Best Prepaid Cell Service?

[GWestphal]

I just dropped ATT and am currently using only google voice, but I would like to get a prepaid phone that I can use for forwarding calls when I don't have internet access.

I'm thinking of getting about 1000 mins and that should last me about a year. If I could get some data that would be great too, but I could survive without it. Smart phone would be preferred but I can survive with a dumb phone too.

Who's got the best deals?

 

[kia75]

Virgin mobile has a plan with unlimited Text and Data for $35. You only get 300 mnutes a month though, but for me its plenty. The optimus v is a Droid phone for $150, this is what I use and I love it.

Net10 would be the cheapest option, you can get a phone + 300 minutes for $30. The phone is extremely basic, but it works. This is what I used before Virgin, and I was paying $30 every two months.

 

[murphy55d]

I'm really considering moving to Boost Mobile, which is the Sprint network. For $50/mo, you get unlimited calls, texts and data. Then, after 6, 12, and 18 months of on-time payment, your monthly cost goes down $5 each time, with it ending up $35 after 18 months of on-time use.

They even have (low-mid end) android smartphones, a few blackberries, and some Nokia smartphones.

You can also use a number of Sprint branded-phones, including the HTC Touch pro2, which is what I want to do once my Verizon ETF is a little lower.

I've been looking at them all and if you want data, it seems that's the best one. If you just want calls and texts, I think Straight Talk or PagePlus are good choices too. I know ST uses Verizon's network which is a big plus, too.

 

[blinblue]

For just plain minutes T-Mobile has 1000 minutes a year for $100 ($100 refill cards can be had for as little as $90). Any unlocked GSM phone, or a T-Mobile locked GSM phone will work (they also have pretty cheap phones you can buy new too if you want).

Another option would be Page Plus (which runs off of Verizon's network) which for about $25 every 120 days gives you 1200 minutes for the year. So a total of 3*25=$75 for a year. Again the refill cards can be had at a slight discount. Any Verizon phone can be ported in as long as it isn't a Verizon Prepaid phone (unless it has had service for something like 6 months).

If you want data in any meaningful amount expect to pay around $30/month. The two best plans in my opinion for data are either Virgin Mobile or Page Plus.

Virgin Mobile for $35/month (used to be $25 a month) gives you 300 minutes and unlimited text and data. This runs off of Sprint's non-roaming network, so not as expansive as Verizon's, but if you stay to fairly populated areas you'll be fine. You are required to have a Virgin Mobile branded phone, however there are a few decent Android smartphones (LG Optimus, and the Motorola Triumph, and to a lesser extent the Samsung Intercept) that you can get. I believe they recently changed the data so that after 2GB (or maybe 5GB) it slows down your download speed. Again you can get a slight discount (and no taxes) on refill cards if you buy online (callingmart.com is who I use).

Page Plus also has a $29.95/month plan that gives 1200 minutes, 3000 texts, and 100MB of data a month. Again it runs off of Verizon's network and you can bring in any Verizon phone (the LG Ally can be had for around $80 used and is actually pretty nice smartphone)

So those are the plans that I have had experience with, and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend any of them. There may be more plans that better suit your needs, but these are the ones I'm familiar with.

And welcome to the world of prepaid, its wonderful. Cheaper monthly rates, no silly taxes and fees, no contract. For like 90% of people's needs a prepaid plan is cheaper and better than a postpaid plan.

 

[Spikesoldier]

in b4 government welfare cell phone

its teh best.

its pre-paid by the taxpayers!

 

[nitrous9200]

I use Page Plus and for $30 a month I get 1200 minutes, 3000 texts and 100MB of data. They run off of Verizon's network, meaning very good service in general, and I could keep using my existing phone (original Droid). They also offer traditional prepaid plans, like $25 for 400 minutes (only valid for 120 days though) or $80 for 2000 minutes (good for one year). The $80 plan sounds like it would fit your needs best.

I would recommend going through a dealer if you plan on signing up, since PP's service has generally been regarded as subpar (though I have never dealt with them directly so I don't know how true this is). Unless it's against the rules to do so, kittywireless.com is the dealer I use and they are great. I'm very happy with the service though and I think PP is definitely underrated and not well known, which is too bad because they offer great value.

