Best prepaid cellphone deal.

centexguy · #1 05/10/05, 08:15 AM

I need to get a prepaid cellphone. I know the offers are always changing so whats the best deal now. I need about 100 minutes a month and I live in central Texas just north of Waco. Has anyone used Tmobile? What do ya think?

MaineFarmMom · #2 05/10/05, 12:10 PM

I use US Cellular. I have to pay a minimum of $15 every other month. It rolls over as long as you don't let your two month mark go by without adding to it.

roughingit · #3 05/10/05, 12:20 PM

I use T-mobile and love it! For people that rarely use the phone it is a great deal. Get the $100 card and you get more minutes and they last a whole year.

DW · #4 05/10/05, 05:11 PM

We got my son a tracphone from Walmart. He doesn't use it lots but I think it's running us about $10/month and that's definitely cheaper than any plan. We checked out which phone to buy because the area they were good in...be sure to check that.

Windy in Kansas · #5 05/10/05, 05:25 PM

T-mobile does look pretty good. I also checked out US Cellular and wasn't inpressed with the 35¢ per minute rate and the expiration time period on minutes.

Unfortunately T-mobile does not serve my area hardly at all. No stores, and little signal coverage. Bummer.

Tracphone didn't look too bad.

Any other suggestions?

roughingit · #6 05/10/05, 05:48 PM

If you are just looking for a cheap line (many people around here use a cell as their only line because landlines are outragously expensive), try looking into a VoIP phone.

Dave · #7 05/10/05, 06:14 PM

I use a t-mobile "to-go" sim card in my phone. I originally bought the pre-activated prepaid sim card off of Ebay and it came with a few hundred minutes on it already. There's many of them on Ebay. I think I paid about $15 for it. You then call t-mobile to change the number to a local one. It only took a few minutes and it was changed.

My refills are one year expiration, even the $25 refills. Done right over the phone automated system with a credit card, no need to go buy a refill card. After you've added a few refills, they discount your rate. I only pay .15/minute now on it and like I said the refills have a one year expiration. It's a good deal if you don't use the phone enough to justify paying for a plan. I had paid for a plan for many years and most month never used the allotted minutes and was just throwing money away. If you hardly ever use a cellphone, using this you'd only pay about $2 a month to have a cellphone number.

T-mobile ToGo also has text msg'ing, email with pic attachments, and limited web access to a few news and general websites.

It uses Cingular towers in some areas.

bbbuddy · #8 05/10/05, 06:38 PM

Tracfone, buy the "double minutes card" once, then the 400 minute cards at $80 always double to 800 minutes, comes out to 11.5 cents a minute for me...

maddy

Sweetgal · #9 05/10/05, 06:53 PM

I bought a Tracphone because I don't use my phone that much. It has worked out well for me so far but then again I haven't used it much. I got overwhelmed by trying to figure out all the different plans and just finally decided to go with the one they had at Wal-Mart. I suppose I got a good deal but with all the differences in plans it's hard to say.
Sweets

patarini · #10 05/10/05, 07:13 PM

Verizon if you travel a lot! Seemed to have the best coverage of all except tracfone, and a good rate too!

dalilies · #11 05/10/05, 08:42 PM

I went with alltel's pay as you go. I don't travel far and only use a few (less than 10 minutes) a month. They charge 25 cents a minute, but you do not have to buy minutes unless you run out. I bought $35 worth last November and am just now having to buy any more. That time period even covered a 2 month kitchen remodel that I was calling home a few times a week to see what I need to stop and pick up on the way home.

Guess it depends what you are looking for.

Jennifer

motivated · #12 05/10/05, 09:28 PM

I like my tracfone, great coverage.
Most of you folks are self-employed and are writing the cost of the phone and phone cards off right?
Jodi

b3hummers · #13 05/10/05, 09:43 PM

I have 2 Tracfone's. I really like them. Once I got them register I have recieved a promotional calander extra minutes each time I buy miuntes.

Hank - Narita · #14 05/10/05, 10:54 PM

Don't get Tracphone. I will give you mine. You need to keep buying minutes; they expire if you don't use them; you must renew often. Made 2 calls and paid too much. Never use it anymore. We buy MCI from Costco but it isn't cellular.

vegascowgirl · #15 05/11/05, 12:15 AM

I use Tracfone, and love it. You can buy cards at wal-mart/k-mart...sometimes at your local grocery store (depending if your store carries them or not)...and on line. I don't use very many minutes a month, but usually buy at least 100 minutes. I agree that buying the double time card is a good idea. It's expensive at first, but it soon evens out and saves money.

I will only use pre-paid cards now. I got sick of having to sign contracts for two, three + years of service for outragous prices. I don't need phones that take videos, pictures, or download music,screensavers, etc. That's just a way of them getting more money out of you. Just give me a phone that calls from one place to another, and allow me to decide how much I can afford to spend on it each month...that's all I need.