Boost (nextel) also has a prepaid unlimited plan now for $50 a month. Unlimited voice, text, and web access. The phone is about $60 at Bestbuy. Wife just got one... no feedback yet on how it works tho.

The current advantage to trac phone is that it probably has the greatest coverage (picture the goofy red state coverage ad) as it works on all networks. Ive gone on trips where others have had weak or no signals and the trac usually works though sometimes it will roam costing an extra penny or so a minute- again it's not for heavy talkers or web browsers (though you can browse the internet if necessary).
Love it.

right again Ted! I checked their site and the Glen Ellyn area has portability. I know I can see these phones at stores, right? or do I just take a leap and go online and buy one and wait for porting? I need basic minutes, at times literally 5 minutes to maybe 70 mintes (which is rare), do these phone receive text? although I don't do that my friends sometimes want to send me stuff. And I'm trying to find internet, I just want to look at my e-mail through yahoo if I'm on the road. Other than that I can probably adjust. But don't these pay as you go type things charge you daily for use or nonuse of phone?

I have seen TracFone cell phones and ”minute cards“ for sate at Walgreens, but I bought mine direct from the company several years ago (better deal at the time).

I'm sure they do text, although I've never had occasion to send or receive one. The phones you have to chose from are all standard models from Motorola, Nokia, etc. I just went for the cheapest (free), but you can pay more and get a speakerphone, color screen, etc.

My $10/mo plan simply adds 50 ”unite“ a month automatically. (Alternatively, you can purchase minutes manually, only as you need them.) I think it has built up to something like 400+ units available at the moment. A ”unit“ is (sort of) a minute of talk time... I have no idea how many (or how few) units a text message or web surfing takes. TracFone often has two for one deals and/or other special pricing.

If you run low on units, you can simply add more via the internet (or Walgreens); there is no ”plan“ to change.

They switched the generic number that came with my phone over to my old number with a phone call. I actually talked to a human!

Be careful, though... The OP seemed to indicate very little cell use... but if you're texting, emailing and surfing the web... I have no idea how that will impact your costs. —Ted E.


—Ted E.

Tracfone appears to not have web browsing. Net10 does. (nevermind) Is that anygood? And it appears different phones for different zip codes for all prepaid types. Different phones have abilities regardless of service. So if I go and get a tracfone or net10 phone in a few days, Glen ellyn is a little limited. Appears to have 4-6 phones avail for glen ellyn. There is a slider, a couple of flips with voice enhancement and regular small open phone. Any brands I should steer clear of? The enhancement features seem nice since I can't understand people most of the time.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: lupechennel,

All tracs do texting at a reduced rate (vs, voice) Most models do web browsing (we have the motorola flip phones- camera, browser, etc. However, internet is costly on prepays (sort of defeats the purpose) though it will work in a pinch.

I bought off their website- they sometimes have reconditioned phones for free and even the new brands are pretty cheap. I also buy minutes off the website and have also set the phones up to buy minutes over the phone- I just like to look for deals on their site.

The zip is to make sure roaming is minimized as they buy minutes from the major players so they want to know where you will use the phone mostly- over the years I've noticed that these phones don't roam as much even supposedly out of area (roaming is twice the minute price) as I assume they are getting better deals from the carriers- used to roam in an area of michigan that I go to and stopped a year or two ago.

Again, thanks for all your help, especially biostitute, TedE. I was eyeing the motorola and yes, web (basically yahoo e-mail look) in a pinch would be my case too. I have an Ipod that has wifi, so sometimes that takes the place, but otherwise, I look at Pop3 e-mail or a map or something maybe once-twice a week or even once a month. I've been told when traveling, turn off phone to save on roaming, (battery too goes down with roaming, but I have car adapters). Is that what you mean, or it goes into roam once a call is placed? The old roaming was just that, constantly looking for a signal. Is that still the case?

And, yeah, -right now, they're having double minutes.

No cost to leave the phone on but in certain areas of the country (usually a state or two away) it can go into a roaming mode (display will say "roaming"). Still darn cheap. We've used trac phones for years and I've noticed less and less areas of "roam" when traveling for business and pleasure and it oddly seems to have nothing to do with how far away from home you are.

Also whats sort of cool is as when I've been traveling with friends we've noticed instances where they have weak signal or no service and the Trac does.

Something to do with the network contracts I would guess which is probably a reason to stay away from a neworks pre-pay. Trac appears to work on all networks providing greater service.

Geez, they should be paying me as a salesman LOL

But lastly I told my elderly parents about them as that's another group who are not big cell users but need to be connected to family and for emergencies. My Dad, being a product of the depression, thinks its the greatest thing since the invention of sliced bread Dumped his contract phone.

Sadly, the reviews on many webreview sites were not good. Mostly this month and last month, so maybe something happend to this company. Apparently porting your number is non-existent, customer service- very bad and 'dead' zones. So, I'm not totally convinced. Will keep looking.

I hereby retract any and all nice things I said about Tracfone.

After just spending over an hour on the phone with them (mostly on hold) in an attempt to change my credit card number, I cancelled my account in frustration.

Our credit card had been stolen and we have a replacement... different number by only two digits. They were complete idiots and couldn't figure out how to update the info.

(I tried to update it first through their web site, but that didn't work, either.)

I just don't understand why businesses make it so difficult for themselves when it comes to figuring out how to take my money. Idiots. —Ted E.

Thank you Ted for your honesty. After reading these comments before, I was going to go and do the Tracfone. But 2 things held me back - hard to transfer number and their customer service. So after talking to the guys at the verizon shop, one had offered to switch me to a senior citizen plan, the other stated they can make the transition to pay as you go - no problem (which was a fluke but I went with it) and tada - I got a basic phone, paid for up to 12 months expiration, even have a credit on my other account now...All painless. Seriously - had the phone about 3 weeks now, 2 calls-I'm not kidding. So I still have my high credit. Tecnically, they're a tad higher in price, but they throw specials now and then my way regarding credits, higher time, doubles, text messages, etc. I don't have the $.99 a day thing going. Don't need it. So that should be neat to see what I can get this summer or fall in case I have to replenish. They gladly changed me because they took a look at my bills and account and basically laughed. They didn't want to loose me as a customer and seriously downgraded me and closed my account.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: lupechennel,

quote:

Originally posted by Ted E.:

I just don't understand why businesses make it so difficult for themselves when it comes to figuring out how to take my money. Idiots. —Ted E.

AMEN!! I couldn't agree more with this statement!! Not to mention the friggin' "application" process to just check out these days (can I have your address, phone number, email address)....NO!!