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Old 07-15-2011, 07:52 AM
 
35 posts, read 146,738 times
Reputation: 31

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Something I noticed a long time ago that never seemed right is that I pay about 20% taxes and fees ABOVE what my rate plan is with my Tmobile cell phone plan. My rate plan with all features adds up to about $99 and it costs me $119-120 out of pocket per month. This was true (within a couple %) when I used to have AT&T, Cingular, and Verizon.

It occurs to me...is this the same in the prepaid cell phone world? If you buy a phone outright and "$50" refill card, do you get to use all $50 for whatever minute-rate they charge, or is a big bite taken out for taxes and fees? What if you buy a "200 minute" refill card?

Even if you have to pay 8.25% sales tax, that's less than half what traditiional post-paid customers pay. I wonder if there's a cost savings here in finding the right prepaid plan. That being said, if you buy these refill cards online from the right vendors, there would be no sales tax either.

Posted this in this Dallas forum because I didn't have any success on Google due to differences in state taxes across the country.
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Old 07-15-2011, 01:02 PM
 
21 posts, read 118,662 times
Reputation: 21
try pagepluscellular.com.
They use the verizon network and its only $30 a month (with taxes and fees) for 1200 anytime minutes and 100 mb of data..
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Old 07-15-2011, 05:45 PM
 
871 posts, read 2,677,010 times
Reputation: 503
If you don't need data, t-mobile prepaid has a killer plan (that my wife uses): 1500 mins/texts (any combination thereof) per month for $30.00. And don't quote me on it, but I think the $30.00 is inclusive of any taxes and such. My wife literally refills her account to $30.00 every month (Well she makes sure she's a few dollars over just in case, but only $30 is deducted each month).

It comes with VERY little monthly data though (30mb). They have plans with data too, but that plan is so cheap it's hard not to look past.
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Old 07-15-2011, 11:59 PM
 
74 posts, read 165,775 times
Reputation: 106
I'm in the process of switching from sprint to virgin mobile. I see a lot fewer taxes on my VM account.

On sprint my wife and I pay:
129.99 for base plan
8.24 spring surcharges (Federal-Univ Serv Assess Non-LD, State-State Cost Recovery Fee, Texas State-Univ Serv Assessment, Administrative Charge, Regulatory Charge)
11.11 taxes (sales, e911, and more)

On my VM plan I'm just seeing:
25.00 for base plan
0.50 e911
2.06 sales tax

Mine's a monthly plan so taxes get added. I remember seeing that their pay-as-you-go plans have taxes included.
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Old 07-16-2011, 06:23 AM
 
827 posts, read 1,665,615 times
Reputation: 1038
I have Tracfone The 911 charge is charged at the store the3 rest of taxes may be hidden in the card BUT I do get the units assigned to the card. Had 1 for 21 years and quite happy with it [My niece and her husband HAVE to have the newest toys and complain as their bill is so high ]
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Old 07-16-2011, 07:59 AM
 
Location: Cypress, TX
1,979 posts, read 3,471,842 times
Reputation: 2111
I use Boost Mobile prepaid, if I add a $10 recharge using my credit card I end up paying $10.93 total. So basically 9.3% in taxes. Which doesn't sound too bad compared to the 20% taxes and fees the OP is paying. I'm a pretty infrequent cell phone user, so $10 (1000 minutes) will last me a few months making my cell phone service very cheap.
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Old 07-16-2011, 07:43 PM
 
Location: Texas State Fair
8,560 posts, read 11,166,930 times
Reputation: 4257
Quote:
Originally Posted by mspkash1 View Post
try pagepluscellular.com.
They use the verizon network and its only $30 a month (with taxes and fees) for 1200 anytime minutes and 100 mb of data..
mspkash1, thanks for posting that info. I had and Android phone with Vz cell but use only about ten minutes or less a month... average - but it's my only phone other than Skype. I tried to get MetroPCS interested in picking up the service but I'm a bit out of their Dual Band range. Virgin Mobile will use only their scheduled phones. I've used them before with complete satisfaction but I wanted a 'better' phone.

I sent Page Plus an email to ask if the (former Vz) Droid would be okay and within hours received a 'yes it is' reply, so I started the process. Same day I'm provisioned with my Droid on CDMA, at less than half the Vz cost, thru Page Plus, thanks to your heads up. At my home location, CDMA works better than GSM.

And the Customer Service Rep was on the ball and in a good mood throughout. And spoke American 'fly over slope head' english. I may be in love... again.
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Old 07-17-2011, 10:34 AM
 
35 posts, read 146,738 times
Reputation: 31
Dug up my last bill:

Monthly charges: $99.99
Credits & Adj: $3.00 (corporate discount)
Regulator Programs Fee: $5.64
State & Local Sales Tax: $8.64
State 911: $2.00
Federal Universal Service Fund: $2.20
State Universal Service Fund: $2.39
TX Recovery Fee: $1.01

I clicked on the details of each of these and it looks like the reason why I pay so much %-wise is because I have 4 lines on the account. ..and each one is hit with a flat-fee Regulatory Programs Fee and State 911. If I subtract out 3 lines worth of each of those, I drop to about 14% taxes/fees which is more in line with what others are paying.

Still, it seems like based on posts above, prepaid accounts pay significantly less in taxes and fees.
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Old 07-23-2011, 10:19 AM
 
Location: East Dallas
931 posts, read 2,124,097 times
Reputation: 657
I have a cell phone unlimited with Tmobile and 15% discount and pay about 80 bucks a month. My wife's cell phone is prepaid 100 bucks for 1250 minutes that lasts for 1 year. She can do text messaging but only uses it for a phone, has a good directory of numbers and I think the cost will be about 10 bucks a month.

When AT&T takes my Tmobile over I will move to Walmart phone Smart talk.
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