Pre-paid Cellphones Question

[TerryKitten]

Does anyone use a pre-paid cell phone? What Carrier is it and what do you pay?

We barely use one of our cellphones so we are planning to cancel it once the contract is up. We'd still like to ahve an extra phone when one of us is working in place w/ no land-line.

Thanks, Terrykitten

 

[Mskanga]

I have Verizon , it's pre-paid and I pay $15 a month and I can roll over any time I do not use as long as I keep adding money on the 29th day. My plan is .10 a minute with a .35 connection fee but since I do not use it too much. It works great for me.

 

[Shelle&Dave]

I have a Verizon prepaid phone. The phone was actually my Fiance's old one. I pay $15 a month and it gives me 45 minutes I think. I replenish my minutes right online. Couldn't be any easier.

My Fiance's phone is also prepaid. He goes through AT&T. It's called a Go Phone. He pays $39.99 a month and gets 400 minutes and free weekends. They have other plans available, but none as small as Verizon.

 

[oogieboogie]

I have Virgin mobile. I pay $20 every 90 days and the plan is 25 cents per minute up to 10 minutes then it's 10 cents a minute after that per day.

 

[Robinrs]

I started with Tracfone, spent two horrifying years overpaying AT&T and am now back with Tracfone. I RARELY use my phone it made no sense to pay so much for so little.

They're now offering a phone and 100 mins for $29. They also offer an extra 100 mins if you're a new client. I can PM you about that offer if you're interested.

Good luck!

Robinrs

 

[Hillbeans]

I love my Tracfone. I used to have a regular cell phone but at $40 a month plus charges, it was sort of a waste of money because I only used it occasionally.

With my tracfone, I think it originally cost me around $45 to buy it plus I need to reup minutes every 90 days. Tracfone sends lots of coupons though so for me it's been wonderful. The only thing you have to watch though is that you don't let the time alloted expire before buying another card. The cards cost as little as $19.99 but that should last you 90 days or something.

 

[Nancy]

We have 2 Tracfones...I love them! We paid $39.00 for the phones and we just add airtime as needed....cards are available almost everyone or you can add airtime on-line. If I have it right $19.99 gets you 30 minutes of airtime and if you get their special coupons or promotions it usually doubles your airtime. My Mom got one because she doesn't use hers that much either and it makes no sense to pay for tons of minutes you don't use. I think we'll be getting phone #3 for the kids to share during the school yr. when they have afterschool activities and will need to be picked up.

 

[mtblujeans]

Yeah, we have 3 Tracfones. We are using 2 of them for our WDW trip so we don't have to pay roaming with our regular cell phones. The teens use the phones when we are at home. I send out referrals for free 100 minutes right and left to family and friends. It is a good system ~ especially for travel!!

 

[chell]

Another happy Tracfone customer here.

 

[TerryKitten]

Thanks for your help. Doesn't look like tracphone works in my area.

We were thinking about Verizon, but wanted other's experence... Thanks!

 

[mtblujeans]

Actually, I believe Tracfone service uses Verizon's cell towers, among others....

 

[chell]

Originally posted by mtblujeans
Actually, I believe Tracfone service uses Verizon's cell towers, among others....

It's my understanding that they use many carrier's towers.

 

[CamColt]

Originally posted by oogieboogie
I have Virgin mobile. I pay $20 every 90 days and the plan is 25 cents per minute up to 10 minutes then it's 10 cents a minute after that per day.

Me too and its perfect for me.

 

[Aurora63]

It funny you all love Tracfone...

I used to sell it back in the late '90s when I worked for Radio Shack...people hated it, and I hated selling it! But it was the only prepaid available back then.

It was ridiculously expensive, like $1/minute, no voice mail, no caller ID, long distance was unreal. But people still bought it, and complained to us every time they came in to buy minutes!

And if you were late buying minutes...you phone would get turned off and a new number for you when you finally got your minutes! People hated that, but how can you forget to get minutes when you have 90 days to do it?

It sounds like Tracfone has improved, especially if you all like it so much. I hope so, anyway!

 

[Mskanga]

I know that my friend has tracfone and the service is horrible, all you hear when she calls is static and the call usually drops. I just looked at my account with verizon and I still have $15.50 left in my account which gives me 160 minutes.
I have nationwide coverage, no roaming charges in all verizon network nationwide, that's what works for me.

 

[Robinrs]

Tracfone now has many competitors and have managed to stay above the competition by improving accordingly.

I, too, had it a few years back and dropped it. The difference now is incredible.

I have no problem with the reception at all, I guess it depends on your area.

 

[Morganpics]

We use tracfones. We've had no problems, service is fine. There is one location where I cannot get service-it is in a valley-no carrier works there. I understand the reason tracfone costs more is because you are paying for the use of any carrier's towers. I don't care-it works and I'm not paying all kinds of this minute or that minute or contract. My original phone is 4 years old-is analog. Comes in great.

 

[chell]

Originally posted by Aurora63
..., no voice mail, no caller ID, long distance was unreal...

Now you have voice mail and caller ID. Long distance is just like any other call.

 

[cati]

I love my tracphone.

 

[PoohnPglet]

I use Verizon pre-pay too. It has worked VERY well for me. In fact, here in Orlando my phone kept working during and after Charley. I was able to call my parents in CO during the storm. I know that my friend's Nextel service didn't work for some time even after the hurricane was gone.

In Denver, I used a monthly pre-pay called Cricket that worked very well too.