[runner1000]

Looking for a pay as you go plan for my 84-year-old father who wants to use it for emergency purposes only (most likely only when he and my mother are traveling in their car). They live in the central valley in CA, I live in the bay area about 70 miles away. Considering either T-Mobile or Cingular. Want reliable coverage but also the least expensive. Can get either for $100 for one year (of course, price per minute differs but that really doesn't matter since he will rarely ever use it). Is the coverage for both pretty much the same?

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› See More: Pay as you go: T-Mobile? Cingular? others?

[d3adeyes]

net10 or tracphone whould work perfectly for him just check the coverage area they are $0.10/min but look around the forum and check all of them out

[Brad729]

Net10 and Tracfone both have expiration dates on the minutes that vary depending on how much you buy at one time. I'm pretty sure they have a deal you can pay extra to keep the minutes from expiring, and T-Mobile also has something similar, which I believe (if I'm not mistaken) is 1000 minutes that are good for one year. Whichever prepaid you choose, make sure the minutes aren't going to expire before they get used up. Most of the big companies like Cingular, Verizon, and T-Mobile have some kind of prepaid service, just check to see who gets the best reception in your area and then worry about who has the best deals on minutes.

[Mechwariorx]

If you can get Alltel, then get it (if you would have good coverage in you area). It is only 15 cents a minute and no "Other fees" The only catch is you have to make a call every month or you will get billed $4.00, so you can just call him once a month (If that is not a problem).

[roberts1953]

The best emergency and occassion use phone I've found is Page Plus prepaid.

www.pagepluscellular.com

They are a verizon wireless reseller and use their network, which is going to be the most extensive coverage across they country. They offer rates from 10-15 cents per minute. Their home coverage area is the Verizon native coverage which includes the most populated areas of the country. They roam for about $1 per minute outside of that. But at least you will have coverage.
Since this is an emergency phone you want the least possible per month charge. You can buy a $10 card that lasts 120 days. There is a $0.50 per month charge. This will cost $2.50 per month or $30 for the year. They will activate any Verizon phone. You can get an inexpensive Verizon phone off ebay. Then buy a $5-10 activation kit from ebay.

[roberts1953]

Net10 only makes sense if you make more then 150 minutes per month.

Tmobile offers their Gold Rewards, so for $100 you get 1000 minutes good for a year. Then after a year, just add any card, even $10, and all the minutes roll over and don't expire for another year. This is a great deal, but if the phone doesn't get used that much this is a lot of minutes that probably wont get used. Tmobile has the smallest footprint of any carrier, but you can check that coverage close up to the street level on their website to see if it works where you travel.