ampd pay-as-you-go and EVDO

Does Ampd prepaid phone take advantage of EVDO broadband speed when surfing the internet?

I am currently a Verizon Wireless user and have the regular phone plan with $5 data plan. When I go online to read news and check mails, it's using the 1x network even though I live in a EVDO network region. So if I go to something like google map mobile, the page either take forever to load or not load at all.

I am a very light cell phone user, mostly using the phone just in emergency, but I do use the internet quite frequently (checking mail mostly), Amp'd sees like a better choice right now, and I am considering switching. If it surf with broadband speed, I am sold.

Can I ask a seperate question? Why do people use prepaid cell phones? Is it purely for budget reasons?

Pretty much. In my case, I am using Verizon right now, the cheapest plan you can get online is 450 minutes for $39.99 (disregard special deals etc), which is 8 cents a minute plus free nights and weekends. I called them up and they told me the lowest they can reduce my cost to is $30 for 300 minutes, or 10 cents a minute.

I rarely use my phone, by rare I am mean less than 300 minutes per month, including nights and weekends (but I like the convenience of able to call from anywhere I am, surfing, etc). Which means, even at prepaid cost of 10 cents a minutes, with no nights and weekends free, I am still paying less than $30 a month. Non prepaid plan would just be a waste of money for me.

Now if anyone knows a plan that's better than Amp'd for me, let me know

Oh, Amp'd is offering Motorola E815 for free right now with their prepaid plan, it's a very solid phone, no worth than almost anything Verizon has to offer.

It was my understanding that prepaid cards only last between 30 and 45 days. After that they expire. Is that true?

Depend on the service provider. T-Mobile minutes expire depend on how much you bought at a time. If you buy $100, it last 1 year! Ampd mobile minutes last 60 days from the day you purchase the minutes. The minimum amount of purchase is $20 (200 minutes).

Anyways, so no one here knows the answer to my question? Please help

Yes. Amp'd Mobile uses EVDO and the speed while surfing is very good. It's worth switching to Amp'd.