Cell phone plan options?

[Sigarms]

Currently my wife and I have two smart phones, unlimited data, Verizon wireless.

I've been with Verizon and a cell phone since 1999.

For both our phones, was running about $200 a month for everything. Since I've had a cell phone, generally my work place covers at least $150 for work (I can really live off it for work).

Went to add ONE flip phone for the boys, and my initial bill was $296 which made me hit the roof (I was informed it the phone would be $5 a month because I opted not to pay it off in one shot, with $20 an additional line which by my math didn't come up to $296). Needless to say, wasn't expecting $296. I was informed it was a bunch of "one time stuff" with taxes. Yeah, ok.

My wife has mentioned she now thinks we're paying too much, and I'm tending to believe her (we are thinking about two phones instead of one since we have two teenage boys, and with school functions and after school activities, a phone is really becoming a must IMO).

So, I call Verizon, tell them I've been with them since 1999, have always paid my bill in a timely manner and I ask them what's the best rate I can get for 4 phones (2 being flip). I was informed "about" $280 month. I told them I thought that was two high, and they said that was the best they could do. I told them I liked their service, but if I come back to them two months from now because I can find something cheaper, I do not want them asking me what they have to do. The girl then says "well, what's the number we have to beat?". I'm like "I don't know, that's why I'm calling".

Yes, I get it businesses just don't lower pricing because a customer asks, but I figure they should have a good idea of what the market is like out there.

Should mention that I ended up just paying for the phone outright and just took it off my plan because I wasn't expecting to be around $245 a month for just 3 lines.

So, if I may ask

1 - Who is your cell phone provider?
2 - Do you have good coverage? (for making calls)
3 - What kind of data/cell plan?
4 - How many phones and what type?
5 - What does you average bill run you?

Just trying to determine if Verizon has been treating me fairly over the years and if they really are competitive.

 

[mrmikey]

I'm in Canada so take that into account. I.E., take normal and double it.

1 - Who is your cell phone provider?

Virgin Mobile (Canada)

2 - Do you have good coverage? (for making calls)

Don't travel far from home, never had or heard of a problem, they use Bell/Aliant towers

3 - What kind of data/cell plan?

200 minutes, 1GB data

4 - How many phones and what type?

one, Smart, Acer owned outright

5 - What does you average bill run you?

$49.00 month, taxes, 911 fee included, never gone over..........Mike

 

[Jchonline]

Currently my wife and I have two smart phones, unlimited data, Verizon wireless.

I've been with Verizon and a cell phone since 1999.

For both our phones, was running about $200 a month for everything. Since I've had a cell phone, generally my work place covers at least $150 for work (I can really live off it for work).

Went to add ONE flip phone for the boys, and my initial bill was $296 which made me hit the roof (I was informed it the phone would be $5 a month because I opted not to pay it off in one shot, with $20 an additional line which by my math didn't come up to $296). Needless to say, wasn't expecting $296. I was informed it was a bunch of "one time stuff" with taxes. Yeah, ok.

My wife has mentioned she now thinks we're paying too much, and I'm tending to believe her (we are thinking about two phones instead of one since we have two teenage boys, and with school functions and after school activities, a phone is really becoming a must IMO).

So, I call Verizon, tell them I've been with them since 1999, have always paid my bill in a timely manner and I ask them what's the best rate I can get for 4 phones (2 being flip). I was informed "about" $280 month. I told them I thought that was two high, and they said that was the best they could do. I told them I liked their service, but if I come back to them two months from now because I can find something cheaper, I do not want them asking me what they have to do. The girl then says "well, what's the number we have to beat?". I'm like "I don't know, that's why I'm calling".

Yes, I get it businesses just don't lower pricing because a customer asks, but I figure they should have a good idea of what the market is like out there.

Should mention that I ended up just paying for the phone outright and just took it off my plan because I wasn't expecting to be around $245 a month for just 3 lines.

