I just noticed Tello allows free tethering, too. Nice when staying at hotels that charge $10-15/day for internet access on your tablet.
omni
The 2019 cell/smart phone plan thread
- Thread starter JoeWras
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I just noticed Tello allows free tethering, too. Nice when staying at hotels that charge $10-15/day for internet access on your tablet.
omni
Wow! What chains to this?? We do lower end Hilton, Marriott and others, but never found an up charge for WiFi. To be sure, sometimes it’s slow, like 3-5 Mbps. Surprising, enough to stream Hulu if you are patient for the app to load.
RetiredAndLovingIt
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Yes on tethering and you can also use your Tello plan minutes for calls to Canada, Mexico and China as well.
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Same, Google Fi here. It's also great for international travel
mamadogmamacat
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Well, I'm very new to the smart phone world. In fact in the process right now of dumping AT&T wireless. had a mega corp legacy plan for $40 per month, all taxes and fees included, with a seemingly indestructible pantech flip with unlimited calls and texts and pay as you go data, which I rarely used more than fifty cents of in any given month. Unfortunately, the pantech internal charging contacts are failing now, and charging is really difficult.
Decided to go with this:
PureTalkUSA wireless, an AT & T MNVO
$160 for a Motorola e5 play
$28 per month, all inclusive of taxes and fees for
unlimited calls and texts and 2GB data
based on the limited data I have been doing plus perhaps using it for maybe a few e-mails, checking the market or AP news feed maybe a few times per week
(I much prefer the screen size of my desktop or much newer laptop for videos spreadsheets and most e-mails)
I'm not into music all that much at all apart from occasional use of my old stereo systems
So I expect the 2GB data will be more than enough
What I liked about puretalkusa is that they do not charge you exorbitant fees for data overages, merely throttle you back to 128 kb until the next month starts
even that will probably seem fast to me compared to the good ole pantech,
and will save me any extra costs if I end up changing my data habits
So far, I'm still waiting for my phone number to be ported over.
I did get the phone, with sim card already installed
I must say smart phones do not seem all that durable, so I also just ordered through amazon, a cover with a glass screen protector and belt clip included
Decided to go with this:
PureTalkUSA wireless, an AT & T MNVO
$160 for a Motorola e5 play
$28 per month, all inclusive of taxes and fees for
unlimited calls and texts and 2GB data
based on the limited data I have been doing plus perhaps using it for maybe a few e-mails, checking the market or AP news feed maybe a few times per week
(I much prefer the screen size of my desktop or much newer laptop for videos spreadsheets and most e-mails)
I'm not into music all that much at all apart from occasional use of my old stereo systems
So I expect the 2GB data will be more than enough
What I liked about puretalkusa is that they do not charge you exorbitant fees for data overages, merely throttle you back to 128 kb until the next month starts
even that will probably seem fast to me compared to the good ole pantech,
and will save me any extra costs if I end up changing my data habits
So far, I'm still waiting for my phone number to be ported over.
I did get the phone, with sim card already installed
I must say smart phones do not seem all that durable, so I also just ordered through amazon, a cover with a glass screen protector and belt clip included
Typically places in the downtown areas of major cities do this. $10-20 per day is quite common. One of the reasons I prefer less centrally located hotels. Last time I was in downtown Denver, the Marriott wanted $15 or $20 a day for wifi and $42 a day for parking. Then you're supposed to give the valet guy a tip when he brings your car around an hour after you called for it.
But this is another nice thing about T-Mobile. When I find an expensive or spotty wifi system in a hotel I just tether my laptop to my phone. No charge for using the T-Mobile phone as a hotspot.
It's sort of "funny"...the lower end ones give you WiFi for free and the "big names" (Sheraton, Marriott, etc.) want to charge you.
omni
OK, I'm noticing that many/most MVNAs do not offer domestic roaming.
I'm currently on Sprint and occasionally see a screen pop up that says I'm now on domestic roaming, but as the phone still worked fine, I didn't give it much thought. So, now I'm wondering how critical is domestic roaming as a 'missing' feature?
Also, I'm in a U.S. border town with Canada. Do any MVNOs work in Canada?
omni
I'm currently on Sprint and occasionally see a screen pop up that says I'm now on domestic roaming, but as the phone still worked fine, I didn't give it much thought. So, now I'm wondering how critical is domestic roaming as a 'missing' feature?
Also, I'm in a U.S. border town with Canada. Do any MVNOs work in Canada?
omni
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Wow, I just confirmed this in their terms of service. Very misleading indeed. I was looking at the "2GB" plan for $18. I now realize it's a 1GB plan (4G LTE) throttled to 128kb/sec for the rest the month. It's not even unlimited 128kb. They literally stop all data at 2GB unless you start a new 30-day cycle.
