Smart phone newbie, recommendations for Page Plus

[Triumph]

I've decided it's time to stop being a luddite and get myself a smart phone. I also want to divest myself of Verizon, but not their network. Hence Page Plus. I'm looking at their $30 plan, 1200 minutes, 3000 texts, 500mb of data.

I don't plan on using a ton of data, but if I stick with Verizon and get a smart phone, I HAVE to buy a data plan, which puts me in the 75 dollar/month bracket, which I'm not ok with. I want to stay on their network however.

I used this calculator
http://www.verizonwireless.com/b2c/splash/datacalculatorPopup.jsp

and seems I'd be ok with 500 mb. Mostly I'd use it on wifi if I had it available, or to send emails, or to check GPS.

So my phone requirements are:
- Don't want to spend more than 100, give or take
- I want something small and thin, willing to give up screen real estate. I hate huge phones in my pocket, I'm coming from a Motorola Krzr so that's what I'm used to.
- Prefer Android OS, but open to others
- Prefer google maps
- Battery life is also key, if I buy an older/used phone that doesn't have good battery life I can always swap the battery for a new one (unless it's a phone that doesn't let you do this).
- Looking for Verizon branded phones, as this is the easiest to link up to Page Plus. No unlocking or rooting or anything like that.

So far I've only found the Samsung Galaxy Fascinate (verizons Galaxy S1), but I don't think it was very popular because there don't seem to be very many used ones out there. There's a couple of Motorola Droids that were recommended but I like the sleek form factor of the Galaxy, would fit better in my pocket. Other than that, haven't really been able to find what I'm looking for.

Recommendations? TIA!

 

[crashtestdummy]

Honestly, I really can't recommend anything in that range. The only phones on any network that I'd recommend in that range are the Lumia 520 (AT&T), 521 (T-Mobile), and the Verizon Prepaid or Boost Mobile Moto G. Unfortunately, those Moto Gs are lock into those specific plans AFAIK. If you're willing to go to $200, you start to hit used Galaxy SIII territory.

Also, I can't seem to find anything about whether you're able to bring your own phone to PagePlus, so you might be stuck buying from them.

 

[vi edit]

I think an iPhone 4s is probably your best bet for Page Plus without jumping through a ton of flashing work arounds. Most of the Android options are getting far too long in the tooth.

4s gives you good battery life, speed and a decent camera. Also a smaller phone with a boatload of aftermarket accessories for cheap at this point.

 

[Triumph]

ugh, really didn't want to be an iphone person. plus i feel like they're larger than the galaxy. but i can't argue with the idea of buying a much newer phone for not much more money. :\

crashtestdummy, absolutely you bring your own phone to PP. lol, their phone offerings look like something sold out of the back of a truck in an alleyway.

 

[Triumph]

Found this list:

http://www.prepaidphonenews.com/2013/10/the-best-verizon-3g-smartphones-for.html

Any thoughts on these phones?

 

[ImDonly1]

I know you said no flashing but...
http://slickdeals.net/f/6763978-moto-g-89-99-boost-mobile-on-newegg-free-shipping
http://slickdeals.net/f/6761096-boost-moto-g-79-99-in-store-at-target

and instructions
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2652448

I believe some people in that thread will flash it for you for cheap (all you need to do is let them do remote desktop to your PC...).

Also why verizon? Does att have coverage in your area? Att prepaid providers offer similar if not better plans and you can use almost any phone.

If not, then iPhone 4/s is the best you will get on pageplus. I have a galaxy s on pageplus for a family member. I bought it for $100 on craigslist almost 2 years ago. They should be cheap and easy to find. FYI the gps on it is terrible/useless and it has a few other bugs (maybe it's just the one I have not sure). iPhone is a better option.

 

[notposting]

Are you a current postpaid, off contract, Verizon customer?

If so, they offer (not available online, YOU WILL NOT SEE THIS ONLINE) both a $45 unlimited call/text/250MB plan, and a $60 unlimited call/text/2GB plan for current customers. This also gets you LTE coverage AND subsidized upgrades. HoFo has current threads with this, you can still get these despite their current new plans.

