Dumping AT&T Cellular

[Al]

Going to Consumer Cellular. Switching the wife first. Total bill for 2 phones was 75.58 with unlimited minutes and Text. new rates for 2 phones will be $38.50 with 4000 texts and 500 minutes.

AT&T wouldn't budge. They asked me to call when I was going to switch and I told them that I would be switching as soon as I hung up...F them.

 

[DerbyDave]

My Wife and I went with Cricket wireless. AT&T owns cricket but the cricket rate is half that of the AT&T contract rate. $70 for two smartphones with unlimited Calling, Text and Data all while on the AT&T network.

 

[Rand]

is 500 minutes enough.. if you call each other that is double minutes?

 

[dlayman]

I will never sign another cell phone contract with anybody. Prepaid and buy your own unlocked phone is the way to go. Contract plans are for suckers, IMO.

 

[Food Scientist]

Originally Posted By: dlayman
I will never sign another cell phone contract with anybody. Prepaid and buy your own unlocked phone is the way to go. Contract plans are for suckers, IMO.


Most companies offer plenty of no contract phone plans and even if you buy a locked phone through AT&T for example, a law was passed that if you request to have your phone unlocked (to switch carriers for example) they have to do it.

 

[OneEyeJack]

I'm disappointed in the lack of quality in new flip phones. I want a phone to make phone calls, that's it. My new current flip phone from Verizon is next to worthless. I've switched back to an older phone that works great but lacks Bluetooth. I do use the Internet and do a lot of programming but I want a phone that's only a phone and I guess I'm the only one out there.

 

[69GTX]

Originally Posted By: OneEyeJack
I'm disappointed in the lack of quality in new flip phones. I want a phone to make phone calls, that's it. My new current flip phone from Verizon is next to worthless. I've switched back to an older phone that works great but lacks Bluetooth. I do use the Internet and do a lot of programming but I want a phone that's only a phone and I guess I'm the only one out there.


I'm out there with you. My flip top AT&T phone is only used for calls...maybe once a week at most. $8.33/month. I don't even know how to use the phone to text or get on the internet. It's just a phone. That's all I use it for. My Dell at home gives me all the computer I need, when I need it. There's too many distractions away from the house as it is. I want to be alone in my car with the radio on enjoying the driving experience, period. My wife has a cell phone paid for by someone else. She has fun with it. I've never bothered to open it up.

 

[bioburner]

I was on AT&T with my first phone. A bag unit and they gave me a heavy discount but high roaming etc. as I was a Fire Marshall and it did save 3 lives minimally and that prompted others to quickly adopt. Family went with Sprint for years but as more of us retired we tried Tracfone and have not looked back. I use a unlocked Samsung S5 and Mother now has a LG that we can text most messages or the short chat. I use red laser once in a while but more of the stores have free wifi that I can use so data is pretty minimal. There is another service now that one get a lot of minutes , texts and some data that's limited monthly but purchased on a annual basis for $200 that is a way better deal and that may be my next leap. Transfer of # from Tracfone I have heard is a pain I have heard.

 

[dlayman]

Originally Posted By: SVTCobra
Originally Posted By: dlayman
I will never sign another cell phone contract with anybody. Prepaid and buy your own unlocked phone is the way to go. Contract plans are for suckers, IMO.


Most companies offer plenty of no contract phone plans and even if you buy a locked phone through AT&T for example, a law was passed that if you request to have your phone unlocked (to switch carriers for example) they have to do it.


True, but I think they have 3 days to do it and many people don't want to be without service for that long, and I've read stories of it either not happening at all or it taking much longer.

 

[Andrew1972]

It pays to shop around AND understand your minutes used free and not.

My in laws were able to pay $50/month+~$8 tax with 500 mins and bunch of texts on Verizon with 2 flip phones. No idea if contract or not but for them since family on Verizon a bargain.

They learned quick that the other providers calling family would actually consume minutes they get "free".

 

[JustinH]

Originally Posted By: SVTCobra
Originally Posted By: dlayman
I will never sign another cell phone contract with anybody. Prepaid and buy your own unlocked phone is the way to go. Contract plans are for suckers, IMO.


Most companies offer plenty of no contract phone plans and even if you buy a locked phone through AT&T for example, a law was passed that if you request to have your phone unlocked (to switch carriers for example) they have to do it.


Yes that is true they will unlock the phone, but for that GSM ATT phone, you can only use it on ATT or Tmobile or MVNO's who use those towers.

The phone is physically not capable of being activated by say Sprint, Verizon, or others, as they use a different system.

Also, you can pay various places on the internet who will unlock any phone within 5 minutes, and they will provide you a PIN code to unlock the phone via email. I paid 2 dollars to have a phone unlocked, beats a phone call to ATT and the run around.

 

[JustinH]

One more thing, take a look at the howardforums web forum.

They list all the carriers, including prepaid and you can read all the tricks to get the lowest prices, pay no tax, promo codes, etc.

There should be no reason people go over their minutes, with unlimited minutes plans being had for super cheap.

You can even buy a 1 year plan for super cheap with many carriers.

 

[Al]

Done. 28.50/month for 2 phones. Down from $76.40

 

[JTK]

Originally Posted By: Al
Done. 28.50/month for 2 phones. Down from $76.40


That is a sweet deal. I don't talk/text too much, so I could easily get by with those limits, but the 200mb of data would be tough for me.