Need some cell phone info?

Hello was just posting up here to get all of your opinions. My cell phone is a piece of crap, my contract is over. So what I need to know it how well your carrier is working for you, coverage area? cost of plan, cost of new phones. I seem to kill one once every 2 years. I am with T-mobile, I have free long distance,unlimited any time minutes and 500 text and pics. for 60 bucks a month. I do not want to pay more than that. I want a decent phone an android or sidekick would be nice, BUT NO DATA PLAN!!!! unless it under 60 bucks a month.


Thanks Jason :cheers:

Verizon seems to have the best coverage around here, with AT&T second.

You'll pay for it though.

Check mycricket.com .. 1000 minutes & unlimited text is $35/mo. Leaches off the Sprint network around here.

If you do not travel internationally. Sprint OWNZ all on cost for performance. We use them for work and I get good coverage everywhere I go nationally. I Have used everyone. They blow for international rates.. but for data plans.. they Rule in the States.

I wanted to add, you will get a cell phone.. if you don't want data. They are really locking it down.

Sprint is your friend. Tell them you work at InFocus, you will get 20 percent or such off. I will vouch for you.

I loved sprint. Ive got verizon now but only switched to get the iphone in feburary when i was being impatient and didnt want to wait for the sprint one. verizon is really good too. dont think ive ever dropped a call except in some parking garages. with a 17% discount from my last place i worked for i get 450 anytime minutes, free mobile to any mobile and unlimited txts and data for $87

The no data might be a little tough with an Android. As far as I was told by at&t they will not even start a service for a smart phone with out a minim $15 200mb plan. The reasons they told me was because some apps will send and receive data even when not in use.

Dave

Most major carriers require some sort of data plan...they do have the cheaper data plans with less data but once you get on an Android phone and start playing with apps... say goodbye to the minimal data plan.

If you do get a smartphone, make sure you look at the access certain apps have when you install them. Some run in the background, some need full internet access, some need your location etc. I didn't download one app because it said it starts up every time the phone is turned on and can see who I'm talking to with incoming calls... I was like wtf? no thanks!

If you want apps and a cheap plan... maybe get an iPod touch, Jailbreak it so you can get pretty much any app for free and just a basic cell phone.

Yeah Ive been checking in with other carriers, one you guys have recommended, it seems no one can touch T-mobile on price for what I'm getting. It looks like I am just going to have to nut up and spend the money on a new phone. I may not get the phone I want unless I get a data plan.

That's how the cell phone world is today... everything is moving away from "regular" phones towards "smart" phones. You either get a pos phone that has features 10 years old, or pony up for a "fancy" phone and get cutting edge technology.

I have the T-Mo MyTouch 4g. Was w/Verizon but my buddy runs a T-Mo and hooked us up...$120 a month for two MT 4G's with unlimited data, 700 some-odd calling mins, unl text etc.

Ask about any discounts they give, if you're military, work for a certain company etc. Or find someone you know or a friend who has a friend that works at one of those carriers that could hook you up.

T-Mo is cheap... but coverage isn't superb, just realize that if you decide to go with them. You're paying less for more phone/data etc, but losing that with some coverage.

Verizon is more spendy for similar phone/plan but better coverage.

You just gotta weigh out the pros/cons of each carrier.

I've run T-mobile Since 2005 and have not had any major issues. They are pretty much metropolitan areas and major interstates. My company requires I have unlimited everything and pays for it every month so I could choose any carrier. I really only see two options when it comes to wireless service, T-mobile for decent coverage in town and a decent price or Verizon if you need the best coverage you can pay for.

Phones I would pick by carrier

T-mobile: Amaze 4G or myTouch 4G Slide (Both options have amazing cameras)

Verizon: Rezound or Incredible 2

Sprint: EVO Design 4G

AT&T: Titan or Vivid

I just got the Rezound for Verizon. Been with them for about 7 years since way back when I couldn't get any signal from Sprint while on base. Only complaint I have is how Verizon forces the data plan on you.

I just had to replace my phone - my years-old Motorola V180 was about to give up.

Bought an unlocked Samsung bar phone and moved my SIM card over - phone was less than $100 at Tiger Direct.

I don't use my 'phone much, so I have the pay-as-you-go setup from T-Mobile, and I've had it for a few years now. This keeps my typical bill down around $40-50 per year - the most I had to spend on it was the last year my MIL was alive, and I spent all of $90 or so on service that year (mainly to co-ordinate activity, medical issues, calling MD's, and that sort of thing.)

Granted, I don't use my landline telephone much either, it's mainly here because it came bundled with the dataline (I use the dataline far more than the voice line, but I get voice/video/data on the same wire. She watches most of the TV, I use the dataline, and having the home phone with the answerphone on it means I can turn off my voicemail and save money that way - I got tired of paying for wrong numbers to leave me messages...)

Fastdemise said:

I just got the Rezound for Verizon. Been with them for about 7 years since way back when I couldn't get any signal from Sprint while on base. Only complaint I have is how Verizon forces the data plan on you.

Click to expand...

All carriers enforce a data plan on a smartphone, they have to to make any money. Those cost you pay is heavily subsidized by the carrier (most android phones are around $500+ retail) the carrier makes their money based on the fact that you are signing a two year contract so they will make the $300 they subsidized back over the two years. In Europe and most other places carriers do very little subsidy most people pay full price for phones but get cheaper service.

It's also best to look at the special deals that carriers do to bring in new customers... like buy one smartphone get another free (just resell the second) or T-Mo here has done a couple days throughout the last two months where you can buy any phone for $50 w/a 2yr contract.

I just learned it costs $20 to use the warranty on a Cricket phone. Caviet!