So, if I may ask

1 - Who is your cell phone provider?
2 - Do you have good coverage? (for making calls)
3 - What kind of data/cell plan?
4 - How many phones and what type?
5 - What does you average bill run you?

Just trying to determine if Verizon has been treating me fairly over the years and if they really are competitive.

Get quotes from area competitors with decent coverage in your area. Verizon knows who is truly a competitor. Make them match that.

I use T-Mobile. 4 smartphones, unlimited data, $167 after fees and taxes. Coverage in my area is as good as Verizon. Also on T-Mobile you can use phone data and talk at same time. You can稚 do that on Verizon.

So far I am a happy customer after 4 years. I have used all major carriers in the past.

 

[Rock knocker]

I would think you'd be at less than $120 with consumer cellular. Maybe even less if the flip phones weren't used for data

 

[Diggin It]

I use TracFone. Costs me about $10/month or so for more minutes, data and messages than I can ever use. It all rolls over too if unused, which mine does every month. I don't stream anything though or game and my web use is very limited. It also uses Wireless LAN (WiFi) when I'm at home or someplace that offers it free like many stores do.

I get 4G/LTE speeds nearly always. It uses an AT&T SIM card I think.

Basic Flip phones on their system can run under $10/mo using auto-reload.

 

[Rock knocker]

The one issue I have heard about TracFone (and maybe it wasn't them but a similar company) was issues with the portability of the number. Federal law requires that your phone number remain portable and you can take it with you if you change carriers. It was a full battle to change my GF's phone from Trac to another carrier. Not that they prevented it, just that they were incompetent or so slow it almost didn't happen. I switched carriers recently with AT&T, and it was effortless.

 

[BoylermanCT]

I use Tracfone Wireless. Bought an I-Phone 6 off my brother when he upgraded to the 10, and I pay $20 a month for 300 minutes, 1,000 texts and 1 GB data. I don't talk on the phone much, so I have thousands of minutes now. I text, but not 1,000 a month, and I do have to watch my data, and use wireless instead of cellular whenever possible. If I need more text and data, I can buy them separately, but rarely have to do that. Its not for everyone, but my wife and I get all the talk, text and data we need at $20 a month each. We also ported out numbers from AT&T with one phone call to Tracfone.

 

[Diggin It]

The one issue I have heard about TracFone (and maybe it wasn't them but a similar company) was issues with the portability of the number. Federal law requires that your phone number remain portable and you can take it with you if you change carriers. It was a full battle to change my GF's phone from Trac to another carrier. Not that they prevented it, just that they were incompetent or so slow it almost didn't happen.

I've never considered moving to another carrier (so far), but I've moved my number from phone to phone a few times with no problem. Took a day or two once, but worked out fine.

 

[TheMan419]

You need to know who has good service at home and where you frequent.

Then find a VMNO who used that service. For example Cricket uses the att towers. My wifes Bill is $35/mo all in w taxes. I think 5 gb data. Do you really need unlimited data?

Verizon will have a vmno and they will have cheaper rates than Verizon will.

 

[TnAndy]

Wife and I each bought a Tracphone, smart phone type, from Home Shopping Network...phone and 1500min talk, 1500 texts, and 1.5GB data for a year (which does us easy) for $88. Funny thing is another 1500/1500/1.5/year card from Tracphone is $125......you're better off tossing the phone at the end of the year and getting a new one if they still have the deal (which they have for a couple years).

Uses Verizon network.

 

[MossRoad]

...
So, if I may ask

1 - Who is your cell phone provider?
2 - Do you have good coverage? (for making calls)
3 - What kind of data/cell plan?
4 - How many phones and what type?
5 - What does you average bill run you?

Just trying to determine if Verizon has been treating me fairly over the years and if they really are competitive.

1. T-Mobile

2. I'll be honest, if I see a corn field, I lose service. In urban areas it's quite good coverage. On the interstate between towns, nope. State parks in the woods. Nope.

