I think I'm paying too much for one phone

[sze5003]

I'm on Verizon and I currently have a droid DNA. I have 450min, unlimited text, unlimited data and I pay about $85 a month.

I would like to lower my bill but I do use quite a bit of data all the time. For example this month I used about 2.275gb of data. I used a total of 60 minutes.

There has been times I went over 4gb of data on the phone watching Netflix at work sometimes.

Was thinking of getting a new phone but I don't want a contract. Maybe try and go with another carrier? Or would you just stick with Verizon?

 

[Chocu1a]

I have the exact same plan, & while I feel like I pay alot, too, I use LOTS of data. If I was to go with t-mobile, I would still pay almost 80 per month for the same plan(but unlimited talk on TM).
Not going to leave my unlimited awesome coverage lte.

 

[Joe1987]

OP, you're a good candidate for TMobile's $30 plan, unlimited data (5GB), unlimited text and 100 voice minutes, no contract. If you get good reception where you work and live with TMobile.

I'm in the same boat with Verizon, but I screwed up and didn't get the unlimited texting, so I have the 1,000 text plan. There is no other option at my workplace, no reception with any of the other carriers I do get a corporate discount, so it's not quite as painful as your plan, but close.

 

[sze5003]

Yea the amount I pay is with a 19% corporate discount I believe. I was thinking of going maybe Straight talk, or metro pcs.

I also pay $45 a month for my sister who is on metro. She lives with my mother about 25 min away and she says that she's had no issues. She just bought a galaxy s3 and loves it.

I want the s4 or something newer and that tmobile plan sounds very interesting but I've gone over 100 minutes before haha. That's a small amount for minutes, being as if I work from home, all my calls will be directed to my cell phone and there were times I was on call for hours.

 

[paperwastage]

contract-less phones, would be T-mobile

for $70 (plus ~10% taxes minus 10% corporate discount?), you can get unlimited voice, text, data. plus $350 for a nexus 5 or $600 for a S4 out-right

only problem with be coverage of t-mobile in your area. if you're in the northeast / in a metropolitan area, should be fine. otherwise, not that good, especially indoors (t-mobile uses a higher frequency = lower building penetration)

that's why a lot of people who have unlimited verizon data, keep it... since they(/AT&T) have the best network coverage and speed combination. If you're going to pay similar ($70+ t-mobile vs $85 verizon), and both places require you to buy a new phone outright, I'd stick with verizon

 

[Brainonska511]

If TMobile is good in your area, go with their $30 pre-paid plan. 100 minutes/unlimited text/5GB 4G data (and unlimited slower afterwards); extra minutes are $0.10/min. Some months, you may go over your minutes, but in the long run, you'll save a ton of money.

 

[Joe1987]

Port your number to Google Voice, use Google Voice to forward calls to a Skype number for those long work calls at home.

 

[sze5003]

Not sure how good tmobile is around my work area and in the buildings there. I'm thinking maybe to get an unlocked s4 or something better than what I have now on swappa.

 

[paperwastage]

Not sure how good tmobile is around my work area and in the buildings there. I'm thinking maybe to get an unlocked s4 or something better than what I have now on swappa.

ask around... or use a map (not totally accurate though)

http://sensorly.com/map/2G-3G/US/USA/T-Mobile/gsm_310260

 

[sze5003]

Port your number to Google Voice, use Google Voice to forward calls to a Skype number for those long work calls at home.

So say I go with the tmobile pre paid plan for $30 bucks. I already have Google voice number that is forwarded to my current phone number. If I port my number to tmobile and then set my company forwarding to the Google voice number will it still go through t mobile voice calls?

 

[gmaster456]

Unless you live in or near a larger city T mobile usually isn't the best. There are exceptions and they are getting better though.

 

[sze5003]

I'm in Philadelphia and I work in the king of Prussia area so I'll check out the maps. Seems like the $30 dollar plan is only available for the Samsung galaxy s3, not s4.

 

[Brainonska511]

I'm in Philadelphia and I work in the king of Prussia area so I'll check out the maps. Seems like the $30 dollar plan is only available for the Samsung galaxy s3, not s4.

You should be able to bring any phone compatible with T-Mobile for the cheap plan.

 

[sze5003]

You should be able to bring any phone compatible with T-Mobile for the cheap plan.

Yeah it probably has to be a t mobile version. I may just keep Verizon I'm not sure. Though that 30 dollar plan is really nice. Working from home I could use Skype to dial in through WiFi maybe. Other than that I don't really talk on the phone much. But 100 min is a bit less, can't be too bad going over though.

