Learn Me : Cell Phone Plans

JRW,

What is the advantage to PagePlus vs Straight Talk vs Virgin? It seems like Virgin has the best rates, Straight Talk the best Coverage, and Page Plus well...it doesn't seem as competitive.

What am I missing?

jrw1621 wrote: If you want Android data with little talk, VM is a great deal. (Check Coverage) $35 for 300 minutes. If you need a little more, the $45 for 1200 minutes. If you are likely to choose the $45 plan then go for the Staight Talk Android option. This will give you the same coverage as VM but Unlimited talk (if you are the type that talks a lot.) If coverage challenges are your thing then Page Plus for Android is $55. Bring your own or used VZ handset.

PHeller wrote: JRW, What is the advantage to PagePlus vs Straight Talk vs Virgin? It seems like Virgin has the best rates, Straight Talk the best Coverage, and Page Plus well...it doesn't seem as competitive. What am I missing?

VM is a good deal only if you are interested in Android but do not talk that much so you can do their $35 plan. Smallest coverage.

If going to Straight Talk Android, they use Sprint's towers only on the Android plan so the coverage will be the same as VM (who is owned by Sprint). When you compare the $45 plan plans of VM vs Straight Talk, the Straight alk is a better deal.

The sole advantage of Page Plus is that all calls will be on VZ towers and therefore the best coverage.

So if I get this straight, haha no pun intended:

PagePlus appears to be the only one that offers basic phone plans, like 400 minutes for 120 days at $25.00. That'd work fine for my anti-txting grandmother who uses 100 minutes a month.

Talk-N-Text 1200 would be good for me right now as I don't have a smart phone.

Once you get into data though, it seems like StraightTalk is a better deal.

How do these plans actually compare to the post-paid plans though. Certainly the prices are low, but if they were all that and a bag of chips, I would think more people would use them.

I am on VZW post-paid right now, and its awesome. The phone works everywhere and I do mean everywhere. Far better than Sprint post-paid in the Milwaukee area at least. The data is blisteringly fast. 4G-LTE is amazing. I have a first run handset with the latest updates (Razr MAXX with the official VZW ICS release).

Every phone I have looked at for the pre-paid is some ghetto looking thing with a slow processor, small screen, and a weak battery. The only people I know with prepaid phones are drug dealers or poor people and I assume they need them because thats all they can afford or they want a burner.

In reply to 93gsxturbo:
In automotive term, you like the new cars with all the new features.
There are many people who get by just fine with an older models and less features.
For what you have you are spending $70-$120 per month.
What we are talking about in Prepaid is $35-$55 per month.

Pre-paid is a value proposition and that may not be right for everyone.

I can not cite a source but I have heard that the car is loosing some dominance in its number one position as a status symbol purchase and now the phone you carry is gaining.

PHeller wrote: So if I get this straight, haha no pun intended: PagePlus appears to be the only one that offers basic phone plans, like 400 minutes for 120 days at $25.00. That'd work fine for my anti-txting grandmother who uses 100 minutes a month.

PP is not the only one but they are a good one.
In the "per minute" game, there is TracPhone (who owns the Straight Talk brand as well as Net10), At&t GoPhone, VZ Prepaid, Virgin PayLo, and many more.
I have my 85 yr old mother on PP at $25 for 400 minute (.625 cents per minute) At 100 minutes per month that results in $6.25. I buy a $25 card and she has 120 days to use up http://www.pagepluscellular.com/Online%20Store/Minutes/300%20Minutes%20Voice%20Card.aspx

PHeller wrote: Talk-N-Text 1200 would be good for me right now as I don't have a smart phone. Once you get into data though, it seems like StraightTalk is a better deal.

ST can be a better deal but only if you do not go with an Android handset. If you choose ST's Android then you will get lesser coverage.
See Map: http://www.straighttalk.com/Coverage

My neighbor might sell me his old iphone 3GS or 4G for a good bargain. It's a Sprint phone.

As a Sprint phone, you will have to continue to use it on Sprint, which should be fine. Cheapest plan will be $79 which after taxes will be $88-ish. That will give you 450 daytime, 7pm night&weekend as well as the ability to call any mobile phone free. Unlimited data and text. This seems like plenty given your typical usage.

Wait, you can't use Sprint phones on anything other than Sprint?

What if I jailbreak it?

My experience with iPhones is limited.
I will have to leave that answer on jailbreak to others.
You may pose the question over www.howardforums.com or do some searching there.

Not sure if anyone has mentioned www.ting.com

After a long search for the simplest and cheapest plan that includes data I moved to them about a month ago.

It uses the sprint network, you have to buy an android phone from them (which will be labeled sprint). And you can select separately and within brackets, how many minutes you want, how many text messages and how much data. If you go over on any of the categories you get moved up to the next bracket but only in that category, if you use less they refund the difference on next month's bill. No contract and you can change usage selection any month.

I selected 500 minutes, 100 texts and 500 MB which comes to about $33 plus aprox $5 here in N.Texas.

I have now started using google voice to text with my wife which means a lot less texts. And in most places I use wifi. This next month should be around $21 plus taxes

Just another option