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I have decided to take the plunge

I

Infraction Jack

Senior member
I am finally going to get a cell phone. I am looking for a smart phone with really long battery life and no contract needed. I would like to have WiFi to use my home wireless connection to transfer files from my PC. I would also like to avoid any kind of data or texting plan as I will only be making voice calls on it.

Any suggestions on what phones would be best for me to look at?
 
Most carriers require a data plan if you have a smartphone. The way to get around it is to go prepaid. Page Plus uses the Verizon network, or you can also go through T-Mobile or Virgin Mobile (Sprint). Not sure about AT&T prepaid options.

Page Plus will let you bring any Verizon smartphone other than an iPhone. You can just pay for minutes and not use text messages and turn off data. On Virgin Mobile, you have to buy one of their phones but you can get data included for very little. And trust me, you might think mobile data is unnecessary or costly, but if you get a good deal on it, you'll be surprised at how much you use it.

In any case, you'll be looking for either used smartphones or new prepaid ones. Very few will get great or even good battery life though. Maybe a day and a half at most. You might need a spare battery.
 
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You might want to look at Virgin Mobile. $35 a month for a full smartphone experience and 300 minutes. Like I said, you may not think you need data, but why not try if it's that cheap?

Then again, it's only 300 minutes and if you need more you either have to pay overage charges or move up to the 1200 plan for $10 more. Maybe Page Plus or T-Mobile would work better so you can just buy more minutes as you need them.
 
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You can also use various VOIP options that use data only. Like Google Voice with TalkATone. Or Skype.

Many other options too.
 
Straighttalk $45 a month for unlimited voice, data, text (some say there are 100mb/day data limits, YMMV). Uses AT&T network (GSM).
T-Mobile (GSM) has prepaid for as little as $30 a month with 100 minutes and 5GB data. Sipdroid will use your wifi for calls so maybe the 100 minutes is tolerable at that point.

Phones are going to cost you more up front since you will need to get one off contract. Galaxy Nexus is $399 direct from google. Each carrier will sell off contract phones as well.
 
Infraction Jack said:
Wireless provider does not matter to me. $20-$30 a month should be enough I only need about 400 minutes or so each month.
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If that's all you need why even get a smartphone? just buy a cheapie pre-paid and no worries about dropping/losing it, only around $25 to replace one. What would be the point of getting a smartphone and not using it's internet capability's??
 
BUTCH1 said:
If that's all you need why even get a smartphone? just buy a cheapie pre-paid and no worries about dropping/losing it, only around $25 to replace one. What would be the point of getting a smartphone and not using it's internet capability's??
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This
 
Virgin Mobile or Tmobile through Walmart.

Blackberries tend to get the best battery life and are good choices if you dont need a crapload of apps. Virgin Mobile is getting the iphone soon but I bet its gonna be expensive.
 
BUTCH1 said:
If that's all you need why even get a smartphone? just buy a cheapie pre-paid and no worries about dropping/losing it, only around $25 to replace one. What would be the point of getting a smartphone and not using it's internet capability's??
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Because I want the PDA type functions it would provide. I just do not need texting and web browsing. I just need to be able to transfer files from my deskop or laptop over wifi.
 
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Infraction Jack said:
Because I want the PDA type functions it would provide. I just do not need texting and web browsing. I just need to be able to transfer files from my deskop or laptop over wifi.
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Transfer files for what purpose? Videos to watch? Music to listen to? Or are you talking about actually trying to do work on a smartphone?
 
Muyoso said:
Transfer files for what purpose? Videos to watch? Music to listen to? Or are you talking about actually trying to do work on a smartphone?
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Making phone calls, transferring music, syncing calendar, taking photos at social functions. Some small office functions like using androffice and such.
 
Infraction Jack said:
Making phone calls, transferring music, syncing calendar, taking photos at social functions. Some small office functions like using androffice and such.
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But you don't want a data plan or to text message on it. I am confused because what you are asking for either:
a) doesn't exist due to how 4 major carriers price their plans
b) results in you getting a really crappy phone which you wouldn't find doing those functions easy
c) spending a lot of money to buy your phone outright, which considering your price consciousness, all of the decent phones are out of your price range.

And since you don't want a data plan or text, the best thing to do is to NOT get a smartphone. Buy an iPod Touch so you have access to a ton of apps and use it in WiFi areas, then stick with your current phone to make phone calls.
 
dagamer34 said:
But you don't want a data plan or to text message on it. I am confused because what you are asking for either:
a) doesn't exist due to how 4 major carriers price their plans
b) results in you getting a really crappy phone which you wouldn't find doing those functions easy
c) spending a lot of money to buy your phone outright, which considering your price consciousness, all of the decent phones are out of your price range.

And since you don't want a data plan or text, the best thing to do is to NOT get a smartphone. Buy an iPod Touch so you have access to a ton of apps and use it in WiFi areas, then stick with your current phone to make phone calls.
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I guess I will get an iPod Touch and stick with my land line then, unless there is an android version of the iPod that works just as well.
 
Any wifi only Android tablet will work in a similar way. There's also a Samsung device called the Galaxy Player, an Android non-phone with a 5" screen for about $200.

The hard part is getting an Android phone with phone service but no data. For that, prepaid is your only option.
 
AstroManLuca said:
Any wifi only Android tablet will work in a similar way. There's also a Samsung device called the Galaxy Player, an Android non-phone with a 5" screen for about $200.

The hard part is getting an Android phone with phone service but no data. For that, prepaid is your only option.
Click to expand...

I wouldn't consider the Galaxy Player to be better than an iPod Touch, especially when it comes to app quantity and quality or just the hardware itself.
 
You can have what you want Infraction Jack. There are options to have a smartphone without a data plan.

Page Plus is a good option, they have the standard plan in which you use your cash balance to make calls or texts and any calls come out of the balance at whatever the rate you are setup on (the more you spend at a time to refill your account, the cheaper it is per minute) You do not need to use texts on this plan and you will not pay anything if you don't, but it is there if you need it. Same with 3g internet, albeit at a high price. The one thing that AstroManLuca forgot to mention is that 4g phones are not compatible with Page Plus yet, except in rare cases where someone manages to successfully reprogram the phone for it to work.

My other recommendation is Airvoice Wireless, which uses the AT&T network. They have a $10 per month plan that can be used any way you want, such as all voice calls only, or some combination of voice, texts, and data. Their website details the rate structure. Again, you do not have to use or pay for any texting here if you don't want to. Any AT&T smartphone can be used, as far as I know. Not sure about LTE phones but phones such as the iphone and the Galaxy s2 are fine. Your best bet is to go on ebay and pick up a sim card for a buck and then all you have to do is call airvoice and activate it.

Since you never stated a budget for a phone, I suggest some sort of iphone on Airvoice. Or some Android smartphone. Page Plus is more limited in options since the latest phones for Verizon are 4g so it is slim pickins for 3g only phones that are any good compared to what is out now.
 
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