cell phone help

[HomeBrewerDude]

I currently use Cingular (on a month to month at 27.99/month) and have a phone (a nokia) that won't hold a charge.
Service is okay, but there is a dead zone near my wifes work.
I second line would be nice, but not for anymore than 45$ month (we just don't use the celly enough to justify spending more)

I am trying to decide between the following options:

1) buy a new battery
pros: cheap (i assume) and relatively hassle free
cons: none really, but the phone isn't exactly small, and my wife and I wouldn't mind spending a few $$ and getting a second line.

2) buy a new phone.
pros: new phone, new battery... i would like a flip style...
cons: $$ (i assume that phones cost more when you aren't also signing up with a service provider)

3) sign up for a new service provider and get a new phone
pros: new phone, new contract (this would be a pro if I can get a decent price on either a single or family plan), maybe better night time window (e.g. 8 pm vs 10 pm), improved reception (maybe)
cons: more $$, hassle of finding a damn plan

help me out ATOT!

Someone will probably ask so here is the type of service I need (our current plan with cingular meets all these requirements, we are on month to month since our 2 year committment was met a cuople of months ago.):
no roaming
no long distance
relative few minutes (we use less than 250 minutes during peak time)
free weekend and evening (we use cell for long distance, which we have a fair amount of...about 300-400 minutes a month).

I am in zip code 53711

thanks in advance

 

[Albis]

i was going to recommend tmobil family share plan at 49.99 with 400 minutes peak

but according to tmobile.com, they don't have coverage in your area 🙁

 

[cronos]

buy an unlocked (or cingular locked) phone off ebay. you really don't want to get back in contract. if you would really like to leave one day, you can leave and switch provider whenever you want and use this phone, assuming GSM of course.

hey i used to live in 53711 too 🙂 back in 99-00.

 

[PTCvette]

1 - New battery would be the cheapest and most painless way to go, IMO, but then you are stuck with the one old crappy phone.

2 - New phones are pretty expensive when you don't get the contract deal, especially if you get them through the provider... Not as bad on eBay or something, but then you never know what kind of problems you are inheriting with that phone.

3 - You should look at the Verizon family plans, if they are available where you are... I have been very pleased with them. Excellent coverage, and I think the basic family plan is about $45 or so and gives you about 400 minutes for 2 phones. Night and weekend times start at 7pm and end at 7am, plus you would have "in" so you could talk to the wife and anyone on verizon for free anytime, which could be good or bad, depending on how much you wanna talk to the wife!

Jeff

 

[HomeBrewerDude]

thanks, will check out verizon, and look at ebay/used phones.

 

[SilentVixen]

ever thought of sprint. I have a family plan w/ my b/f on their fair and flexible plan. It's nice.