my existing balance.

So my cost for the year has been the phone plus $8.34 per month.

 

[FANOFJESUS]

I have a Verizon pay-in-advance. I bought the phone at WalMart for $15.99, then activated it online.

The cheapest plan for me was one that charges $1.00 the first time you use it each day, then $0.10 for each additional minute. I put $100 in last April 15 and I have $33 left today. I have to make another deposit in the next week or they will wipe out my existing balance.

So my cost for the year has been the phone plus $8.34 per month.

I new to cell phones. How are incoming calls treated?

 

[travelover]

I new to cell phones. How are incoming calls treated?

You push the button and say "Hello".

 

[fritz]

If you don't want to give up data connectivity I think the best deal out there is with Virgin Mobile. $25/month (prepaid - no contract) for 300 minutes of talk and unlimited texts and data. I bought an Android phone (LG Optimus V) for $129 from Best Buy and it seems like a pretty good phone. It does everything I need - phone, camera, GPS, internet and email.

I originally wanted an iPhone but the LG phone was quite a bit cheaper than an iPhone and I am saving $45 per month vs an AT&T or Verizon plan (and I don't think they offer unlimited data?)

+1

I currently use T-Mobile prepaid. Bought two of their phones online and got free activation and small amount of free minutes. I buy their $100.00 for 1000 minutes package, and the minutes last for the year. Never a go over your minutes issue, never a roaming issue, and service is pretty much as good as you can get anywhere.

Since AT&T is currently attempting to purchase them (and I don't have the warm fuzzys from previous AT&T wireless experiences) - I've investigated Virgin Mobile, as it gives the best no contract scenario I can find. The $25.00/mos. Beyond Talk package offers 300 minutes/mos. and unlimited text and web. Uses Sprint network (parent company) which I've used in the past with no issues, but their coverages aren't as good as T-Mobile and the big carriers. FYI - $129.00 for an LG Optimus V is a great price - VM website is $199.00 (and a must buy for web). Might look into Skype mobile with this phone for wifi super-cheap (and free) calling scenarios.

 

[Nords]

I new to cell phones. How are incoming calls treated?

You push the button and say "Hello".

Here, let me get that for you while you're trying to recover from your laughter.

Depending on your calling plan, Verizon charges you for the first use of the day. That might mean $1.99 for the first call of the day (and the rest of the day is "free") or it might mean a $1 charge to answer the call and a per-minute charge for the length of the call plus per-minute charges for the rest of the day's calls.

Or you could ignore the call, let it go to voicemail, and pay nothing until you retrieve it. I've learned that because I leave the phone shut off in our car's glove box and only bother to check the voicemail when I'm actually using the phone.

Wal-Mart has a prepaid cell phone display with the LG phones, and the calling-plan options are printed on the case of the phone package. Wal-Mart also apparently sells calling cards for the phones, but we haven't bothered to figure out whether they're worth it.

 

[jebmke]

We use prepaid Verizon -- the only cell service available (luckily there is no reception at our house) - ran about $5/minute last year.

 

[Zero]

Their website was confusing - is there a basic monthly charge, or 'refill' amount required? If it is unlimited, where does the 'airtime' charge come in? Is it applied to the $1.99 per day used?

OK, I see your $55 includes the phone, activation and first $10. So how long would the next $10 cover you for? At one day every two months, would it last 5 months, or is there a time-out also?

-ERD50

Oooops, I did not see this till today.

There is no monthly fee or usage requirement mentioned and my understanding is that after paying the initial $55, the $10 airtime would allow you to talk an unlimited amount of time on each of 5 days using up $1.99 each of those day. For me that would allow me to call family/friends every 2 months and get totally caught up and so that $10 would last me 10 months that way.

I did not see any criteria for "timing-out", I will find out the answers to these questions tomorrow by going into my local store which I can see out my window.

