StaceyinLA Posted July 27, 2017 Share Posted July 27, 2017 (edited) Does anyone do this? How expensive is it and how does it work? I've never had a prepaid phone. I have all our phones through AT&T, but am thinking of getting a prepaid Verizon just for a trip - just wondering if it's worth it. I would only want like 10-15 minutes' worth of time on it, or whatever the minimum is if it's more than that. Edited July 27, 2017 by StaceyinLA 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vonfirmath Posted July 27, 2017 Share Posted July 27, 2017 (edited) Does anyone do this? How expensive is it and how does it work? I've never had a prepaid phone. I have all our phones through AT&T, but am thinking of getting a prepaid Verizon just for a trip - just wondering if it's worth it. I would only want like 10-15 minutes' worth of time on it, or whatever the minimum is if it's more than that. I have not used a prepaid Verizon phone, but we are on the prepaid AT&T service... and I'm not sure if it would be worth it for one trip after you paid for the cost of the phone itself. Verizon and AT&T use different phones. (I used to be on Verizon and had to get a new phone when I moved to AT&T) Here is the Verizon prepaid information: https://www.verizonwireless.com/prepaid/ If it is not a smartphone, the only plan is $30, unlimited minutes If it is a smartphone, the lowest plan is $40 and includes 3G of data. Edited July 27, 2017 by vonfirmath 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lanny Posted July 27, 2017 Share Posted July 27, 2017 I have no knowledge of the cost of Verizon plans, but if you are on AT&T now, their network uses the GSM technology, which is used in most of the world. I believe that most (or all?) of the Verizon network in the USA uses the CDMA technology. So, you would need a phone with CDMA technology to be on the Verizon network or on an MVNO (Virtual provider) that runs on the Verizon network. CDMA phones need to be programmed by the provider (in this case, by Verizon). CDMA technology has one (1) advantage over GSM technology, which is if one is in an area where the signal is very weak, one can probably communicate via CDMA. With GSM, one needs a strong signal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lanny Posted July 27, 2017 Share Posted July 27, 2017 I think it was via Tracfone (?) that NEPrarieMom got onto Verizon? She lives in a rural area of Nebraska. And that was with an Unlocked GSM phone! Which phone technology (CDMA or GSM) one uses on Verizon will, I believe, depend upon the ZIP code where you live... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tap Posted July 27, 2017 Share Posted July 27, 2017 In our area PagePlus Cellular runs on the verizon network. When I researched it before, it was cheapest to go thru them. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StaceyinLA Posted July 28, 2017 Author Share Posted July 28, 2017 I wouldn't get a smartphone and apparently the only provider that gets any reception where I'll be is Verizon. It's not that big of a deal. It's only for a couple days. I was just curious. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alessandra Posted July 28, 2017 Share Posted July 28, 2017 Our family has prepaid Verizon, prepaid AT&T, and prepaid T Mobile. I have the Verizon, because I think it gets better reception in out of the way places. I use it for not getting list when driving, lol. But my kids phones seem ok when traveling, so Verizon's better coverage could just be my imagination. I think I pay $45/month with inlimited talk and text, 2 GB data (all I need). Verizon is the greediest company, imo. As far as I know, it has no low cost plans. And -- I speak from the heart here -- go to a Verizon store. Never, never expect to get accurate info from Verizon reps over the phone. Ds has T Mobile, I think it's $40/month, unlimited talk and text, a lot of data, more than mine, and free streaming on certain services like Netflix, does not count towards data limit. Dd has ATT, unlimited talk and text, no data, $25/month. ATT also has pay per minute plans and unlimited plans but per day. Both very cheap. I have not used Tracfone, Republic, etc. Our tv cable company has something, $10 month iirc, but it only works when you are in a hotspot. For all our prepaid phones, we needed to have the carrier install a card for that service. For example, a phone that you have used with a Verizon plan will need a new card for Verizon prepaid. I got prepaid after I paid off my phone, because all the Verizon plans had a line access charge in addition to the plan fees. Good grief! Sorry, I can't answer your question more precisely. Verizon is the only carrier where you will be? Ugh! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guinevere Posted July 28, 2017 Share Posted July 28, 2017 We use it for our "send with a kid" phone. We just put minutes on it as needed, and it's a flip phone. $30, unlimited talk and text. Super easy. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fairfarmhand Posted July 28, 2017 Share Posted July 28, 2017 I think tracfone uses Verizon's network Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lanny Posted July 28, 2017 Share Posted July 28, 2017 I wouldn't get a smartphone and apparently the only provider that gets any reception where I'll be is Verizon. It's not that big of a deal. It's only for a couple days. I was just curious. There are some very rural areas like that, where Verizon is King. Their network may have the most extensive coverage in the USA. I think that is the case, where the lady in Nebraska lives. In her case, the local Verizon service is GSM technology, so she bought an unlocked Motorola GSM Smart phone. If you are only going to be there for 2 or 3 days, you will probably survive OK, without cell phone coverage. Have a safe trip! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lanny Posted July 28, 2017 Share Posted July 28, 2017 I think tracfone uses Verizon's network Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk I think Tracfone is the MVNO (Virtual provider) that uses 4 different providers, depending on the ZIP code where one lives? If so, yes, I believe Verizon is one of the providers Tracfone uses. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TracFone_Wireless Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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