Best "Pay As You Go" Cell Phone Service? (Vanity)

k2 | 9.7.2005 | k2

[k2blader]

Any FReepers use "pay as you go" cell phone services?

If so, what is the best?

I'm interested in having a cell phone for emergencies and for trips to the mainland (so it'd have to be able to work nationwide), but I don't want to be tied to a contract or regular monthly fee.

Right now I'm with Verizon Wireless, but I use my cell so infrequently (10-20 minutes on average/month) that the $25 monthly cost is just not worth it.

[k2blader]

Any suggestions/recommendations would be greatly appreciated.. :o)

[speed_addiction]

I use a Tracfone. The phone was $100, it came with 20 minutes. I use less than a hundred minutes a month. 200 minutes cost about $39.

You have to buy time every three months or you lose service. I have no problems, it works anywhere. Have been using this for 2 years and I pretty much like it.


What We Are About To Do Here Is What The Good Lord Would Call A Cleansing of the Wicked. I Call It A Good Old Fashioned Texas Ass Kicking.

[ZGuy]

My sister in law uses TracPhone. We're switching over to T-Mobile in a week or two. You may have a problem with either system though, because I believe the covered areas for the prepaid phones are nowhere's near as comprehensive as for regular cellular phones.

We live in a major metropolitan area so the coverage for us will be fine for how we'll use it, but when we travel we take my regular work cell phone which has full coverage.

For how we'll use the prepaid phone, our bill should be around $5/month instead of the $24/month we're now paying.

[Maximus of Texas]

[ZGuy]

Oh yes, with T-mobile, the minutes are good for 1 year (once you have spent $100 in minutes) but they actually last forever since your expiration date changes to the new date whenever you buy more minutes. The phone costs around $40 at Costco and comes with 60 minutes. Buying a thousand minutes for $100 = 10 cents a minute, but the minutes are more expensive if you buy them in smaller increments.

[k2blader]

Thank you for posting!

Tracfone is actually what I've been thinking of getting. I liked what I saw on their website but figured it'd be good to get first hand input like yours. :-)

[FateAmenableToChange]

I use verizon prepay. $15 bucks per month gets you about 2 hours of talk time.

[k2blader]

I'm kinda worried about the coverage issue. I'd hate to buy a Tracfone only to find out the phone can't connect when I need it to..

[Roses0508]

I have one of those unlimited minutes, unlimited long distance LOCAL cell phones. So when I travel I use a Tracfone.

I bought a years time coverage which came with 400 minutes or something and then doubles your minutes each time you add minutes. So you get 12 months time plus the minutes. Then when you add minutes, you get additional time, plus double the minutes.

Coverage almost everywhere but poor in the mountains of NC around Ashville and Black Mountain, but then fancier systems drop their coverage there also. So far I'm pleased with it. Its certainly inexpensive and in the South you can buy additional minutes at Wal-Mart, gas stations, grocery stores, drugs stores - practically anywhere.

You can conserve minutes by text messaging - you know arrival times, flight times, I'm stuck in traffic, etc to make it really economical.

[k2blader]

Hahaha ;-P

[k2blader]

I like the thought of buying time for a whole year. No having to remember to buy more every month or every 3 months, etc.

[k2blader]

Wow, sounds good. Thanks for the info.

So far only thumbs up votes on Tracfone. :-)

[politicalwit]

take a look at http://www.net10.com

pre-paid phone...division of Tracfone

[k2blader]

Thank you! :o)

[Samwise]

I can't recommend Net 10 at all. Here are some of the problems my daughter's friend has had:

The customer service agents speak English as a second language.

He fought with them for two or three weeks when a card in his new phone went out.

He has to purchase minutes every month.

The smallest amount he can buy is 300 minutes for $30.

If he forgets to buy a card before the month is up, he loses any minutes he has left and his phone number is changed when he reactivates the phone.

[k2blader]

Yikes. Thanks for sharing..

[politicalwit]

I'll take your word on that. I've just seen their advertisements..can't provide an endorsement. I did notice that Net10 and Tracfone are owned by the same Mexico based company.

[not_apathetic_anymore]

I'm in the same situation as you...I don't use my minutes and am sick of a 50.00 a month wireless bill after all the fees etc are added.

I've been looking at Virgin wireless. (Sprint network leased to Virgin) What looks good to me is you can sign up for an auto plan where it'll add 15.00 a a crack to your bill and you work against that, once you get down to 5.00 - whether a day later or a month later it'll add another 15.00.

They will 15.00 at least once every 3 months whether you use the minutes or not, but I figure that's 5.00 a month (it's billed at .25 a min for the first 10 minutes a day) so my 20 minutes a month just about equals that 5.00.

I like that you don't have to keep track of how many minutes are left, and if you have a busy month and use all 15 minutes it keeps up with usage.

My hesitation...around here sprint apparently has a more dropped calls etc. and 2) you can't roam. So if you leave sprint area, you're out of luck.

I'll look at some of the other suggestions that have been made though

[Samwise]

the same Mexico based company

Well, that explains the language problems. :^)

[wjersey]

Tracfone has a deal in my area - Free phone, one year service, 250 minutes - $94.98

http://www.tracfone-orders.com/direct/tr/itemdetl.jsp?prod=2611&tech=TOGSM4&techzip=08097