If you need more info I can do some searching and find the specific threads for those offers.

edit: damnit, I just want someone to take advantage of these deals. Someone in the extended family pays $75 for a dumbphone with limited minutes and texts and refuses to do this. Someone else just switched to T-Mobile (fine) but is just letting their grandfathered unlimited data plan and text plan go away to Verizon's benefit (not fine). *grumble*

 

[s44]

Found this list:

http://www.prepaidphonenews.com/2013/10/the-best-verizon-3g-smartphones-for.html

Any thoughts on these phones?

The problem is, they're all bad.

Phones get better, faster, and more battery efficient every year, so going back to 2011 when the last non-LTE Verizon phones were released is a bit of a nightmare. Even the i4S is badly dated when you try to run iOS 7 on it.

What you want is the Moto G: great battery life, good enough performance (even by current standards--it's way better than any 2011 device), modern screen and construction and OS, and at your price point. Problem is, there's no PP/Verizon postpaid version of it. Solution #1 is the "buy a Boost Moto G and flash it" that one post above suggested. Solution #2 is the secret Verizon plan that another post suggested (and with this you probably want the Galaxy S4 mini or the Moto X).

 

[cronos]

Boost Moto G is $100 or less and can be flashed to PagePlus (for ~$35 - if you don't want to bother doing it yourself and afraid to mess it up).

 

[cronos]

Are you a current postpaid, off contract, Verizon customer?

If so, they offer (not available online, YOU WILL NOT SEE THIS ONLINE) both a $45 unlimited call/text/250MB plan, and a $60 unlimited call/text/2GB plan for current customers. This also gets you LTE coverage AND subsidized upgrades. HoFo has current threads with this, you can still get these despite their current new plans.

What do you mean it's not online? It took me one click from Verizon Wireless website.

It's also not only for current customer.

Although you do seem to have to get it at the store though. I couldn't find a way to get it online.

Oh and one more thing, you also do not have to be off-contract. You definitely *can* get a subsidized phone with 2-year contract and subscribe to one of these plans.

 

[Triumph]

Yeah, I hear what you guys are saying, I'm learning whats available and I'm kinda disappointed - I don't care about the latest and greatest, but the older phones aren't even as cheap as they should be, when compared to that Moto G. But I really don't like a large phone, I was looking for something smaller. Actually the phone I really liked size wise was the LG Optimus, but it isn't available for Verizon. I'm going to keep looking around.

 

[vi edit]

You aren't going to find much of a smaller smart phone than the iPhone4/4s. It's not the lightest thing in the world, but dimension wise it's tiny. It's only "big" when you throw some obnoxious Otterbox Defender case on it that turns it into a brick.

And as others have mentioned, look into the Verizon loyalty program. $60 a month, subsizided phones. Ulimited text and messages, 2 gig of data. Look at a Droid mini free on contract.

http://slickdeals.net/f/6317812-2gb...ntract-required-for-new-and-current-customers

 

[sm625]

I saw a ZTE Radiant for $50 not too long ago. That's what I would recommend in the $50 price bracket. I wouldnt pay over $60 though.

 

[s44]

Did you check out the low-end Verizon plan being discussed above? It would give you access to subsidies and the full range of VZ phones, including the Droid Mini, Galaxy S4 mini, and Moto X (which despite the screen size has a smaller body than the Moto G).

 

[cronos]

Yeah, I hear what you guys are saying, I'm learning whats available and I'm kinda disappointed - I don't care about the latest and greatest, but the older phones aren't even as cheap as they should be, when compared to that Moto G. But I really don't like a large phone, I was looking for something smaller. Actually the phone I really liked size wise was the LG Optimus, but it isn't available for Verizon. I'm going to keep looking around.

Which Optimus? There are probably a dozen of them.

Moto G is actually pretty damn small, but like someone said above, if you want tiny, then go for iPhone 4S, you can put it on PagePlus right away without flashing.

 

[notposting]

What do you mean it's not online? It took me one click from Verizon Wireless website.

It's also not only for current customer.

Although you do seem to have to get it at the store though. I couldn't find a way to get it online.

Oh and one more thing, you also do not have to be off-contract. You definitely *can* get a subsidized phone with 2-year contract and subscribe to one of these plans.

