OT: Inexpensive phone carrier

[RandyFF]

Hey- I'm addressing this forum 'cause I don't know if I can trust the reviews I read online. If I can reliably use a carrier that is 1/2 to 1/3 the cost, I want to do that. Fixed/lower income and all.

 

Currently I have T-Mobile and pay $54/month for unlimited text/calls/data. I've had this for over 5 years and have been happy with the service. I lived in SF/bay area until last year, now in San Diego county (Escondido). There's a ton of factors to consider for any plan, here's a few for these 2 services.

 

Mint Mobile, $20/month w/ unlimited calls/text, plus 10GB of data.

- You buy chunks of time, the $20/m is their best price, you pay for a year upfront for that price.

- They use T-Mobiles network, but you'd be de-prioritized, when things get busy your service gets slower (not sure if this is just for your data speeds or includes text and calls). No stores.

- So, $20/m vs $54 for T-Mobile.

- I like this model, I like to pay things up front so I don't have to think about it, esp if it saves money.

 

Google Fi, $20/m unlimited calls/text, $10 per GB of data

- If you have the right phone, they use 3 networks: T-Mobile / US Cellular / Sprint, seamlessly switching between different networks (Sprint should be part of T-Mo now, but they possibly use additional/different bands, so still a consideration). I'm looking for a new phone now so getting a network switching phone is possible

- They have figured out how to connect to WiFi in many places, so you'll be able to use WiFi much more often than you otherwise could

- I don't tend to use a ton of data

- Now that I'm writing this down, $10 per GB of data sounds like I could easily / inadvertently rack up a large bill

 

Your experiences with cell service that'd be below $54/month is welcome! Mint Mobile looks like a much better deal than Google Fi, but would I get good call/text/data coverage?

 

Thanks

[Morrissey]

I've had good success with several low cost cell service providers: Republic Wireless, Tello, Consumer Cellular. All of them use the same towers as the "big guys."

[elif]

Also check Ting mobile (ting.com). We"re on the 'Flex" plan. $10/mo per line, unlimited talk and text, +$5/GB shared data. We"ve been satisfied with it but our needs are modest.

[KuruPrionz]

I used Tracfone for a few years. The Android phone was $30. With that phone they would give you triple minutes, data and texts from what your card would have on it.

I was required to buy a $20 card every 3 months so $80 per year for that.

Texts beyond what the card provided were $5 for 1,000. I probably did that about 6 times a year so $110 annually.

 

I almost never talk on the phone and at that point I used Google Hangouts for free long distance calls to family.

Mostly I used texting. I shut off everything Google that I could and never went on the internet on the phone so zero data usage.

 

It was OK and it was cheap.

 

Then a friend offered me a phone he got on his Sprint plan. To get the pricing and features he wanted he had to buy 5 phones and have 5 accounts. He has a wife and 2 kids so I got the "odd man out" deal. That's completely free so it's way better than Tracfone. I still don't surf the web or use data, just phone calls and text.

[Morrissey]

Also check Ting mobile (ting.com). We"re on the 'Flex" plan. $10/mo per line, unlimited talk and text, +$5/GB shared data. We"ve been satisfied with it but our needs are modest.

 

Yes, Ting is good, too.

[Shamanczarek]

I've been on the T-Mobile Prepaid Plan for over a year. It's a flat $15.00 + .99 tax per month with unlimited calls/text and 2.5GB high speed data. There is also a $25.00 + tax plan that increases data to 5.5GB. Data automatically upgrades by 500MB per year through 2025. Was able to use the iPhone I had from my previous carrier.

[zxcvbnm098]

So much of the decision depends on how well the services work in your neck of the woods.

 

For where I live (semi rural area), T-Mobile and Sprint suck so are really non starters. I've had all 4 majors over the years in various combinations of work and personal phones, so although T and S are usually the best value I can't really consider them. And many of those regional options tend to be built over them.

 

I would at least look into Spectrum Mobile, which is built on Verizon. Depending on your data usage, they might be another option to consider. I hate to empower the rat bastards at Spectrum any more than I already do for internet service, but I almost switched last year to their mobile service - my only problem was I have 6 lines I pay for with family and friends, and from a data standpoint I don't have enough control over that to have made it worth it. But if I can ever get some of them off my account I would consider them again.

[16251]

I pre-pay for a year - $180 before taxes - Mint Mobile.

[PianoMan51]

I use Tello. 1G data, unlimited calls and text. $10 a month plus tax. Never more $11 total.

 

I realized that while on the road (no WiFi) I only use data via a cell link for two purposes: maps and email. 1G ends up being plenty.

 

Tello uses the Sprint system. YMMV.

[Coker]

Check out Affinity Cellular. It"s supposed to be for AAA members only, possibly not. Really cheap and uses Verizon network. We"ve had them for years.

[RandyFF]

Thank you everyone. How has the service been? Call/text and data? The people reviewing their Mint Mobile account, which was mostly positive, complained of various calls/texts not going through, and slow data speeds.

 

That's why I wrote this, there's plenty cost incentives to switch, but what are the downsides?

[Coker]

The only downside I have found with Affinity is that I have had some difficulty understanding customer service folks.