 

[steelyman]

I am not sure I agree with the concept of marrying a cell phone to Internet usage (web browsing, etc.). My current plan is to keep my cheap-as-h*** cell phone for voice conversations when I quit working and get a tablet for "non-voice" information access. Maybe it'll fit, maybe it won't.

 

[Ally]

Maybe it's because I still work and I can check emails, and also because I've never had a laptop, but I really love my IPhone. I'm using it right now on these forums. My son gave it to me for Mother's Day last year, and I use it all the time on our wireless connection at home.

 

[steelyman]

Maybe it's because I still work and I can check emails, and also because I've never had a laptop, but I really love my IPhone. I'm using it right now on these forums. My son gave it to me for Mother's Day last year, and I use it all the time on our wireless connection at home.

Regardless, your son gave you a fantastic present!

 

[OrcasIslandBound]

A spreadsheet of cell phone providers

Hello,

We're looking at really cheap cell phones and made a spreadsheet to compare them. See attached.

- Stephen

 

[rescueme]

If you don't want to give up data connectivity I think the best deal out there is with Virgin Mobile. $25/month (prepaid - no contract) for 300 minutes of talk and unlimited texts and data.

VM is on our "short list" also. We've been with T-Mobile for many years but are waiting to "jump" until we see what's going to happen with the merger.

We don't currently have/use data, but can see where it will be almost a standard feature in the future.

Also, since we're on a grandfathered $19.95 plan (around $55/mo for two phones, taxes included) you can tell we're frugal and not going to change unless we really have to ...

 

[golfnut]

Hello,

We're looking at really cheap cell phones and made a spreadsheet to compare them. See attached.

- Stephen

Thanks for the attachment. Have you decided which plan to go with?

 

[OrcasIslandBound]

We're leaning towards T-mobile, pay as you go. I need a cell phone (100 minutes) without a camera (for work), which I currently have, my DW needs 300 minutes (blabs a bit), and our son, Luke, needs unlimited txting ($15) + no minutes. So, I'm hoping for 3 phones + our unique requirements to be no more than $60/month total. Not easy to do.

 

[pimpmyretirement]

Nice spreadsheet for the cell phones!

I've learned a few things in my switch from AT+T to T-mobile:

1. By calling ATT before we left and telling them we need to travel internationally, I was able to get an unlock code for my wife's fancy Sony phone. I am now using that phone on T-mobile for $100/year, while she's on straight talk. I tried the same with my cheap nokia, but the code didn't work.

2. ATT had locked down the Sony phone. After buying a special data cable and a long evening on internet forums, I was able to flash the phone with new firmware. That unlocked, of all things, a wi-fi chip that was built into the phone. As long as I am in my house or at a wi-fi spot (starbucks, panera, etc.), I can play with "mobile" internet and applications at no cost. The novelty is 90% of the appeal for me.

Also, as I've spoke to people about this, it turns out pretty much everyone I know has an "old" phone that they would have given me. Generally these are 1-2 years old and perfectly fine for calls or texting. It pays to ask around.

 

[fritz]

Hello,

We're looking at really cheap cell phones and made a spreadsheet to compare them. See attached.

- Stephen

Boost, and Virgin Mobile are affiliated with Sprint (parent company) and use Sprint network. Boost (prepaid) is more for heavier users (higher price points).

Virgin Mobile offers "payLo" plans as an alternative to Beyond Talk for pretty much phone use (options for web/text). Best is $30/mos. for 1500 min. with limited text/web access. I'm not aware of any prepaid service that allows unlimited free talk between family members (but some plans have unlimited prepaid talk per month - usually at fairly high monthly rates).

I posted earlier that I currently use T-Mobile prepaid (have for several years). Service/coverage is great and cost is minimal. As stated - no issues with roaming and going over your minutes at horrendous overcharges (just refill anytime you need). Various rates for refill, and you only have to purchase the $100/1000 minutes for all refill minutes to last the year. Hate to see AT&T acquire them - don't see any positives there....

