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I fell off the cell phone wagon years ago and have been only using a cheap pre-paid plan for years. The phone has only been for emergencies so I haven't needed much.
As time goes on, I'm finding that I need more in a cell phone but not by much.
I just need a phone that I can talk, text and get an uber. I'm not asking for much and would not use it often since I work from home and have a soft phone and a land line. We may cancel the landline all together and just use the cell phone but it HAS to have good quality.
There are just too many options out there and I am way behind on the technology.
Congrats on the decision to rely on a cell phone and drop the landline. We dropped our landline about 5 years ago and haven't missed it one bit. Why pay $600 a year for something we didn't need. We did need cell phones for safety, business and travel. Mrs5150 had a medical emergency while driving 5 years ago and I am convinced her ability to call 911 from her car saved her life.
So there are two factors to consider: call quality and having a provider that works well at home and where you travel. The provider is something I can't advise as it depends where you live. But I would suggest starting with Verizon, ATT and T-Mobile. Verizon has the best coverage. ATT next then T-Mobile. Visit their websites and check out their plans and phones. In rural areas T-Mobile is lacking-still. Avoid Sprint.
Since you mentioned Uber, we're talking a smart phone and a small data plan. Call quality means you want a better phone. On my Verizon iPhone 6s people can't tell I am not on a landline. I cannot speak for all Android devices, but my son's Samsung S7 is also excellent in call quality on the ATT network.
Go with an older model smartphone that was top of the line (flagship) in its day like the S7 or iPhone 6s or SE to save some money We pay $87 (total) a month for two lines with Verizon and a 4gig plan-I do get a small gov't employee discount. Retail is $90 plus about $5 in taxes and fees. ATT is about the same
Metro PCS is on T-Mobiles network but cost much less, you might also wish to look into them if T-Mobile has good coverage in the areas you travel, as for your home, Metro PCS as well as T-Mobile and other carriers too have wifi calling, so they use your home wifi as a tower when home, I would be sure the carrier and phone that you decide on has wifi calling, it makes for much better coverage when at home, unless you happen to live very close to a cell tower, most of us don't.
Tracfone runs on Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile. It's prepaid, and great for low- to medium- usage people. You can bring your own device, or get a Tracfone-branded phone with a bundle of t/t/d.
What amount of talk/text/data are you using now, and what do you anticipate your usage will be in future?
Tracfone runs on Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile. It's prepaid, and great for low- to medium- usage people. You can bring your own device, or get a Tracfone-branded phone with a bundle of t/t/d.
What amount of talk/text/data are you using now, and what do you anticipate your usage will be in future?
I use virtually nothing which is why this is so hard. I maybe use 48 minutes a year on my cell phone and maybe 10 texts.....in a year!! My spouse uses about the same.
Although if we get rid of the land line that will go up considerably.
I think I mentioned that I work from home and have a soft phone (this connects to my computer) although sometimes I loose the connection and call in from my landline. If I get rid of the landline then I'll probably route my cell through the landline so I can still use the landline phone but will be using cell phone usage.
Metro PCS is on T-Mobiles network but cost much less, you might also wish to look into them if T-Mobile has good coverage in the areas you travel, as for your home, Metro PCS as well as T-Mobile and other carriers too have wifi calling, so they use your home wifi as a tower when home, I would be sure the carrier and phone that you decide on has wifi calling, it makes for much better coverage when at home, unless you happen to live very close to a cell tower, most of us don't.
Extremely good remember about the Wi-fi calling, I always forget about that....very good point.
We have metroPCS and just cancelled our landline. We pay $50 a month for 2 lines. I think that's the cheapest you can get for unlimited. You do buy your own phone though. Oh actually they do have free phones offers.
I like that price! I'll have to check out coverage. Previously (10 years ago) Verizon was the only coverage that worked in my house but I suspect that has changed now.
If I'm going cell phone I suspect I'll get a fancy phone, go big or go home I don't mind spending more on the phone, it's just the monthly bill that I don't like.
I can't help with the physical phone (I'm on a flip from 2009, only have it because my wife thinks I'll die somewhere alone without it), but the best bang-for-the-buck Plan is from Red Pocket (a MVNO, reseller on all networks). Use next to nothing? You can get a $60/YEAR plan that has 500mb data, 100 talk minutes and 100 texts per month:
When it comes to the device, I'd suggest shopping for a year old phone. Last time I bought one for my wife (3 years ago), I paid ~$200 for the prior years $800 flagship. Swappa.com tends to have the most selection/traffic.
I can't help with the physical phone (I'm on a flip from 2009, only have it because my wife thinks I'll die somewhere alone without it), but the best bang-for-the-buck Plan is from Red Pocket (a MVNO, reseller on all networks). Use next to nothing? You can get a $60/YEAR plan that has 500mb data, 100 talk minutes and 100 texts per month:
When it comes to the device, I'd suggest shopping for a year old phone. Last time I bought one for my wife (3 years ago), I paid ~$200 for the prior years $800 flagship. Swappa.com tends to have the most selection/traffic.
For some reason, the bolded conjured up a memory of my mother telling me that, when she was a young girl, my great grandmother was often trying to get her to put a sweater on..."You're going to get cold" .
Location: God's Gift to Mankind for flying anything
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What is a "soft phone" ?
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I don't mind spending more on the phone, it's just the monthly bill that I don't like.
