Need Pay As You Go recommendation. Turning off Sprint

I have two Sprint phones, one used 225 minutes and the other used 52 minutes
during the last 12 months. The Sprint charge for this was $47 per month for both
phones or a total of $564 for the year.

It looks like I can use a "Pay as You Go plan" for $150 per year (or less) for
both phones. I see some good deals at Virgin and Tracfone.

Does anyone have any recommendations? At the moment I leaning toward Tracfone.

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› See More: Need Pay As You Go recommendation. Turning off Sprint

You might take a look at Net10. What read sounds like a fair offer.
They claim to be nationwide, but I don't know what that really means
but the coverage map on their site looks like GSM.

rayindesmoines wrote:

> You might take a look at Net10. What read sounds like a fair offer.
> They claim to be nationwide, but I don't know what that really means
> but the coverage map on their site looks like GSM.
>

Based on my needs of about 250 minutes per year, NET10 costs more than twice as
much as Tracfone which also has GSM. For example, Tracfone will charge about
$120 for 250 minutes and one year of service. NET10 will charge $300 for one
year of service but will also give you 3000 minutes. I'm sure it is a good deal
for someone else but not for me with only 250 minutes per year.

In <[email protected]> Arnie Goetchius <[email protected]> writes:

>rayindesmoines wrote:

>> You might take a look at Net10. What read sounds like a fair offer.
>> They claim to be nationwide, but I don't know what that really means
>> but the coverage map on their site looks like GSM.
>>

>Based on my needs of about 250 minutes per year, NET10 costs more than twice as
>much as Tracfone which also has GSM. For example, Tracfone will charge about
>$120 for 250 minutes and one year of service. NET10 will charge $300 for one
>year of service but will also give you 3000 minutes. I'm sure it is a good deal
>for someone else but not for me with only 250 minutes per year.

T-Mobile will give you 1000 minutes for $100 with 1-year
expiration. You can buy the SIM card to get started on ebay
for less than $20, and it will probably come with some
minutes. Pick up a used GSM phone, and you're good to go. Or
just buy one of the T-mobile starter packs.

Mike

Michael Wileman wrote:
> In <[email protected]> Arnie Goetchius <[email protected]> writes:
>
>
>>rayindesmoines wrote:
>
>
>>>You might take a look at Net10. What read sounds like a fair offer.
>>>They claim to be nationwide, but I don't know what that really means
>>>but the coverage map on their site looks like GSM.
>>>
>
>
>>Based on my needs of about 250 minutes per year, NET10 costs more than twice as
>>much as Tracfone which also has GSM. For example, Tracfone will charge about
>>$120 for 250 minutes and one year of service. NET10 will charge $300 for one
>>year of service but will also give you 3000 minutes. I'm sure it is a good deal
>>for someone else but not for me with only 250 minutes per year.
>
>
> T-Mobile will give you 1000 minutes for $100 with 1-year
> expiration. You can buy the SIM card to get started on ebay
> for less than $20, and it will probably come with some
> minutes. Pick up a used GSM phone, and you're good to go. Or
> just buy one of the T-mobile starter packs.
>
> Mike
>

Thanks for the response. I've looked around and T-Mobile looks like the best
deal. I think I will buy one of the starter packs from Best Buy or Target. I'll
then go to the spots I normally make calls to see how it works compared to
Sprint. If it's bearable, I'll keep it otherwise I'll return it.

In <[email protected]> Arnie Goetchius <[email protected]> writes:
>>
>> T-Mobile will give you 1000 minutes for $100 with 1-year
>> expiration. You can buy the SIM card to get started on ebay
>> for less than $20, and it will probably come with some
>> minutes. Pick up a used GSM phone, and you're good to go. Or
>> just buy one of the T-mobile starter packs.

>Thanks for the response. I've looked around and T-Mobile looks like the best
>deal. I think I will buy one of the starter packs from Best Buy or Target. I'll
>then go to the spots I normally make calls to see how it works compared to
>Sprint. If it's bearable, I'll keep it otherwise I'll return it.

Reception varies a lot between phones, so do some research
online first if you think the signal might be marginal in
your area.

Also, the best deal is the $100 recharge. Lower-cost
recharges have shorter expiration and higher cost per
minute. I have found these retail only at Office Depot, or
you can do it in a T-Mobile store. Otherwise, you can buy
multiple lower-priced recharges ($25 seems to be available
everywhere) and call up customer service to "stack" them.
You have to go through CS, else you won't get the rate and
expiration of the $100 recharge.

I've been happy with T-Mobile prepaid, but you're right to
check reception before committing.