Looks like a lot of other posts got in before me but I should mention that you can use any Verizon phone (Except the iPhone 4). The original Moto Droid is a great phone in my opinion and my dad got one for $100 in almost perfect condition on eBay (I think it was refurbished).

Back when I was still on VZW postpaid I was looking at Virgin Mobile or Boost, which look like very nice plans though I'm not sure how their coverage is in general, which is an area I knew VZW excelled (and by extension, Page Plus would as well) and I also didn't have to spend $150+ on a new phone, but it sounds like you would have to do that anyway if you were on AT&T.

 

[DaveSimmons]

I don't use a cell much so I have t-mobile and a $25 Samsung dumb phone (that came with $25 worth of minutes). I pay $10 every 3 months for more minutes, and unused minutes roll over.

Service has been good the few times I've used it for voice and text.

As blinblue mentioned, you can pay $100 up front for 1,000 minutes and then they don't expire for a year. After that you are in their gold club and $10 purchases every (6 months?) roll over your unused minutes.

This does assume that the AT&T takeover stays blocked.

 

[SKORPI0]

Like mentioned earlier use Page Plus via Kitty Wireless. Sometimes they have a promo for free activation ($10 fee). You can also now choose the area code for the phone.

Reactivated my Samsung SCH-u740 and got the $80 (2000 minute/1 year) plan. Used to pay Verizon $70/month (450 minutes/month) but I barely used it, sometimes 20 minutes. Dropped them 2 years ago. I don't need texting/internet through a phone. Just for emergencies when I'm on the road.

You might also like to look at Net10.com. They also have Samsung T401G (reconditoned) with 750 minutes/30 day for $25.

 

[waffleironhead]

Look at the tracfone deals. The phone options are limited and vary by market, but the more expensive phones are double and triple minute phones.

A 400 minute card with 1yr of service is ~$99
A triple minute phone is 59.99(sammy t404g)
so for $158.99 you get 1200 minutes/one year service.

 

[FelixDeCat]

Tmobile. After $100 of refills, minutes are good for 1 year with no other charges.

 

[FelixDeCat]

...

 

[lxskllr]

I like Net10. I don't use a phone much, so $30 gets me 2 months of service(300 minutes), and I always have a ton of minutes left over.

 

[tfinch2]

Have 2 phones on Virgin Mobile $45/month plan. No complaints.

 

[TwiceOver]

Another for PagePlus. Bring your smartphone and pay $80/yr 2000 minutes. Data is spendy though so you'll want to turn that off. Or the TNT1200 plan, with discounts I pay $28.14 for 1200/2000/100MB per month. 90% of my life is spent around wifi so that fact + droidwall keeps me well within the 100mb.

Ignore all the activation crap. You can call PP directly and everything is free, or use pageplusdirect.com and activate for free directly from the site.

 

[Ms. DICKINSON]

I'm looking to move too. ATT just kicked me out of their "grandfathered plan," which I paid 30$ for 450mins and unlimited early nights/weekends. I also get free incoming txts, good for GV forwarding on my iPhone.

Now the new SIM can detect my iPhone and will force smartphone data plan. I have the 40$ 450minutes, 5000 nights/weekends and 20 cents for incoming/outgoing text. The Virgin mobile plan y'all suggested fits my use. I'll port my 8 yrs cell number with ATT to google and get a new number from Virgin.

 

[zinfamous]

is there a nice cohesive site where I can compare spectrum and band info amongst all these pre-paid services?

I'm trying to marry a nice, new, unlocked phone with potential cheap-o prepaid services. I have failed google-fu.

 

[SunnyD]

T-Mo. $100 for 1000 minutes, Gold Rewards, Doesn't expire for 1 year (at the Golds rewards level). Internet for $1.49/24-hours when you need it.

 

[manly]

for light use, AT&T GoPhone is not that bad. Like T-Mobile, you get a simple 10c/min calling rate. A small advantage is it's not tiered (for T-Mo, you have to initially buy in $100 to get Gold status), so you can get started for $25. If you have a post-paid plan, it's a simple matter at the corporate store to switch to pre-paid and keep the number.

