Consumer Cellular?

[Joe Bob]

Anyone tried it? No contract, old phart discount.....claims that you can use a smart phone w/o having a data plan....

[stomachmonkey]

Originally Posted by Joe Bob

Anyone tried it? No contract, old phart discount.....claims that you can use a smart phone w/o having a data plan....

ATT now officially supports smartphones without a data plan via prepaid GoPhone. Plans start at $25.00 and include unlimited texts.

Only thing to watch is don't try it with a phone that is still under subsidy.

[porwolf]

I had good experiences with the T-Mobile prepaid plan. For $ 100.- you get a one year "gold member" plan with 1000 minutes. You can also text and use various other services in which I am not interested. Then you can cary over unused minutes with a minimum of $10.- for another year if you use your phone rarely. And you can continue again and again. I have done it for 5 years now. I understand that is the only prepaid plan with no monthly fees.

[74-911]

Originally Posted by porwolf

I had good experiences with the T-Mobile prepaid plan. For $ 100.- you get a one year "gold member" plan with 1000 minutes. You can also text and use various other services in which I am not interested. Then you can cary over unused minutes with a minimum of $10.- for another year if you use your phone rarely. And you can continue again and again. I have done it for 5 years now. I understand that is the only prepaid plan with no monthly fees.

Been on the same T-Mobile prepaid for going on 4 year and agree, you can't beat the price if you just use the phone for occasional calls and texting. I think my total bill last year was < $60 .... of course my phone is a 5 year old "stupid" phone that doesn't even have a camera but it serves for what I use it for..

[legion]

Been on Ting for two months now (Sprint reseller). Because my (and my wife's) usage is at the bottom of the scale, I'm paying about $34 a month for TWO SMART PHONES. We were previously paying around $100 a month with Verizon for minimal usage with one smart phone and one dumb phone.

[intakexhaust]

Originally Posted by porwolf

I had good experiences with the T-Mobile prepaid plan. For $ 100.- you get a one year "gold member" plan with 1000 minutes. You can also text and use various other services in which I am not interested. Then you can cary over unused minutes with a minimum of $10.- for another year if you use your phone rarely. And you can continue again and again. I have done it for 5 years now. I understand that is the only prepaid plan with no monthly fees.

Originally Posted by 74-911

Been on the same T-Mobile prepaid for going on 4 year and agree, you can't beat the price if you just use the phone for occasional calls and texting. I think my total bill last year was < $60 .... of course my phone is a 5 year old "stupid" phone that doesn't even have a camera but it serves for what I use it for..

Interested in the above and have a few questions. Current plan set to expire and no longer need a loaded jibberish plan. I'm reading you've had the PPD for a few years but are you using an older model phone? Do I need a specific make and model? I prefer to have any of the later android versions.

Also, the majority of the time is home or office, so can I switch it off when there and just use Wi-Fi? I can't get a straight answer from the phone stores.

Funny we have a basic Samsung Galaxy running an older android OS at home. They call it a mini 3.6 entertainment MP3, whatever player but its not a mobile phone. (BTW: A great little GPS device updates for free.) Although we use it as a phone connected thru wifi and google. Works perfect and cost nothing.

[berettafan]

A client mentioned consumer cell to me just recently. claims to be saving big bucks.

It's in the back of my mind to dump verizon and my cable co. but all the other stuff in the back of my mind gets in the way of actually doing it.

that and the riot i'd have on my hands when wife/kids found out.

[porwolf]

Originally Posted by intakexhaust

Interested in the above and have a few questions. Current plan set to expire and no longer need a loaded jibberish plan. I'm reading you've had the PPD for a few years but are you using an older model phone? Do I need a specific make and model? I prefer to have any of the later android versions.

Also, the majority of the time is home or office, so can I switch it off when there and just use Wi-Fi? I can't get a straight answer from the phone stores.

Funny we have a basic Samsung Galaxy running an older android OS at home. They call it a mini 3.6 entertainment MP3, whatever player but its not a mobile phone. (BTW: A great little GPS device updates for free.) Although we use it as a phone connected thru wifi and google. Works perfect and cost nothing.

Yes, I have an older phone, a Nokia 3110 Classic;



It does have a 1.2MP camera that also can shoot videos. And it connects with USB to the computer for downloading. I bought it unlocked on the internet. And I can use it in Europe with local SIM cards. It does everything I need. I also have a local T-Mobile shop that has good people and with good information and help. I understand for their prepaid plans there are other, more recent, phones available.

[Joe Bob]

Crud....the best phone I have ever owned is an LG.....non SIM Verizon. I have a few Smart phones that I have traded for and bought. AT&T tried to bone me when I hooked it up and slap a data plan on me.

