cheap phone providers/plans

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I'm in the market for a new mobile phone/contract.

My verizon contract is up next week.

I'm sick of paying $106 a month for it.
I used 8 min of my plan last month. It's a complete waste of money to even have it at this point.

As much as i'd like to get a droid/etc, i don't want the contract or high service fee that goes along with it.

So, i'm looking into some cheap stuff. pocket, boost, tracphone, etc. Stuff without contracts. plans under $40 a month and hopefully include a free or <$50 phone.

Anyone have any experience with service coverage? my understanding is that these places lease towers from the big3, etc.

I really don't want to get into something sold by the minuet.

You sound like my Grandmother...

Boost has the unlimited everything plan for $50.

Boost = nigga nextel

Sprint now offers Everything Unlimited Plan for $69 a month, and that is unlimited web, text, and talk...

I can't remember the name of the provider, but there is a place in Meriden that opened a few locations that offers unlimited cell service for something like $30 a month. I can't remember the name of the place, but I will see if I can find it and send you a link...

I have Sprint. Four phones, unlimited text and Data. And 2000 mins. shared = $180ish
 
go here
Find Your Cheapest Cellular Service Plan - First off, are you looking for a plan for just yourself or for your family?

click through the questions (there is no personal or otherwise identifying shit)

going through and giving answers based on what you have said already i got these suggestions




no contracts

Boost Mobile - Boost Mobile (Prepaid) -- average $6.75-$7.83 monthly ($20.00 at least every 90 days)

Virgin Mobile - Pay by Minute (Prepaid) -- average $6.75-$7.00 monthly ($20.00 at least every 90 days)

T-Mobile - T-Mobile To Go (Prepaid) -- average $8.33-$8.42 monthly ($100.00 at least every 365 days.)

Cingular - GoPhone (Prepaid) -- average $8.42-$9.75 monthly ($25.00 at least every 90 days.)



for ATT, Sprint, T-Mobile, or Verizon, because you need the unlimited text messaging, none of them are going to give you a plan for a price you wont bitch about (you are looking at $50+ for any of them after all the taxes and fees)

all with 2 year contracts

AT&T -- cheapest plan -- $39.99 (450 any time minutes w/ rollover, 5000 night and weekend minutes) then add texting (200 messages for $5, 1500 messages for $15, unlimited for $20) then add taxes, fees and shit and you are up over $70

Sprint -- cheapest plan -- $49.99 (450 anytime minutes, unlimited nights and weekends, unlimited texting) add taxes fees and shit and you are up around $55-$65ish

T-Mobile -- cheapest plan -- $39.99 (500 any time minutes, unlimited nights and weekends) then add texting (unlimited messages $10) then add taxes fees and shit and you are once again up around $55-65ish

Verizon -- cheapest plan -- $59.99 (450 anytime minutes, unlimited nights and weekends, unlimited texting) add in taxes fees and shit and you are sitting in the $75 area


you could also look at Pocket Wireless
they have a plan with unlimited any time minutes and texting for $35... add in taxes fees and shit and you are probly around $50 with no contract


here are all of the links you need

Cell Phones and Cell Phone Plans - Wireless from AT&T

Sprint - Direct Connect Walkie Talkie Phones & Coverage Map

Unsupported Browser <--- T-Mobile doent like my browser apparently lol

Cell Phones, 3G Smartphones, Mobile Service and Cell Phone Plans - Verizon Wireless

Unlimited Wireless - Pocket Communications


here is another site to look at... you can compare phones and plans side by side
Free Cell Phones with New Cell Phone Plans - Shop Deals from Wireless Carriers - Wirefly.com



there really isnt anything left to do but make your choice
 
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I just went to Verizonwireless.com and they still have the 450 minute plan for $39.99

Every other plan listed in Es post was basic with no txt added, yet Verizonwireless had unlimited txt added. surprise surprise it cost more then the other ones....

