Do any of u use the no contract phones and if u do, what carrier do u use. My verizon bill is huge compared to the walmart no contract phones.
45 to 55dollar cellpone bills and types of phone
- Thread starter CourierDriver
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JHZR2
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IMO it all depends upon use. Many of those no contract type plans are either $1/day, or cost some amount per month, month-to-month, but then have no minutes and any time you use minutes, you pay an arm and a leg.
If you really are carrying a cell ONLY for emergencies, and not regular use, it may make sense. But any regular use and I can see getting burned or having a brick until you can refill.
Granted, cellphone service rates for contract use are ridiculous. They are so high, and while some of it seems to subsidize the cost to buy a phone, even after your contract date, or if you bring your own phone into the mix, the rates are not lower. "Competition" has not helped this.
And forget about texting. Most overpriced consumer item on the market...
If you really are carrying a cell ONLY for emergencies, and not regular use, it may make sense. But any regular use and I can see getting burned or having a brick until you can refill.
Granted, cellphone service rates for contract use are ridiculous. They are so high, and while some of it seems to subsidize the cost to buy a phone, even after your contract date, or if you bring your own phone into the mix, the rates are not lower. "Competition" has not helped this.
And forget about texting. Most overpriced consumer item on the market...
I just switched to Virgin. Ported my VZW number over the phone. $35 a month for 300 anytime minutes and unlimited txt, web, etc. Android phone with all the apps I want. Uses Sprint towers so I'm good around here. 3G has been awesome as well. I use the WiFi mode when at home or at the office. The thing flies. I will never go contract again.
Virgin Mobile for 3 of our Android smart-phones. 300 minutes anytime anywhere plus unlimited text-ing/data for $25 a month (grandfathered now $35)for two of them.
The Daughter has the $45 smart-phone plan which is the same except 1200 minutes.
The other Daughter has $15 a month for 3 cents per text, 10 cents per minute cellphone with Net10.
Bill
The Daughter has the $45 smart-phone plan which is the same except 1200 minutes.
The other Daughter has $15 a month for 3 cents per text, 10 cents per minute cellphone with Net10.
Bill
JHZR2
Staff member
But how good is the virgin network compared to VZ or AT&T? Ive heard bad things about sprint.
Originally Posted By: CourierDriver
Do any of u use the no contract phones and if u do, what carrier do u use. My verizon bill is huge compared to the walmart no contract phones.
I only use my cell phone for essential communications (wife wants loaf of bread from grocery). No texting.
I am very happy with Page Plus. Their standard "pay as you go" plans are unique in that they are good for 120 days (4 months) vs. most others at 3 months. I buy three $25 cards per year, 1,200 minutes for a total operating cost of $75 per year.
http://www.pagepluscellular.com/Plans.aspx, or check out Kitty wireless.
They operate on the Verizon network, I think. Their downside is limited phone options for purchase. You can no longer activate any Verizon phone on their system.
I know.....laugh....many people use 1,200 minutes a week.
Do any of u use the no contract phones and if u do, what carrier do u use. My verizon bill is huge compared to the walmart no contract phones.
I only use my cell phone for essential communications (wife wants loaf of bread from grocery). No texting.
I am very happy with Page Plus. Their standard "pay as you go" plans are unique in that they are good for 120 days (4 months) vs. most others at 3 months. I buy three $25 cards per year, 1,200 minutes for a total operating cost of $75 per year.
http://www.pagepluscellular.com/Plans.aspx, or check out Kitty wireless.
They operate on the Verizon network, I think. Their downside is limited phone options for purchase. You can no longer activate any Verizon phone on their system.
I know.....laugh....many people use 1,200 minutes a week.
Originally Posted By: JHZR2
But how good is the virgin network compared to VZ or AT&T? Ive heard bad things about sprint.
It's adequate for my needs. The only place I've ever been out of voice-contact was in/around Rapid City, SD, last year. The 3G coverage is OK. And while the Optimus V phone is getting rave reviews, it is a level or 2 behind on the Android OS Level.
