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Cellular Phone Forum / General / General Topics / February 2008@ pre-paid cell versus Cingular
Monday, February 25, 2008 Hello There: I have been thinking about changing my cingular cellular for a prepaid (NET10?) phone because I don't normally use my phone more than 10 minutes or so a month, I don't see a point to paid every month $50 for something I don't use. I was wondering if anyone of you has used NET10 and what is your experience with it? They charge $30 for the telephone and 300 minutes and then you can buy 300 minutes for $29, They offer a Nokia 1600 phone (Wal-Mart) Is there any other good pre-paid company I should know about it? Thank you in advance, Lo > Monday, February 25, 2008 > [quoted text clipped - 17 lines] > > Lo See "http://prepaiduswireless.com/" and "http://www.cellguru.net/prepaid_compare.htm" Net10 is one of the worst deals because there is a $15/month minimum. The best prepaid service, by far, is PagePlus. It has the lowest cost per minute (as low as 5.3¢), one of the lowest minimum monthly costs (as low as $2.31), and the best coverage of any prepaid service because it uses Verizon's network. Negatives about PagePlus are a) you must remember to add at least $10 every four months, b) no on-line checking of your balance, c) you must buy a compatible phone somewhere (or use an old Verizon phone). There are PagePlus dealers, check the PagePlus dealer locater ("http://pagepluscellular.com/Why%20Page%20Plus/Store%20Locator.aspx") though I've never had the need to go to a store. However if you're planning to port your old number then you may want to go to a dealer, or call PagePlus and ask for the porting department. You can use any Verizon phone. I've used two Verizon prepaid InPulse phones (from Target) on PagePlus. Supposedly new Verizon InPulse phones still can be activated on PagePlus, except the Motorola W385. I haven't tried an InPulse phone in at least a year. If you do buy an InPulse phone, I'd call PagePlus with the ESN and ask if it can be activated, before I open the package. This means that the ESN must be visible through the packaging (it often is). You can get a lower monthly minimum with T-Mobile, if you go "gold" by buying $100 airtime card at the beginning, then you only have to buy $10 per year in subsequent years (so it would be 83¢ per month after the first year at $8.33 per month). T-Mobile's coverage is very spotty in some areas of the country. If T-Mobile works in the OP's area, and they have access to a Target store, Target's running a great deal this week- a T-Mo $100 airtime card (good for 1000 minutes or one year) and Nokia 2610 phone combo for $88. As you said, all subsequent cards, even the $10 cards will extend any remaining balance for a year. So, the OP's first-year cost will be $88 plus tax, and subsequent years as little as $10. At their self described use of 10 minutes/month, they can get by with $10 cards for a least a decade! T-Mo's online coverage maps are pretty darn accurate, and Target has a good return policy on phones and UNUSED prepaid cards. The OP can try the phone with it's included airtime (10 minutes/30 days) then return it or go ahead and activate the $100 card if the service is suitable. I agree that Page Plus has better coverage, but T-Mo is second-best (since it offers roaming) and T-Mo is certainly easier to find, buy and refill, and is cheaper than PP for very low-volume users. (PP's $0.50 monthly fee adds 5-cents/min to a 10 minute/month user, and PP requires $30/year in refills to maintain vs. $10.) Lastly, PagePlus is a two-bit MVNO that exists at the pleasure of it's contract with Verizon. T-Mo's prepaid service is provided by T-Mo itself, which arguably makes it more stable in terms of longevity. I would be more nervous about carrying a balance on an MVNO than a carrier itself. The MVNO business is a risky one. Go ask Amp'd, ESPN Mobile, Disney Mobile or JusTalk customers how they like their service! ;-) (In interest of full disclosure, I have accounts with both T-Mo and Page Plus prepaid.) > See "http://prepaiduswireless.com/" and > "http://www.cellguru.net/prepaid_compare.htm" [quoted text clipped - 28 lines] > the first year at $8.33 per month). T-Mobile's coverage is very spotty > in some areas of the country. And if he needs to stay on the Cingular network to get good coverage in his area, he might want to look at Airvoice Wireless GSM. It's 10 cents a minute for calls and 10 cents for each text message in or out, plus a 20-cent fee on the first call or text message of the day, plus a $1/month 911 fee. Minimum refill is $10 every three months, and unused minutes roll over so long as you refill before the minutes expire. What you DON'T want to do is use the prepaid plan of any major carrier, such as Cingular's GoPhone. The exception of course is T-Mobile, which has an excellent prepaid plan. One thing about most prepaids (but maybe not Page Plus and T-Mobile) is that you can't roam onto other carriers. Airvoice works only on the Cingular network. So a prepaid phone using Cingular won't always work where a normal postpaid Cingular phone would. But I second the suggestion to look at the Prepaid Comparison chart on cellguru.net. It's a great resource. > Lastly, PagePlus is a two-bit MVNO that exists at the pleasure of it's > contract with Verizon. T-Mo's prepaid service is provided by T-Mo itself, > which arguably makes it more stable in terms of longevity. I would be more > nervous about carrying a balance on an MVNO than a carrier itself. The > MVNO business is a risky one. Go ask Amp'd, ESPN Mobile, Disney Mobile or > JusTalk customers how they like their service! ;-) These other MVNOs were very high profile, high cost carriers that were basing their business model on heavy advertising and promotion costs to customers that the believed were too stupid to look at the actual costs. PagePlus may be two-bit, but they've outlasted nearly all the other MVNOs, and have been around for more than five years. The other MVNOs also exist at the pleasure of the carriers that they use. > PagePlus may be two-bit, but they've outlasted nearly all the other > MVNOs, and have been around for more than five years. True, but being small also means having zero clout with their "masters." > The other MVNOs also exist at the pleasure of the carriers that they use. Agreed, but at least if they have a large enough customer base (i.e Tracfone/Net 10) they have some negotiation leverage at the contract table. If Page Plus fell off the face of the Earth, Verizon'd lose what? A couple thousand low-volume lines? Page Plus offers a good service, but I wouldn't be as comfortable running a large balance with them as I would with a physical wireless operator. Thank you all for your replies. Great Help in making my decision!!! --------- ---------------------------------- > > PagePlus may be two-bit, but they've outlasted nearly all the other > > MVNOs, and have been around for more than five years. [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > Page Plus offers a good service, but I wouldn't be as comfortable running a > large balance with them as I would with a physical wireless operator. |
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