So the plethora of Walmart ads say you can keep your phone(s) and number(s) and switch to their off-brand carriers for the same networks and a lot less money.
Anyone try that? Experiences? Is one better than others? We use cellphones as phones, with a little texting, nothing exotic. Sprint prices aren't that great. Any recommendations?
For modest amounts of usage primarily for voice, I've been surprisingly happy with Tracfone. The underlying carriers vary, but you can definitely get phones that run on AT&T and T-Mobile.
If you get one with triple minutes and look for promo codes when you buy credit, it works out to about 7 cpm.
You can port numbers in and out, I've done it.
Another "off-brand carrier" (actually, MVNO) is Page Plus Cellular,
,through whom you can get service for many (if not all) Verizon handsets, at tariffs ranging from $10 every 120 days (rolling over if renewed by day
120), good for about 80 minutes, to plans for really heavy users (like unlimited calling, unlimited texting, and 5GB data for ~$70/month). Mexico's Carlos Slim is said to be buying them out, but their web site seems virtually unchanged ... . Walmart doesn't sell Page Plus refills, AFAICT; but an outfit called Calling Mart does, often at 5% off: .Cheers, -- tlvp (a satisfied, el cheapo, PP/CM customer)
Their plans are good for people who talk a lot. Nobody sells plans for introverted geeks like me that use lots of data but don't talk to anybody. To get lots of data, I'd have to buy unlimited talk/text that I'd never use.
Actually, my existing AT&T plan fits my needs nicely, but it's a grandfathered plan that's not available any more. I get unlimited data,
100 minutes talk, no text, for about $40 ($38.25 plus the BS misc. fees). With a couple of Google Voice apps, I can send texts and make/receive VOIP calls using my unlimited data. Only downside is when people send texts to my cell # instead of my GV number. I never get the message and the sender doesn't get an error.
Nobody?
Virgin Mobile has a $35 plan with 300 minutes and unlimited SMS and data. You have to use one of their phones but they have a pretty good selection. Underlying network is Sprint. My daughter has this plan, grandfathered at the previous $25 rate which is a steal.
For people who have their own GSM phones, Consumer Cellular prices the voice and data parts separately, so you can get the basic voice $10 with no included minutes and a data plan that matches what you use. Underlying network is AT&T.
Ting (part of Tucows) prices the voice, SMS, and data bundles separately, and each month charges you for the smallest bundles that cover what you used, starting at $0 for no usage. If you truly use no voice and no SMS, that might be the $6 monthly charge and $24 for 1GB. Again, you have to use one of their phones, network is Sprint.
R's, John
I have two phones with MetroPCS. $100 a month. One is a 4G capable phone, the other only on their 1X CDMA network.
Works out perfectly for me. I'm a heavy data user too.
I should have said nobody around here. I'm in an area served only covered by AT&T and Verizon.
That does look like a good deal, although it doesn't subsidize the phone like my AT&T plan does. And the Sprint network is not an option for me.
Their data plans are no bargain compared to the unlimited data I get from AT&T
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