I need to get a new phone/plan and I need advice. I want something like $30/month. I don't talk much and have about 20 texts per month (sent & received). I'm thinking of signing a contract and getting a badass phone for cheap, but I'm afraid of getting in with a company that I hate. So T Mobile's prepaid or pay as you go seem good. Just somebody who won't fuck up my bill would be nice too. I have Verizon now and an old phone, but I would be fine with keeping the same phone.

5/31/2009 6:52:48 PM

remember the military discount. i know AT&T gives it...the others might. AT&T also offers a 450 minute/month plan that's cheap with the discount, though probably not $30, at least after the fees and taxes and stuff. I used to have it, but I go a little over 450 min/month, so I had to bump up to the 900 plan (which is overkill, but it's the next step up).

5/31/2009 7:41:46 PM

Verizon and Sprint also both give government discounts.

Sprint Basic: 200 mins, $29.99/mo.

[Edited on May 31, 2009 at 7:46 PM. Reason : ]

5/31/2009 7:42:57 PM

thanks, I didn't know about the gov't discounts!

T-Mobile's basic plan is $29.99 for 300 minutes. but don't they all add on a bunch of extra fees that they don't tell you about? I'll expect to pay more like $40 if the website says it's $30

5/31/2009 8:37:51 PM

If you want it to work everywhere get Verizon and there are plans that run in that price range. Taxe sand surcharges generally run 3-7 on a plan like that.

5/31/2009 9:56:02 PM

^^yes.
Here is the deal for cheapness:
<300 mins

T-Mobile pay as you go is the best plan if you expect to use the phone less then 300 mins a month with the $100 dollar 1000 min refill that last a year. Refill you get the gold rewards with adds 150 mins. Only buy the 100 dollar refill since it 10 cents a min and 1 year expiration. Also no contract needed. Cost: Minimum: 100 dollars a year

>300 mins

Cricket paygo is the best if you don't travel away from their coverage area. no contract. You must talk at least 15 days a month (or 30 days in two month) for this to be cost effective. 15 days is the most cost effective. More days becomes slightly less cost effective. Less then 30 days in 2 month also become less cost effective. Cost: Minimum: 15 dollars a month

>>300 mins

Att go plans. no contract. best if all/most of the people you talk to is in at&t. 100 dollar refill best. 1 dollar a day when using phone and if the other person is not att then 10 cent a min after that. cost minimum: 100 dollars a year.

There is no real contract type plan for 30 dollars a month. 40 after taxes is minimum.



also if you talk 300-400 min a month virgin mobile pay as you go is an option (cost minimum 35 a month but becomes cheaper if you talk <400 mins a month becomes 25 a month) this company is best if you have some months you talk 300-400 and some months lower and some month more but mostly <400 min a month . no contract. best if you average 300-400 mins a month within a few months and travel a lot compare to cricket but still not very good coverage.

t-mobile and att would have the least amount of roaming (almost none roaming.)

from reading your post it looks like you will talk less then 100 mins a month and send/recieve 30 text messages. with t-mobile 1000 it will only cost you. 13 dollars a month if you talk 100 mins and text. that a 100 dollar refill every 7-8 month and that only if you actually talk that much.


also refills from almost any company roll over when you buy more refills.


[Edited on May 31, 2009 at 11:19 PM. Reason : .]

5/31/2009 10:50:32 PM

Sprint:
500 anytime minutes, unlimited night&weekend (which starts at 7pm), unlimited data, unlimited text for $30+tax/month.

5/31/2009 11:40:33 PM

is there a link to ^

5/31/2009 11:43:11 PM

^^ if thats the SERO plan, they've cracked down on giving out those plans...

5/31/2009 11:48:42 PM

it's very hard to get the old sero plans now.

6/1/2009 12:55:51 AM

My brother was able to mirror his current SERO plan for two family members by getting on the support chat. He said that he needed to find a salesperson willing to sell him it, which took a while.

6/1/2009 11:03:22 AM

I'm unlimited everything with Sprint for $100/month. But I use mine a lot for business so I write all most all of it off on my taxes at the end of the year.

6/1/2009 11:15:47 AM

http://www.billshrink.com/ saw that in the tmobile commercial. i have no idea if it works

6/1/2009 11:26:15 AM

with those texts, most companies are going to charge in the neighborhood of 20 cents per msg sent OR received. Also, that Sprint basic plan doesn't include mobile 2 mobile (w/i sprint) and nights start at 9. It's really a plan for people that almost never use their phone, but need something.

