Low cost smart phone service

[haven]

Let's use this thread to keep track of low cost alternatives for smart phone service (voice, text and data).

Here's a plan for folks in USA: Wal-Mart and T-Mobile are offering a new smart phone family plan. The first line costs $45 for "unlimited" voice, text and 3G data service. Additional lines cost $35 a month. There is no commitment, meaning you can cancel at any time. Comparable plans from Verizon and AT&T cost $50 per month per line. More information here
http://www.walmart.com/cp/1083044

A few more details:

-Each line requires a $25 start-up fee

-"Unlimited" data means your 3G data service will be slowed down once you exceed the family data cap. That cap is only 250 MB. However, if you sign up before march 16, you will receive full speed data service up to a 5 GB data cap, according to www.androidandme.com

- You can buy a compatible phone from Wal-Mart. Or use any phone that works with T-Mobile's network, provided you buy a $25 activation kit, which includes a new SIM card.

 

[Martinjmpr]

Given the nature of the forum we're on, it would be prudent to check the coverage area. Two years ago I explored the possibility of dumping my two-year-plan entirely in favor of a pay-as-you-go plan.

What finally made me reject that option was that every pay-as-you-go plan featured an extremely limited coverage area outside of the major cities.

I've said before on cell phone threads that for me, coverage is everything. I've lost count of the number of times I've loaned my phone to friends or acquaintances to make a call in the back country because I had service and they didn't. That's the reason I stick with Verizon. I'm not saying that I have service everywhere, but I will say that my experience with Verizon has been that if anybody has service, I do, and if I don't have service, nobody has service.

My wife had T-mobile when we first got together and whenever we went outside the city limits and off of the interstates, her phone was useless. We finally got the point where we left it at home.

Bottom line, the best phone in the world is just a paperweight if it doesn't have service.

 

[Martinjmpr]

BTW, at the risk of seeming pedantic, should this thread be in the "communications" sub-board?

 

[haven]

The Communications forum seems to be used more for radio stuff. The smart phone data stuff is more about computer style communications (web, email, etc).

Maybe all the phone stuff should be moved to the Communications forum. Any others with opinions?

 

[TangoBlue]

The Communications forum seems to be used more for radio stuff. The smart phone data stuff is more about computer style communications (web, email, etc).

Maybe all the phone stuff should be moved to the Communications forum. Any others with opinions?

That's thought provoking... they are mobile phones that do their magic though the air waves; but they are computers, too. Hmmm...

 

[Martinjmpr]

The Communications forum seems to be used more for radio stuff. The smart phone data stuff is more about computer style communications (web, email, etc).

Maybe all the phone stuff should be moved to the Communications forum. Any others with opinions?

That's thought provoking... they are mobile phones that do their magic though the air waves; but they are computers, too. Hmmm...

Well, I'm just thinking that a person unfamiliar with the forum who is seeking info on telephone service would logically look under "communications."

This sub-board is "GPS and Computers" which gives no hint that cell phone discussions are here.

My recommendation would be to either change the name of this forum to "GPS, Computers and cellular phones" and the "Communications" forum to "Radio Communications", or we move the phone discussions to the Communications forum.

Just trying to help out any nOObs who might be browsing the boards.

 

[HillbillyfromAL]

I have to agree with Martinjmpr. I don't care so much about price as coverage. I used to have AT&T and the lack of coverage away from urban developments was depressing. Since I switched to Verizon I've only found a few spots where I don't get coverage and I know that nobody else would have coverage there either.
I got a Wilson cell phone booster and did a NMO mount low profile antennex and even in spots where I had no service I get 3 bars now. The only thing with those is you have be like 2 ft from the internal antenna for it to work. And no I'm not affiliated with either company. The magnet mount antenna that came with the booster worked fine but I didn't consider that as a permanent solution. I'll get some pics up when I can. My best friends dad bought one after I told him it worked and he said that he got signal back home in AL where he used to not have signal for 30min of a drive and that was one T-Mobile. I look at it as a safety device and if the booster didn't work great I wouldnt have suggested it to anyone. Hopefully someone will find that usefull.

 

[Bdiddy11]

If you want coverage then Verizon is best. As for rates,.Tmobile has new value plans that are dirt cheap but you don't have as good as coverage. That's why I'll have other forms to communicate longer distance in times of desperate need. I'm on Tmobile and switching to the value plan saving $40+ a month.