[MtnGoat]

I've had a company cell phone for as long as I've had a cell phone. Now, due to a combination of things, my current employer is ending cell support for all but key people, is well as folks who can make a case they need one. I probably could, but given the strings they are insisting on I'm not interested. So, this leaves me in the position of needing a phone plan but never having had to sort through all the offers and deals. I do not need a phone, as they're letting us keep the ones we have, this is a Iphone 3GS in very good shape. So, that said...what are the best plans? Cheap is foremost, unlimited txt would be nice, data services secondary but great...it's not like I've ever watched you tube on the phone or anything like that. What's out there?

[MtnGoat]

Here are two I've been looking at... NEW Cheapest iPhone Plan: $30 a Month w/ Unlimited Data Straight Talk SIM Card + iPhone 4S = $45 Unlimited Prepaid Plan

[sarbar]

Not sure if it'd work for you but I pay $30 a month with prepaid TMobile for unlimited data and texting, 100 minutes talk time. Since I own my phone outright, I bought a sim card for a few bucks from them. My MIL did this as well with her new iPhone also. More than half off what I was spending with ATT!!!!

[MtnGoat]

no contract i assume?

[sarbar]

Yep! No evil contract Have avoided that for a couple of years now

[Chief Joseph]

I like Consumer Cellular, they use AT&T towers so great service and much cheaper than AT&T. I tried going cheaper with Boost and T-mobile, but their service sucked, at least in the Marysville area. You pay by the month, no contract and can change rate plans as often as you like with no additional charge.

[Akula]

I have used Net 10 for a couple of years now, and am quite satisfied with the service. I buy the $50.00 unlimited card, it offers 50,000 minutes for 30 days. That is more minutes than in a 30 day month. I have a Samsung phone that I spent around $40.00 for. I just finished driving from St Petersburg Fl to the Seattle area, and had quality service everywhere except parts of Wyoming. I often will have service in areas in the North West, where T Mobile and Verizon don't. If you send pictures, it does cost additional minutes. I have never used more than 10,000 minutes, but for $50.00 a month and no contract, I am still coming out way ahead of most other phone plans.

[tigermn]

I'm struggling which direction to go. I hardly use my cell phone. It's mostly for emergencies/to call on the way home with ETA's etc. I don't even currently own a smart phone but keep toying with the idea of coming into the current century. My daughter is an Iphone user. My wife has a blackberry (daughters old phone).

[mike]

For a basic plan I got a Tracfone. 1425 minutes, 425 days for $100. $7/mo. Easy to add minutes. Works for me. I don't use it much as there isn't any reception here except in a few places. e.g. It's an international call for me to call home from where I'm working, 4½mi as a crow flies. With Tracfone there are no additional charges, a minute is a minute. I recommend buying one of their phones though as the minutes are much, much cheaper. Easily pays for itself .Text is cheap but you can burn through minutes on the internet. I have no interest in that but I can check email while traveling. Can't beat it for basic communication. If you like bells and whistles then it might not be so good. They have unlimited no contract plans but I didn't explore that option.

[Bedivere]

I'm still waiting on the prices of 4G service with large data plans to come down to a reasonable level. With either a 4G hotspot or using the phone as the hotspot I'd have no need for Comcast Cable any more. Problem is that most 4G data plans have caps at 10gb/mo or less and that's just not enough if I"m going to be getting all of my media content through that connection.

[MtnManic]

Someone correct me if I'm wrong - you don't have to pay for text/internet IF you connect thru wifi. Right? I have a very basic Consumer Cellular, no minutes, at $14.xx a month including taxes. I maybe use 5 minutes a year, though - it's meant for emergencies. Minutes are 10 cents each.

[mike]

[sarbar]

If I connect to a wi-fi spot, my internet is free. I am using the wi-fi's internet. Texting? No, that is done via my phones connection, just like making a call. Wi-fi is a nice bonus if you don't have a great data package.....but you have to be wary about using an open wi-fi source of course.