Mike

Michael Wileman wrote:

> In <[email protected]> Arnie Goetchius <[email protected]> writes:
>
>>>T-Mobile will give you 1000 minutes for $100 with 1-year
>>>expiration. You can buy the SIM card to get started on ebay
>>>for less than $20, and it will probably come with some
>>>minutes. Pick up a used GSM phone, and you're good to go. Or
>>>just buy one of the T-mobile starter packs.
>
>
>>Thanks for the response. I've looked around and T-Mobile looks like the best
>>deal. I think I will buy one of the starter packs from Best Buy or Target. I'll
>>then go to the spots I normally make calls to see how it works compared to
>>Sprint. If it's bearable, I'll keep it otherwise I'll return it.
>
>
> Reception varies a lot between phones, so do some research
> online first if you think the signal might be marginal in
> your area.
>
> Also, the best deal is the $100 recharge. Lower-cost
> recharges have shorter expiration and higher cost per
> minute. I have found these retail only at Office Depot, or
> you can do it in a T-Mobile store. Otherwise, you can buy
> multiple lower-priced recharges ($25 seems to be available
> everywhere) and call up customer service to "stack" them.
> You have to go through CS, else you won't get the rate and
> expiration of the $100 recharge.
>
> I've been happy with T-Mobile prepaid, but you're right to
> check reception before committing.
>
> Mike
>

I agree that the $100 recharge is the best deal and it goes for a year
so you don't have to worry about a recharge every two months. If the
phone works out okay, I'll go with that. T-Mobile has a great online
coverage map and I've been able to identify the estimated signal
coverage for my neighborhood and the places I'm likely to visit. On a
scale of 1 to 5 my neighborhood is a 1. It's not surprising as my
existing sprint phone keeps dropping the signal in my basement office
but works okay upstairs on the first floor of the house. If the T-Mobile
works in the basement, that will be a real plus but I don't expect it
will. I do expect it to work on the first floor.

The places I visit on a regular basis are all 2 or 3 on the scale but
I'll have to visit some locations to make sure it works okay. Being
retired I have plenty of time to research this <g>.

I can't speak from experience, but am in a similar situation, used about
10-20min/month @ $30. So I started looking but have about 4 months left in
contract.
The best bargain I saw for my needs was Virgin day2day with auto topoff
(credit card needed) for $15/3 months. For my very light needs I'll go with
that, and uses same network as sprint, which I've had no problems with for
several years, anywhere I go. Which is different for every user of course.
What I noticed on most was the cards expire in like 30-60 days, so say a $30
card expires in 30 days, still puts me in the same price I have now.
Although a $100/year is not to bad ($8.33/mo)


"Arnie Goetchius" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Michael Wileman wrote:
>
>> In <[email protected]> Arnie
>> Goetchius <[email protected]> writes:
>>
>>>>T-Mobile will give you 1000 minutes for $100 with 1-year expiration. You
>>>>can buy the SIM card to get started on ebay for less than $20, and it
>>>>will probably come with some minutes. Pick up a used GSM phone, and
>>>>you're good to go. Or just buy one of the T-mobile starter packs.
>>
>>
>>>Thanks for the response. I've looked around and T-Mobile looks like the
>>>best deal. I think I will buy one of the starter packs from Best Buy or
>>>Target. I'll then go to the spots I normally make calls to see how it
>>>works compared to Sprint. If it's bearable, I'll keep it otherwise I'll
>>>return it.
>>
>>
>> Reception varies a lot between phones, so do some research online first
>> if you think the signal might be marginal in your area.
>>
>> Also, the best deal is the $100 recharge. Lower-cost
>> recharges have shorter expiration and higher cost per
>> minute. I have found these retail only at Office Depot, or
>> you can do it in a T-Mobile store. Otherwise, you can buy
>> multiple lower-priced recharges ($25 seems to be available
>> everywhere) and call up customer service to "stack" them.
>> You have to go through CS, else you won't get the rate and
>> expiration of the $100 recharge.
>>
>> I've been happy with T-Mobile prepaid, but you're right to check
>> reception before committing.
>>
>> Mike
>>
>
> I agree that the $100 recharge is the best deal and it goes for a year so
> you don't have to worry about a recharge every two months. If the phone
> works out okay, I'll go with that. T-Mobile has a great online coverage
> map and I've been able to identify the estimated signal coverage for my
> neighborhood and the places I'm likely to visit. On a scale of 1 to 5 my
> neighborhood is a 1. It's not surprising as my existing sprint phone keeps
> dropping the signal in my basement office but works okay upstairs on the
> first floor of the house. If the T-Mobile works in the basement, that will
> be a real plus but I don't expect it will. I do expect it to work on the
> first floor.
>
> The places I visit on a regular basis are all 2 or 3 on the scale but I'll
> have to visit some locations to make sure it works okay. Being retired I
> have plenty of time to research this <g>.

