Author Topic: Need a Better Cell Phone Plan (Read 11601 times)

jitspoe · « **on:** January 04, 2008, 02:10:19 PM »

Here's what I have:

Free & Clear Plan 200- $29.99
Plan Features:

* $29.99 Free & Clear Plan
* Additional Anytime Minutes $.40 Per Min.
* All Minutes Include Long Distance
* 200 Anytime Minutes
* 2800 Night and Weekend Minutes
* Nights: M-Th 9PM-7AM Wknd: F 9PM-M 7AM
* Caller ID, Call Waiting
* Three-way Calling
* Voicemail

Normally, that's fine, since I rarely use my phone, and most of the time I do, it's during the night or weekend. Of course, given recent circumstances, I've used it a bit more, and this is what my phone bill said:

Quote

Hello!

It's your anniversary! You have been our valued customer for 6 year(s). Thank you.

Total Due by January 15 $216.07

Thanks, sprint. Merry Christmas to you, too.

Sad thing is, even with that kick in the nuts, it's still cheaper than getting a plan that will accommodate the minutes I used (617 last month). A plan that covers that is twice as much as my current plan.

What I really need is like a simple per-minute plan. Say, $0.10 per minute, so my last bill would have been like $62, and normally they'd be like $10. It's stupid to have to pay for what you might need to use, but probably won't most of the time.

KiLo · « **Reply #1 on:** January 04, 2008, 02:17:45 PM »

Go to Verizon.

Cobo · « **Reply #2 on:** January 04, 2008, 02:18:10 PM »

Just call someone and hang before they answer, then wait for them to call you back

jitspoe · « **Reply #3 on:** January 04, 2008, 03:08:33 PM »

Quote from: Cobo on January 04, 2008, 02:18:10 PM

Just call someone and hang before they answer, then wait for them to call you back

Doesn't matter - I get charged for minutes used regardless of what for, even 1-800 (toll-free) numbers.

Quote from: KiLo on January 04, 2008, 02:17:45 PM

Go to Verizon.

Just checked, and their plan pricing is exactly the same as sprint's.

Zorchenhimer · « **Reply #4 on:** January 04, 2008, 03:39:10 PM »

I pay $0.10 per minute, but its a crappy pay-as-you-go plan. The service sucks, and so does the phone. I have AT&T.

MaDMaN · « **Reply #5 on:** January 04, 2008, 04:21:33 PM »

get verizon.. or alltel and just put the ppl u talk to the most in your "fav's"

KiLo · « **Reply #6 on:** January 04, 2008, 04:26:49 PM »

Quote from: MaDMaN on January 04, 2008, 04:21:33 PM

get verizon.. or alltel and just put the ppl u talk to the most in your "fav's"

Um Verizon for sure then because Alltel drops calls constantly.

coLa · « **Reply #7 on:** January 04, 2008, 05:58:37 PM »

i have t-mobile and the plans are pretty much awesome. cheap and good service. free nights a weekends, 600 minutes, 400 text and pictures messages, free long distance, i was paying $53 every month. i just recently upgraded to a family plan with my girlfriend. and still cheaper together than what she was paying alone at sprint.

KiLo · « **Reply #8 on:** January 04, 2008, 10:31:38 PM »

You must be in a well service area then because I know people have T-Mobile and they have no service more than they have service.

Justinph5 · « **Reply #9 on:** January 05, 2008, 12:23:03 AM »

I've always had the heard of the best service with AT&T... $29.99? thats what I pay for internet and text's a month :O whoops, lol...

I just know that everyone I've known has had a crazy charge on their Sprint bill, I think Sprint likes making up numbers in their head

...

Anyways, yeah, AT&T has free nights and weekends and also free mobile to mobile (AT&T cells).... depending on the plans there are.

m7feettall · « **Reply #10 on:** January 07, 2008, 03:51:26 AM »

A. If you call up many providers and explain that you have a hardship circumstance they may give you bonus minutes that month. I know Verizon does this based on reports by posters at Howard Forums, including Verizon employees. I think the policy is once or twice per year.

B. Just get a pre-paid phone for those times you know you will go over. Their rate is cheaper than .40 per minute. Net10 has all calls 10 cents if I recall. I think they are a spin-off of tracfone. Tracfone can vary on their prices. If you get cards on ebays with bonus codes you might do alright.

If you plan on going pre-pay all the way, rather than just as a back-up, then consider page plus. They run on the Verizon network and have pretty cheap rates. I think they recently improved their roaming options.

Alltell, ATT, etc. all have prepay options to check out.

C. Check into a referral for a Sprint Sero plan. They tend to run cheaper and have decent minute allotments. For more info go to howard forums Sprint section.

D. The problem with Sprint is they have terrible customer service, so option one likely won't work. I did get a chuckle out of the anniversary statement though.

m7feettall · « **Reply #11 on:** January 07, 2008, 03:54:16 AM »

Quote from: KiLo on January 04, 2008, 04:26:49 PM

Um Verizon for sure then because Alltel drops calls constantly.

