pre-paid phone?

[Geo-TH,In]

Recently changed from verizon wireless contract to verizon pre-paid 500 minutes and saving $10/mo and getting more minutes plus free text.

For my area, verizon is better than the rest, which really isn't bragging, wish it were much better. You can say it's the better of the worst, especially when you live in a "DEAD ZONE".

Now I'm thinking of dropping my land line and going with a unlimited prepaid plan. Major problem is I have 400 numbers in my phone which I was able to transfer electronically. Verizon doesn't use sim cards, which they did.

Now the question. What smart phone to buy and what company to go with? Smart talk from wal-mart is $45/mo unlimited talk, text and a limit of 1.5 G's on something. Was told, they use verizon towers, which I've used for 15 years. It's like I know what I'm getting or will I only get second rate verizon service using straight talk? And, how do I transfer all my numbers, short of one at a time?

So what smart phone to get for someone who isn't smart, what pre-paid plan and why, how to transfer #'s? Also, I don't carry a fanny pack, so phone has to fit in top bib pocket without getting broken.

Thanks, George

 

[ldj]

(quoted from post at 12:06:17 08/13/13) Recently changed from verizon wireless contract to verizon pre-paid 500 minutes and saving $10/mo and getting more minutes plus free text.

For my area, verizon is better than the rest, which really isn't bragging, wish it were much better. You can say it's the better of the worst, especially when you live in a "DEAD ZONE".

Now I'm thinking of dropping my land line and going with a unlimited prepaid plan. Major problem is I have 400 numbers in my phone which I was able to transfer electronically. Verizon doesn't use sim cards, which they did.

Now the question. What smart phone to buy and what company to go with? Smart talk from wal-mart is $45/mo unlimited talk, text and a limit of 1.5 G's on something. Was told, they use verizon towers, which I've used for 15 years. It's like I know what I'm getting or will I only get second rate verizon service using straight talk? And, how do I transfer all my numbers, short of one at a time?

So what smart phone to get for someone who isn't smart, what pre-paid plan and why, how to transfer #'s? Also, I don't carry a fanny pack, so phone has to fit in top bib pocket without getting broken.

Thanks, George

If you drop your land line and have a lot of folks that still use it to get you, did you know you can get that number ported to your cell phone? I did that and it kept me from trying to remember to give all folks and businesses that use it a new number to call.

 

[Deere Scotty]

I just bought my first Smart Phone on July 1st. I am still learning to use it. Its a "Go Smart Mobile", uses mainly T-Mobile towers. 2G Data Speed (2 gigabytes) of data per month; otherwise unlimited Talk Text, & Web. For $35 (my bill $37.45 total with tax). I can upgrade to Unlimited everything with High Speed internet for $45 + tax. Its no contact with a payment due every month. If You don"t like the service; then just stop paying the bill.

The phone on the other hand... I cant tell You anything about what"s better, or worse! I have an HTL Sensation. Seems nice for me; But for You? Everybody different. I Don"t carry my phone with me very much. When I leave for work in about 2 hours, I don"t plan to take it with me. I DONT TO WANT TO BE MARRIED TO IT!!!

 

[Sid]

How does that work? I don't see a phone company letting you keep a number you no longer pay for.

 

[ldj]

(quoted from post at 15:14:05 08/13/13) How does that work? I don't see a phone company letting you keep a number you no longer pay for.

When the number is ported then it is my cell providers number and I am paying them for service provided for that number. The old land line company is in no way providing any service. If you do that, don't cancel your old service, if you will lose your number. Tell your new provider and they will take care of getting the number transported. IE it has to be a good working number to port it.

 

[Sid]

Thanks. Now another question. Will the neighbor who are with the old land line company have to pay for a long distance call or will it still be local?

 

[Geo-TH,In]

The only calls on my landline are tella marketers and I'm on a do not call list. Everyone knows my cell # and I transfered my cell# to verizon pre-paid. It would be a deal breaker if I couldn't use my old cell #.

 

[Geo-TH,In]

I never thought of being married to it. I have to be next to mine 24/7, business reasons.

 

[ldj]

(quoted from post at 16:00:22 08/13/13) Thanks. Now another question. Will the neighbor who are with the old land line company have to pay for a long distance call or will it still be local?

If they weren't paying long distance before they won't now.

 

[T in NE]

I think it's Vonage, it's a phone that works through your internet, unlimited talk time for $20 a month, and I don't think there's any long distance charge either.

I'm happy with my straight talk, but it's a pseudo-smart phone. Whose towers they use depends on where you are at.

 

[Dusty MI]

We moved 8 miles last fall. AT&T would not let us port our number, they wanted to give us a number that was NOT local. When we complained about it would be long distance to call our next door neighbor they said that we would not know that until we got our bill.
We discovered that Verizon would sell us a base unit that worked from cell towers and you plug your land line phones into it. It has a 12 volt power pack that plugs into a 120 volt wall outlet, also has a backup battery. Also you can take it with you when traveling and any where you can get a cell signal it will work. It basically turns your land line phone into a cell phone, and you can port your old number to it.
It cost about $70 to get it set up and started, and $19.95 a month, and NO long distance charges.

Dusty

 

[Wheres Waldo]

Dusty-check out the X-Link. We got one about five
years ago-it does just what you are renting now. A
one time cost of $100.00 to buy and set up was easy.
Connects to your cell phone via 'bluetooth' and
plugs into the nearest wall jack, powering the bells
and phones.

 

[cd1]

very happy with my straight talk. I have a samsung galaxy s2 which i guess is behind the times now but I can buy just about any phone I want to set up with them that will take a sim. I have it set up to auto bill pay from my credit card. check out the straight talk website and wal-marts websites, sometimes one has a phone the other doesn"t but still under the straight talk brand. $45 per month (I think $47 after tax) gets me unlimited everything. Had sprint before, would have been $100+ for that plan.

 

[Mike M]

Just like everything else the gov. dreams up that do not call list is a joke.
Gov. is now letting telemarketers call your cell phones too ! Mom gets alot of them on hers. They really target the over 65 crowd.

 

[Geo-TH,In]

Where I live they go afer everyone. Know a person who is also planning on dropping landline too. Only gets telemarketers. People use cell numbers instead of landline #.