[Replikant]

I'm looking at my first cell phone but the variety of plans & phones baffles me. I live in Connecticut & my use would be light, with no out of country calls, i just need a minimal but reliable service at minimal cost with good customer service. What companies & what plans should i look at?

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[Pornrad]

i know how u feel, i found that shopping for a cell phone can be the harddest thing in the world.

Its like i just cant get one that fits my needs, the one is too big, and the other doesnt have the 1 feature i want.

Sorry for ranting

[Replikant]

I'm concerned mainly about plans & service - the phone itself is less of an issue since i don't expect to use it much anyway.

[n1ckel5]

What quantity qualifies as "minimal?"

If you truly don't use many minutes, perhaps a prepaid cell is the route to go.

Just about every major carrier has some sort of prepaid plan. I suggest finding the carrier that has the best coverage for your specific usage/location. Then worry about the other things. Since you're prepaid, you'll probably have minimal interaction with CS.

[Replikant]

How do i find the carrier that has the best coverage for my location? There seem to be at least a dozen of them.

Seems like a pretty primitive technology so far - i was looking at T-Mobile in my area & in much of it you may or may not get calls in cars or buildings!

[n1ckel5]

How do i find the carrier that has the best coverage for my location?

There are two ways that I recommend.

1. Check out the coverage maps of the carriers. Is your area's coverage acceptable?

2. Word of mouth. After you find what you think is a winner, see what others have to say. For instance, where I grew up, I know US Cellular is probably the best due to what I hear and see from people I know. Also, take note of what phones you see people carrying. Most have a logo of the carrier on them somewhere, or they tend to be carrier specific.

[Replikant]

Thanks, i was going to ask people i know next.

[finger]

i don't know about carriers, but i do like my lg phone

[Replikant]

What about Tracfone instead of a cell phone? How would that differ from, say, the cheapest Verizon prepaid plan, besides the cost $(15/mo vs. $30/mo.)?

[Brad729]

Moved your thread to General Cell Phone forum, it will get more replies here than in the "New Member Help" section... welcome to the forums!