help me find a (cheap) mobile plan

[Homerboy]

I need to find an as-cheap-as-possible mobile plan.
I don't very much at all about actual voice usage, as I make VERY few calls.
I will use it mainly for light internet (email, light browsing etc).
Some texting too, but again very light.

I'd prefer no contract.
I don't NEED the latest and greatest phones.

Whats out there?

 

[ViviTheMage]

tmobile has some really good pay as you go contracts with data

http://prepaid-phones.t-mobile.com/prepaid-plans

I have never used them, but I have heard good things if you make very few calls.

This is the one I was looking for, the $30 monthly plan with data :

http://prepaid-phones.t-mobile.com/monthly-4g-plans

 

[SunnyD]

T-Mo $30 100 minutes, 100 texts, 5gb data. But refills from Callingmart for 10% off - $27/month. Way more data than you're probably going to need.

 

[JEDI]

I need to find an as-cheap-as-possible mobile plan.
I don't very much at all about actual voice usage, as I make VERY few calls.
I will use it mainly for light internet (email, light browsing etc).
Some texting too, but again very light.

I'd prefer no contract.
I don't NEED the latest and greatest phones.

Whats out there?

i was going to say pageplus ($10/3months and the $ carries over to the next quarter if u buy $10 more) but u need internet??
u can get an old 2007 phone and get "free" 9600 baud internet with pageplus.

i too would like to know cheapest prepaid with internet on an Android phone?

 

[JEDI]

T-Mo $30 100 minutes, 100 texts, 5gb data. But refills from Callingmart for 10% off - $27/month. Way more data than you're probably going to need.

when does the $30 expire? monthly? quarterly?
and does the $ carry over?

 

[olds]

I heard on the radio yesterday that walmart has no contract, unlimited calls/data for $45 month on an iphone 5. You have to buy the phone though. The "geek guru" said it takes 6 months to break even.

 

[TwiceOver]

I heard on the radio yesterday that walmart has no contract, unlimited calls/data for $45 month on an iphone 5. You have to buy the phone though. The "geek guru" said it takes 6 months to break even.

StraightTalk.

 

[SunnyD]

when does the $30 expire? monthly? quarterly?
and does the $ carry over?

It's a monthly plan, so monthly. There is no carry-over/roll-over. Use it or lose it.

 

[AznAnarchy99]

God Im in Italy right now and it cell service is so much easier here. Lowest plan, 8 euros a month, 120 min/sms, unlimited data, no contract.

 

[Homerboy]

With plans like Walmart and junk who is the carrier? Could I find a used phone on ebay. That's part of the killer -- with no contract even a marginal phone is $200+

 

[lxskllr]

God Im in Italy right now and it cell service is so much easier here. Lowest plan, 8 euros a month, 120 min/sms, unlimited data, no contract.

We're pretty much the asshole of the developed world as far as communication goes. High prices, and low service.

 

[unokitty]

We're pretty much the asshole of the developed world as far as communication goes. High prices, and low service.

A survey by the UN's OCED agrees with you. Though, they express it differently.

"On a yearly basis, American cell phone users are spending about $635.85 on cell phone service. ... By contrast people in the Netherlands and Finland pay ... only $131.44 per year. And cell phone users in Sweden only pay $137.94 per year.

See: Americans and Canadians pay more for cell phone service than people living Scandinavia.

Uno

 

[cronos]

I need to find an as-cheap-as-possible mobile plan.
I don't very much at all about actual voice usage, as I make VERY few calls.
I will use it mainly for light internet (email, light browsing etc).
Some texting too, but again very light.

I'd prefer no contract.
I don't NEED the latest and greatest phones.

Whats out there?

What is 'light' use? How many actual minutes/txt/data do you expect to use on average per month?

I only pay $10/month but my usage is around 30 minutes/30 text/20 MB data.

 

[MomentsofSanity]

Not sure if this breaks a rule but check out Howard Forums. Dedicated to every cell carrier and sections in each with details on deals and retention plans people have gotten. Great place to start out when you're negotiating with your carrier.

