*Best* pre-paid service provider?

[srsly]

Hello!
Can you suggest me a pre-paid service provider(s)?
For California & New York.
My requirements are: Good zone, not to be *that* expensive, when calling to foreign countries.
Thanks.

[srsly]

With "good zone" I meant signal strenght.
Cingular seems to have great (better than T-Mobile's) signal strenght.
PAYG looks good to me, but:

Originally Posted by Text and Instant Messaging**

When you can't talk, exchanging text messages is a quick and simple way to communicate. Just type your message with your wireless device keypad and send. Plus, enjoy instant messaging with the most popular IM communities.
$0.05 per message sent/received.

I'll need to pay for received SMS's?
BTW. I don't understand... Which PAYG plan is better? (In your opinion)

Originally Posted by Pay As You Go $.25 per minute

Rate Plan Details
Anytime Minutes $.25/minute - It means I'll need to pay 25 cents per minute?
Mobile to Mobile minutes Not Included - I will not be able to call mobile phones? *confused*
Long Distance No roaming or long distance charges across Pay As You Go nationwide coverage
Roaming Charges No roaming or long distance charges across Pay As You Go nationwide coverage
Daily Access Fee N/A
One-time activation fee None

And 2 more questions:
1) Where can I buy PAYG start complect? Only from Cingular site? Or it's available at some stores too?
2) Do you know how to activate GPRS with PAYG? :P

[Medic63]

1. Yes, you have to pay for messages sent and received.
2. Yes, you have to pay 25 cents a minute.
3. You can call mobile phones. They mean it is not free. With some plans, calling another mobile phone on the same network is free (that is, Cingular-to-Cingular) that is not the case here, you must pay for the minutes used.

As to your final 2 questions;
1. WTF is "complect"?
2. The pay as you go providers I am familiar with, Virgin Mobile and T-Mobile ToGo, only allow web browsing on their own sites, as far as I know. Unless, of course you get the Sidekick for T-Mobile ToGo

[srsly]

Originally Posted by Medic63

1. WTF is "complect"?

I meant "start package" with it.
Thank you both for helping me!
Oh, and WTF! I have to buy a new phone, in order to get "start package"?
1 more thing:
http://i14.tinypic.com/4857ssx.png
What now? I have to pay for SMS's again? :X *confused*

[OnlineMaz]

Some provider has a special recharge for heavy sms users. Try to ask them about that too.

[srsly]

I'm not an heavy SMS'er.
Oh, and BTW - If I'll buy "start package" in like... California, and go to Florida - Will call to California count as long-distance call? If yes, so call to Florida will count as local? I mean... If I buy it in 1 state, I can use it in *all* (where's normal singal strenght) states normally, right?

[Medic63]

With all the major companies, including those discussed in this thread, there are no long-distance charges. That is, all calls are treated as local calls as long as you see statements such as "No roaming or long distance charges across Pay As You Go nationwide coverage". For example, I live near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and we were vacationing in Orlando, Florida. We used a Virgin Mobile phone to call my in-laws back home. There were no long distance charges, just the regular per-minute charges.

[srsly]

Thanks for the help!

[GamerMan97]

I find that no-name mobile carriers are the best.
In Canada ( I notice your American, im just using this as an example), I was looking at all the ones like Rogers, Bell, Virgin Mobile, etc. etc.
Virgin Mobile was the cheapest at 25c/minute. Then all of a sudden, I heard PC (food company) has a mobile company too. 20c/minute! I didnt care that it was a food company, it would cost me 5cents less a minute, so i went with it. They were selling the Nokia 2855i for 35$ and it came with 10$ on it, so 50 minutes, so I decided to go with it. They put there logo on the front, and it looks kinda ugly, so I scratched it off. No problems. Ive had it for a week or so now.

[wirelessfan]

Originally Posted by srsly

With "good zone" I meant signal strenght.
Cingular seems to have great (better than T-Mobile's) signal strenght.

Ridiculous.

T-Mobile was just awarded J.D. Power and Assoiates' customer satisfaction award for the 6th year in a row. AT&T/Cingular has never won it or anything like it.

AT&T has achieved some degree of notoriety in California. They've been rated as the carrier with the highest number of dropped calls in Southern California (despite their BS commercials where they lie and tell people they have great coverage).

AT&T better than T-Mobile in California? Not unless you are on drugs.

[elite_chaos]

I think T-Mobile to go is the best for sure.

[felise32]

i hear t-mobile is good