 

[paperwastage]

Yeah it probably has to be a t mobile version. I may just keep Verizon I'm not sure. Though that 30 dollar plan is really nice. Working from home I could use Skype to dial in through WiFi maybe. Other than that I don't really talk on the phone much. But 100 min is a bit less, can't be too bad going over though.

no. the beauty of GSM/sim cards is that you can use ANY unlocked GSM phone that works on the provider's frequencies....

you just have to make sure the GSM phone has the right frequencies. most phones have quad-band 2G that works on almost all providers in the world, but 3G/LTE is more complicated

only reasons to get a "t-mobile branded" phone: cheaper/on-contract pricing, guaranteed that LTE is supported, t-mobile wifi calling app (not for nexus 5 though)

 

[sze5003]

When I was checking their website I typed in galaxy s4 under bring your own phone and it didn't seem to pick it up. But yea compared to 83 bucks I pay for Verizon with corporate discount vs tmobile 70 unlimeted I would stick with Verizon knowing I get coverage everywhere.

If I go to their 100 min plan I would need to figure out if using Skype on WiFi to dial into work will work.

 

[s44]

You could switch to Voice for texts, though that would involve the porting-without-cancelling trick.

If you do leave Verizon, realize that grandfathered unlimited is worth hundreds of dollars. eBay the AOL ("assumption of liability") so someone else can take advantage of the plan.

 

[sze5003]

You could switch to Voice for texts, though that would involve the porting-without-cancelling trick.

If you do leave Verizon, realize that grandfathered unlimited is worth hundreds of dollars. eBay the AOL ("assumption of liability") so someone else can take advantage of the plan.

Yeah I heard about that. I may look into that because apparently people can sell their plans by transferring the person responsible on the plan.

 

[openwheel]

Don't leave Verizon unlimited. You will regret it one day. Try to get the plan as low as possible, and buy/sell Verizon phones on eBay or craigslist.

Just sold wife's LG G2 for $385 and bought her a Galaxy S4 for $300. You can often find great deals on Verizon phones.

Straight talk with ATT LTE is the second best choice.

 

[sze5003]

Don't leave Verizon unlimited. You will regret it one day. Try to get the plan as low as possible, and buy/sell Verizon phones on eBay or craigslist.

Just sold wife's LG G2 for $385 and bought her a Galaxy S4 for $300. You can often find great deals on Verizon phones.

Straight talk with ATT LTE is the second best choice.

Did you get your wife's phone on eBay? My droid DNA is worth around $240 or so on swappa. As long as Verizon does not do away with the unlimited data I was grandfathered into, I'll be fine. My contract ended back in June.

I'm going to check eBay and swappa for an S4 then if I can get one I'll just try and sell my droid DNA. It's rooted and unlocked I think, running a custom sense 5 Rom and it's snappy but I guess I'm just bored of it.

Don't think I can lower my plan any further. Unless I get rid of unlimited text but I use about 2-3k in texts every month.

 

[openwheel]

OK if you need unlimited text then that sounds like the lowest payment.

eBay is generally good and reasonable. I avoid swappa I think the prices are bloated. I prefer Craigslist for quick transactions and I can see the phone before buying. I always meet seller or buyer at local Verizon store.

 

[sze5003]

Yes I noticed swappa prices are a little bloated. I would need to get a new phone now and try selling my DNA after that.

 

[rh71]

If TMobile is good in your area, go with their $30 pre-paid plan. 100 minutes/unlimited text/5GB 4G data (and unlimited slower afterwards); extra minutes are $0.10/min. Some months, you may go over your minutes, but in the long run, you'll save a ton of money.

it would have to be over a very long-run since he'd have to pay for a new phone too. I was considering it until I realized that. Maybe I'm missing something.

I too am paying $50 main line + $30 data then corporate discounts for about $80 + taxes (also added 2 $10 lines no data).

 

[Bman123]

Do the $30 a month t mobile plan and buy a nexus 5 and be good to go, just make sure you sell that Verizon plan someone will give you decent money for it. You can use Skype or groove ip for your calling. The VoIP apps work good on lte you just need to make sure you actually have lte coverage

 

[paperwastage]

it would have to be over a very long-run since he'd have to pay for a new phone too. I was considering it until I realized that. Maybe I'm missing something.

OP has unlimited data on verizon. He can't get a subsidized phone if he keeps unlimited data.

If he has to buy a full priced phone on this plan, then buying a full priced phone that works on t-mobile, and get a cheaper plan on T-mobile might be worth it, depending on t-mobile's reception in his area($30/month for prepaid 5GB, or $70/month for postpaid unlimited). or get a subsidized phone on verizon mobile share / prepaid plans

remember, t-mobile throttles you to 0.1mbits/s when you go over; they don't charge you for overages. You could get a postpaid $60/month 2.5GB too

the Droid DNA came out a year ago, but it's not entirely outdated yet (snapdragon, 2gb, one of the first 5" 1080p phones)... I'd wait until something nicer comes out (like a nexus 5-esque "world-phone" that works on all 4 carriers)... then buy that phone, and switch carriers at any time