Cell Phone Opinions Please!

[grnspot110]

Dear old AT&T is at it again! Got a letter a few days ago that my cell phone will not work after Feb. 28, 2011 if I don't update. I stopped by an AT&T store yesterday to see about it, looks like they want my bill to increase from $25 to at least $39+. So I'm looking for options!

Rural Midwest location.
I only make & receive calls (no texting).
Don't use the camera feature.
Some times don't use it for weeks at a time, but carry it ever day.
I want something simple to use that I don't have to change my number.

I'm thinking maybe a "Jitterbug", anybody have experience with one, good or bad?

Any other possibilities? ~~ grnspot110

 

[yooper1]

I got the same letter.

They are forcing us to upgrade and then even charging around $39 to activate the updated account.

Pure extortion

I pay $19.99 a month for 200 minutes of which I use maybe 10 minutes a month. the fees and taxes bring it to about $24 a month.

The lowest service they offer that I now have to choose is $39.99 a month, plus fees and taxes and a $39 activation fee.

There is no way in HECK I will ever pay $40 for a phone...cellular or land line


Have you thought about a trac-phone?

I too have thought about the Jitterbug...I will have to check a dealer here that has them

 

[yooper1]

It would be nice if they would make a cellphone that would make clear phone calls. Screw the data plans and the cameras and the text crap....how about a clear call?

That is out of their way of thinking

 

[Travelover]

If you don't make a lot of calls, look at a prepaid option that works off the provider network that has the best reception in your area.

I'm an extreme case, but I have a Virgin Mobile phone that runs on Sprint network (OK in my area). I pay $15 every 90 days and calls are 20 cents a minute, taken from that $15 fee. Phone was free. Any excess credit rolls forward indefinitely. I don't make many calls, but like to have it for emergencies.

 

[Andy in Gap]

I use Net 10 prepaid and have been very satisfied with it. I won't ever have a cell contract again, not with all the hidden fees and "extortion" as someone mentioned earlier. I believe Net 10 uses the AT&T signal, costs 10 cents a minute or less, and is capable of calling internationally for a bit more per minute. Phones are basic, but for $20-30 dollars a month, it's all I need.

 

[grnspot110]

Wife had a Trac-phone for a while, always a pain-in-the-*** to add time to it, so I really don't care for them. I'd rather just have a monthly bill & be done with it! ~~ grnspot110

 

[Bird]

I, too, am one of those who makes and receives voice calls only, and very few of those. In 1999, I started with a plan for $29.99 a month plus taxes and fees (about $36 a month) and just over a year ago, I changed to the prepaid twenty-five cents a minute deal; much cheaper for me. And I kept the same phone number.

 

[Travelover]

Wife had a Trac-phone for a while, always a pain-in-the-*** to add time to it, so I really don't care for them. I'd rather just have a monthly bill & be done with it! ~~ grnspot110

Not sure about Trac-phone, but with Virgin Mobile, I have money added automatically every 90 days via credit card. Only problem is updating expiration date on credit card every 3 years or so.

 

[buckeyefarmer]

The only reason ATT would make you change is because you are using a really old network that they are turning off. ATT is GSM based, but it uses different freq ranges, so you might have an old phone using a range they are turning off. newer phones support more frequencies. Everyone will have to get a new handset for 4G LTE, but that's another year off.
my wife uses an inexpensive ATT prepaid. We load it $100 at a time, which will last a year before it expires (lower amounts expire quicker). It's real easy to go online and add the time to it with a credit card.

Watch out for some companies calling things "prepaid" that isn't the what most people consider prepaid. some are advertising a monthly set fee and causing it prepaid. prepaid means buying a block of time, or dollar amount, and using it whenever (but most have an expiration time of 3-6 or 12 months), but it's not a set monthly amount.

 

[buckeyefarmer]

Was the old phone from the cingular TDMA network days? cingular changed over to AT&T, which now advertises 100% GSM, but I think they did have an old TDMA network.

edit - I just found that they turned off TDMA in 2008, so wasn't that.

 

[DK35vince]

My wife has had a Trac-phone for years and we have been very satisfied with it.
We get the $100 per year pre paid card. It comes with 400 minutes. She is signed up for double minutes, so it gives her 800 minutes, which is more than enough minutes per year for us. (Any extra minutes roll over to the following years card).

 

[CinderSchnauzer]

I recently purchased a Samsung S366 and went Prepaid. Buy $100 time and it lasts for 1 year or until used which ever happens first.

