Prepaid Cell Phones

[Dtrigg]

OK, as most of you know I am a cheap bastard. I am looking for a cheap prepaid cell phone service. I had an Alltel phone but they were purchased by Verizon. Alltel now tells me they don't recognize my phone number and Verizon tells me I am not a customer because I am an Alltel customer. Consequently, I don't have cell phone service.

I don't use my phone too often and that's why I am looking for a prepaid service. Once in a while I need to call Hal and tell him I am going to be late for lunch. That's about it.

My area code is (415)

Thanks in advance for your help.

Doug

 

[Osiris_x11]

Go?

Give some thought to the various AT&T "Go Phone" options/plans...

(inexpensive GSM phones, easy refill/reload, value-oriented packages, add-on services, good coverage, etc')

 

[queenlives]

...Once in a while I need to call Hal and tell him I am going to be late for lunch. Doug

or to make sure i bring the bees, right, doug?

 

[White92]

Why don't you just pay Hal $10 a month to add a line to his plan? Or be on time to lunch... :biggrin:

 

[slamstrom]

Doug,
I got a TracFone for my kids. If they lose it, I don't have to worry about the finder running up the charges. If you don't use a cell phone very often, and get the bonus codes for extra prepaid minutes (bonus code 12336 gets you an additional 250 minutes with you purchase of any 1 year plan), it comes out to be less than $10.00 per month for the one year plan. Minutes will expire after 1 year unless you purchase more minute, then the unused minutes are carryover to the next year or month depend on your continuation purchase. Go to www.tracfone.com to take a look at their plans. Target also carry some of their phones. Phone selection is limited, and you have to pay for the phone.

 

[spider2k]

everyone i know without a normal cell plan uses metro pcs.

http://www.metropcs.com/plans/default.aspx

 

[SilverStone05]

A man after my own heart.

I was paying $99 per month for unlimited service...which meant or $113 per month after fees/taxes.

I switched to Boost Mobile - $50 unlimited everything....talk/text/internet access. And $50 is flat $50. :biggrin:

No problems so far....Check it out.

 

[da3dalus]

Boost if you actually use your phone...

I don't really use my phone a lot and sometimes go a couple days without making or taking a call...

T-Mobile has this plan where you pay 1$ a day for unlimited usage any day you use your phone... otherwise there is no charge.

They also have pretty good prepaid rates as well and they have sim cards so if you currently have a sim compatible phone and want to keep it you can just pop their card in and off you go without any contact importing or additional expense.

 

[docjohn]

Did someone say......Prepaid.......

 

[Brylek]

T-Mobile ToGo, buy a phone for $20, load your account for a $100; recieve 1000 minutes and a year to use them up. As a T-Mobile customer you have an advantage of having a simcard, that gives you an option of 1000s of phones from overseas ( gsm service ).

 

[ChopsJazz]

Or be on time to lunch... :biggrin:

Best advice so far. :wink:

 

[NSXrebel]

A man after my own heart.

I was paying $99 per month for unlimited service...which meant or $113 per month after fees/taxes.

I switched to Boost Mobile - $50 unlimited everything....talk/text/internet access. And $50 is flat $50. :biggrin:

No problems so far....Check it out.

I used to have Nextel a few years ago. A lot of my friends were on Nextel, so it made sense to go with them, with their unlimited walkie-talkie feature. Coverage was ok, and I could even use it in Tijuana/Rosarito, Mexico without incurring roaming charges.

As for using internet on a Nextel/Boost phone, that was/is laughable.

 

[SilverStone05]

I used to have Nextel a few years ago. A lot of my friends were on Nextel, so it made sense to go with them, with their unlimited walkie-talkie feature. Coverage was ok, and I could even use it in Tijuana/Rosarito, Mexico without incurring roaming charges.

As for using internet on a Nextel/Boost phone, that was/is laughable.

Admittedly, I don't use the internet option with my phone.

I can say that voice coverage is pretty decent.

As long as I'm getting boinked in the ass by a wireless provider...i might as well get it done while paying half price.

