What are best plan & phone suggestions for shared plan?

Thread view:

Enable EMail Alerts

Start New Thread

Thread rating:

[ a m z ] - 29 Aug 2004 23:34 GMT

I'm advising a couple of older relatives on getting / updating their
wireless service...

Existing: Older Nokia on TDMA $29.95 (+ bonuses) plan. Only use about 100
total minutes per month. Typically have 20 call-forwarding calls (@ $.45
ea.) per month.

Wanted: Two (2) simple, straightforward phones that emphasize reliability,
call quality and physical durability over any bells & whistles. At least
one of the phones should be a flip or slider phone because it will be in a
purse (and explaining key lock is not an option). They need NO fancy
features. One of the phones (hers) is *supposedly* going to be limited use,
but I'm guessing it'll get used more than they expect.

My personal experience with Siemens has been great. AT&T has some refurb &
other phones available free in an end-of-month promo.

Anyone have any strong opinions or know of some excellent deal not on the
open market???

Reply to this Message

John Navas - 30 Aug 2004 18:11 GMT

First check on quality of coverage -- that's at least as important as hardware
and price.

>I'm advising a couple of older relatives on getting / updating their
>wireless service...
[quoted text clipped - 15 lines]
>Anyone have any strong opinions or know of some excellent deal not on the
>open market???

Signature

Best regards,
John Navas <http://navasgrp.home.att.net/

Reply to this Message

Elmo P. Shagnasty - 30 Aug 2004 18:51 GMT

> First check on quality of coverage -- that's at least as important as hardware
> and price.

It all comes out in the wash. Ignore John. You'll find that some
coverage you like, some coverage you hate--and that's for all the
carriers. (Oops--don't call them all CELLULAR carriers, because John
will come after you with his A/V Geek costume on and slap your wrists
with an extended antenna.)

Reply to this Message

John Navas - 30 Aug 2004 22:26 GMT

>> First check on quality of coverage -- that's at least as important as hardware
>> and price.
>
>It all comes out in the wash. ...

Patent nonsense.

Signature

Best regards,
John Navas <http://navasgrp.home.att.net/

Reply to this Message

[ a m z ] - 31 Aug 2004 16:57 GMT

<< re-arranged to bottom-post >>

> >I'm advising a couple of older relatives on getting / updating their
> >wireless service...
[quoted text clipped - 18 lines]
> First check on quality of coverage -- that's at least as important as hardware
> and price.

Not in this case. AWS is the provider they want to stick with -- though
TDMA vs. GSM is one consideration. It this area (Seattle to Portland), they
are satisfied with the TDMA coverage for the places they are or go. Also,
in this case, the hardware and price are of ultimate importance to one of
the users (her), since she will rarely be using it and wants something
small, light and straightforward (and still inexpensive).

Reply to this Message

[ a m z ] - 31 Aug 2004 17:34 GMT

<< re-arranged to bottom-post >>

> >I'm advising a couple of older relatives on getting / updating their
> >wireless service...
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
> >Wanted: Two (2) simple, straightforward phones that emphasize
> >reliability, call quality and physical durability over any bells &

whistles.

> >At least one of the phones should be a flip or slider phone because it
> >will be in a
[quoted text clipped - 11 lines]
> First check on quality of coverage -- that's at least as important as
> hardware and price.

Reply to this Message