Recommend a cell phone for the unknown future of Hallboy

In My Humble Opinion
1

As some of you may have heard, Hallboy will be leaving for Texas in a few weeks for Basic Military Training (BMT) for the USAF. After nine weeks there, he will do approximately 6 months training also in Texas (but a different part). After training, he will receive his orders to who knows where. It could be stateside, or it could be in another country.

Originally, since Hallboy’s cell phone contract expired and he’s been on month-to-month (as part of my family plan), I’d told him I would buy him an iPhone (as part of my family plan, which comes with a two year contract). However, it occurred to me today that if he gets orders for oversees, he (me) will be locked into a two year contract on a phone he can’t use.

He currently has a Pantech Impact, which is a piece of crap phone (battery won’t last, it dies during calls, etc.) and I don’t think it will last him through another year, which is what we need until he gets his orders. I’d like to get him a phone he can use for texting and calls using our current provider, AT&T, without upgrading or locking us into another contract until we find out where he’s going.

Any suggestions on what type of phone we might consider? (An older model would work, as I could find one on eBay if I knew what to look for.) He really likes the keyboard layout (makes texting easier), and it should NOT be a smartphone (otherwise AT&T will charge us smartphone fees–which we do NOT want at this point). I also don’t want to drop a small fortune (no more than $50-$100 max), since he’ll need it only for about a year. He will do primarily texting on it, but will need it to make a few calls per month.

If a pay-as-you-go phone is recommended, it needs to be quick and easy (via internet only) for him to buy additional minutes/texting. It’s likely he won’t have the time or opportunity to run to a store to buy cards or crap.

Ideally, I’d like a phone that’s compatible with AT&T so he can keep his same phone number and stay on the family plan. (We have a buttload of rollover minutes, free calling with everyone on our plan, and his phone plan only costs $12 a month.) However, if I buy a phone from AT&T, they want a damn two year contract.

God, this is one area I thought I had covered. Now I feel like it’s a piece of the rug that’s been pulled out from under us and I’m trying really hard not to freak out over a damn phone.

2

Home shopping network online recently had a tracfone deal where you got an LG 840G phone, 1400 minutes of calling time, one year of service, triple minutes for life, and a few accessories for $100. I think the price now is $120 but I remember seeing a coupon somewhere for either $20 off or 205 off for new HSN customers. Texting on Tracfone is .3 minute. You can buy time online and it is instantly added to your phone. I think HSN runs these specials from time to time on whatever Tracfone’s top phone happens to be. It’s a smart phone and I think the rate is steep for access, but it also has WiFi that doesn’t count against your minutes if you connect that way. He would get a new number but for $100 it might be an OK temporary solution. Here is alink.

3

Let me recommend that he stay away from the LG Touch. It’s a small dumbphone with a keyboard but it absolutely sucks. My SIL and I both have it and we both hate it.

4

Tracfone has a lot of good options for him. Good coverage in the major metropolitan areas. You can buy air time right from the phone with a CC. They have a wide variety of phones. You should be able to find a phone that meets his needs.

5

FYI, while staying on the family plan may be a good reason to stick to AT&T, trying to keep the same number isn’t. Number portability means he can take his number with him.

If you’re on the AT&T network, you’re likely to get something that has US bands for 3G service, and quad band GSM service. That will cover him in most parts of the world that have cell service. Really old phones may not have all the bands. If you come up with some options, I’ll be happy to look at the specs for you.

-D/a

6

Digital, what does that mean in English? :slight_smile:

After talking with Hallboy, he said that for $100 (with 2 yr contract) for the iPhone he wants, he would still get use from it if he went overseas (which he says is unlikely because he hasn’t requested overseas).

I am still no closer in figuring out what to do…

7

Your boy is about to go and join the military. I very much doubt he’ll be much bothered about what, if any, kind of phone he has. At least for a good few months.

8

Most fairly recent AT&T phones should be fine for most of the world.
Especially if he isn’t a heavy data user (running apps, surfing the web…)

-D/a

9

A local cell phone is going to be much, much cheaper than any US based plan. My cell phone in China and Cameroon were around $5-6 a month, and unlike US plans, incoming calls are usually free abroad. I talked on the phone for hours and hours abroad without paying a cent from my end (my family would use cheap .02 a minute calling cards.)

That said, most cell phone plans have contingencies for moving abroad. If you ask at the time of sign up, they will probably tell you that the plan can be cancelled if he shows proof of his move. For others in similar situations going abroad for shorter times, they can also put your plan on hold for up to three months for a nominal fee. Explain your situation when you are signing up, and they will clarify the options.

In any case, I would advise him not to get locked into any contracts until he knows where he will be. If he really, really needs the iPhone, I’d advise him to buy an unlocked one at full price (which is actually a better deal anyway). But depending on where he could be placed, an iPhone might not be the best idea from a security standpoint and he might feel more comfortable using a cheap local phone out in public. It might be a lot more sensible to get a local phone that can serve as a hotspot and a very nice iPod touch, which will be substantially cheaper than an iPhone.

But my advice is to get a cheap pay as you go phone until he knows more.

10

I would not recommend Tracfone to my worst enemy. It took me six calls in three days (lousy way to spend a weekend!) just to get VOICE MAIL working, with “techs” seemingly incapable of basic English comprehension, contradicting each other and observable fact, etc.

They’re cheap, all right, and their customer disservice reflects it.

I have Virgin Mobile and get along fine with them. I’ve also heard good things about T-Mobile. I have no idea about international usage with either, though.

11

Based on your stated needs, when I had a Samsung U740 I really liked it and think it’ll serve him well for mostly texting and some phone calls. It’s small, sturdier than the iPhone, the iPhone’s battery doesn’t last nearly as long, and for military field deployment it’ll be easier to protect. A small Pelican case would keep it free from water and sand/dust, and protect it when he packs it in his gear.

Problem is, the U740 is apparently not compatible with AT&T, so you have to find something similar if you’ll stick with AT&T.

As for use during overseas deployment, I suggest getting ideas from recently deployed vets, or from his eventual unit. I retired a while ago so don’t have any current info.

ETA: the U740 does have a nifty QWERTY keyboard.

12

I would not recommend an Iphone until after he is more stabilized. Not only may he not have access to it anyway, the chances of it getting lost or stolen or broken aren’t low. I’d say stick with the family plan, and whatever cheaper phone will work with it, until his position is stabilized.