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cell phones: anyone "no contract"?


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We are currently locked into a plan with my mom and sis that we thought would save my mom money. She's ticked and thinking of taking out a loan to terminate the contract.

 

So the tentative plan is to switch to a no contract plan. There's so many companies out there that it makes my head swim.

 

I'm wondering what every one else's experience has been?

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We've never had a contract. We've always used Tracfone, and now, Straight Talk, which is actually part of Tracfone. We switched to ST because we're using them a lot more (one is a business phone) and they offer unlimited text/voice/data for $45/month.

 

They use the same cell towers as the biggies (Verizon, AT&T, TMo, etc.), so your experience should be the same, if you choose a phone that uses your current network. Off-hand, I know phones with model numbers that end in 'G' use AT&T and 'C' use Verizon, because that's what we use :001_smile:. Google GSM & CDMA for more info on who uses what towers.

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We went from a family plan with my parents, who got a special discount through Dad's job that actually cost a lot more money than what we needed...and switched to Tracfone. We were able to keep our phone numbers, too.

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We use Virgin Mobile no contract. We have the plan that is $35 per phone per month, which gives you unlimited text, data, and 300 minutes of talk. We're mostly text-ers so this is great for us, and wow - finding the phone so handy for going online while out for maps, price checks, coupons, etc (but then, that's just having my first smartphone, not some glowing feature of VM).

 

We have the Optimus Elite phones which are amazing.

 

The only thing is that you need to check the data map first. We're fine here, but I noticed vast areas that aren't covered in the midwest.

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We scrapped our landline and had Cricket for six months. It was no contract, $35/mo. unlimited text, 600? 800? minutes of talk, and web (but not a smart phone).

 

We switched recently to StraightTalk, got smart phones, and pay $45/mo per line for unlimited everything. StraightTalk customer service is 100x better than Cricket, an added plus. (Not that I ever hope to need customer service again . . . )

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We use Walmart's Family Plan. We like it, it is MUCH cheaper than when we had Verizon, but the only problem we have found is that there are quite a few no-service zones. The worst one for us is when we go back to our hometown. We stay at my inlaws, and our cells don't work in their neighborhood at all! Once you get out of their neighborhood it works fine, but it just sucks when we are at their house and people try to get a hold of us, or we want to make a call. Other than that we like it, I would just closely check the service areas before you buy into their plan.

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Yes - we use T-Mobile. My husband has a phone that has averaged out to less than $5 a month for the past 3 years (bought a $100 credit, and then minutes don't expire for a year - can add on to make them roll over). My plan is $30/month - just 100 minutes, but unlimited data and texts for my android. Neither of us use the phone for talking very much. We have a landline.

 

Lots more dead spots for us too, than my family members who use verizon.

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I'd like to be able to keep the phone and the number if at all possible. The phone because of the cost and the number just because it would be easier.

 

If you have a GSM phone, you can buy a SIM card for $14.99 from Straight Talk to put in your phone and get their service. As far as I know, you should be able to keep your number, on the phone you currently have, or another one. I had the same number through about 5 different phones.

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I was under contract with Verizon. I let my contract with Verizon expire and then switched to PagePlus. I got to use the same phone and number (still have the same phone 5 or 6 years later). And since they use Verizon's towers, I was already sure I'd have coverage in the areas I needed it. I don't use my phone much but I average to about $6.00 a month. Much better than my $35 a month a paid 5-6 years ago.

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I do not text, use the internet, etc. I need a phone for the odd phone call when I'm out and about or for emergencies. That's it. So, I bought a $19.99 Verizone phone that came with $10.00 of minutes (40 minutes) and then I buy a $15.00 card when I need to refill. So far, in four months between the phone and the minutes, I have spent $50.00. I don't know of any contract that would provide a phone for $12.50 a month. It works well.

 

Faith

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we use metro PCs. just make sure of the coverage in your area; we wouldn't have good luck w virgin or t mobile here

 

this.... we tried Virgin because it says it uses the Sprint network, which shows as having good coverage here... BUT Virgin doesn't work where Sprint "roams" only where it has their actual network. Thankfully, they refunded us when we could prove it.

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I am now no contract. We were with Sprint for 12 years+

 

I now have Straight Talk. This is my first month, but so far so good. I am on the $45/mo everything plan as I make a lot of calls and texts.

 

I bought an iphone 4 off of CL and bought the SIM from ST and put it in. I had to YouTube how to get the iphone to work with data/internet, but the instructions were very clear and I just kept pausing while I did it. It worked!

 

My parents have T-mobile pay as you go because they ONLY use talk and don't use it often, really only for travel and emergencies and a 2 min. call here and there to tell Dad to pick up milk at the grocery store.

 

Because of our issues/problems with Sprint working where we live, I made sure the pay as you go plans were not using Sprint towers. Straight Talk uses ATT.

 

Dawn

Edited by DawnM
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We've never had a contract. We've always used Tracfone, and now, Straight Talk, which is actually part of Tracfone. We switched to ST because we're using them a lot more (one is a business phone) and they offer unlimited text/voice/data for $45/month.

 

They use the same cell towers as the biggies (Verizon, AT&T, TMo, etc.), so your experience should be the same, if you choose a phone that uses your current network. Off-hand, I know phones with model numbers that end in 'G' use AT&T and 'C' use Verizon, because that's what we use :001_smile:. Google GSM & CDMA for more info on who uses what towers.

 

AWESOME! I need Verizon towers to get cell usage in my home. Our plan is for four phones, though. I wish we could save more money, but at least we'd be saving $75 per month.

 

Our contract expires in December. I can't wait.