 

[OrcasIslandBound]

We have about 2 older motorola V505 phones that we had unlocked. Used them in Italy about 5 years ago, when we splurged on a special vacation between jobs. We simply bought a local simcard from a street vendor, and used it.

The phones that we have and wish to keep are a Blackberry 8820 for me, because it doesn't have a camera, and a Samsung model with a qwerty keyboard for my wife. I have used the wi-fi feature that pimpmyretirement talked about above, kind of fun! However, I never attempted all the email, etc. Just used the usb port to download my contacts on the first 8820. It broke about 3 months after I bought it and was slightly challenging to get it repaired (replaced for free). The 2nd one I've had another 3 months and it is still working, but I haven't downloaded the contacts back yet.

T-mobile's $100 for each card seems like a simple, easy way to go. If the evil empire (AT&T) takes over, we might go elsewhere just out of spite. That company is beyond ridiculous how bad they were to us. And we've been loyal customers for ~8 or 10 years.

 

[pimpmyretirement]

The T-mobile SIM is a few dollars cheaper online. I'd encourage you to buy that way, it is easier as well.

I made the mistake of buying it at the store. The clerk wasted my time trying to upsell me, then after giving me the SIM, told me I had to call T-mobile support to get my number ported, anyway. Total waste of a trip.

I also found out last night, if you cancel in the middle of a billing cycle, AT&T does not refund the rest of the month. I am very happy to be done with them and really hope their T-mobile purchase falls through.

 

[Redbugdave]

We have been Tracfone users for years. As said before...the minutes roll over year to year. We don't text and talk just for communication, (don't blab), and it fits our lifestyle well. If you are going on vacation, you can also change the local calling area temporarily to where you are going to be. I think you can do this up to 4 times a year.

T-Mobile...after reading these replies looks like a good one for our lifestyle, also.

 

[OrcasIslandBound]

Thank you all, we've ordered 2 T-mobile simcards on line. $6.99 each. We'll put $10 in one and test it out in our phones for a few days before we transfer our numbers.

 

[Zero]

Their website was confusing - is there a basic monthly charge, or 'refill' amount required? If it is unlimited, where does the 'airtime' charge come in? Is it applied to the $1.99 per day used?

OK, I see your $55 includes the phone, activation and first $10. So how long would the next $10 cover you for? At one day every two months, would it last 5 months, or is there a time-out also?

-ERD50

ERD50, to follow up, I went to Verizon and got more details on their pay-as-you-go.
1. They have a special right now of $66 which includes a Samsung flip-phone, the activation and $10 of airtime.
2. The cost is $1.99 on each day the phone is used, but after the one phone call that day, you can make as many calls as you like until midnight for no extra charge. So that $10 airtime is good for 5 days (not necessarily consecutive) "but" it expires in 30 days if not used.
4. Phone account will not expire until "unused" for 1 year.

So it looks like the trick would be to only buy a minimal amount airtime just before you are planning to use it, or say maybe $2 each month for just in case.

THE GOOD NEWS: You can also use an old Verizon phone if you have one and you only have to pay the $35 activation. Of course you don't get the $10 free airtime. But for $35 you are up and running.

 

[ERD50]

ERD50, to follow up, I went to Verizon and got more details on their pay-as-you-go.

Thanks for the follow-up.

bold mine -

2. The cost is $1.99 on each day the phone is used, but after the one phone call that day, you can make as many calls as you like until midnight for no extra charge. So that $10 airtime is good for 5 days (not necessarily consecutive) "but" it expires in 30 days if not used.

That's what I feared. That wouldn't be a benefit for my current usage profile, over the T-Mobile pay-as-you-go "Gold Status". Of course, if the AT&T takeover goes through, even though this will probably be grandfathered, I'd probably go look for someone else based on past experience with AT&T (their 'customer service' was like a skit from SNL).

4. Phone account will not expire until "unused" for 1 year.

That's nice. IIRC, with TM you lose any rollover minutes if you don't add $ by the expiration date, and lose the account after just 14 days.

-ERD50