Prepaid Cell Phones

Help ?

I decided over the weekend that with all the traveling I plan to do this spring and summer, I should probably get with the 21st century and snag a cell phone.

I don't need all the bells and whistles, just the essential capability to make a call should my car break down, or I get lost (Who, me ?? :silly:) or somesuch.

Anyone have any recommendations/ things to beware of ?

Thanks !!!

Some of the prepaid cellphones minutes expire...

When you are traveling...the per minute cost goes way up when you leave your home region.

NT

I have one, and it's pretty damn good. Only need to add a minimum of $20 every three months, and I've only been away from a signal once (downstate Illinois). Free voicemail too.

If I talked on the phone more, I'd go for a monthly plan, but there's no sense in it for me.

monthly plan and a contract. It's mostly for "I'm running late" kinds of calls or in case of emergency.

I've never had a problem with Virgin Mobile.

It meets my limited needs quite well. It's good for travelling, too. I've only seen it in roaming mode once. I actually use text messaging to keep in touch with the gf, too. I never thought I'd use that.

I recommend it.

http://www.virginmobileusa.com/

it was REALLY expensive! it was 25 cents just to connect, then 10 cents a minute. she did a lot of text messaging, too. it was about $50 every three weeks.

i finally put her on my plan, and it will be about $35 a month for her.

I got one, because my bf had been using them for years with no complaints. NOTHING has worked right with my service. The phone number I got is a long distance call from my local calling area (so my bf can't call me on it from work), I get stuck roaming when I am clearly within my local district that is not supposed to be roaming, and it took them forever to get my voicemail fixed, int wouldn't let me set it up properly.

Oh, and apparenly they outsourced their customer service deptartment, so when you call for help, you get people who you don't understand and who don't understand you, which makes an already frustrating situation all the more impossible. I have had MAJOR problems with the language barrier.

Their customer service does suck.

I got one for my daughter because our cell phone carrier (Sprint) didn't have a family plan at the time, (they do now), and the think absolutely stunk. She could never get a signal.

I got her a Sprint phone six months later and have had no problems at all.

I'm only keeping it because I'm paid up for a year. After that I'm switching. I had to talk to some guy in India because I couldn't get my minutes added to the phone for some reason. The language barrier is extremely frustrating.

My ex has one and pays .25 per minute. A phone will cost about $50

If you are willing to make a two year commiment you can get a free phone. A good plan can cost anywhere from $30-$60 per month. So if you plan to use the phone for 120 to 240 minutes per month it pays to sign the contract. IMHO

I have a Simple Freedom phone. It cost me about 50 bucks 2 years ago, and I dump $20 worth of airtime into it every 6 weeks or so.
Right now, I have almost 3 hour's of talktime banked.

I'm not just saying this because I work for T-Mobile ...

oh wait, actually I am.

Basically, I despise phones and don't even have a long distance plan at home. I doubt I'll ever use a cell phone unless it's an emergency.

I just need a mode of contact in case my car breaks down and have to call for help, or call the hotel to let them know I'm late - or cancelling - or call work and tell them I'm running away to be a wandering groupie .. you know, that sort of thing.


:)

I use virginmobile, but I can go days without using it. It is cost affective for me that way.

Phone itself was $100.

Also, there is no roaming, nationwide included + voicemail.

Recharge cards are sold at Target, Walgreens, etc etc.

I use about 20-30 minutes per month...worth it for me.

Where are you going and what are you going to be doing?

I had a TracFone, but it broke so Jason got me a Virgin mobile one for Christmas. I always carry it when I go out riding on my bike, which is a good thing. My derailleur cracked off a few weeks ago and I couldn't even walk it home. A cell phone is good to have for emergencies.

What a piece of shit it was.

Down to Tenn. for Bonnaroo, back up home to WI a weekend or two to see la familia ... possibly a jaunt to the Tampa/St Pete area ....

:hi:

Nextel's prepaid cell phone.

I also have Boots Mobile, my cat, who talks quite a bit and can actually dial a cell phone. ;)

I have had a contract cell phones before and didn't like it, but felt I needed a cell phone for my car in case of emergency and occasional other uses as well.
I am not much of a phone person so I don't need alot monthly minutes, or a $40 bill every month , so I just got myself prepaid cell that I use here and there. I bought mine at Sams Club and got a 1 year unlimited minutes card at that time as well. I have had no problems thus far.

The phone and minutes ran me about $100 that day, if my memory is correct. If I buy more minutes before the expiration date of the current minuteshen I carry over all unused minutes in additional to the new minutes. If I let my minutes run out though I lose my number, which is why I got the unlimited year card instead of say.. a 300 min. card

In the last 2+ years I'd estimate my phone and unlimited minutes have cost me no more than $120.