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You will be using Verizon towers, although there will be slight differences from Verizon postpaid service. Data speed is throttled to 5 Mb down, there is no voice roaming, and I believe the coverage is that of Vz prepaid service.
Why does prepaid always have to be the red-headed stepchild? It sucks that I can't even bring my phone with me while visiting Canada (never mind overseas).
Quote:
Originally Posted by 49erfan916
edit: I was checking out the cell phone plans and I am really data heavy.
Yeah, same here. I have to use a smartphone since the apps are more beneficial than the phone or text messaging services. That's the reason I can't use a "dumb" phone (and deal with the social stigma of owning one; better just to have just a POTS/VOIP "landline").
Quote:
Originally Posted by lottamoxie
You can have both!
I use my own high end Android phone (Moto X Pure Edition 2015), on the VZW network, through Tracfone. My yearly cost for the amount of cell service I use is about $80. That's right. $80. Actually I rounded up, it's more like $78.
Why is it always somewhere around $100/month for (one-phone plan) smartphone service? It's almost a decade since smartphones came out and the price is the only thing that has not improved. Always a gimmick, first 2-year contracts and now the throwback to the 1920's installment plan. I've given up on cell phones entirely because of this!
Why does prepaid always have to be the red-headed stepchild? It sucks that I can't even bring my phone with me while visiting Canada (never mind overseas). Yeah, same here. I have to use a smartphone since the apps are more beneficial than the phone or text messaging services. That's the reason I can't use a "dumb" phone (and deal with the social stigma of owning one; better just to have just a POTS/VOIP "landline"). Why is it always somewhere around $100/month for smartphone service? It's almost a decade since smartphones came out and the price is the only thing that has not improved. Always a gimmick, first 2-year contracts and now the throwback to the 1920's installment plan. I've given up on cell phones entirely because of this!
Verizon prepaid is not throttled but Verizon MVNO's do throttle it. For some bizarre reason on Verizon prepaid you can't use the Verizon visual voice mail app, but You Mail is free and works just as well so it's no big deal.
I used to use puretalk, free flip phone, and it was 10 a month
I then got a smart phone and my parents offered me a line for 15 a month, but I'm pretty soon going to switch to project fi or maybe tmobile and go solo. I've only been with my parents a few months and don't want to stay too long. It's given me some time to shop around though.
Anyways as for phones; I don't do the get new phone every year
I had my flip phone for 3 years, I aim to keep my current s5 which I bought used off my parents for at least 3 years(maybe sooner because I like taking high quality photos). After that I will probably pay cash for a high quality phone which will last me 4 to 5 years. I believe in quality because those cheap phones tend to not function very well after a short period of time.
Now will I buy amother samsung? If I can get one used and for under 400 sure, maybe..
But I'm looking at the one plus phones which are priced incredibly.
Anyways; Point here is prepaid plans can be had for under 50 bucks, t-mobile has one for 30, 5gb data, unlimited text, 100 minutes.. (there is a more expensive variant with more minutes I believe and data)
Straight talk has some unlimited everything for 45 (but data is throttled after a certain GB)
So what's the frugal option? Get the best quality phone you can afford in cash without hurting you, keep that phone for at least 3 to 4 years, and use a prepaid plan.
The main reason I can't keep a phone for 5+ years is degrading of battery life, I just put a new one in my s5 when I got it, but it isn't the best, and it was one of the last oem I could find.
Also pretty much all phones including samsung now don't have a removable battery
That's why you have to upgrade in 3-4 years usually, unless you can live with carrying around a battery pack/charger.
So yeah now for some math;
A one plus 3 is 400 for example, and it's almost as good as a galaxy s7 (more ram, same processor, crappier camera and screen)
If you keep that phone for 4 years, your annual cost of ownership would be 100 a year for phone
If you go with that tmobile plan I listed it'll set you back 360 a year
360+100=460
In other words if you make above minimum wage this phone would cost you only about a weeks worth salary, maybe 2 if you don't make that much
Is that frugal? DANG YES IT IS!
This does not take into account insurance though, and I wouldn't get it since I have never damaged a phone ever. I probably will jinx myself there, but yeah I haven't
I also didn't include the cost of a case, but point is pretty much anyone can easily afford what I mentioned.
But the truly, truly frugal option is a flip phone and some basic 5 to 10 a month subscription.
I wouldn't do it because I do use data for certain stuff, and I like the picture taking. Also nobody wants to call anynore, just text..
I use Tracfone pay-as-you-go service. Since I'm saving money on the cell service, I like to spend a little to get a newer phone every 18-24 months. Sometimes I buy new and sometimes I buy used off eBay. I then sell the old phone on eBay to recoup some money.
1. Another Tracfone user here. Need some minutes/txt + 500mb data. I pay about $8/month.
2. Purchase the newest phone every 2-3 years. Around $300 for Nexus phones. Give the old phone to family or ebay off.
1. Another Tracfone user here. Need some minutes/txt + 500mb data. I pay about $8/month.
2. Purchase the newest phone every 2-3 years. Around $300 for Nexus phones. Give the old phone to family or ebay off.
Tracfone offers a 1-year card with 1200/1200/1200 for $100, which works out to 100/100/100 and $8.33/month.
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