Long story short, you get what you pay for, and for $35/month, I can live with it.
But how good is the virgin network compared to VZ or AT&T? Ive heard bad things about sprint.
It's adequate for my needs. The only place I've ever been out of voice-contact was in/around Rapid City, SD, last year. The 3G coverage is OK. And while the Optimus V phone is getting rave reviews, it is a level or 2 behind on the Android OS Level.
Long story short, you get what you pay for, and for $35/month, I can live with it.
Originally Posted By: JHZR2
But how good is the virgin network compared to VZ or AT&T? Ive heard bad things about sprint.
So far everywhere I go (except Montana) excellent service. Back east, West coast and along the freeways all good.
The Daughters Net10 account works everywhere I've been that has cell service.(ie if the places does have cell service hers gets it) I think its on T-Mobile/Verizon/AT&T depending on where you are at.
When I had Sprint/Nextel (my old job) it stunk. Last cell phone I'd ever have.
Bill
But how good is the virgin network compared to VZ or AT&T? Ive heard bad things about sprint.
So far everywhere I go (except Montana) excellent service. Back east, West coast and along the freeways all good.
The Daughters Net10 account works everywhere I've been that has cell service.(ie if the places does have cell service hers gets it) I think its on T-Mobile/Verizon/AT&T depending on where you are at.
When I had Sprint/Nextel (my old job) it stunk. Last cell phone I'd ever have.
Bill
To control your cell phone bill, have "text message" or data download disabled on your phone service.
T-mobile is $35.00/month (including taxes) unlimited call hours with no texting.
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1999 OLDguy'SMOBILEdevice Alero GLS
T-mobile is $35.00/month (including taxes) unlimited call hours with no texting.
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1999 OLDguy'SMOBILEdevice Alero GLS
Just ditched my VZW contract...
Daughter has Boost Mobile (Sprint) Android service.
Unlimited everything...$55 a month & shrinks $5 every
6 month until it reaches $40. She gets my moneys worth
out of them (14 yr old). I got StraightTalk (Walmart) prepaid
(mine uses AT&T towers). $30 a month gives you 1000 min
& 1000 texts. Works fine.
Daughter has Boost Mobile (Sprint) Android service.
Unlimited everything...$55 a month & shrinks $5 every
6 month until it reaches $40. She gets my moneys worth
out of them (14 yr old). I got StraightTalk (Walmart) prepaid
(mine uses AT&T towers). $30 a month gives you 1000 min
& 1000 texts. Works fine.
My wife has Straight Talk unlimited at $45 per month and it works great everywhere we have been--it is on the Verizon network around here, but other places I understand it uses other networks. I have Net10 and I get 200 minutes per month for $15 (autopay), and the minutes keep accumulating month after month if you don't use them. It's plenty for me. Net10 has the world's worst customer service, but by using autopay I rarely have a problem. If you do have a problem play on wasting half a day on the phone talking to people in far flung corners of the world with a poor command of English over a fuzzy connection. I find it is best to give up and make a new call if the person I get is incomprehensible.
I am using an iPhone 4S on AT&T's $25 prepaid plan. It's unlimited text and 250 minutes each month. It works well for me. Data can be added on when you need it but since I have a work phone and am normally on wifi 85% of my day, I am fine with just the talk and text.
In my opinion it's totally worth buying a nice phone for the no commitment pricing and using one of the big carrier's prepaid plans. No taxes, no contract, cheap phone bill, same service.
In my opinion it's totally worth buying a nice phone for the no commitment pricing and using one of the big carrier's prepaid plans. No taxes, no contract, cheap phone bill, same service.
Another option for saving money on texts: I use Google Voice for all my texts as it's free and it goes over the data network. Free app for Android. You can also use it for voice calls (which I do) which is nice because you can set it to ring all your phones. So if you are in the office, just answer the call on your desk line rather than your cell.