Sorry, no way am I gonna get Kung Fu eyes with a screen that small. That's what I have a Dell laptop and large screen for.

Guess I'll stop by Sears....


BTW, how can you tell if a phone has a GPS chip in it?

[intakexhaust]

^^^ by no means am I a techy but thought all new phones have GPS. Also, you should be able to turn the radio / phone functions off and just use the GPS app.

(Going back some years, I recall when it became available on my early Nokia - Blackberry with the Sprint / Nextel -walkie talkie-. The data plan cost was nutz especially if outside the US. LOL Never again will be with Sprint.... good riddance!)


The Samsung Galaxy player using an Android 2.3?? OS I was referring to above is just like a phone but doesn't use a cell service. For phone it needs a wifi connection. Good extra and free rates for calls in the US but only within a wifi range. The GPS of course works most anywhere. Great for a few freebie GPS bike tracking apps, etc. has 8 gb plus extra 32 gig of music with Bluetooth for the car, etc. Cheap thing now sell for under $100, no cost to use and has been reliable.

What I want is a similar set-up like this with only pre-pay for talk but no data plan (outside of the office / home Wi-Fi). When in Wi-Fi range (office / home) only then would use it for data and the google voice for free calls. I'll look for a T-Mobile seller and see if a Ppd phone like this is available.

Should be able to keep phone cost next to nothing or am I oversimplifying my thought not giving any more to the phone providers?

[scottmandue]

Originally Posted by porwolf

I had good experiences with the T-Mobile prepaid plan. For $ 100.- you get a one year "gold member" plan with 1000 minutes. You can also text and use various other services in which I am not interested. Then you can cary over unused minutes with a minimum of $10.- for another year if you use your phone rarely. And you can continue again and again. I have done it for 5 years now. I understand that is the only prepaid plan with no monthly fees.

Um... is that $100 a year?... maybe I need to look into that!

[JQ911]

I've switched to Solavei (TMobile reseller) for $43.80 a month with unlimited service:

1. Calls within US
2. Text messaging (local/intl)
3. Data (4G)

I can't complain saving $90/month with the switch.

[scottmandue]

Originally Posted by JQ911

I've switched to Solavei (TMobile reseller) for $38.50 a month with unlimited service:

1. Calls within US
2. Text messaging (local/intl)
3. Data (4G)

I can't complain saving $90/month with the switch.

I'm off to google Solavei!!!!

I'm back... MLM scam.

[JQ911]

Monthly billing amount corrected to $43.80. I've seen write-ups about the MLM scam but I can't complain on the service since I switched 6 months ago from ATT on a $126 a month bill.

[porwolf]

Originally Posted by scottmandue

Um... is that $100 a year?... maybe I need to look into that!

Yes, $100.- per year for a one year prepaid "gold member" plan. And with it come 1000 minutes. After that the pPlan can be extended for another year as low as $10.-. Unused minutes cary over. There is no limit of how many years it can be extended. Of course, if you need more minutes you can always fill up for more.

[intakexhaust]

Originally Posted by porwolf

Yes, $100.- per year for a one year prepaid "gold member" plan. And with it come 1000 minutes. After that the pPlan can be extended for another year as low as $10.-. Unused minutes cary over. There is no limit of how many years it can be extended. Of course, if you need more minutes you can always fill up for more.

Is this the gold member plan?

T-Mobile To Go Prepaid Cell Phones | Prepaid Reviews

[porwolf]

Originally Posted by intakexhaust

Is this the gold member plan?

T-Mobile To Go Prepaid Cell Phones | Prepaid Reviews

That's a complicated review of all possibilities. But the "gold member" pre paid plan for $100.-, 1000 minutes, a year is mentioned there somewhere.

Here is a better reference to that plan:

Prepaid Cell Phone Plans, No Credit Check | Monthly 4G | T-Mobile

[intakexhaust]

^^ Thanks - that is cheap and the annual prepay looks ideal. I think to have found an Android OS phone for the t-mob network. I'll check with with the reseller first but if it works for the ppd deal and I'm able to turn the radio / phone function off anytime but only use my wifi network when in range, good enough for me.

[Bill Douglas]

Originally Posted by porwolf

I had good experiences with the T-Mobile prepaid plan. For $ 100.- you get a one year "gold member" plan with 1000 minutes.

Lucky you. Well done.

I'm one of those people who have a phone but don't use it. I think it's in the glove box - either that or I've lost it, sorta guy.

[Cajundaddy]

i recently ditched Verizon and went to Virgin Mobile prepaid, no contract.

300 min/mo, unlimited text, 2Gig data/mo. all for $30 per month. This closely fits my usage needs and I can change plans as needs change. So far so good and coverage on the Sprint network seems as good as Verizon was. Getting the 2yr-plan monkey off my back is refreshing.