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Post by rmtvbrooks on May 18, 2011 10:03:28 GMT -5
I need some input. I'm sick to death of paying Verizon Wireless the obscene amount of money I'm paying them every month. It seems like every time I turn around, there's a new "fee" or charge. Even with a discount, I'm paying about $170 for 3 phones. Even the early termination fees would pay for themselves in about six months.
So, I've been investigating prepaid plans. Here's what I need:
A good phone for me with plenty of minutes for long distance calls (no LD on my landline) and plenty of allowance for texts
A good phone for DD with LOTS of allowance for texts (she's 12...need I say more?!)
A basic phone that allows short calls for DS--he only uses his cell to call me when he gets home from school (he is 13 but has developmental delays--I can always upgrade him later)--no need for texts
My research has narrowed me down to 3 companies:
Virgin Mobile = $25 plan for each of us allows 300 minutes of cell use and unlimited texts, email, web
Straight Talk = $30 for each of us allows 1000 minutes, 1000 texts, 100 MB data (my parents have this and have never been able to get the data working)
Page Plus Cellular = $10 card for DS (100 minutes, only have to renew every 120 days), $29.95 each for me and DD = 1200 minutes, 2000 texts, 100 MB data
Straight Talk and Page Plus have a MUCH better coverage area than Virgin Mobile, but Virgin is the only one to have any android phones (I love my Android phone, but will give it up if necessary). I'm considering a mixture of Page Plus for DS and either VM or ST for DD and me. I may get a modem from VM so I can occasionally purchase Broadband2GO for when we travel. The main reason I'm hesitant to give my Android phone is that I can find information when we travel if needed. But, if I buy the modem and just get the Broadband as needed, I could use my laptop without any trouble to get the information I need when traveling. Definitely cheaper than keeping my Verizon plan.
If any of you have experience with any of these companies, I'd love the feedback. I know I can cancel any of them at any time since they are prepaid, but I don't want to continually switch all the time because of the investment in the phones themselves. Any feedback will be appreciated!
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busymom
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Post by busymom on May 18, 2011 11:05:13 GMT -5
I got a good deal at Verizon for a prepaid phone for 1 of my kids (a non-texter--I was thinking of your son here). I got a good (but inexpensive) phone, and paid $100 for a years-worth of minutes (my kid doesn't call a lot either. prefers the internet). It beats paying $25 a month, or whatever the "cheap" monthly rates are now. In our area, Verizon provides the best coverage area, compared to the competition. Plus my kids phone has one of those "locater" things in it.
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luckyme
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Post by luckyme on May 18, 2011 13:14:58 GMT -5
I and my two kids have T-Mobile, pay as you go. I get the 1000 minutes for the year for a $100 each, so $300 plus tax.
DS doesn't use the text, so that is fine. I don't either, so I am fine. DD wishes she had text, but life is tough, she doesn't need it and I'm not paying for a phone plan just so she can play.
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Post by rmtvbrooks on May 18, 2011 13:54:44 GMT -5
laralei: Thanks for the T-Mobile suggestion. They have more flexibility in their plans. I want DD to have texting because sometimes she texts me as well (there are times I'm at a place where I can't take a call, but I can receive a text). Their $30 plan for 1500 minutes/texts (any combination of the two that totals 1500) sounds perfect for DD and for me based on our past usage. I can also get just a basic, calls-only phone for DS while staying with the same company (probably do the 1000 minutes for whole year for him). Their coverage is quite a bit better than Virgin Mobile's, too. Definitely adding that one to the list of choices...though that list seems to be getting longer instead of shorter!
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Bluerobin
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Post by Bluerobin on May 18, 2011 14:43:24 GMT -5
Check out Net 10. You pay for what you get. Minimum is 150 minutes for $15.00 a month. You can get more as needed. Might be a good way to limit DD if you want to.
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Post by rmtvbrooks on May 18, 2011 14:56:01 GMT -5
OK, you guys are supposed to be helping me NARROW my choices, not adding to the list! LOL
I'll definitely research all these options. Right now, after the research I've done today, I'm leaning toward either Straight Talk or T-Mobile. Straight Talk has a slightly better coverage area, but T-Mobile has better flexibility in plans that I could tailor to the individual needs of my kids. I'm kind of leaning toward T-Mobile so I can keep it all with the same company; plus I like the idea of doing the 1000 minutes for DS and just forget about it until the following year. I'm not in a rush because my billing cycle for Verizon just started over, so I just want to decide by middle of June.
Keep the opinions coming...someone might say something that really helps cinch the decision.
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Anne_in_VA
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Post by Anne_in_VA on May 18, 2011 15:43:20 GMT -5
I had T-Mobile a few years ago and loved them. I liked that I could tailor the plan to how my usage was and didn't have to get a "bundled" plan if I didn't want one and they were pretty cheap too.
When DH put me on his plan, we got lots more minutes, but no texting on the plan. I do text DIL and a few others, so some months it's a bit more. I don't like this plan and really wish he would move to T-Mobile, cut he's been with this company for a long time and won't switch. Aarghh!
