Prepaid wireless questions

[carrotsnapper]

I've been thinking about getting my wife a tracfone or other prepaid wireless phone. She hardly ever uses her cell and it cost's about $50 a month. According to the research I've done, it will save me quite a bit. My question is this, Are they any good? My understanding is tracfone uses someone else's network and I know that service depends on where you are. I was wondering if any one out there had one and could recommend it. Thanks. Mark

 

[Boomyal]

Re: Prepaid wireless questions

Can't comment on the service but I expect that they use a network that probably only gets good service in the core areas, or as they say, 'in the corridor'.<br /><br />Beyond that, beware that purchased minutes do not have a very long shelf life. You have to use what you buy with a fairly short period of time.

 

[eurolarva]

Re: Prepaid wireless questions

My wife and I are using Virgin Wireless. It is a pay per use phone. First 10 minutes of the day are 25 cents a minute then 10 cents a minute after that. We hardly use them and our monthly bill averages about 15 dollars a month. They are piggy backed on sprint so they work damn near anywhere. You need to add 20 dollars to the phone every three months to keep it active. This money can be used for phone calls so it is not just a fee. You can either use a credit card online to top them off or buy top off cards at a bunch of places like best buy and target. To get similar coverage on a plan I would have to pay about 49 dollars per phone

 

[gewf631]

Re: Prepaid wireless questions

Got my wife a Tracfone several years ago, and can't say we've had many service issues. I know their site has a coverage map, so that would be a good place to start. Also, the phone itself plays a part in the quality of the call, so keep that in mind as well.<br /><br />I think we've spent maybe $100 annually, for somthing like 350 minutes. As long as you continue the service, you keep any left over minutes. The minutes are doubled if you're outside the home area.

 

[one more cast]

Re: Prepaid wireless questions

I use Tracfone and I believe it uses cingular towers. Thanks for reminding me, I need to add more time. I buy about 100 mins and 3 months worth of time. For $100 I can get 1 years worth of service and just add mins as I need them. I may just take that offer.

 

[Gone]

Re: Prepaid wireless questions

I started out using Tracfone but found that I was spending more than Verizon would cost. The local area was quite small and it didn't take much to get into the roaming areas(1.0 min local and 2.0 min cost to roam). Verizon has such a large coverage area that I seldom get into a roaming condition throughout the country. The cost/minute of Tracfone is quite high also.<br />While I don't regret starting out with Tracfone to learn the ropes, I quickly found out that there were better values out there.

 

[jlshields]

Re: Prepaid wireless questions

Ours is a prepaid Cingular Go Phone. Good coverage, 10 cents min. plus $1 only on the days you use it with free mobile to mobile.....or flat 25 cents min. Rollover mins. You have to purchase the phone. Got ours at Radio Shack, cost around $100 to get set up. Cheaper on the 'net I found out later.<br />John

 

[crazy charlie]

Re: Prepaid wireless questions

We added a phone to the family a few years ago for my wife.Verizon pay as you go.Working out so well that I may get rid of my cingular when the contract is up.She is not a heavy user.$32 every 2 months and if you replenish before you expire,then your left over minutes roll over.At about $190 per year ,I cant see how anything can be cheaper.Service is nearly perfect and calls we made from Fla. when on vacation werent any more expensive.