Cheap cell phone rates

[Muse]

I got a cell phone because my employer required it. They provided me with it, in fact. Last October or so they informed me that they'd no longer do that but would reimburse me up to $40/month, so I shopped around a bit and got Verizon service and an LG-VX4500 cell phone (had to cancel on Cingular because I was getting no coverage in my home office, or house in general).

This part time job has been fizzling to the point where it's barely a formality - almost no hours (it's telecommute), so my employer tells me they'll no longer subsidize my cell phone. The bill has been $47/month or so, so I've been paying the difference. I signed up for a 2 year deal with Verizon and the cancellation fee is $175, I think. I guess I can negotiate the cheapest deal I can get with Verizon (which isn't apt to be much less than I'm getting), but I wonder if I'd do better canceling and getting something like a pay as you go system. Fact is, I'm using the phone very little, probably less than 20 - 30 minutes a month. Would my LG phone be proprietary to Verizon or is it possible I could use it with some pay as you go system? I saw an ad in the paper today for Trac-Phone, a pay as you go system but I don't know anything about it. Thanks for any guidance.

 

[Suspicious-Teach8788]

tsk tsk tsk never go with 2 year plans. I go 1 yr at a time with T-Mobile.

 

[shortylickens]

I have a tracfone and its a good deal if you dont talk a lot.
With ATT I never came close to using my 350 minutes a month. So I was basically wasting most of my $39.99 fee.

I did the math once and if I had charged up a tracfone with units instead of paying for one year of service on ATT, I could have had a ridiculous amount of airtime. And I'd still have plenty left over after a year.

BUT: If you do come close to using all your minutes every month, then tracfone is a very bad deal. Each minute is almost five times as expensive.

 

[NutBucket]

Originally posted by: DLeRium
tsk tsk tsk never go with 2 year plans. I go 1 yr at a time with T-Mobile.

Two year plans are great if you know what you're getting into. I think I've been out of contract once in 5 years with my provider...I always end up re-upping to get a new service or rebate or something. No complaints yet.

BTW, if the OP downgrades most likely you'll have to sign a new contract.

 

[TheNinja]

how long left on your contract?

 

[shortylickens]

Oh, heres how it works:

You go to wal-mart and buy a phone and an airtime card. Lets say you go buck-wild and get the 300 minute, one-year card.

You take it home and get online. (tracfone.com)
Type in the phones serial number (and SIM number if it is the kind that uses a SIM) and then the airtime card number.

The website will come up with a bunch of numbers for you to program into your phone. If this is the first time the codes also assign you with a phone number based on the area you live in. Then you get so many minutes of air time and so many months of service. (E.G. 300 minutes and 12 months.)

AND, if you want, you can skip the registration process. Which means NOBODY will be able to find out what name is connected with your number. Very nice for us conspiracy people.

You could also do this over the phone with a tech support person, but I would guess it takes much longer.

Your phone will always have a display of how many units you have left and when your service expires.
Final note: There are promo codes floating around that will turn a 300 minute card into 500 minutes.

 

[Suspicious-Teach8788]

Originally posted by: NutBucket

Originally posted by: DLeRium
tsk tsk tsk never go with 2 year plans. I go 1 yr at a time with T-Mobile.

Two year plans are great if you know what you're getting into. I think I've been out of contract once in 5 years with my provider...I always end up re-upping to get a new service or rebate or something. No complaints yet.

BTW, if the OP downgrades most likely you'll have to sign a new contract.

Not if you get phone upgrades like me every year with a new plan =P. Sell the phone off for more money.

 

[NutBucket]

Originally posted by: DLeRium

Originally posted by: NutBucket

Originally posted by: DLeRium
tsk tsk tsk never go with 2 year plans. I go 1 yr at a time with T-Mobile.

Two year plans are great if you know what you're getting into. I think I've been out of contract once in 5 years with my provider...I always end up re-upping to get a new service or rebate or something. No complaints yet.

BTW, if the OP downgrades most likely you'll have to sign a new contract.

Not if you get phone upgrades like me every year with a new plan =P. Sell the phone off for more money.

What's your point? I like my provider and can get the same upgrades. Its based on how long I've had the handset; not when my contract is up😉

 

[Muse]

Originally posted by: TheNinja
how long left on your contract?

About 15 months. My employer said they'd pay for August and then no more. So, since I hardly make a dent in my plan's minutes, I figure I can improve on it somehow... either with Verizon or somebody else. Thanks for the posts. Feel free to go reasonably off topic here (we're in that forum, right?). I mean address cell phone issues in general, you don't have to address my specific concerns.

 

[MustISO]

Originally posted by: shortylickens
Oh, heres how it works:

You go to wal-mart and buy a phone and an airtime card. Lets say you go buck-wild and get the 300 minute, one-year card.

Is there a monthly charge as well or do you just pay for the phone and the minutes?

 

[mattocs]

Check out Net10. I hear they are rather good.

 

[Muse]

Originally posted by: MustISO

Originally posted by: shortylickens
Oh, heres how it works:

You go to wal-mart and buy a phone and an airtime card. Lets say you go buck-wild and get the 300 minute, one-year card.

Is there a monthly charge as well or do you just pay for the phone and the minutes?

If it's Tracphone he's talking about there's no monthly charges: Tracphone website

 

[BCYL]

I have AT&T go-phone (pre-paid), $39.99/month with 400 minutes + unlimited evenings & weekends + free caller ID & voicemail + national long distance & roaming

Since Cingular took over AT&T, they added roll-over with no extra charge too (you keep any minutes you dont use up)

Best of all, no contract!

 

[Muse]

Originally posted by: BCYL
I have AT&T go-phone (pre-paid), $39.99/month with 400 minutes + unlimited evenings & weekends + free caller ID & voicemail + national long distance & roaming

Since Cingular took over AT&T, they added roll-over with no extra charge too (you keep any minutes you dont use up)

Best of all, no contract!

I really liked the deal I got with ATT/Cingular. And the guy who got me to sign said if it didn't work out I would get my money back. I got home and no coverage. He thought it was a configuration issue. :roll: I brought him the phone and he acquiesed that I wasn't getting coverage. I had a whale of a time getting all my money back and I didn't get it all. Cingular sent me a bill for a small amount (around $4) that they wouldn't waive and I paid it. Verizon was more expensive, but I got coverage - bottom line. But I'm on minimum unemployment right now, and can't fathom keeping my $47/month cell phone service. It was for my job. I use it a little - mainly for long distance, but it's not worth it for that. I have a good 1010 long distance service for that. Maybe I'll just cancel the Verizon, pay them the $175 and be done with wireless until I need it or get a job.