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We have one. It's $25 every 3 months. It costs $1/day if you use the phone, but after you pay the $1 you can use it as much as you want that day. Then, it's 10 cents/minute, unless you call someone on the network. Texts are 20 cents and you don't pay the dollar.nit sounds complicated, and it is a little, but we don't use it much, so it works well for us.

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We were tracfone people for years, but Straight Talk offered at Walmart is what we have now, and it is working great for only $30 a month for 1000 minutes and 1000 texts. There is an unlimited card for $45. You can set it up to automatically renew each month, but you can cancel at any time.

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There may be a way.

 

http://www.ehow.com/how_6132648_activate-verizon-wireless-phone-prepaid.html

 

I know iphones and androids can be "flashed" although I don't know how to do it myself.

 

I have an old ATT iPhone and use it with Straight Talk.

 

 

I just checked and my Verizon contract is up! Woot! I'm looking into the no contract plans too. I'm mostly bummed that it doesn't look like there is anyway to keep my current phone. :(
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PagePlus accepts Verizon phones. I just switched over. Yay! Saving $35/month.

 

Coverage seems slightly worse than Verizon, but we are waaaay out in the boonies, so we always had to hold perfectly still to talk anyway. I'm sure it will be fine when we are in town.

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We've used net10 for kids and for our work emergency phone. I like that they are cheap and disposable, so no biggie if it gets lost. The coverage is excellent, actually better than US Cellular (which we use with a contract, but are very happy with) in some areas, and US Cellular's coverage is also great.

 

I was very frustrated with my brief experience with Virgin Mobile (crappy customer service and terrible coverage outside of the main downtown area of our small town), so I wouldn't go back to VM.

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  • 3 years later...

We use TracFone and I've never had any negative issues.  My husband's costs about $8/month b/c he really never uses it (Just owns it in case of an emergency on his commute).  I burn through my texts faster, but I still pay about $20/month.  I've been pleased!  

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We are currently locked into a plan with my mom and sis that we thought would save my mom money. She's ticked and thinking of taking out a loan to terminate the contract.

 

So the tentative plan is to switch to a no contract plan. There's so many companies out there that it makes my head swim.

 

I'm wondering what every one else's experience has been?

 

I am on AT&T GoPhone plan -- have been for a year. (I bought an AT&T iphone on Glyde.com and brought it with) We just looked into putting my husband adn I combined into a plan and it was WAY more expensive than staying Pay as you go! So now we both have GoPhone plans

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For years, my wife and I had plans, where they billed us every month. They came with phones that were subsidized by the 1 year contracts.  Every year, we got more minutes we did not use and every year we got higher payments.   Then, I think near the end of 2007, my Sony Ericcson W300i got WSOD (White Screen of Death).  I took it in for service. They told me the warranty wasn't valid, because it had been in/near water/moisture. That had nothing to do with the WSOD, but I told them to send it in for an estimate and I would pay for that.  Their Technician told them it was impossible to fix.  I paid them for that and I got my phone back.  In the interim, I had discovered that WSOD is common and I replaced the Firmware on a web site on the Internet for approximately USD$7 and used that phone for several year more....  I cancelled my contract, which was about to expire, at that time.  THAT was the ONLY time they were interested in me. There was extreme high pressure for me not to cancel. When my wife's contract was about to expire, again, there was also very strong pressure NOT to cancel, from the provider. Since then, we have been on "Prepaid" plans.

 

Last week, my wife went into a very large store and she bought an Unlocked Android phone. A Motorola.  Then, she signed up for a No contract contract, with Virgin Mobile. If she doesn't pay, she is under no obligation to pay, but has no service. Not like the contract you are talking about or that I described in my first paragraph here.   Those contracts are *very* binding...

 

Tuesday afternoon, I went into the same store, with my wife, and I looked at Unlocked Samsung and Motorola Android phones.  I bought a less expensive  Motorola phone than what she had purchased and I signed up for a less expensive no contract contract with Virgin Mobile.  I bought a SIM card from Virgin Mobile and am having them "Port" the cell phone number I have used for years, to their network. The man said that should complete in 3 days.  Virgin Mobile uses a tower that is one block form our house, in a huge rural subdivision.

 

I told my wife, having gone in with her to the office of a major cell phone provider in November, when she was planning to buy a very high end Huawei Android phone, on a contract,  that I will never buy another cell phone in the office of a provider again.  The sales people rush the customers and the sales people (on the other side of the counter) have all of the information about the different phones and the huge numbers of different plans.

 

We probably paid a lot less, also, buying Unlocked Android phones in a huge store, that is probably something like BrandsMartUSA ijn Miami. That's the only store I can think of readily.  Huge store, huge selection, and lower prices than the phones the providers sell.

 

BTW, we know a man who is an Electronics Engineer for one of the providers here. He's worked for them for 15 or 20 years. When I asked him about Reliability and Connection to the towers, he said he believes that Motorola and Samsung are the best low end Android phones on the market now. He said that of the last 5 Android phones he has purchased, 3 of them have been Motorola. Motorola Android phones have an Anddroid OS that is closer to "Pure Android" than what one would get on a Samsung, Huawei, LG or other brand phone. 

 

GL

 

ETA: After I wrote and posted this, I read the post above it and saw that this is an old thread from August 2012.   Possibly what I wrote will help someone, now that we are in 2016...

Edited by Lanny
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We ended up with T-Mobile. $40 per month for unlimited everything BUT they throttle your data speeds after the first G of usage.

 

Sent from my RCT6773W22B using Tapatalk

 

Data is THE most expensive part of the packages here. When my wife was contemplating buying a very high end Huawei Android phone, in November, we went into the office of the largest provider here. The plans that said they were "unlimited" were VERY limited, with regard to Data,    My wife lost her enthusiasm for the expensive phone and expensive plan that didn't have the Data we would like to have available at that price.  

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