• We’re currently investigating an issue related to the forum theme and styling that is impacting page layout and visual formatting. The problem has been identified, and we are actively working on a resolution. There is no impact to user data or functionality, this is strictly a front-end display issue. We’ll post an update once the fix has been deployed. Thanks for your patience while we get this sorted.

Are cell phone family plans better?

D

dude8604

Platinum Member
My family has 3 cell phones (planning on getting 1 more) and I'm wondering if it would be better to put them on a family plan.

Current phones:
1 - uses about 800 mins/month
2 - uses about 600-800 mins/month
3 - emergency phone (on prepaid now)
4 - will be an emergency phone

So it looks like we'll need over 1600 mins (maybe round it to 1800 or 2000). Is a family plan best? Either way, what deals can we get? Thanks.😎

---------------------- edit --------------------

I did some research on a few companies and found that T-mobile's family plan is the best for us. Here are my notes:

Line #1 - Dad (800 mins/month)
Line #2 - Mom (800 mins/month)
Line #3 - Phil (30 mins/month)
Line #4 - Laura (30 mins/month)

Cell phone providers:
AT&T:

*Family Local GSM Plan:
--------------------
free long distance
unlimited night and weekend
1000 mins mobile to mobile (unlimited with 2 yr. contract)
with 1 yr. contract
1900 shared anytime minutes - $99.99
3 additional phones - $59.97
total - $159.96/month
plus 3 x activation fee - $108
no activation fee with 2 yr. contract
free phones
$0.30/minute home
$0.69/minute roaming

total - $159.96/month
- $108 activation

*Separate Plans
---------------

Local Plan with 800 anytime:
unlimited night and weekend
unlimited mobile to mobile with 2 yr. contract
850 anytime minutes - $49.99/month
free activation with 2 yr. contract
x 2 $99.98/month

Local Plan with 45 anytime:
no night and weekend
no long distance
unlimited mobile to mobile with 2 yr. contract
45 anytime minutes - $19.99/month
free activation with 2 yr. contract
x 2 $39.98/month

total - $139.96/month
- $0 activation

T-Mobile:

*Family Time Plus Plan: (seems to be the best plan)
------------------------
with 1 yr. contract
free long distance
unlimited night and weekend
unlimited mobile to mobile
1600 shared anytime minutes - $99.99
2 additional phones - $20.00
total - $119.98/month
plus 2 x activation fee - $105
$0.35/minute
total - $119.98/month
- $105 activation
*Separate plans:
----------------------
Get More 1000 Plan:
free long distance
unlimited night and weekend
1000 anytime minutes - $39.99
x 2 - $79.98/month
activation fee - $35.00
x 2 - $70.00

Basic Plan:
free long distance
unlimited night and weekend
60 anytime minutes - $19.99
x 2 - $39.98/month
activation fee - $35.00
x 2 - $70.00

total - $119.96/month
- $140.00 activation

Cingular:

*Cingular Nation FamilyTalk 1700
--------------------------
with 2 yr. contract
rollover minutes
no night and weekend
free long distance
5000 mobile to mobile minutes
1700 anytime minutes - $99.99
3 additional phones - $59.97
activation fee - $42.00
total - $159.96/month
- $42.00 activation

*Separate Plans
--------------------
Region 800 with rollover:
free long distance
5000 night and weekend
no mobile to mobile
800 anytime minutes - $49.98/month
activation fee - $36.00
x 2 - $99.98/month

Region 50:
free long distance
no night and weekend
no mobile to mobile
50 anytime minutes - $19.99/month
activation fee - $36.00
x 2 - $39.98/month
total - $139.96/month
- $144 activation
 
I am not aware of any FPs that offer more than 1600 minutes a month. T-Mobile offers 1600 anytime minutes for $99.99 for the first two lines, thereafter it is $9.99 per additional line. Along with the 1600 minutes you also get unlimited nights, weekends, long distance, and roaming.
 
No family plans are best for those that don't use a lot of minutes. You're best off adding the 4th on a prepaid plan.
 
What exactly is an emergency phone? ONLY 911? If so, cancel the service on those phones, ALL phones will dial 911 with/without service to it.
 
I suggest to check out the Asian cellular reseller stores in your area. Usually with new activations, you can get yourself all new phones and some cash back, or if you can reuse your old phones (GSM), then you can rake in rebates upwards to $200 a line.
 
Not if you get a 21% discount on regular plans. 😉 They don't offer discounted family plans with Verizon. :| Besides, family share plans are always risky if they intend to use a lot of the minutes... always watching your back.
 
Are you sure you will need that many minutes, if you have unlimited family phone to family phone minutes. Most family plans offer unlimited calling between family phones. That being said, I too am searching for the best family plan and its a tough call between att and t-mobile in my area.
 
Well, if a lot of the minutes are used calling other phones in the plan, it could still be a good deal because those minutes are "free" and do not deduct from your anytime minutes so you'd be fine with 1600 or possibly less depending on your calling patterns. You can often get family plans with unlimited nights and weekends these days, which are also "free" minutes.

Some providers give you free mobile-to-mobile even if you're not on a family plan, but family plans are usually cheaper than going with individual plans.
 
I would say a family plan is ideal if your situation is similiar to ours:

- You only need 2 cell phones (3 would be ok I guess)
- You call each other a lot, I have to call her she's my wife 😛 this is where FREE CELL TO CELL minutes really help
- I make more calls than she does, so we have a "pool" of minutes to use. Whatever she doesn't use, I use if that makes sense.
 
Originally posted by: xchangx
What exactly is an emergency phone? ONLY 911? If so, cancel the service on those phones, ALL phones will dial 911 with/without service to it.
Click to expand...

No, its for more than 911. Probably 20-30 mins a month.
 
My family's Sprint plan has 5 people (me, mother, father, grandparents) and we get 2500 anytime/month, free long distance, and unlimited nights and weekends.
 
We have 3 phones on our family share plan with Verizon. We get 400 anytime, unlimited nights and weekends, and unlimited among the phones for $80/month. It's a $40 plan and my mom and I were on it for $60/month. My brother just got a cell and got on for another $20/month. We come nowhere near using even the 400 anytime minutes so it works out very well for us.
 
My friend has Tmobile family plan and I was told I can buy any phone and plan from Amazon.com and I simply call Tmobile to have them add the new phone in the family plan and the new plan is cancelled without penalty. Is this true?
 
Originally posted by: erwin1978
My friend has Tmobile family plan and I was told I can buy any phone and plan from Amazon.com and I simply call Tmobile to have them add the new phone in the family plan and the new plan is cancelled without penalty. Is this true?
Click to expand...

Yes. I just did it, left the single plan in place for a month before turning in the rebates. T-Mobile does make the new plan's contract on the day you change over, so it's a year from when you call them that your contract expires.


dude8604, how many mobile to mobile minutes do you think you'll use?
 
Originally posted by: erwin1978
Is there any other fee from Tmobile besides the added $10 per month for the new line?
Click to expand...

AFAIK there's not. I think there are a few dollars in taxes per line though.
 
Is Amazon.com the only one who practices this? Like when you sign up for a new plan, you get the phone at a discounted price and yet you can have Tmobile add your new phone to a family plan while the new plan gets cancelled and you don't have to pay Amazon.com the retail value of the phone for cancelling the plan.

I was wondering if I can do this with other retailers like buy.com.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

TRENDING THREADS

Back
Top