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Topic Review (Newest First)

  • 11-21-2012, 12:38 AM
    avenue
    Welcome to CellPhoneForums.net!

    You've done a good job with your research.

    With Straight Talk you can bring an AT&T or T-Mobile phone to use easily, it doesn't need to be an unlocked phone. If you choose an unlocked phone, make sure it can use the correct frequencies for the provider you want to use.

    Virgin Mobile cannot roam, as you pointed out. If you live in a heavily populated area, you should be fine. If you travel to rural areas a lot, it might be a problem. There isn't a contract with Virgin Mobile. You can purchase a phone (they have some cheap Android phones) and can return it if it doesn't work good for you. I suggest waiting to port your number until you're sure you are happy with the service. You can then port your number. If you decide later you want to leave, you can port out to another provider.
  • 11-16-2012, 03:45 PM
    NamesRUselesss
    Hello CellphoneForums

    I would not in the slightest call myself a cell phone aficionado, but I imagine its because I've never looked for a smartphone.

    Well I'd say I'm on the lookout for one now, as well as a new carrier. I obviously bought my LG CF360 just for basic talk at the time, not thinking of the capabilities that Smartphones have. I'm not much of a fan of AT&T's prices (paying $40 a month for barely any minutes, with no text or web) and it looks like they'd try to cost me an arm and a leg for anything other then basic talk. Thankfully my contract with them is over so I have full freedom to look around (I am eligible for a free upgrade I've been told, but then I'm locked for another 2 year contract!).

    This may sound weird, but I'm not quite sure what I want since this would be my first smartphone nor what provider to move on to (I feel fairly confident that AT&T is not worth staying on though). I would like to be able to text, and more importantly receive a lot of texts, in order to keep up with family, and I'm on wifi whenever I get the chance to on my tablet, so I'd really like a plan allowing a lot of data. Even with my current phone I barely talk on it, so minutes aren't too big a concern for me. Monthly cost is definitely important to me though: I'd definitely like to keep it low (If I need to pay full price for a phone up front to save in the long run, then so be it). Basically nothing above $50-60 a month if possible.

    From what I can research, it seems that a prepaid (no contract) carrier is probably best for what I'm looking for, but definitely a bit worried about some preaid carriers' coverage area, along with roaming. Virgin Mobile's $35 a month (300 min, unlimited text and web) is looking like the best choice right now (with no roaming, and a friend always talks about how much she likes the Sprint network). However, after talking to one of their reps, it sounds like I have to buy one of their phones (and its not like I could even swipe a SIM card, because it sounds like they don't even have those with their phones!). If I find I don't like them ... Well, I'm stuck with them (and is just about as bad as being stuck to a contract imho).

    I've also seen Straight Talk come up in my research. Sounds like I can bring in any factory broken phone into them, and only pay $45 a month for unlimited everything which sounds pretty darn good, but I can barely find out anything about the details of their plans on their site (nor do they seem to be mentioned much on the web). I have no idea how their coverage is nor if they have roaming charges or not.

    If any of you have any advise (especially on prepaid carriers like Virgin or Straight Talk, or on smartphones, because I really have no idea what kind would suit me best), please let me know. If this was the wrong section to bring these questions up, I apologize (and let me know the best place to ask these questions).

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