Subjectively, their data plans are not attractive. However, again for light use it's not too bad. I think 500MB is $25/mo. but you can roll unused MB forward for $5/mo (on the lower data tier). Amortized for a typical user (roughly 150MB/mo.), you're looking at about $12/mo. Although iPhones are not officially supported, just don't tell the store rep; I've never heard of any iPhone being booted off the network.

Coverage is the same crappy service everyone knows & hates. Both T-Mo & GoPhone refills are 10% off on CallingMart almost every month.

 

[nitrous9200]

is there a nice cohesive site where I can compare spectrum and band info amongst all these pre-paid services?

I'm trying to marry a nice, new, unlocked phone with potential cheap-o prepaid services. I have failed google-fu.

Well if you've got an unlocked phone, that narrows it down to GSM carriers, so either AT&T or T-Mobile (I think you know that, but that leaves out VZW/Sprint based carriers). I'm not sure how much you know already but I think this should cover everything:

Make sure if you are looking into MVNOs - companies like H20 Wireless or Simple Mobile that don't own their own networks - find out whose network they're running on. H20 uses AT&T and Simple Mobile uses T-Mobile so if you're looking for 3G, you'll need a phone that's compatible - AT&T's 3G bands are the standard 850/1900 while T-Mobile uses AWS (1700/2100 I believe) which is hard to find in a phone that isn't branded. But any unlocked phone will work on either one for calling/SMS use.

 

[zinfamous]

Well if you've got an unlocked phone, that narrows it down to GSM carriers, so either AT&T or T-Mobile (I think you know that, but that leaves out VZW/Sprint based carriers). I'm not sure how much you know already but I think this should cover everything:

Make sure if you are looking into MVNOs - companies like H20 Wireless or Simple Mobile that don't own their own networks - find out whose network they're running on. H20 uses AT&T and Simple Mobile uses T-Mobile so if you're looking for 3G, you'll need a phone that's compatible - AT&T's 3G bands are the standard 850/1900 while T-Mobile uses AWS (1700/2100 I believe) which is hard to find in a phone that isn't branded. But any unlocked phone will work on either one for calling/SMS use.

yeah, that's what I'm looking for. But i think you mentioned first that with unlocked phones, they won't work on any of these cheap pre-pay services, like Virgin, which I think is Sprint?

the international SGS2, which I am looking at more directly, will not work on T-Mobile. I don't think I want T-Mobile's version when it comes out. :\

 

[vailr]

Best "bang for the buck" (for a low monthly minutes "feature" cell phone) is probably: buy a used Verizon phone off eBay, then activate with Page Plus prepaid.
Note: Double-check that the phone has a "clean ESN", before buying.
Either that, or: check Big Lots stores for a brand new prepaid Verizon feature phone, and convert over to Page Plus after 6 months.

 

[BUTCH1]

I use a T-mobile pre-paid, decent coverage, easy refill with a CC and like others have mentioned rollover minutes. My dumb fone keeps me out of trouble at work, LOL, now they are going to ban all cell usage except break times only, too many people dicking around watching youtube ect. and the manager got pissed seeing it on camera all the time.

 

[mrSHEiK124]

Going to 2nd the recommendation for Simple/H2O. H2O just added 3G data to their $50/Mo plan.

Sent from my Nexus One using Tapatalk

 

[Elbryn]

1 more for pageplus $80/2000 min prepaid. wife and i are both on it with smartphones. eris for her and palm pixi for me. as long as mobile data is turned off works great for voice only needs. only difference is if you need support, then going the smart phone route may not be for you if you cant handle troubleshooting stuff if anything happens.

 

[ImDonly1]

1 more for pageplus $80/2000 min prepaid. wife and i are both on it with smartphones. eris for her and palm pixi for me. as long as mobile data is turned off works great for voice only needs. only difference is if you need support, then going the smart phone route may not be for you if you cant handle troubleshooting stuff if anything happens.

This. If you are only going to use 1000 minutes in a year this is the best plan. $80 for a year of 2000 minutes. It is not listed on the pageplus website though, you have to buy it from one of their resellers.

All of the other plans people mentioned are monthly $30-50 plans which are more than you need.