signmeuptoo
Folding and Crunching Not just Breakfast
Premium
join:2001-11-22
LOSTinSpace
clubs: 
 ·Future Nine Corpor..
 ·AT&T Southeast
| I have a bad rating, what prepaid is "best"
I have a bad credit rating. I've never owned a credit card, but have been through a lot of hardship over the years and was unable to pay some huge medical bills much to my shame. Anyways, I hope to go back to work in the next couple of years, God willing, and might choose to drive for a living.
Considering those two things, what prepaid plan is best?
Now I am under the impression that there are phones/plans that involved automatic withdrawls from one's credit/debit account, is that right? I saw a brief news story about Walmart having something new, their own phone system, and a store worker told me it uses both Verizon's AND ATT's cell towers. Is that true?
I have no idea where to start when I am ready to get a phone (roomate and I have been talking about me getting something, I had a Go Phone, but it went unfilled because at the time I didn't have the needed bucks to refill it and now I need a new simcard for it so it is worthless). I have to mention that the Go Phone plan seemed like a ripoff to me. They deducted a dollar for each day I used it, and to tell the truth, I only used the phone a few days a month, but it added up fast.
I don't even know if I am going to get something now or wait, it depends on what there is out there, to be honest, and it seems like every plan I've seen had some bad hitches to them...
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KevinK
join:2009-08-12
Atlanta, GA | It really depends on your usage. Do you use voice minutes or are you a heavy texter and don't use many voice minutes? Do you use MMS?
Oh also what area are you in? Some companies have better coverage in certain parts of the country. |
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Jim Gurd
Premium
join:2000-07-08
Plymouth, MI
 ·Comcast
1 edit | reply to signmeuptoo
Go with Net10. It's $0.10 per minute with no minimum monthly fee. You can get a 300 minute card which is good for 60 days. Unused minutes will carry over if you add a new card before the 60 days expire.
Edit: In most areas they use AT&T's network so the coverage area is quite large. Roaming is also allowed at no extra charge either. No coverage outside of the USA though.
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The Mogambo Guru economic newsletter, an avocational exercise to heap disrespect on those who desperately deserve it. |
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signmeuptoo
Folding and Crunching Not just Breakfast
Premium
join:2001-11-22
LOSTinSpace
clubs: | reply to KevinK
Haven't ever texted, my sweetie overseas might want to text me I suppose. I don't know what MMS is offhand, I'll have to look it up on google.
Net10 sounds nice, time to google it. |
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KevinK
join:2009-08-12
Atlanta, GA | Take a look at Page Plus Cellular as well. They have some plans that are cheap. They work off of Verizon's network. Straight Talk is another cheap one on Verizon's network. |
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JC78
Screenfuls Of Go To Hell
join:2003-01-04
Jenks, OK
| reply to signmeuptoo
I have att gophone and for 79.99 a month I get unlimited talk, text and 100mb of data usage. Just switched to that plan now and have had the go phone for a few years now.
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"Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the the universe." - Albert Einstein |
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Littlem129
Premium
join:2007-05-13
White Pine, TN
·America Online
| reply to signmeuptoo
I think what your referring to at Walmart is Straight Talk.
»www.straighttalk.com/
Sounds like a good option for the price. You get 1000 minutes, 1000 text messages and 30MB or 32MB internet usage for $30 a month. They also have an unlimited plan which includes unlimited talk, text and 30MB or 32MB internet usage a month for $45. You can pay using a debit/credit card monthly or buy a refill card at Walmart.
The only thing is when you first buy it they don't have a starter kit, you have to purchase the phone which I think starts around $40 and the minute card separately. I looked at this in Walmart last week and with tax it would cost around $75 to get started.
As mentioned already Net10 is a good option if your not a heavy user. It's .10¢ a minute and the text messages are .05¢ each to send and receive. Refill cards start at $30 for 300 minutes which last 60 days in stores and you can refill on Net10's web site if you pay by debit/credit card starting at $20 for 200 minutes.
»www.net10.com
The other option if you won't be using it much is TracFone.
»www.tracfone.com/
In my opinion it's a good value. When you buy the phone just make sure to get a Double Minute For Life phone then when you buy the minutes which starts at $20 for a 60 minute card you are getting 120 minutes and 90 days service. To get even more minutes you can use a bonus code when adding a refill card. You can do a Google search and find bonus codes. Here's a good site that has bonus codes and keeps them up to date.
»tracfone-blog.fone-review.com/tr···o_codes/ |
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signmeuptoo
Folding and Crunching Not just Breakfast
Premium
join:2001-11-22
LOSTinSpace
clubs: | reply to signmeuptoo
Thanks guys. You know, cell service is a bit confusing what with all the ways they can make money off ya. |
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fjr3020
join:2008-07-22
Miami, FL | check boostmobile.com and virginmobile.com they have great plan and cheap. |
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nightshade74
Yet another genxer
Premium
join:2004-11-06
Prattville, AL
·Knology
| reply to signmeuptoo
Checkout
»www.cellguru.net/prepaid_compare.htm
»www.cellguru.net/unlimited_compare.htm
It should help put everything in a nice little
chart. Take a good look at the coverage maps
relative to where you'll want to use the phone.
