Cell Phone Pay as You GO

[Auggie]

I'm really starting to get annoyed with my cell phone. My wife went in a few weeks ago to renew her contract and purchase a new phone and we found out you no longer purchase a phone, but lease one. I'm ready to switch to a TracFone, Straight Talk or what ever pay as you go plan. Anyone use one of these services? Looking at the prices, I should save $50/month.
Curious how reception is. I'm in Minot, but travel all over the state on regular basis.

 

[scrotcaster]

I use Straight Talk and will never go back. $45 bucks a month and just as good service as AT&T that i previously had..

 

[Bfishn]

I'm going on my 3rd year on Straight Talk with no issues. I have several family members on it as well. Last year around Christmas they had a deal going. I bought another year for $485 after taxes, basically $40 month. Unlimited calling, texting, 5G of data (they slow you down after 5G).

 

[ItemB]

Straight Talk or Cricket wireless if you go to a pay per month would be my chooses of carriers. But you have to still buy a phone for full price or activate your current phone with them. The only drawback to some with straight talk and cricket is your data speeds will be slower vs say att or verizon. I actually like not having a contract you don't have to buy your phone from att you can buy a phone online as long as it works on att's network and activate and use then your not stuck to a contract. Those payments plans that att and verizon have for phones you pay full retail price for the phone. Look online the last couple phones I have had I bought from www.swappa.com, if you don't need the latest and greatest you can buy last years model for a pretty good price.
I am still with ATT have 5 people on the plan and ends up being a decent deal

 

[deleted member]

i was a straight talk fan. still am. switched back to verizon though last year because of a work issue. we all got phones that are being paid on the plan. as soon as that contract is up, i am taking those phones and going back to straight talk.

 

[5575]

Last year I threatened Verizon that we were dropping them and they cut our family plan bill in half just like that....for one fricken year. Now it's back to $250 again and I'm sick of it! I called and they told me to call back each month and within 3 months the 50% off plan will be back again...what a crock. Our phones are all out of contract, we'll be going to straight talk as well.

 

[Davy Crockett]

I switched to tracfone when they ran a special that included Triple Minutes for life and I am verry happy with the money I save .

Now the bad part, Tracfone goes by a map to determine what carrier works best for you, In my neck of the woods Verizon is the only carrier that will work in my house so I got online and searched what tracfone models use Verizon and called Tracfone directly and ordered those particular phones so I knew I would get it right the first time and guess what , They sent AT&T phones .

Boy I was pissed, Activated them and tried but they wouldn't work in the house and that is where the fun began. Customer service was on the other side of the world and could barely speak English. The Engineers were dumfounded , All they could say is the phones should work and were trying to troubleshoot the problem and would not take my advice that I NEED Verizon for a carrier. What a circus, I finally got ahold of a floor supervisors, supervisor's supervisor that could speak our language fluently and DEMANDED again that they send me phones that ran off Verizon towers and they finally got it right.
The model number on the phones were the same but the letter behind the number determines that phones carrier if I remember right. If you have good coverage with all carriers then it should be a non issue I'm guessing I was one of the few with this problem that stems from living out in the boondocks.

With triple minutes I estimate that I save around $ 80 per month compared to having two Verizon flip phones, Plus now I have smartphones.

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PS, I don't use my phone much at all, If you use a lot of minutes then unlimited minute plans might be a better option but I think I pay like $ 120 per year.

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per phone

 

[Muzzytipped]

When using Pre-pay plans you have last priority on the towers and switches. If going with pre-pay get a Verizon pre-pay plan from VERIZON OR ATT. You will then have the same priority on the towers as their regular customers. I sold for both ATT and Verizon for 15 years and my neighbor builds towers for Verizon. I know this priority thing to be the TRUTH.
I have Verizon Pre-pay at $45/month with unlimited voice/text and 3.5 gigs with automatic payment by credit card. Been using this for 3 years with a Droid and have never had to call customer service. I think I have had to turn my phone OFF/ON three times in all the years to fix little clitches.
You can use your old Verizon smart phones also.

 

[ItemB]

If you guys work for a bigger company, belong to certain unions or organizations, work in certain fields, etc. You can call and see if you qualify for a discount usually around 10-20%. I know if you belong to the IBEW union you get 15% off every month

 

[Newgard]

Auggie, just because you drive a Yar-Craft doesn't mean everything you own has to be cut rate. With your job and travel you wouldn't be satisfied with any of the Pre-Pay products available. There is a reason why the major providers cost what they do. You are paying for quality service and getting quality service along with customer service over the phone or in a store when needed also. Walmart can't figure out how to keep more than 3 tills open throughout the day, good luck with your cell phone service/network!!

Like everything else in life you get what your pay for. Buy nice or buy twice. Quality only hurts the first time you purchase.

In regards to the leasing of equipment it is less expensive than purchasing the old traditional way of a 2 year contract. Once the device is paid off you only pay for the monthly access of $20.

 

[Redneck1]

I've had straight talk for 3 yrs n no issues at all with reception even while ice fishing on Lake darling. But I've had to call their customer svs a few times n you are passed around the world to a few people who don't spk english.

 

[deleted___account]

If you plan on using it for phone calls and text only go ahead. If you need to use the phone for business purposes(apps, internet, anything business) get ready for a nightmare. I've tried the straight talk stuff. I'll pay $900 a month for ATT and a normal smartphone with full capabilities before I ever think about going back to pre-paid garbage.

 

[Wild and Free]

Wife has had straight talk $45 unlimited data plan for a couple of years now with no issues other than her getting the cheapest smart phone that came with the plan when she signed up which she is going to replace here shortly. Signal and coverage has been excellent all over the usa.
She streams music all the time and on the weekends we have it streaming all day for a couple days on the pontoon and it has never let us down or lost signal on the big lake or river.

 

[frozen4sioux]

Anyone using straight talk is basically lining Obamas pocket.

Straight Talk is owned by America Movíl, which is Carlos Slim.
The slimiest Mexican billionaire that contributes millions to the Obama team and just so happens provides the service for the Obama phone.

Do your research on who you're supporting with that "GREAT" $45 a month plan.

 

[Wild and Free]

Anyone using straight talk is basically lining Obamas pocket.

Straight Talk is owned by America Movíl, which is Carlos Slim.
The slimiest Mexican billionaire that contributes millions to the Obama team and just so happens provides the service for the Obama phone.

Do your research on who you're supporting with that "GREAT" $45 a month plan.

One can pick apart every single corporate business on the planet if you look at it that way. You will not find one that doesn't support a crooked politician in some way shape or form, it's the way the world runs now like it or not because the baby boomer legion was asleep at the wheel for 30 years and let things slip into what we have now.

 

[frozen4sioux]

Anyone using straight talk is basically lining Obamas pocket.

Straight Talk is owned by America Movíl, which is Carlos Slim.
The slimiest Mexican billionaire that contributes millions to the Obama team and just so happens provides the service for the Obama phone.

Do your research on who you're supporting with that "GREAT" $45 a month plan.