That's the plan I had before linh and it cost me just under 45 a month, actual bill.
 
he wants / needs unlimited texting
i gave him the cheapest setup for each carrier WITH unlimited texting

AT&T -- cheapest plan -- $39.99 (450 any time minutes w/ rollover, 5000 night and weekend minutes) then add texting (200 messages for $5, 1500 messages for $15, unlimited for $20) then add taxes, fees and shit and you are up over $70

Sprint -- cheapest plan -- $49.99 (450 anytime minutes, unlimited nights and weekends, unlimited texting) add taxes fees and shit and you are up around $55-$65ish

T-Mobile -- cheapest plan -- $39.99 (500 any time minutes, unlimited nights and weekends) then add texting (unlimited messages $10) then add taxes fees and shit and you are once again up around $55-65ish

Verizon -- cheapest plan -- $59.99 (450 anytime minutes, unlimited nights and weekends, unlimited texting) add in taxes fees and shit and you are sitting in the $75 area


the $39.99 plan on Verizon does not have texting, that is why i didnt use that one


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go here
Find Your Cheapest Cellular Service Plan - First off, are you looking for a plan for just yourself or for your family?

click through the questions (there is no personal or otherwise identifying shit)

going through and giving answers based on what you have said already i got these suggestions




no contracts

Boost Mobile - Boost Mobile (Prepaid) -- average $6.75-$7.83 monthly ($20.00 at least every 90 days)

Virgin Mobile - Pay by Minute (Prepaid) -- average $6.75-$7.00 monthly ($20.00 at least every 90 days)

T-Mobile - T-Mobile To Go (Prepaid) -- average $8.33-$8.42 monthly ($100.00 at least every 365 days.)

Cingular - GoPhone (Prepaid) -- average $8.42-$9.75 monthly ($25.00 at least every 90 days.)



for ATT, Sprint, T-Mobile, or Verizon, because you need the unlimited text messaging, none of them are going to give you a plan for a price you wont bitch about (you are looking at $50+ for any of them after all the taxes and fees)

all with 2 year contracts

AT&T -- cheapest plan -- $39.99 (450 any time minutes w/ rollover, 5000 night and weekend minutes) then add texting (200 messages for $5, 1500 messages for $15, unlimited for $20) then add taxes, fees and shit and you are up over $70

Sprint -- cheapest plan -- $49.99 (450 anytime minutes, unlimited nights and weekends, unlimited texting) add taxes fees and shit and you are up around $55-$65ish

T-Mobile -- cheapest plan -- $39.99 (500 any time minutes, unlimited nights and weekends) then add texting (unlimited messages $10) then add taxes fees and shit and you are once again up around $55-65ish

Verizon -- cheapest plan -- $59.99 (450 anytime minutes, unlimited nights and weekends, unlimited texting) add in taxes fees and shit and you are sitting in the $75 area


you could also look at Pocket Wireless
they have a plan with unlimited any time minutes and texting for $35... add in taxes fees and shit and you are probly around $50 with no contract


here are all of the links you need

Cell Phones and Cell Phone Plans - Wireless from AT&T

Sprint - Direct Connect Walkie Talkie Phones & Coverage Map

Unsupported Browser <--- T-Mobile doent like my browser apparently lol

Cell Phones, 3G Smartphones, Mobile Service and Cell Phone Plans - Verizon Wireless

Unlimited Wireless - Pocket Communications


here is another site to look at... you can compare phones and plans side by side
Free Cell Phones with New Cell Phone Plans - Shop Deals from Wireless Carriers - Wirefly.com



there really isnt anything left to do but make your choice

the tmobile plan you have shown of 500 min for 39.99 is the even more plan, he can do a even more plus plan of 500 min and unlimited text for 39.99 and no contract but has to pay full price for a phone. or even a 500 min talk only on even plus plan for 29.99
Unsupported Browser
 
It was weird that each one but verizon had a base price + extra cost VS just being rolled all together making it seem higher from the get go.

How many txt des B need? Verizon use to offer a $10.00 txt plan for 250in 250out txt It's not listed but I dont think it ever was.

another option is to pay per txt, if he uses a lot of txt it could add up.
 
i have not read any of this thread som plz excuse me if it has been mentioned..
boost blows..they have shitty service in ct..i had them for a year..
now i just went to straight talk..
$45 a month..no contract.unlimited everything..text,talk,pic messaging and even web on alot of their phones..and i have service literally everywhere..
the phones however are pricy for higher end phones..go to walmart and check them out..
ive got the slide phone with full keyboard..cost me $100 but ive dropped it soo many times and nothing but the case has gotten kinicks in it...
overall i think straight talk will pay for itself over the time you use it
 
the tmobile plan you have shown of 500 min for 39.99 is the even more plan, he can do a even more plus plan of 500 min and unlimited text for 39.99 and no contract but has to pay full price for a phone. or even a 500 min talk only on even plus plan for 29.99
Unsupported Browser


good info thanks for pointing that out :thumbsup:
 
It was weird that each one but verizon had a base price + extra cost VS just being rolled all together making it seem higher from the get go.