 

[vi edit]

I can sell you a very nice iphone4 for cheap thats clean on the verizon network and then you can put it on the $12 page plus plan

www.pagepluscellular.com/Online Store/Minutes/12 Plan Card.aspx

 

[vi edit]

If sprint is decent in your area then look into Ting.
Buya cheap off contract sprint phone on their byod list and activate it on one of their plans.

https://ting.com/plans

 

[JEDI]

What is 'light' use? How many actual minutes/txt/data do you expect to use on average per month?

I only pay $10/month but my usage is around 30 minutes/30 text/20 MB data.

10/month includes 20mb data?
what plan is that?

 

[JEDI]

I can sell you a very nice iphone4 for cheap thats clean on the verizon network and then you can put it on the $12 page plus plan

www.pagepluscellular.com/Online Store/Minutes/12 Plan Card.aspx

$.20 per MB overage fees

 

[WaTaGuMp]

With plans like Walmart and junk who is the carrier? Could I find a used phone on ebay. That's part of the killer -- with no contract even a marginal phone is $200+

Straight Talk runs on AT&T's network. I just went to Virgin Mobile last month. I am on the $35 plan, my phone is the HTC Evo V 4G, its still on sale for $150. WELL worth the price for this phone. I had the Samasung Galaxy Reverb, it was on sale for $99, the Evo is a better phone. Yes you can look for used phones from T Mobile or AT&T, get a sim card and use them on Straight Talk.

 

[cronos]

10/month includes 20mb data?
what plan is that?

It doesn't 'include' 20MB data. It's an H2O Wireless (uses AT&T network) $10 monthly with 5c/min, 5c/txt, 30c/MB pay-to-go rate.

My usage is just an example of an average use that's perfect for this plan. It adds up to $9, and you have to re-up $10 after 30 days but whatever's left on your balance (in this case $1) is rolled over to the next month.

And yes, the data rate is horrible. But it's really nice for what I need my phone for.

 

[Paulson]

Straight Talk runs on AT&T's network. I just went to Virgin Mobile last month. I am on the $35 plan, my phone is the HTC Evo V 4G, its still on sale for $150. WELL worth the price for this phone. I had the Samasung Galaxy Reverb, it was on sale for $99, the Evo is a better phone. Yes you can look for used phones from T Mobile or AT&T, get a sim card and use them on Straight Talk.

Straight talk uses all of the carriers, not just AT&T.

Straight Talk is phone specific in regards to what provider you'll be with. If you're using the bring your own phone program, you'll either get an AT&T or T-Mobile sim.

The new iPhones that Straight Talk is selling are for Verizon... they use verizon's native coverage and are 3G only (no LTE)

There's a website that sells straight talk service pins for $38.24 (instead of the $45 + tax/fees)

https://www.e-junkie.com/ecom/gb.php?cl=218542&c=ib&aff=236929

I use Straight Talk and Page Plus... page plus $29.95 a month for 1200 minutes, 3000 texts, and 250MB's of data (perfect for my parents and my wife.)

You can bring your own phone to page plus and they specifically use verizon towers (1X & 3G only, no LTE.)

 

[drebo]

With plans like Walmart and junk who is the carrier? Could I find a used phone on ebay. That's part of the killer -- with no contract even a marginal phone is $200+

If you're in a MetroPCS 4G LTE area (they actually own that network, not lease), you can get an LG Motion for $49. The plan is $50/mo for unlimited talk/text and 2gb 4G data (which drops to 3g if you go over). I think it's $55/mo for unlimited 4G data. It's quite fast.

The LG Motion is a pretty damn good phone. My wife has it. It's nice and snappy, Gorilla glass screen, decent camera, lots of internal storage and SD card slot.

She's very happy with it. Best $49 phone on the market. Even at it's normal $149, it's a steal.

 

[abaez]

I've been on the Tmo $30/mo prepaid plan on my Galaxy Nexus for more than a year now and it's great. Have saved hundreds.

Will pick up a Nexus 4 on the cheap when the next one comes out.

 

[Svnla]

OP, check out the Virgin mobile prepaid plan. You can get a decent phone for less than $100 when they are on sale.

You are a bit late. The Sprint SERO plan of $30 per month is gone. I am still on it until Sprint kicks me out

 

[Svnla]

We're pretty much the asshole of the developed world as far as communication goes. High prices, and low service.

Yup, don't let me start with the broadband connection/speed for the homes. Freaking slow (compare to other developed countries) and high cost. When my ATT DSL expires, it will go up at least $10/month with its new special price.