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Post by rmtvbrooks on May 18, 2011 15:45:28 GMT -5
Anne, how did you find T-Mobile's customer service to be? I don't anticipate needing it often with a prepaid plan, but just in case, I'm curious if they were helpful or not.
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Anne_in_VA
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Post by Anne_in_VA on May 18, 2011 15:51:05 GMT -5
Since it's been several years since I used them, I don't really remember, but it was probably pretty good or I would have remembered a really bad incident or terrible customer service.
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schildi
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Post by schildi on May 18, 2011 18:00:04 GMT -5
You can pretty much say that: Straight talk = Tracfone = net 10: they use T-Mobile, AT&T or Verizon as carrier. Virgin Mobile uses Sprint. Page Plus uses Verizon as carrier.
That should help to determine coverage in your area.
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Post by ty on May 18, 2011 18:08:05 GMT -5
I heard and read stories on thr iNet that NNet10 and Tracfone are crappy companies. People complaining about losing service, not getting any service and then being treated like crap by customer service.
As ne person on the net said about Net10, you get what you pay for. Cheap phones, cheap service!
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Post by gsbrq on May 18, 2011 21:10:57 GMT -5
I have used Virgin for the last 8 years or so and have been very pleased with them. Both my nieces have the $25/month plan; works great for them since they text & check FB a lot, and there are no limits on texting/data.
I always hear people say the coverage isn't very good, but I have never had a problem with it.
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schildi
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Post by schildi on May 18, 2011 21:24:48 GMT -5
I am using tracfone. For my usage pattern, there is no way to beat the price. We pay just under $10 (total) for three phones. I've used tracfone for 3 years now, no problems. What's nice with them is that you can actually choose between ATT, T-Mobile & Verizon coverage. Another big advantage with tracfone is how they let you transfer airtime and minutes between phones online. This makes it very easy to take advantage of their special offers and perks, thus lowering the cost even more.
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schildi
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Post by schildi on May 18, 2011 21:27:04 GMT -5
I have used Virgin for the last 8 years or so and have been very pleased with them. Both my nieces have the $25/month plan; works great for them since they text & check FB a lot, and there are no limits on texting/data. I always hear people say the coverage isn't very good, but I have never had a problem with it. Virgin Mobile uses Sprint as the only carrier, so if where you want to use it there is Sprint coverage, you'll be fine. In general, the people who say that are probably right because I don't think Sprint has the best coverage of the wireless carriers. There is no such thing as a "Virgin Mobile Network".
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Post by gsbrq on May 18, 2011 23:07:33 GMT -5
Yes, I know that Virgin uses Sprint's network. My point is that coverage may still be perfectly adequate despite being less comprehensive than that of other carriers....just depends on where you'll be using the phone.
I've used my phone all around Texas and in 6 or 7 other states without problems.
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Post by gsbrq on May 18, 2011 23:15:33 GMT -5
I am using tracfone. For my usage pattern, there is no way to beat the price. We pay just under $10 (total) for three phones. Wow, that's really cheap; can you explain how you get service for 3 phones for that price? I thought I was doing well to get two for $10/month.
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schildi
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Post by schildi on May 19, 2011 0:22:08 GMT -5
I am using tracfone. For my usage pattern, there is no way to beat the price. We pay just under $10 (total) for three phones. Wow, that's really cheap; can you explain how you get service for 3 phones for that price? I thought I was doing well to get two for $10/month. It's too much to go into all the details here, it took me a lot of research and reading. Try Howard Forums as a starting point. (I could write pages and pages about that)
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runewell
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Post by runewell on May 19, 2011 11:51:27 GMT -5
I use the T-Mobile plan, the 1,000 minutes per year get me through the year and only cost $100.
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alabamagal
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Post by alabamagal on May 19, 2011 12:10:23 GMT -5
Have you tried to talk to Verizon and see if there is any way to lower the cost? I don't have Verizon, but have always been able to call mine to see if they have a better deal, sometimes they do and sometimes they don't.
I would look at the numbers very carefully. My impression is that pre-paid is better for low users, maybe just your son. With Verizon the cost of your phone is basically rolled into the cost, so if you change phones every 2 years and use lots of minutes, their type of plan usually works better. You could be looking at several hundred dollars in upfront costs for new phones, plus early termination fees. Seems like it would be hard to get enough savings to cover all that.
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mthistory
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Post by mthistory on May 19, 2011 17:10:14 GMT -5
We use Straight Talk and really like it. We use to be Tracfone customers, but we both text too much and decided to get rid of our land line. The $30 plan is closer to $33 with taxes. When we first started with Straight Talk I read a lot of reviews about how horrible their customer service is, but DH has had to call them several times and he has always gotten through quickly, never got someone outside the country, and they always fixed the problem quick. The problems he has are generally due to him not do the updates. We have been very happy with the plan and service.
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mthistory
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Post by mthistory on May 19, 2011 17:12:20 GMT -5
Sorry I forgot to add: Straight Talk has a $45 a month unlimited plan if you end up needing more minutes/texts. Straight Talk phones range from $30 to $140 depending on what you want it to do.
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