Michael Wileman wrote:
> In <[email protected]> Arnie Goetchius <[email protected]> writes:
>
>>>T-Mobile will give you 1000 minutes for $100 with 1-year
>>>expiration. You can buy the SIM card to get started on ebay
>>>for less than $20, and it will probably come with some
>>>minutes. Pick up a used GSM phone, and you're good to go. Or
>>>just buy one of the T-mobile starter packs.
>
>
>>Thanks for the response. I've looked around and T-Mobile looks like the best
>>deal. I think I will buy one of the starter packs from Best Buy or Target. I'll
>>then go to the spots I normally make calls to see how it works compared to
>>Sprint. If it's bearable, I'll keep it otherwise I'll return it.
>
>
> Reception varies a lot between phones, so do some research
> online first if you think the signal might be marginal in
> your area.
>
> Also, the best deal is the $100 recharge. Lower-cost
> recharges have shorter expiration and higher cost per
> minute. I have found these retail only at Office Depot, or
> you can do it in a T-Mobile store. Otherwise, you can buy
> multiple lower-priced recharges ($25 seems to be available
> everywhere) and call up customer service to "stack" them.
> You have to go through CS, else you won't get the rate and
> expiration of the $100 recharge.
>
> I've been happy with T-Mobile prepaid, but you're right to
> check reception before committing.
>
> Mike
>

Okay, I bought the phone (Nokia 6010) and signed up. Their recording
says it takes up to 24 hours to establish service so hopefully I can
start testing tomorrow. The signal strength in the kitchen shows 2-3 out
of 7 and 0 in the basement which is what I expected. So far, so good.

T-Mobile lets you buy a $100 prepaid phone card, giving you 1,000 minutes, good
for 1 year. It's the best deal that I have found, much cheaper than Tracfone
and somewhat cheaper than Virgin. I have seen inexpensive T-Mobile phones for
as little as $29.95 after rebate at Walgreen's. I am planning to make the
switch in Feb. unless Sprint offers an inexpensive pay-as-you-go plan, which is
not likely. Sprint currently offers a very cheap pay-as-you go plan to Oracle
employees only. Sprint gave out rate cards at the Oracle Open World exhibition.
If you are an Oracle employee check out "www.oraclecorp.callsprint.com". Sprint
was stupid in handing out its bargain basement rate cards to the many thousands
of exhibtion visitors, who were mostly customers of Oracle, not Oracle
employees.

[email protected] (rocky) wrote:

>T-Mobile lets you buy a $100 prepaid phone card, giving you 1,000 minutes, good
>for 1 year. It's the best deal that I have found, much cheaper than Tracfone
>and somewhat cheaper than Virgin.

Which T Mobile phone model will you get?

Nokia 6010.

In article <[email protected]>, [email protected] says...
>
>
>[email protected] (rocky) wrote:
>
>>T-Mobile lets you buy a $100 prepaid phone card, giving you 1,000 minutes,
good
>>for 1 year. It's the best deal that I have found, much cheaper than Tracfone
>>and somewhat cheaper than Virgin.
>
>Which T Mobile phone model will you get?

[email protected] (rocky) wrote:

>Nokia 6010.

>>Which T Mobile phone model will you get?

Ok that's the model I'm looking at as well.... the
cheapest one huh?

[email protected] wrote:
> [email protected] (rocky) wrote:
>
>
>>T-Mobile lets you buy a $100 prepaid phone card, giving you 1,000 minutes, good
>>for 1 year. It's the best deal that I have found, much cheaper than Tracfone
>>and somewhat cheaper than Virgin.
>
>
> Which T Mobile phone model will you get?

Thanks for all the ideas in this thread. I finally went with the Nokia
6010 for myself and tne Motorola V330 for my wife.

Arnie Goetchius Wrote:
> I have two Sprint phones, one used 225 minutes and the other used 52
> minutes
> during the last 12 months. The Sprint charge for this was $47 per month
> for both
> phones or a total of $564 for the year.
>
> It looks like I can use a "Pay as You Go plan" for $150 per year (or
> less) for
> both phones. I see some good deals at Virgin and Tracfone.
>
> Does anyone have any recommendations? At the moment I leaning toward
> Tracfone.

wait till the first of 2006 and watch out for a tmobile/voip/dsl
solution.

this will send your calls over VoIP. not using any minutes..and taking
"dead spots" and making them "hot".. via your home dsl service.

I don't have the pricing yet, but its a neat solution for home users
and small business.

Tmobile is the cheapest wireless solution, with 7.99 family add on
lines.

1 year contracts.. free handsets.. type offers..

being an agent, I sell tmobile if price is the issue.
and Verizon when someone needs coverage/speed/best network

I rarely sell sprint.. they seem high to me.. in the business arena and
we have access to all plans and discount structures.

I used to sell a ton of cingular..but with all their problems with
billing.. and congestion.. network integration issues... I stay away
from them.

I've never sold a "pay go" plan.. its a consumer product or retail.. or
bad credit solution in my world.


--
eatoranges