How many txt des B need? Verizon use to offer a $10.00 txt plan for 250in 250out txt It's not listed but I dont think it ever was.

another option is to pay per txt, if he uses a lot of txt it could add up.

if you look again you will see that Sprint had it all in one too
ATT and T-Mobile required it to be added after
(T-Mobile also had their no contract plan that was pointed out to me above)

i was not biasing my post toward any specific carrier... i dont give a shit who he chooses...

i have Verizon currently... i know that i could get cheaper service elsewhere, but i also know that my coverage would suffer... so i am content paying extra and sticking with them...


as far as how many texts he needs... i dont know... i was simply working with what he has been saying...
he gets his server alerts sent to his phone, so if he is out and a server crashes he will know about it and can address it as he sees fit (if he is sleeping, all bets are off and the server is likely going to be down for 10 hours until he wakes up... :lmao: ) according to him a server crash can end up sending off several hundreds of text messages in a short amount of time, thus requiring unlimited text messages...
so its not that he is texting away like a 15 year old girl... its the alerts and notifications that he gets sent to him
 
The cheapest prepaid that I know of is Cricket Wireless. I have looked at their coverage area and they don't service much of CT. They have a $25 unlimited text/voice.

What I do is simple... I have an unlocked Tmobile G1, and I use it on the AT&T network. I spend...

$34 - 450 minutes with rollover
$30 - unlimited data and voice

With the new AT&T policy indicating all smartphones must pay 30 just for data... but within their guidelines, it does pertain to unlocked phones. So I pay 64+ tax for basically unlimited service but I had an existing contract.

I am sure you can get a prepaid sim and use it on the phone as well. The G1 is roughly 16 months old but it is still a solid Android phone.
 
The cheapest prepaid that I know of is Cricket Wireless. I have looked at their coverage area and they don't service much of CT. They have a $25 unlimited text/voice.

What I do is simple... I have an unlocked Tmobile G1, and I use it on the AT&T network. I spend...

$34 - 450 minutes with rollover
$30 - unlimited data and voice

With the new AT&T policy indicating all smartphones must pay 30 just for data... but within their guidelines, it does pertain to unlocked phones. So I pay 64+ tax for basically unlimited service but I had an existing contract.

I am sure you can get a prepaid sim and use it on the phone as well. The G1 is roughly 16 months old but it is still a solid Android phone.
Werd, love my G1. The only thing that sucks about using it with AT&T is that it can't access their 3G, so it's Edge only.
 
the problem with buying phones out right is that they are stupid expensive. the nexus 1 is over $500 without a contract. WAYYYYYYYYY more than i want to spend.

unlocked g1's are going for 150 used on ebay.

and then, i'm still stuck with a high phone plan for data useage.... so, it's just not in the cards right now, because i'm poor as fuck.

cricket is out, no service here.

there's really just nothing on the market that 100% cators to my needs in my price range, which sucks.
 
well u could always take my 4th line. i dont use it at all

its $10 a month with shared 1000 mins between me, wife and sis n law and we maybe use 500 mins of non my favs, it is a my faves plan so you would have 5 people u could call for unlimited, it also has unlimited text, and if you wanted data it would be another 25 on top of that for a total of 35 plus taxes, which would be $40 a month. and my wifes line is up for a upgrade, she has a g1 and doenst want to upgrade so i can get a new phone for a good price
 
I appreciate that offer, but i'd like a local number. i'd pretty much always be roaming. that's why they ask for your area code when you sign up, etc.

i actually asked the same thing to neonmike tonight. he's local and gets a discount through work and his wife is already on his plan, so i asked him to run some numbers and maybe add my as a kid to his family plan :D
 
if he dont help u out let me know. I can change the number to your area code and I get free roaming and LD and all that jazz its included in my plan, I have been with tmobile for some time so it wouldnt be a problem to get that done. i would just tell them the line is for my cousin in college out of state. or some bs like that.
 
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Well I was just saying what I did for my specific example. I was stuck in a contract with AT&T and I didnt want to spend 90+ on my Blackberry anymore. So I just got an unlocked phone and they no longer can charge me data. I just choose to spend the 10 bucks to take advantage of the apps and navigation.

I would suggest picking up an unlocked phone (prepaid phones suck) and just using it with the prvider of your choice. E outlined the basic plans but you also have to check for company discounts. Just a hint... Comcast offers 20% off your voice plan, and all they do it check for email verification. They recognize a home comcast.net email as an employee... so you can snag 20% off your bill..
 
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