It's still a reasonably good price for a 1GB plan. But very misleading for them to call it 2GB. I already ordered a SIM card for $6.99, but not sure I'm going to activate it. I might try to return it. That should be interesting.
I need at least 2GB, and AT&T, so I'm now looking at good2go mobile. They have 3GB (all 4G LTE) for $20 (before tax/fees)... and unlimited 128kb thereafter. Doubt I'll ever get to that point. Plus unlimited talk/text on AT&T. And a free SIM card to boot.
Must be a typo by ncbill. On the website, 5GB is $30.
She has Xfinity, a Verizon MVNO. Dirt cheap and works great for her.
I have Google FI, nice for my occasional international travel, but a little more expensive. Haven't seen it mentioned here, but you can get extra SIM cards from Project FI for no charge (like 6 or 7?). The data just adds into your normal bill of $10/GB in the event you want to get your ipad, old phone, tablet online. PROBABLY obvious but--Note that if you do this with an old phone, you'll get data, but the phone part doesn't work.
I have Google FI, nice for my occasional international travel, but a little more expensive. Haven't seen it mentioned here, but you can get extra SIM cards from Project FI for no charge (like 6 or 7?). The data just adds into your normal bill of $10/GB in the event you want to get your ipad, old phone, tablet online. PROBABLY obvious but--Note that if you do this with an old phone, you'll get data, but the phone part doesn't work.
My DW and I are considering moving from AT&T to Google Fi. Our adult kid is on a separate plan with Fi, and has been for quite some time. Likes it a lot.
We aren't heavy data users. Far from it. Probably maxed out at 0.5 GB in any one month since we purchased our first smartphones two years ago. Text messaging, phone calls, and the occasional map and Internet searches while out and about. I use mine to send music via Bluetooth to our main vehicle. We have some grandfathered plan with AT&T for roughly $91/mo (with fees). It's a 6GB + up to 6GB rollover plan. Obviously, overkill for us.
I think the possible switch to Fi will happen because I am looking at one of the Moto phones that will work with Fi. Our current phone, the Samsung S5 Active, was purchased as new old stock for around $160 each two summers ago. A good decision to not invest so much in a smartphone when we don't use it like others do. Unfortunately, the S5 Active is only capable of Android 6, so security issues abound (since we don't log into financial accounts or waive the phone over wireless pay devices, we're good).
+1
Some people use their phone as their primary internet access device, and want to have internet access 100% of the time. Their costs are going to be very different from someone like me.
I have wifi access 99% of the time, so I turn data off on my phone unless I really need it for something. I also rarely use my phone for calls.
I use pay-as-you-go Tello (Sprint network). My average monthly cost is $1-$2.
I'm amazed at how much people spend on cell phones and service.
GTFan
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Same here, about $16/mo. per line for us on Mint for 3GB LTE. If you don't need unlimited data (not many do with ubiquitous WiFi) it's way cheaper than any carrier plan.
When you are ready to switch, make sure to use your kid's referral code and each of you will save $20. He/she will find it under "Share the Fi Love" in the app.
Gotadimple
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These fees are mandated and required by your federal, state, and local governments. It isn't behavior AT&T or any other mainline carrier can control. Move to a pre-paid account with an MVNO!
OP
OP
JoeWras
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Nope! Not talking about the taxes and 911 fee.
I'm specifically talking about the "Administrative Fee."
AT&T and the others charge the MVNO wholesale rates. The MVNOs could break stuff out to the customers too, after all, I'm sure AT&T has "administrative costs" when reselling to an MVNO.
In all businesses, there are a lot of mandated things too that we don't see broken out. For example, you typically don't see a few cents added to your HVAC service bill for workmen's comp insurance. That's mandated.
Although, some businesses are joining the trend. You know, auto repair shops with "shop fees" and that kind of thing.
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Does anyone here have direct experience with good2go mobile? BTW, the price for 5GB is $30, not $20 as shown in the quote above. But still excellent pricing for an AT&T MVNO. Just can't find much in the way of user reviews online. They seem to be really small.
I called their customer service and got disconnected after waiting on hold for about 5 minutes. Called back and had this exchange after another long hold:
Cobra: How much are taxes and fees on the 3GB plan?
G2G: It depends on your state.
Cobra: I'm in Texas. How much are taxes and fees for Texas?
G2G: I'm not sure.
Cobra: Umm... can you find out?