For price Verizon is not the best. They are not the industry leader in Revenue Per Customer without reason. But I agree that their network is solid. I have used them for some time now and am VERY rarely without service even when traveling. Their data is not quite as good as Sprint's since even the "unlimited" plan caps out at 5 gig. And they restrict what you can use it for (no streaming, etc.) Both use EVDO, and are rolling out REV. A, but I give the edge to Sprint in the data category. But in the service and customer service departments they are just lame.

As with any of them though they all have their strong regions and weak regions.

Alltel...only had limited experience with them.

y00tz · « **Reply #12 on:** January 07, 2008, 07:02:20 AM »

I have Alltel... the coverage and plans are great, but they're no T-Mobile in the service department.

Here is a breakdown of Alltel's Pay-By-Day from the site:

"The power is yours. Pick the features U want for only 75¢ day.
Unlimited Mobile-to-Mobile
Unlimited Night & Weekend Minutes
Unlimited Favorite Number Calling
Unlimited Text Messaging

Plus, all other calls are only 10¢ a minute."

So for a month's use: .75*30 + 617*.10 = $84.20

flip · « **Reply #13 on:** January 07, 2008, 11:24:39 AM »

verison caused my wife to go on a cell phone strike for almost 2 years. since sweet talking her we eventually went with at&t because of the rollover minutes. since we hardly use our phones except to make short calls or long calls to family members we love this. as of right now i have over 2000 minutes i have to burn before starting on my monthly minutes.

verison gave the shaft to a lot of military folks when i first started so they will forever be on my global ban list.

KnacK · « **Reply #14 on:** January 07, 2008, 12:14:37 PM »

If you talk to your current provider, they can assist with picking out a plan that will fit your needs.

You have to remember that not all plans are advertised.

Sonix · « **Reply #15 on:** January 07, 2008, 12:29:46 PM »

go with tmobile and get my faves. i pay like 80$ a month for like 1000 mintues and unlimited text but i am always on my phone. u can get like 300 mintues for 39.99. and tmobile never drops my calls.

m7feettall · « **Reply #16 on:** January 07, 2008, 10:10:45 PM »

Quote from: flip on January 07, 2008, 11:24:39 AM

verison caused my wife to go on a cell phone strike for almost 2 years. since sweet talking her we eventually went with at&t because of the rollover minutes. since we hardly use our phones except to make short calls or long calls to family members we love this. as of right now i have over 2000 minutes i have to burn before starting on my monthly minutes.

verison gave the shaft to a lot of military folks when i first started so they will forever be on my global ban list.

Rollover would be nice. But I was in a CDMA area for years. So Verizon and Alltel were my options. Got one more year on Verizon. I actually have been happy with their service.

What was the issue with the military?

m7feettall · « **Reply #17 on:** January 07, 2008, 10:13:54 PM »

Quote from: y00tz on January 07, 2008, 07:02:20 AM

I have Alltel... the coverage and plans are great, but they're no T-Mobile in the service department.

Here is a breakdown of Alltel's Pay-By-Day from the site:

"The power is yours. Pick the features U want for only 75¢ day.
Unlimited Mobile-to-Mobile
Unlimited Night & Weekend Minutes
Unlimited Favorite Number Calling
Unlimited Text Messaging

Plus, all other calls are only 10¢ a minute."

So for a month's use: .75*30 + 617*.10 = $84.20

If you make a lot of calls to the same numbers that is not a bad deal. However, if you spread them out then a straight 10 cents a minute on net10 seems to make more sense. However, I have no experience with the company, so would read up on some forums.

The alltel deal has you paying 22 bucks before you get a single anytime minute. His total plan now is about 30 bucks.

Actually, if this is an infrequent occurrence then flip may be on to something with ATT's rollover.

y00tz · « **Reply #18 on:** January 08, 2008, 01:08:33 AM »

Quote from: m7feettall on January 07, 2008, 10:13:54 PM

The alltel deal has you paying 22 bucks before you get a single anytime minute.

No it's $22 if you use minutes everyday... If he doesn't use airtime, he doesn't pay.

Quote

His total plan now is about 30 bucks.

Also, his plan may be $30, but his bill sure wasn't. If he used the normal 200 like AT&T alotted, then we would pay at most $42, assuming he made calls everyday before 9pm, and that none of those people were on Alltel, or in his 10 friends he selects to call for free.

Alltel pay by day (note: I have a plan) is great for people who want unlimited texting (something I pay $19.99 for), and the "My Circle" which lets you select up to 10 friends whom you can call *free* and changing the circle is as easy as logging onto Alltel.com (takes affect within 24 hours)

Cons to Alltel include, no sim cards, phones limited to crap like Razor V3+s, Blackberry's, Samsungs and Strobes. Bluetooth is locked only to be used with headset (on all of my previous phones)

edit: Alltel has pay as you go as well, but it's .15/minute

jitspoe · « **Reply #19 on:** January 08, 2008, 01:52:39 AM »

What if you have an unlocked phone?