Virgin Mobile LG Optimus V: $79.99 + $35 airtime @ best buy B&M only.

[Pardus]

Virgin Mobile® LG Optimus™
SKU: 1879739
Android™ 2.2 OS. $35/month gets you unlimited messaging, e-mail, data and web, plus 300 Anytime Minutes.
*Phones, service and coverage not available in all markets. No dealers. See a Mobile Phone Specialist for details. **Products must be purchased on same receipt to receive package savings. ***Requires new in-store activation at time of purchase.
Prices effective Sunday, Mar.18 - Saturday, Mar.24
$79.99
AFTER $50 SAVINGS, With new in-store activation
Reg. $129.99
NO CONTRACT NEEDED*, INCLUDES FREE $35 Airtime Card

revised link

 

[Jim]

NO CONTRACT NEEDED*, INCLUDES FREE $35 Airtime Card

I see nothing about the Airtime card.

 

[gwynethgh]

I see nothing about the Airtime card.

Its in the photo on the link. Nice deal for an OK phone

 

[kmmatney]

Its in the photo on the link. Nice deal for an OK phone

Decent phone - My wife has been using it for over a year now, and $35/mo for unlimited text and more data than we need is nice. If my work didn't pay for my iPhone I would use this. My wife has never come close to using the 300 minutes, and it only $0.10/min if you go beyond that. It was noticably slower than my old 3GS, though, and angry birds stutters a little, but overall not bad for this price.

 

[Roland00Address]

Hardware wise this is better than an Iphone 3g but a Iphone 3gs is far superior

It is an arm11 core at 600 mhz. The Iphone 3g is an arm11 core at 412mhz. The LG optimus V has 512mb of memory. Iphone 3g has 128mb of memory.

 

[KingPenguin]

It also has a GPU for video acceleration which makes it much faster than your average 600mhz phone for everyday use.

My family owns two of these and they are great for the money. It has a large hacking community with custom ROMs. Ice Cream Sandwich is available already in Beta/Alpha form.

3g data on VM is not fast, but it's good enough for moderate use.

 

[kinev]

Hmmmm...might have to bite on this. Thanks OP!

 

[OCNewbie]

I'm still using a "dumb" phone, this one - http://www.samsung.com/us/mobile/cell-phones/SCH-R360ZKAMTR

I'm on the $40/month MetroPCS plan, which includes unlimited talk, text, and web (which is essentially useless on this phone).

I want to upgrade, and am considering this phone. I keep hearing negative things about Virgin's 3G speeds though. I keep hearing good things about T-Mobiles $30/month unlimited data plan.

I wonder if I should wait til a comparably good phone (if there is one in their lineup) at T-Mobile goes on sale?

Also, the 100 minutes of talk on the T-Mobile will definitely not be enough, and I doubt the 300 minutes for the Virgin will be enough either. Because of this, I'm considering trying to use Google Voice with a VoIP app (I guess?) to circumvent this restriction. I just did a manual count of my call logs that my phone has saved. Assuming it is accurate (which I think it possibly isn't totally), I average close to 60 voice minutes a day, over a 13-day period.

Does anybody have any advice for me?

 

[Mongoloid]

speeds and coverage vary by region.

In NE OHIO, T-mobile coverage stinks. Sprint (Virgin Mobile) is not that bad. and the best is Verizon. You go somewhere else and that could change entirely.

 

[OCNewbie]

How do I find out if it's any good in Orlando?

 

[Jim]

Does anybody have any advice for me?

They can tell when you are trying to use alternate voice minute apps. VM gives you 1200 minutes for $10 more per month. You can get a nicer phone too.

http://www.virginmobileusa.com/cell-phone-plans/beyond-talk-plans.jsp

To check coverage see top menu. Click "Coverage Map" and enter your zip. Beware it shows 3g and voice coverage separately according to your checkmarks. I found it to be pretty accurate for the places I have been to.