3. We have unlimited data/text/voice. However, it's 2gig of LTE data, then it's throttled down to unlimited 3G data. Fine for me and my wife, because we're on WIFI at home and don't watch movies over the cellular network. Our kids sometimes get throttled back to 3G towards the end of the month. It's only happened a few times in the 5ish years we've been with T-Mobile. Most folks are on WIFI unless they are on the road.

4. We have 4 lines. Three (3) are iPhones and one (1) is an android of some type.

5. My bill has been $134.00 per month for 3 years. For some reason 4 months ago it dropped to $129 per month.

Here's a few more things you might find useful...

T-Mobile has EXCELLENT customer service. I mean really, really great customer service. I'm completely satisfied with their service. Their coverage outside of urban area sucks! :laughing: That's just the truth. In urban areas, I've never been disappointed. You see that cornfield coming and you better finish that text quick! :laughing:

I was given my iPhone5 free from my last employer when they decided to stop providing phones and started paying $50 per month stipends to me and other employees to pay towards my own phone bill. My wife was given her iPhone5c for free from her employer for the same deal. I'm no longer employed by that employer, but I'm not required to have a cell phone by my new employer. Neither is my wife. I bought my daughter an iPhone5c reconditioned for $200. She killed it a couple years later and last year I bought her an iPhone6 used for about $300. My other daughter has had a couple android phones. She killed her first one and bought another. I think she spent $500 on the first one and $450 on the second. There's been a few cracked screens, broken displays, bad charge ports over the years, but I'm pretty good at repairing the older iPhones. The parts are cheap. The tools are cheap. A few weeks ago my wife dropped hers into the toilet. I was able to save that one, too.

So I don't purchase phones through T-Mobile. I bought our used phones through Walmart. They're half the price or less. I don't need the latest and greatest. Do you purchase phones through your carrier? What would your bill be if you didn't purchase phones through your carrier if you do?

Anytime I've been right next to someone with a Verizon phone and I lose T-Mobile service at a state park, in the car on the interstate between urban areas, or out at our tree farm, the Verizon phone still has service. Yet for $129 per month for 4 lines, I can live with that. :laughing:

T-Mobile has a lot of free stuff, depending on the plan you get. They have plans with unlimited LTE data too. Free Netflix, Free Pandora, Free Streaming, if you're on their network. It's worth checking out. If anything, maybe you can use that info as leverage against another carrier to get your rates lowered.

Good luck. Who'd have thought just 10 years ago that we'd be happy paying $200 phone bills when we thought $45 for our land line was high? :laughing:

 

[Travelover]

I use PagePlus because it uses Verizon cell towers, so great coverage. I rarely use the phone, so I'm on a $10 every four months plan, but they have other plans for more frequent users. There may be better deals also on Verizon towers, but I've not looked. If I had to pay $300 a month for phone service I'd be steamed.

 

[techman]

Several years ago we switched from our Verizon plan to the ATT prepaid. With autopay it is $ 40/mo for unlimited talk and texts and data. Saved a lot per month. The data is listed as unlimited, but it is 8GB at LTE and above that they can slow you to 128K. They also have a month roll-over on unused data. So for me and the mrs we pay $80/mo and we have never run out of high speed data. We got our own phones (used, like new, through Swappa.com) and no problems while traveling cross country.

paul

 

[feasant]

Visible network. iphone only. $40/month unlimited data. 5mb speed. uses verizon.

 

[TractorGuy]

I went prepaid years ago. I don't need a super fancy phone or a lot of data. Current phones are Motorola MOTO E4 purchased at Walmart for $40 each. These have been more trouble free than any of our previous Samsung phones. Camera is mediocre but works fine for our purposes.

