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OT Re: Cell phone opinions/options



John Abreau wrote:
> Mike Gorse wrote:
> 
>> I originally only got this thing for emergencies, and now I'm stuck 
>> paying $47/month for it.  Are there other companies that offer lower 
>> prices than what I'm paying?  Perhaps I should look into some of the 
>> prepaid phones?
> 
> I've been carrying aroud a prepaid cellphone for a couple years now. It 
> might not be the cheapest, but I don't use it often enough for it to 
> matter. I have to put at least $20 on it every 90 days, and calls are 
> 25c per minute for the first ten minutes of the day (5am-5am) and then 
> 10c per minute after that.
> 
> Since I don't use it often, I'm essentially paying about $7.00 per month 
> most months.

Sounds like Virgin Mobile -- also a good deal. Because of the 90-day 
thing, you do have to remember to add time more often than with the 
T-Mobile setup, but the costs are in the same ballpark. It uses the 
Sprint network, which has better coverage than T-Mobile; unlike Sprint's 
own phones, though, you don't get analog or digital roaming. And you 
can't switch a Virgin phone to Sprint service or vice versa, even though 
they should be technologically compatible.

If you really do have to have a phone for emergencies in the middle of 
nowhere, Verizon is probably the best choice (largest network), followed 
by Sprint (they offer analog and digital roaming through Verizon; 
expensive, but it will save the day in a pinch). Cingular would be next 
(no analog roaming, but an extensive network), then Virgin prepaid 
(Sprint network without roaming) or any other prepaid virual network 
using Sprint. T-Mobile (no roaming, relatively limited network) and 
virtual networks using T-Mobile are next, with Nextel (proprietary 
network with poor coverage) bringing up the rear. The Nextel situation 
should improve in the future, now that they have merged with Sprint; 
there is talk of dual-mode iDEN/CDMA phones, but no such beast is 
available yet.

You could carry around an old clunker phone from Verizon or Sprint with 
no service plan just to make 911 calls (which are always free, and work 
even if the phone doesn't have a paid plan), and supplement with a phone 
and plan more suited to the rest of your needs.




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