That's where that is! :thumbsup: Haven't been able to find it since I first saw it. If you look under the regular Share/More Everything plans, it's not there either.

However, for the 2GB Loyalty plan I referenced (the $60 version there only offers 1GB), you do need to be off-contract or nearer to the end, I forget the timeframe though. It only adds a year to your contract though, I believe. And you can use a currently available upgrade to do it. That plan is definitely call-in only. This is all according to my crappy drug hazed memory though.

OP, add in the Verizon taxes and fees, the $45 is more like $50, the $60 will be around $65-70. You should head into a store and see the phones in person, see if they have any of the fake demo units that you can use to compare pocketability.

Bad thing about the current 4S from Verizon is you only get the 8GB option. My wife has an older iPod Touch and 8GB does not go very far. So one of the Android devices might be better, with either more memory on board to start and/or memory card option.

 

[s44]

Which Optimus? There are probably a dozen of them.

Moto G is actually pretty damn small, but like someone said above, if you want tiny, then go for iPhone 4S, you can put it on PagePlus right away without flashing.

The G is bigger and heavier than the X.

The 4S is OK for PagePlus but terrible for actual Verizon because, well, no LTE.

 

[cronos]

The G is bigger and heavier than the X.

The 4S is OK for PagePlus but terrible for actual Verizon because, well, no LTE.

PagePlus is what he wants, right? And no LTE is basically *the* reason why the 4S can be used on PagePlus easily. PagePlus doesn't get LTE, and all Verizon LTE phones need to be flashed if you want to use it on PagePlus.

 

[Triumph]

I am definitely a candidate for that Verizon plan, I've been with them nonstop since 2002, haven't had a contract in years, but I'll have to see what their prices are for phones with that plan. Maybe going to the store is an option.

 

[cronos]

I am definitely a candidate for that Verizon plan, I've been with them nonstop since 2002, haven't had a contract in years, but I'll have to see what their prices are for phones with that plan. Maybe going to the store is an option.

If you are interested in being subsidized, the prices of the phones will be no different than the one you'll get from the regular MobileShare plan, i.e. just go to verizonwireless.com and scout what kind of prices they have on phones with 1 or 2-year contract.

 

[gmaster456]

Droid DNA's are going for reasonable prices, have Sense 5, 1080p, S4 Pros, LTE and everything else.

 

[notposting]

If you are interested in being subsidized, the prices of the phones will be no different than the one you'll get from the regular MobileShare plan, i.e. just go to verizonwireless.com and scout what kind of prices they have on phones with 1 or 2-year contract.

Yep! Pay the same free-$100 but get a brand new recent phone versus some ancient 3G dog of a phone.

Note the overages on that single line plan -- steep, so you will want to browse around and see what steps to take for cell data limiting. If you get the 2GB loyalty plan, you should be fine, assuming you don't stream Pandora and Netflix all day every day. I think the cheapo plans might either have no tethering allowed, or it's a separate charge. May want to inquire if that's something you could want.

 

[Ksyder]

The G is bigger and heavier than the X.

The 4S is OK for PagePlus but terrible for actual Verizon because, well, no LTE.

Ok, this whole idea of the G being bigger and heavier is kind of a myth. I've compared both phones in my hand side by side and they are the same size overall except for the thickness. And the weight different is no more than 10 or 15 grams.

I believe this weight and thickness disparity is solely due to the fact that there are 2 layers on the G- one metal cover over the battery and a plastic cover over it whereas the X has only the shell over the battery.

personally I thought the in hand feel is nearly identical in size, although different texture. I actually preferred the G over the X for hand feel because the added thickness makes it easier to hold.

 

[Ksyder]

Also OP have you considered switching to ATT network? This would make your phone selection process so much easier.

Now airvoice and h20 have unlimited + 500 mb for 30 which is is better than page plus' offering.

 

[s44]

Ok, this whole idea of the G being bigger and heavier is kind of a myth.

It's bigger in every dimension and 15g heavier... so literally true.

And as someone who owned the G-weight Galaxy Nexus (VZ) and now owns the X-weight Galaxy S4, those 15g make a significant and noticeable difference.