Honestly, if you want something cheap, something prepaid like boost might not be a bad thing to consider.

6/1/2009 12:06:17 PM

^^^ It's possible to mirror the plan to another line with a generous and knowledgeable rep, but good luck ever finding one that will give you SERO F&F 500 (29.99) or 1250 (49.99) on a new account.

Now it's all Everything Plus 500 (59.99) and 1000 (79.99)

6/1/2009 12:07:00 PM

http://earthtones.com/

6/1/2009 12:46:33 PM

^^I'm a former employee and couldn't get it. I even knew the codes for the old (good) SERO plans and no dice.

6/1/2009 2:26:02 PM

i was able to change 500 to 1250 a couple of months ago through the iCare department.

6/2/2009 1:34:27 AM

what is this sero business everyone is talking about after i said i wanted a link to that one plan?

6/2/2009 1:46:09 AM

http://lmgtfy.com/?q=sprint+sero

6/2/2009 7:51:47 AM

Quote :

"If you want it to work everywhere get Verizon"

6/2/2009 9:30:07 AM

verizon doesn't work when i'm boating.

alltel works where others won't.

6/2/2009 10:41:29 AM

^ I've never had any issues with Alltel, but nowadays I figure everyone piggybacks off of all the other towers so it wouldn't make a difference. Am I wrong?

Also I would think that Alltel and Verizon would work in the same places since they are the same company almost now. Not sure why they are not operating as such yet.

6/2/2009 11:39:48 AM

Alltel has way better coverage than VZW.

They are merging their assets now so that in all the places your alltel phone works well VZW phones will. Within the next 90 days you will see all traces of alltel dissapear.

6/2/2009 12:31:57 PM

have you looked into pay as you go plans? theyre getting pretty cheap and for that little use it might be worth looking into at least.

6/2/2009 12:33:33 PM

pay as you go absolutely suck for txt messaging

i want a plan that i can pay like 30 bucks a month for like an hour of talk time, unlimited texts, unlimited internet

6/2/2009 12:38:15 PM

which is why i suggested it

Quote :

"I don't talk much and have about 20 texts per month (sent & received)"

6/2/2009 12:42:15 PM

my sero account is a bit messed up so I actually have an add-a-line for 0.00 that has unlimited text, data, 7pm nights, and mobile2mobile. Only downside is anytime is .40c/min. Pretty good emergency line.

6/2/2009 12:47:40 PM

This is honestly the best deal out on wireless right now.

http://plans.boostmobile.com/monthlyunlimited.aspx

It is $50 a month, all features are unlimited, no roaming, national coverage, and most importantly no contract and all taxes and fees are included. If you are looking at a wireless plan with low minutes for 35 or 40 a month taxes and fees are going to put you at about $50 a month anyway, if you factor in an overage where you get charged more its easy you would spend over the $600 a year its gonna cost you for boost unlimited.

6/2/2009 12:47:55 PM

Quote :

"I'm unlimited everything with Sprint for $100/month. But I use mine a lot for business so I write all most all of it off on my taxes at the end of the year."

I tried that but since i had the cell plan prior to business use and there was no extra cost for me using it for business they won't let me write it off.

Is yours just an exclusive work cell phone?

6/2/2009 2:33:21 PM

Quote :

"Alltel has way better coverage than VZW."

Only in remote areas in the south. I have never had any issues anywhere in wilmington or in the raleigh area, it also depends on the equipment as well.

6/2/2009 3:23:45 PM

blackberry curve

6/2/2009 3:31:46 PM

i have the old SERO 500 plan for $30 and im keeping this shit til i die

6/3/2009 4:09:25 AM

yeah, I had to upgrade because instead of getting a company phone I just opted for a credit each month and 500 minutes was pushing it.

6/3/2009 7:15:26 AM

it may not be applicable to the OP, but I am in LOVE with T-Mobile and my Android G1.

Both the service and the phone have exceeded my expectations. The G1 is every bit as cool/cooler than the iphone. Plus my phone does not carry with it the dick/tool/poser/consumer persona.

6/3/2009 12:58:24 PM

you basically do that on your own already though, so i can see why you'd want to avoid redundancy

6/3/2009 1:19:17 PM