 

[flaminio]

Did someone say......Prepaid.......

Ha, I wonder what other sort of services I can get PrePaid ...

 

[NSXrebel]

Admittedly, I don't use the internet option with my phone.

I can say that voice coverage is pretty decent.

As long as I'm getting boinked in the ass by a wireless provider...i might as well get it done while paying half price.

Is Nextel/Boos still on the IDEN network? or did they fully switch over to Sprint's network?

 

[KooLaid]

Ha, I wonder what other sort of services I can get PrePaid ...

"A$$k me why"

 

[SilverStone05]

Is Nextel/Boos still on the IDEN network? or did they fully switch over to Sprint's network?

Yep...still IDEN.

 

[steveny]

A man after my own heart.

I was paying $99 per month for unlimited service...which meant or $113 per month after fees/taxes.

I switched to Boost Mobile - $50 unlimited everything....talk/text/internet access. And $50 is flat $50. :biggrin:

No problems so far....Check it out.

I am going to have to check into this. I have 7 at&t unlimited phones and a air card for the laptop, my bill is $1500 or more a month. I use the cell for everything, even overseas calls. Back in the day I had one of those big ass brick phones my bill back then was completely asinine, like a personal jet payment or something. I just bought a new V-9 and after only a short time owning it dropped the damn thing in Home Depot and smashed. Now when I turn it on it just keeps taking pictures until the memory is full.:biggrin:

 

[White92]

What do you have 7 phones for? Do you use them all at once or do you keep 6 as spares?

 

[steveny]

What do you have 7 phones for? Do you use them all at once or do you keep 6 as spares?

They are a buffer/firewall, you want one

 

[White92]

They are a buffer/firewall, you want one

Do you carry them in your pants pockets? Cause that could seriously look like you crapped yourself.

 

[tosugrad]

Doug, did you end up with a Tracfone? My wife needs a new phone and I think this is the route I am going.

 

[Dtrigg]

Doug, did you end up with a Tracfone? My wife needs a new phone and I think this is the route I am going.

No. Actually Verizon bought Altel so my account converted to a Verizon account. I maintained the same rates as my previous Altel account. So far I am very pleased with Verizon. I go to their web page, put $20 in my account and the minutes are good for three months when they expire. So it's less than $7 a month for my usage. If I think I'll need more minutes I just put in more money. I need to check but I think if you put $100 in the account, the minutes don't expire. Lot less expensive than a monthly plan. I also have all the standard features; call waiting, voice mail, texting, etc. Can always go to the web site and see how many minutes remaining or push some button on the phone and it will display.

Oh, a couple other things about prepaid is there is no plan associated with it and as Alan mentioned, if you lose your phone it's no big deal.

So if she is like me and doesn't use the phone that often, a prepaid phone may be the way to go.

 

[nsxtasy]

My cell phone service is with Virgin Mobile, which operates on the Sprint network. I almost never use my cellphone (only when I'm out of town, and not much even then) and the cost to maintain service with Virgin Mobile is dirt cheap. They have a variety of phones (and prices) and a variety of plans. You can buy their phones in stores or have them shipped (free shipping). Their cheapest phone is free, even without an annual contract. If you use your phone a lot, they offer monthly plans, as well as "packs" of minutes on a pay-as-you-go basis. If you make very few calls (like I do), you don't have to buy either, and can instead pay a 20 cents/minute basic rate. I know that sounds high per minute, but if you talk under an hour a month, it's probably cheaper than any other plan. You have to buy some minutes once every three months but IIRC the bottom line is that you can maintain your service at a cost of something like $5/month, which is as cheap as I could find. I recently lost my phone, and they FedEx'ed me a replacement (refurbished) phone for only the $8 cost of shipping.

 

[steveny]

Do you carry them in your pants pockets? Cause that could seriously look like you crapped yourself.

Few people have the number for the one in my pocket.

Doug if you get a phone be sure to give me the number so I can text you pictures of all the funny stuff I come across on a daily basis. It's entertainment at it's finest!