Looking for a new "dumb phone" (T-Mobile, contract, emergency)

[PatsCats]

They can have my land line when they can pry it out of my cold, dead hand. Therefore, my mobile phone is not my primary line.

I have used a Kyocera Oystr, and Kyocera Marbl. Right now I have an older LG flip phone with no extras. I use it for emergency only, and texting. Lots of texting. I pay $20.00 every 90 days for service, plus $5.00/month for 200 texts. My talk minutes are something like .20c each, all-inclusive. I have no contract.

My problem is that occasionally I do not receive texts. Some days it's fine, other days I can tell something is wrong as the phone is just too quiet. I normally receive a couple of texts a day if I'm just "passing notes," more if I'm actually in conversation. I call Virgin Mobile and they have me re-set my phone, and that clears the problem right up. Today I re-set it myself, but still never received texts I've been told are out there.

I do not want to access the Web on my phone. I do not want to pay much more than I am paying now. I do not want a contract. I've never had a camera on my phone before, so that's not a priority.

Can anyone suggest a phone suitable to my needs? Or am I going to have to go back to the old days before cell phones?

Where's a phone booth when you need one?!?!?!

Thank you so much!

[DowntownHarrisburg]

IMHO, if you're not concerned with web / camera / feature set, go with the cheapest phone you can get your hands on. If you were on a major carrier, I'd suggest that you check eBay for cheap used phones. Virgin Mobile might be a little more picky about that, since Sprint (who owns VM) is extremely particular about allowing only Sprint-branded phones onto their network.

Looking at VM's phones page, they currently have five phones under $30 and one at $15. For my money, I've always had good experiences with LG dumbphones, and that just so happens to be the $15 phone. You should be able to transfer your existing VM number / balance to the new phone, but double-check with VM in advance.

[PatsCats]

Maybe what I need is a different carrier.

Right now I'm paying about $12.00/month, plus $5.00/month for texts. Is there a carrier I can find with no contract, at a maximum of $20.00/month, and a reasonably priced phone?

I looked at an AT&T "dumb phone," but there was a contract, and a $150 Early Termination Fee," which, according to the website, "is not a fine," but some kind of compensatory fee for inconveniencing AT&T. Sure sounds like a fine to me!

[DowntownHarrisburg]

Originally Posted by PatsCats

Maybe what I need is a different carrier. Right now I'm paying about $12.00/month, plus $5.00/month for texts. Is there a carrier I can find with no contract, at a maximum of $20.00/month, and a reasonably priced phone?

Virgin Mobile and Tracfone are probably the cheapest for you based on your description of your usage. T-Mobile's prepay can be ridiculously cheap after your first $100.