The phone does have a camera and some other features I don't use, however, the thing I really like - it's a flip phone that is quite thin, has a metal case & therefore doesn't need a cover. Fits easily into pocket - signal and sound are good.

Compared to contract I'm probably saving 50% - 60%.

 

[ronjhall]

If you want to keep your AT&T account. But not a new 2 year contract. Buy a new phone off EBAY. Move the Sims Card from your old phone to the new phone. No change of contract.
I bought my mother a new phone off EBAY. I got it for less than this link. I posted this one as an example. Even though action says used, it was brand new.

 

[grnspot110]

Is anyone familiar with Net10? A part of Trac Phone, I think. ~~ grnspot110

 

[tallyho8]

I have had the same Tracfone for 4 years and have been paying $99 a year for 800 minutes and getting 200 bonus minutes. This is more minutes than I use in a year. Cheap and no problems for 4 years UNTIL......

Last week I added another 1000 minutes and double minutes and 2 days later it went to Roam when I am in my neighborhood. When it is on Roam I have to also dial the area code to make a call which is very annoying. If I drive 1/2 mile from my home it goes off of Roam and I can dial the 7 digit number. I think the cell tower by my home has a problem. My phone uses the Verizon network.

I spent 3 hours on the phone yesterday with their customer service in Columbia and they are hard to understand with their accent and have trouble understanding me. They tried changing my phone number to see if it would help. NOPE. Then when I asked for my old number back they said it was no longer available. Now I have to give everyone my new number.

They told me that everyone is advised to dial the area code first regardless of who or where they are calling from and there is nothing wrong with my phone or their system.. HUH? But why did it just start roaming a few days ago? They said it doesn't matter because it isn't charging me for roaming and don't be so lazy, just dial the 10 digit number instead of the 7 digit one.

Emails to American HQ don't help. I think they just go to Columbia too. BAD customer service.

After I use up my time I may be looking for a new phone too.

 

[yooper1]

I switched to Consumer Cellular

I chose the $10 phone (cuz I can see the incoming call thru the cover) and the 250 minutes for $20 a month plan.

They offer a free phone too.

no contract

No auto payment

So far a loud and clear signal

 

[grnspot110]

I ended up going with AT&T again ($20/mo, plus tax). The first AT&T Store I stopped at wanted to sell me a $40/mo plan, so I went elsewhere. Basically got the same plan I had before, just lowered to 150 min/mo instead of the 200 I had (only use 20 or so normally). Had to go with another 2 yr. contract to get a new phone, which I needed as the old one didn't always turn on right. Ended up having to stop at another AT&T Store to have the voice mail set up, should have already been working , but wasn't!

Good old AT&T!!!

Guess that's what I get for living out in the sticks! ~~ grnspot110

 

[MossRoad]

Dear old AT&T is at it again! Got a letter a few days ago that my cell phone will not work after Feb. 28, 2011 if I don't update. I stopped by an AT&T store yesterday to see about it, looks like they want my bill to increase from $25 to at least $39+. So I'm looking for options!

Rural Midwest location.
I only make & receive calls (no texting).
Don't use the camera feature.
Some times don't use it for weeks at a time, but carry it ever day.
I want something simple to use that I don't have to change my number.

I'm thinking maybe a "Jitterbug", anybody have experience with one, good or bad?

Any other possibilities? ~~ grnspot110

We have had very very good luck with Net10. We bought one for our daughter about 3 years ago. You have to put at least $30.00 on it every 60 days to remain active. No contracts! You don't like it, you stop paying. That's it! :thumbsup: The calls are 10 cents per minute. Texts are a nickle. All unused minutes roll over. We liked it so much, we bought a 2nd one for my wife. Daughter uses all of her minutes every 60 days. Wife still has 1400 minutes unused.

The phones work better than the Verizon network that my work phone is on. From what I understand, Net10 uses a bunch of different carriers so you are more likely to have service in more places.

For a buck a day for two phones, I can't complain. They are available at Walmart. Simple phones start at twenty bucks. :thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:

 

[Bird]

Good old AT&T!!!

I guess you know that some of the AT&T stores are company stores with AT&T employees on salary, while others of the stores are franchise stores with a different owner trying to make money.

I've done much better at the company owned stores in the past, but as with any company, some stores have helpful employees while others have employees who are too lazy to do anything they don't absolutely have to do. And I've been to one of each of those company stores in the last week or two.:laughing:

 

[buckeyefarmer]

according to their website, net10 = tracphone. same company.