Few Basic phone choices-vetting

I am almost ready to replace two of my existing phones. We have the Fair
and Flexible plan with National long distance included. This plan works
well for us because we do not spend a lot of time on the phone, using
them mostly for long distance calls. We do not feel the need to access
the internet with our phones either. We have three computers in our home
and much prefer to use those. One family member does a little texting so
we have texting on that line only. In order to stay on our existing plan
there are only THREE phone options and none of the three phones are
highly rated or have a very long battery life. To get any other phone we
would need to change to another plan with data access. I really am
irritated that Sprint is trying to force people to pay for plans with
service they don't need or want just to get a better phone.

On 8/29/2012 8:39 PM, sharonf wrote:
I am almost ready to replace two of my existing phones. We have the Fair
and Flexible plan with National long distance included. This plan works
well for us because we do not spend a lot of time on the phone, using
them mostly for long distance calls. We do not feel the need to access
the internet with our phones either. We have three computers in our home
and much prefer to use those. One family member does a little texting so
we have texting on that line only. In order to stay on our existing plan
there are only THREE phone options and none of the three phones are
highly rated or have a very long battery life. To get any other phone we
would need to change to another plan with data access. I really am
irritated that Sprint is trying to force people to pay for plans with
service they don't need or want just to get a better phone.

You may irritated with Sprint, but the carriers don't want people that
aren't spending a lot of money on data to have highly subsidized
expensive phones. Their whole goal is to get you on a more expensive
monthly plan.

You should change your whole approach. I know that a lot of people have
rather expensive wireless calling plans just because of the "free" long
distance. We used to do the same thing. But if you have broadband or
decent DSL service then set up a Google Voice account with an Obihai
device for free domestic long distance (Google may start charging in
2013, but it won't be much). There's also Magicjack Plus and Ooma,
though they are a little more expensive, since they're not free. On Ooma
you pay only a monthly fee that cover some government fees like 911.

For wireless, sign up with Verizon's MVNO, Pageplus Cellular. You can
use any (almost) Verizon phone and you don't have to have a data plan.
You can pay by them minute (4¢/minute if you buy the $80/1 year plan) or
you can choose one of their four calling plans. Personally, we have four
Android smart phones on Pageplus and we spend about $30-40/month total.
We use very little data. At home we use the landline. My teenagers text,
but not power texting (texts are 5¢ each). All the smart phones were
bought, gently used, for between $100 and $150, and now prices have
fallen even more.

As an added feature, the coverage on Verizon is far better than the
coverage on Sprint.

A lot of people go non-linear at the thought of actually having to pay
for a cell phone, but if you do the math you'll find that for light
users it is actually much more cost effective to pay up front for a
phone, and have much lower ongoing monthly costs. If you had three or
more people on a family plan, all using a lot of data, and all getting a
new smart phone with the biggest subsidy as soon as they were eligible,
then a family plan would be less expensive.

Advantages
----------
-Best coverage and quality because it's on Verizon's network
-Roaming onto other CDMA carriers in the rare instances that Verizon
does not service a specific area (extra cost)
-Lowest prices of any prepaid provider
-Smart phones can be used without a data plan
-Use any Verizon phone (except Verizon's own prepaid phones or a Blackberry)

Disadvantages
-------------
-No free or subsidized phones-you bring a Verizon compatible, new or
used, phone.
-Every minute charged (no free N&W or MTM)
-Roaming off of Verizon costs 29-59¢/minute extra (double-dialing
required for outgoing calls when roaming)
-No international roaming (except Canada & Mexico)
-No family plans
-No super high-usage data plans (largest plan is 2GB)
-Phone numbers not available in all service areas, even if service is
available

Five Plans
----------
-Pay as you go (4-10¢/min, 5¢/text, 99¢/MB data). $10, $25, & $50
refills last 120 days. $80 refill lasts 365 days, Balance rolls over.
50¢/month fee.
-The 12: (250 min, 250 texts, 10MB data2): $12
-Talk N Text 1200 (1200 min, 3000 texts, 100MB data): $30.
-Unlimited Talk & Text (100MB of data): $40.
-The 55: Unlimited Talk & Text (2GB of data): $55.

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stay away from the rumor flex phone. poc!