As for my plan, I have Verizon with 450 anytime, 250 texts and unlimited data. I keep the 250 texts plan for $5 because Google Voice isn't compatible with short texting codes such as Twitter (40404).
I have truly unlimited data because I am grandfathered on the old unlimited plan. For that reason I am unlikely to give up Verizon. I often tether my laptop to my phone, and I have used in excess of 6GB of data in a month
I get a 20% discount on Verizon through my work and my total bill is around $60 per month taxes included, which is acceptable to me considering my data usage.
But yeah if I could get a pay as you go plan that could replicate these services with nice phones available and good customer service, I might consider it. So far I have not been able to find an acceptable (to me) level of service and equipment from a non-major carrier.
As for my plan, I have Verizon with 450 anytime, 250 texts and unlimited data. I keep the 250 texts plan for $5 because Google Voice isn't compatible with short texting codes such as Twitter (40404).
I have truly unlimited data because I am grandfathered on the old unlimited plan. For that reason I am unlikely to give up Verizon. I often tether my laptop to my phone, and I have used in excess of 6GB of data in a month
I get a 20% discount on Verizon through my work and my total bill is around $60 per month taxes included, which is acceptable to me considering my data usage.
But yeah if I could get a pay as you go plan that could replicate these services with nice phones available and good customer service, I might consider it. So far I have not been able to find an acceptable (to me) level of service and equipment from a non-major carrier.
Seems kind of pointless to me to purchase a high-end smart phone and then not have a data plan, but to each his own. Do you have a link to that AT&T prepaid plan for $25? Or is that some sort of hack using a SIM card from a GoPhone?
Brons2, I tried using GoogleVoice but it was unreliable for some reason. Direct calls to my phone would work, but sometimes not calls through GoogleVoice or else a message would eventually pop up hours later with a message for me. Frequently people trying to call me couldn't get through and it wouldn't ring at my end, but I am out in the sticks a lot.
I rarely use my cell at all so I have a $10 tracfone from walmart and spend $20 every 3 months for minutes. My wife has the a straight talk phone also from walmart which uses the verizon network and is $30 a month for 1000 minutes, she can text and web all within the $30 limit. If you cannot there is always the $45 unlimited. The straight talk phones are pretty popular in this area since it uses verizons network.
Boost Mobile is worth looking into.
Starts at about 50, and goes down if yo stay with them to 35 or so.
Talk, Text, and some internet.
Starts at about 50, and goes down if yo stay with them to 35 or so.
Talk, Text, and some internet.
I feel your pain on the Verizon bill..we have Verizon as well.
I can't complain about the service or the customer service. They are great in my opinion. We just added a basic phone for my 13 year old autistic son who more or less hates to talk on the phone.
We got him a Tracphone last year and the service was terrible. He couldn't even call me from a church function...just a mile away! Even though the service days had expired....he had well over 800 minutes on that phone...which...is useless.
I also think you get what you pay for....but for now....for us....Verizon can't be beat.
I can't complain about the service or the customer service. They are great in my opinion. We just added a basic phone for my 13 year old autistic son who more or less hates to talk on the phone.
We got him a Tracphone last year and the service was terrible. He couldn't even call me from a church function...just a mile away! Even though the service days had expired....he had well over 800 minutes on that phone...which...is useless.
I also think you get what you pay for....but for now....for us....Verizon can't be beat.
I've used straight talk for about 6 months. The cost is about $45/month unlimited everything. You must use 1 of their phones. Reception is pretty good as ST uses the Verizon network. Customer service if you need to call is horrible..prepare to spend at least 15 minutes if not more on hold. When you get a person, they are hard to understand (not native English speakers is the PC term that comes to mind). Although pleasant enough, if they don't know an answer they will just make stuff up. I am thinking of, as mentioned by a previous poster, going with page plus and Kitty Wireless. Same Verizon Network, same cost, I think should have much better customer service.
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