G2G: I think it's just your regular sales tax and maybe some other stuff. It varies by state.
Cobra: Thanks.
Not getting a warm fuzzy feeling after that.
GalaxyBoy
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After reading this thread and searching plans online, I find it hard to beat Ting’s prices. For two lines with data, DW and I are averaging less than $45 per month [for both lines], all in. We typically use less than 1 MB of data, 200 minutes of talk, and 100 SMS text messages. Costs are kept down by connecting to WiFi when possible, such as when streaming music at the gym. I first learned of Ting here on E-R.org; thanks to whomever first posted about it!
That said, I’d like to have an unlimited plan that would allow me to use Google Maps and Waze on CarPlay [without fretting about data charges]. Maybe on my upcoming road trip I’ll just do that and see how much data I rack up. For the occasional trip it will likely come out ahead just paying for the extra data now and then.
That said, I’d like to have an unlimited plan that would allow me to use Google Maps and Waze on CarPlay [without fretting about data charges]. Maybe on my upcoming road trip I’ll just do that and see how much data I rack up. For the occasional trip it will likely come out ahead just paying for the extra data now and then.
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GalaxyBoy
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This is typical of many providers as well as cable companies in my experience. I always want to ask them if they can’t tell me what my actual bottom line is going to be, then how the heck are they going to print my bill at the end of the month?
We've been on AT&T for over a decade, directly most of this time, and now through Consumer Cellular. It's been years since I noticed our phones roaming, except when overseas. Driving all over the USA, midwest, SE, SW, we've found that we usual either got reception or absolutely no signal at all. No roaming, no nothing.
This year, in the mountains of AZ, near the Mexican border, we lost reception off the interstate. We do know that Verison has reception in the area and maybe T-Mobile. Still our AT&T phones (direct, not MVNO) refused to roam. We got 'nothin.
Same in Door County in NE Wisconsin a few years ago. Verison folks were fine, but our AT&T phones got 'nothin, not even roaming.
So for us, losing roaming going with Consumer Cellular MVNO may not be an issue since we never had it, at least where it would matter to us.
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W2R
Moderator Emeritus
I am just one person, with just one phone. I know that doesn't apply to the OP's situation, but others are reading, so for their benefit, here is what I have. I am very happy with my phone and phone plan (and thanks to REWahoo for suggesting it to me several years ago).
Cricket, $30/month, unlimited talk and text, 2 GB high speed data
I never use much data so this is way more than enough for me. But if a customer with this plan goes over 2GB, they won't cut you off; they just lower the speed.
What I like about this plan is that every month I get billed for EXACTLY $30.00, no more, no less. Not a penny extra for taxes or fees. For some reason, this makes me very happy. I was also happy to get a free LG phone from Cricket in exchange for porting my phone number over to them, from Verizon.
Another benefit for me is that there is a Cricket store about a mile down the road, if I need any help. So far I have not, but it's a nice security blanket to know that they are there.
Cricket uses the AT&T network, so I get good, solid connectivity.
Cricket, $30/month, unlimited talk and text, 2 GB high speed data
I never use much data so this is way more than enough for me. But if a customer with this plan goes over 2GB, they won't cut you off; they just lower the speed.
What I like about this plan is that every month I get billed for EXACTLY $30.00, no more, no less. Not a penny extra for taxes or fees. For some reason, this makes me very happy. I was also happy to get a free LG phone from Cricket in exchange for porting my phone number over to them, from Verizon.
Another benefit for me is that there is a Cricket store about a mile down the road, if I need any help. So far I have not, but it's a nice security blanket to know that they are there.
Cricket uses the AT&T network, so I get good, solid connectivity.
OP
OP
JoeWras
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That was the idea. Capture the situation for everyone in 2019. Thanks for your input on Cricket. I like the fact it is AT&T network.
This is no small thing. The plans with fees tend to creep. What I noticed on my old AT&T plan is some of the regulatory fees change by about $1 month to month, apparently based on call usage.
And of course, at any given time, they can raise their "admin fee" by $1, as they did last year. Meanwhile, you have no way to know your true cost month to month. It feels insecure. When the price is the same, that gives a sense of security.
You sound like me. I have most of my apps disabled for background cellular data even when it's enabled at the OS level. I have wifi at home and work.
I signed up for Tello 2 1/2 years ago with Pay as you go for $5 and immediately got a $10 bonus. It took me just over 2 years to use up most of that initial $15 balance. Added $10 earlier this year and still have over $8 of that left.
Unless I did a lot of traveling or moved somewhere with poor Sprint coverage, I don't think I could justify adding another phone for a different network.
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