I need a cell phone that has two primary functions: Making calls and receiving calls. I do not need one that takes pictures, sends text messages, plays games, competes with movie screens, makes latte, or shoots laser beams. I also want a plan that is no plan, that is, no long term contract, no hidden fees, no penalty for keeping my own number, no roaming charges, no nasty surprises.
And I’d like all of this for free.
I’d also like a million dollars, a winter home in Maui, and a lifetime supply of fellatio from the Swedish Bikini Team.
Repeat after me… There ain’t no such thing as a free lunch.
You’ve got two options:
Get the free phone, sign a contract for 2-3 yrs
Pay $200 for the phone, go month-to-month on your contract
Basically, you’re paying for the phone either way, be it up front when you activate, or by guaranteeing that you’ll be paying monthly fees for at least a couple of years (or pay a penalty to recoup the subsidy, should you cancel ahead of time).
I can’t really recommend you carriers or plans, though, as I’m only familiar with the Canadian side of things. But the TANSTAAFL mantra holds true across North America.
Get a pay-as-you go plan – I use Tracfone. Buy a basic phone (probably $40. +/-, though I’m pulling that number out of my ass), pay $100 for a year’s service and 5 or 6 hundred minutes. Buy addl. minutes as needed. I don’t use my cell phone much, though.
Speed dialing and stored numbers are usually part of the phone these days. The network doesn’t need to supply them, unlike with traditional Bell-style landlines.
A lot of the features that you think are frills are generally standard. Oftentimes the free phone has a camera, and I doubt you could buy a phone without texting these days.
Speed dialling and stored numbers are standard features on all phones. Even my free phone from like 5 years ago had it.
I can give you some advice on some phones and Alltel service. I think Tracphone uses the Alltel network - but, they have their own support system. be careful though, because a lot of times the phones that are sold real cheap or that are free are closeout phones - ones that havent been sold by a Corp store (of the serv provider) for many months. If your phone has a warranty, check with your store on how it is handled (many times if it is an agent selling a phone they do nothing for you but send you elsewhere).
One of the phones that we despised was the Motorola Rzr - lots of probs.
If it’s cheap or free with or without a contract, chances are the phone isn’t the best in reception/dependability.
Buy your TracFone of choice. Go to eBay and get yourself a TracFone Double Minutes for Life card for about $30, and the minutes card of your choice. Should be $20 for 60 minutes. Buy from a reputable seller, and they should be able to send you the info through e-mail (they’re just serial numbers) instead of you having to pay for postage.
Get your TracFone set up, and add the Double Minutes and minutes card, in 2 separate transactions. Make sure the minutes get doubled when you add them.
Once you’re set up that way each $20 card will give you 120 minutes and 3 months of service. Buy a $20 card every 3 months and you have ~40 minutes of talk time per month for $6.66 per month. Unused minutes stay on your account, I’m up to about 170 right now.
