Best Prepaid Phone?

[cmrules]

I'm going to vist Grandma (age 82) next week in the Dayton, OH area and want to help her purchase a prepaid cell phone. I want to get some advice from you guys on what the best type is for her. She will not be using it very much, I'm talking just emergency and the occasional, I'm here where are you type calls. So I'm concerned about...

1. coverage area

2. minutes that expire

3. purchasing minutes v. purchasing a yearly plan

4. It can't be complicated. She once bought a small cordless and thought she bought a cell phone

I've looked at Tracfone and the #3 question is really what I wonder if that's better for her at $99. I've also looked at Virgin since their minutes last 90 days instead of 60.

Any advice?

Michelle

 

[nbodyhome]

I like the T-Mobile Plan. I bought a phone from T-Mobile for a decent price, and then 1000 minutes for $107 after tax, the minutes last a year.

 

[joha]

Second the T-mobile. I had Virgin and Tracfone in the past. Switched to t-mobile, I also got one for my daughter and my mom.

 

[Imzadi]

The minutes on a Tracfone rollover and never expire as long as you keep active service (and for an extra 60 days even after you accidently deactivate.) You do NOT lose the minutes after 60 days.

You must however keep buying airtime for your phone, like any other cellphone service. Unless you buy one of the 1 year package deals, you need to buy an airtime card ever 2 months, loaded with the appropriate minutes you want. Airtime is different from minutes. You will need both minutes AND airtime to talk on the phone. For your GM, I'd say the One year plan may actually be best as she won't have to worry or remember to add on minutes or airtime every 2 months.

The best way to utilize that deal is getting a referral to activate the phone for a bonus free 120 minutes (in addition to the minutes you get with the 1 year card.)
PLUS: add on a bonus code for the 1 year card, in which you will get even more free minutes. (I think there is a 250 free minute code out now.) This brings down the price incredibly & loads up the phone with plenty of minutes, right from the start.

I can send a referral and detailed directions to get you set up. Just send me a Private Message.

If she does want to add on more minutes, there are ALWAYS bonus minutes codes for free minutes to add on along with each Minutes Card - some are DOUBLE minute codes, so that cuts the price of a card down by half.

On the Tracfone website, there is a place to enter your zip code to see if they have coverage in your area. Tracfone.com

Tracfone doesn't have their own cell service, per se. What they do is RENT cell service from existing carriers in your area. Instead of getting a Verizon cellphone, & only having serviced dedicated to Verizon, when I've traveled, the Tracfone SWITCHED to whatever carrier was available to me, in that area: Sprint, PacBell, BellSouth.

But check with other people in her area to see which companies get the best coverage. Some model Tracfones may be dedicated to those cell carriers.

Tracfone does give you 30 days to RETURN your phone if you find out, it doesn't have enough service/coverage for you or not the plan you want. I think this is what the "reconditioned" phones are. When you return a used phone, Tracfone has to wipe the old telephone number from it's memory before selling it again.

Also, many elderly carry phones on them instead of having those life alert alarms in case they fall. Saves lots of money. Even if they do not have active phone service, ANY cellphone that holds a charge & works is capable of calling 911, even if there is no cell phone service connected.

If she want's to carry the phone on her, make sure you get her a cell phone holder with a clip so she can clip it onto her waistband.

 

[DisneyClay]

You have to be careful with a tracphone. I had two of them and neither worked in my area. You can get them for 19.00 here. I think I will give up the prepaid and go with a plan. I am on a pre paid from sears and it is not very good. Good luck to you.

 

[marycaym]

My mom is in NE Ohio and on our last trip in over the 4th of July, I took her to Costco to get a cell phone. We ended up getting the Tmobile with the prepaid minutes. The initial cost was 49.00 for the phone (a really nice samsung flip phone) and 30 minutes - those 1st 30 minutes expire within 30 days. I just went online yesterday and purchased her a 100 minutes, these minutes will never expire and she is now a "gold member". She has not used it that I know of, but we have reminded her to keep it with her, keep it on & keep it charged.

She had a tracfone once before but didn't like the phone or the service and the minutes seemed to expire quickly.

 

[Miss Kelly]

Arghhh.... T-Mobile and Tracphone are not available in my area. I just need a good, cheap phone for emergencies.

 

[LizinSTL]

I'm going to vist Grandma (age 82) next week in the Dayton, OH area and want to help her purchase a prepaid cell phone. I want to get some advice from you guys on what the best type is for her. She will not be using it very much, I'm talking just emergency and the occasional, I'm here where are you type calls. So I'm concerned about...

1. coverage area

2. minutes that expire

3. purchasing minutes v. purchasing a yearly plan

4. It can't be complicated. She once bought a small cordless and thought she bought a cell phone

I've looked at Tracfone and the #3 question is really what I wonder if that's better for her at $99. I've also looked at Virgin since their minutes last 90 days instead of 60.

Any advice?

Michelle

We bought my grandparents a Virgin Moblie phone. It was $30 at Target and we got a $20 top up card. You get a $2.50 "bonus" when you activate it (no charge). We set it up to top it off every 90 days and if you use your cc to do that, you only have to add $15 at a time to rollover your leftover minutes and keep the number.

 

[courage]

I bought my 6th grader a phone! I really didn't want to but I got tired of worrying when he had after school activities. He is only allowed to call parents/grandparents and no one else gets his number. That said, he doesn't need many minutes.
Target had a deal on Virgin Mobile in January. $90.00 for a year of service and a free phone. (phone is usually 50.00) I don't know if they will do it again but it has worked out great for us - my son has not exceeded the minutes and if he does he can buy a top up card. With other phones you have to call and put more minutes every 30 days or you lose them! My husband and I have Nextel and we have never been unable to get him on the line.

His phone was stolen but I called and told the company so they cut off the phone's minutes. He got a replacement phone for $25 and he kept all of his minutes.
Customer service at Virgin was nice to me- you just ignore all the prompts and keep asking for a real person and they will help you set up the phone and everything.