1 - Who is your cell phone provider?
Verizon Prepaid

2 - Do you have good coverage? (for making calls)
Yes

3 - What kind of data/cell plan?
3GB with 1 month roll over of unused Data, unlimited talk and text, free long distance

4 - How many phones and what type?
2 - Motorola Moto E 4

5 - What does you average bill run you?
Rate is fixed at $40 per month for each phone. FL sales tax added is $3.40 per month.

Verizon has given members in several areas affected by Hurricane Michael 3 free months service. My next bill will be on January 31, 2019. They suffered a lot of tower damage and service was pretty spotty during the hurricane. Ours worked but we had to go out in the yard to get service. I heard in our area people kept stealing the generators off the towers so it was harder for them to keep them running. I think they eventually had to get the National Guard to watch the towers so communications could resume.

 

[EddieWalker]

I've been rethinking Verizon and looking at upgrading to a new phone, but all of a sudden my bill went down $38 and I haven't been able to figure out why. My wife has AT@T and she really likes with with her Apple phone, but I don't care for Apple products. When we travel it's one or the other that works the best with her having an advantage over mine in more places then Verizon, but not always. She has also had issues with her Iphone 8 and customer service. After a year, nobody could hear her talking on it, so they replaced it under warrantee 6 times until they got one that worked. Each time it was a different issue, and each time it took about 24 hours to upload everything and get it working. The process was extremely slow. Customer service was good, they just kept sending out another phone until she got one that worked.

As of right now, I think that I have two options. Stay with Verizon and get a new LG7 phone, or go on my wifes plan and see what phones they have that I like. She thinks that it will be a lot cheaper adding me to her plan. I'm waiting to see what the numbers are.

 

[k0ua]

Around here Without a doubt Verizon has the best coverage in the boonies. In several years of selling Insurance and going to peoples houses and activating Hotspots from our phone for the PC to use, I can think of only one location in a creek bottom where we didn't have data service.

Our costs on Verizon are $100.28 for two smartphones with a shared 3GB per month of data. Unlimited talk, and Unlimited text and Unlimited Long Distance. The shared data does not roll over to the next month. We do own the two Motorola Smart phones so no monthly charges are figured in to pay for the phones.

We typically finish the month with about 1/3 the data remaining. Depending on how active we are with the Hotspots. We have hotspot ability with both phones. That does cost extra. The insurance for the phones is also figured into the $100.28. I hope this helps.

Oh, our phones are Motorola Droid Turbo's. Mine is almost 5 years old, the wifes is about 3 i think. They have been excellent.

 

[nybirdman]

We have had Tracphone for many years;uses the Verizon network in our area.Best bargain out there IMHO.
Purchased two "smart" phones from them ($120 or so ea.) update phones every couple years;purchase yearly contracts($130 or so).Nice cameras with the new phones,added micro-SD cards for more memory.
Can't believe people pay $700-$1,000 for a phone and hundreds of dollars a month for service.

 

[TBone]

I think there are better deals out there but I have stuck with Verizon for one reason only. It's the only provider that we can use in some rural areas we travel in to visit family. AT&T is not too far behind but there is a stretch of about 40 miles that AT&T has absolutely no service and Verizon is about 99% reliable. My wife and I both have IPhones and wife has an IPad. Our bill last month was $124 and includes unlimited talk and text. Data (shared among all devices) is 5 gb and any unused data rolls over. Our bill also includes a monthly installment on my wife's IPhone SE that she recently purchased. I think it's about $27 per month so without the installment charge our bill would be roughly $97 per month. A lot to pay for phone service but we depend on them to keep in touch and to stay safe. We don't have a home phone any more.

 

[txdon]

AT&T unlimited text and talk. 5gb, data plan but unlimited just goes slower after you use the initial data. This happens about 10 days a year. Coverage is weird. In one Texas county it is the best service available and in another county Verizion has the best reception, so you will just have to check where you will be using the phone.

2 Iphones, 1 flip phone $109 mo. (This price includes the flip phone - $20 + fees total about $28.70.)