I'm usually a post - paid VZ customer but have a couple of circumstances to need to use PagePlus ie phone to leave at the lake house, brother
back in the US for a month. They were good to deal with. |
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DownTheShore
Maddie Knows Poopie
Premium
join:2003-12-02
Beautiful NJ
clubs:
| reply to signmeuptoo
I've been using the GoPhone for a number of years. My primary phone connection is Vonage using VoIP, so I don't actually use my cell phone that much. The GoPhone works for my situation, since a $25 refill lasts for 3 months, and the balance will carry over if the phone is refilled before the end of the 3 months. So for a full year's service it costs $100. Looks like Net10 would give you more minutes, though at a higher total cost.
It's going to depend on whether your cell phone is your primary or secondary phone.
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Patriotism is not waving a flag, it is living the ideals
I want to retire to the Isle of Sodor and ride the trains. |
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hottboiinnc
ME
join:2003-10-15
Cleveland, OH | reply to KevinK
PagePlus is cheaper than Str8 Talk. |
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djdanska
Premium,MVM
join:2001-04-21
Glen Ellyn, IL
clubs:
 ·Sprint Mobile Broa..
·T-Mobile US
·A + Net
·Mediacom
·RCN CABLE
| reply to signmeuptoo
If you really want a regular plan, you can always do flexpay with t-mobile. Pay for the month up front and you get the same plans as regular customers. Just have to buy the phone at full price, or get one from ebay or craigslist. I don't know where your from though. More rural areas are not t-mobile's friend. Metro areas are generally covered well though.
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The day the child realizes that all adults are imperfect, he becomes an adolescent; the day he forgives them, he becomes an adult. The day he forgives himself, he becomes wise.
Alden Nowlan |
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hottboiinnc
ME
join:2003-10-15
Cleveland, OH | reply to JC78
that plan is actually $60 now. |
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signmeuptoo
Folding and Crunching Not just Breakfast
Premium
join:2001-11-22
LOSTinSpace
clubs:
·Future Nine Corpor..
·AT&T Southeast
| reply to djdanska
I am out in the country about a 45 minute drive from the heat of Clarksville. There is a cell tower in the area and my go phone, while I had it working, had a great signal.
I am looking for two things admittedly:
A cell plan pay as I go (or what have you) for now just to get me by, don't need very many minutes.
Second, in the future, if things work out for me, at some point I will need a phone for a Road Dog, nationwide.
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Happy Halloween/All Souls Day. Join Teams Helix and Discovery. Put that fancy computer to good use helping to find a cure, your mom will love you for it. »Team Helix »Team Discovery |
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IanR
join:2001-03-22
Madison, NJ | For low to moderate usage T Mobile prepaid is very good. You can become a "Gold Member" by buying $100 worth of minmutes 1,000. These last for 12 months. They can be renewed thereafter by toppping up with smaller amonts. |
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DannyZ
Gentoo Fanboy
Premium
join:2003-01-29
Erie, PA
| Tmo prepaid is what I use. The big thing that keeps me with them is there are certain websites you can access for free. I regularly use Yahoo WAP messenger (saves me on text messages), CNN, ABC news, ESPN, and Sports Illustrated at no charge.
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Out the 10BaseT, through the modem, down the co-ax, over the fiber, across the backhaul, past the edge router, off the network...nothing but net |
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DarnellP
join:2004-10-12
Las Vegas, NV
| reply to signmeuptoo
If he were in Clarksville, prepaid t-mobile might be a good option. However, he says that he is 45 minutes away from Clarksville, in the country. I suspect that t-mobile's coverage may not suit him. Boost Mobile, Page Plus or GoPhone would probably be more viable options. |
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DannyZ
Gentoo Fanboy
Premium
join:2003-01-29
Erie, PA | Tmo prepaid has free roaming. Lots of coverage surrounding Clarksville »www.t-mobile.com/coverage/Prepaid.aspx |
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DarnellP
join:2004-10-12
Las Vegas, NV
| I don't know at what point they say anything, but they do have a provision about roaming too much: Abnormal Calling Patterns: Call duration, text/instant message duration and/or your continued eligibility for service or any plan may be limited or terminated for (a) consumer protection purposes, (b) abusive conduct or abnormal call pattern(s), or (c) significant roaming.
*If* where he lives is a roaming only area, it stands to reason that this would become an issue sooner or later.
»www.t-mobile.com/Templates/Popup···rePlnTNC |
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