Tell me about your experience with Virgin Mobile

[sbpebbles]

So I see a lot of ppl keep mentioning VM when it comes to plans vs Sprint..I currently have Sprint but was let out of my contract early due to only getting FAIR reception where I live..I am on my second Airrave already..I was checking out VMs website and it seems I'd get about the same reception but my questions are

1. Since VM uses Sprint towers will I get reception? (since Sprint will want their airrave back I won't have use of that anymore)

2. with VM are all mobile to mobile calls free or just calls to other VM customers? I wanted to go with Verizon but it's only Verizon to Verizon that's included for free and all other calls count against your minutes

3.I currently have the Samsung Exclaim so which phone would you recommend?

I have a friend who works for Verizon, AT&T and T Mobile and she doesn't think I'll get the best service with VM but again she's biased based on where she works lol..

I'd love to hear what others have to say about their service and their customer service..any tips on the best place to buy a phone or get a discount on them? Like I said my main concern is due to the Airrave so I wonder if VM wouldn't work for me cuz if i didnt have it then i wouldn't get reception with Sprint..Thanks!

 

[NYCDiane]

I've had both Spring and Virgin Mobile and wasn't satisfied with either. I've been with Verizon now for about 5 years and the service has been great. I'd like my bill to be a little lower but other than that, I'm happy.

 

[disneymarie]

I have Verizon, but instead of adding ds I am getting him the Virgin Mobile that has the touch screen and data plan for $25 a month. I do not want a contract on another phone, he is not a big user. The tracfone he had for 6 years now and generally does not use over 100 minutes a month.

The new phone is unlimited texting, web, and 250 minutes. This will be perfect.
I was told that especially in the NE we will have no problem with towers.

 

[sbpebbles]

I have Verizon, but instead of adding ds I am getting him the Virgin Mobile that has the touch screen and data plan for $25 a month. I do not want a contract on another phone, he is not a big user. The tracfone he had for 6 years now and generally does not use over 100 minutes a month.

The new phone is unlimited texting, web, and 250 minutes. This will be perfect.
I was told that especially in the NE we will have no problem with towers.

That's my issue with Sprint..I'm given 450 min but I only use about 200 of them each month so I feel like I'm wasting my money..I use A LOT of text and data each month

 

[cglaura]

I can't say for your area, I'm in NJ. But I've never had bad reception with my VM phone (any of the phones I've had from them in the past 8 years). I've used in in alot of other states, but I've not been everywhere

As for your question #2: you pay for each call, unless you have the unlimited plan. No free mobile to mobile or vm to vm.

I rarely use my phone, so I am on the $20 every 90 days pay-as-you go plan. I have an inexpensive Kyocera Jax. Really all I need it for is dd to txt me when she isn't home!

DD has the $25 unlimited txt and 300 voice minutes plan. She uses the Kyocera Loft, it is fancier than the low end phones like mine, but not as fancy as the Blackberry or droid type phones they have.

I have found the best prices to be on the actual Virgin Mobile site. Unless you have some generic xxOff coupon good on anything from a store such as Walgreens, Rite Aid or Radio Shack. But as far as sales...if a store has it on sale, the VM does too, with free shipping.

 

[Pigeon]

I got VM for dd13 a few months ago. So far, it's been fine. She has the $25/month plan with an LG Rumor Touch. She rarely uses it to talk, and 300 min/month is way more than she uses. She's never had a problem.

 

[Green Tea]

I don't think any minutes on VM are "free." I think they ALL count against your minutes.

If you have poor coverage with Sprint, your VM experience would be the same, I think.

 

[Nayan]

I would ask others in your area who they use and how good their reception is. When we had Verizon I got a great signal in town, but where my DH works he couldn't even get a bar. We switched to AT&T and have excellent coverage. I wanted to go with VM but the service was poor here and there was none where my DH is.

 

[HM]

I've been using VM for years. First we got a cheap phone for the car...$20 every three months and the money rolled over (we hardly ever used this phone so the money added up). Then I got one to use, same 'plan' a couple years later, and used it enough that I didn't keep extra money on the phone. Then for Christmas this year, we got the kid's each a Smart phone and the 'plan' to go with them $35 for DD (Blackberry), $25 for DS (Driod) and I got a better phone (old one no longer kept a charge and batteries not available) and stayed on my same $20/3 month plan.

We've had very little trouble with reception. There have been some place we've not been able to use them....but so few I can't even remember what they are. Disney definitely worked and all around where we live works. We were told they work on the Verizon network....but not completely sure about that.

 

[Gillennj]

It was my understanding that with the $25 unlimited data/text/e-mail/300 voice minute plan that all VM to VM calls were free, as well as calls to Sprint users. From what I have read here, that is not the case.

Could someone clarify?

 

[cglaura]

It was my understanding that with the $25 unlimited data/text/e-mail/300 voice minute plan that all VM to VM calls were free, as well as calls to Sprint users. From what I have read here, that is not the case.

Could someone clarify?

DD gets minutes off of her balance, and I get my $.18/minute charge when calling each other.

We both get charged calling my friend who is on Sprint.

Here is the plan details if you have not seen it yet:
http://www.virginmobileusa.com/cell-phone-plans/beyond-talk-plans.jsp

 

[woodkins]

Virgin Mobile works off of the Sprint network, so if you don't get good reception using your sprint phone you will have the same exact experience using Virgin Mobile.

 

[charming23]

I had virgin mobile for my first cell phone in high school/early college. It was okay since I only used it to call home to let my parents know where I was or when I needed to be picked up. I got okay reception but when I got my own car and started driving on my own my dad switched me to their t-mobile plan which I still have today.

If your reception is not good with sprint I would say it will not be good with t-moblie. Look into T-mobile pay as you go. A few of my friends have it and love it.