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I use StraightTalk through Walmart. I have some fancy Samsung smartphone that was $200 upfront cost. But I am on Verizon's network for only $45/month unlimited talk, text, & data (even though it's listed as "unlimited" it's actually limited to 2gb which I never use.). I am also on auto-enroll. I never have a cell phone bill. I will get a text from S/T around the 15th stating my c.c. will be charged for auto-enroll. No contract, either. It's fantastic. I absolutely love it. And you can carry your current phone to S/T.
I use StraightTalk through Walmart. I have some fancy Samsung smartphone that was $200 upfront cost. But I am on Verizon's network for only $45/month unlimited talk, text, & data (even though it's listed as "unlimited" it's actually limited to 2gb which I never use.). I am also on auto-enroll. I never have a cell phone bill. I will get a text from S/T around the 15th stating my c.c. will be charged for auto-enroll. No contract, either. It's fantastic. I absolutely love it. And you can carry your current phone to S/T.
Just for clarification:
Straight Talk is a subcontractor to Verizon, AT&T, Sprint, and T-Mobile. You can use any of the big 4 using the proper SIM card or activation code.
If you want to use a phone on Verizon's network under the Straight Talk program, presently, you cannot bring anything but a Verizon branded smart phone of 3G ONLY vintage. That means, iPhone 4, Droid X/X2, Droid Inc 1+2, etc.
It's an unfortunate limitation, that hopefully will be going away shortly, however no official announcements have been made with Straight Talk, just Page Plus.
If you want a 4G phone, you can purchase one and use either AT&T or T-Mobile sim cards in them:
Another option to look at is Cricket, which is now AT&T owned and basically an in-house MVNO of theirs. They started launching Aio last year but abandoned that when buying Cricket. The nice thing is you are on a GSM phone so have ability to hedge between TMO and AT&T.
The VZ network is great, but as long as my cell phone works when I am at home, around town, on the road, and so forth, that's all I need. I don't care about LTE everywhere (3G is fine). I don't care about having fast speeds in remote areas. Let me make calls and text and get fast speeds most of the time. It's just like cable TV - I don't need to throw $200 in some corporations' pocket when I can be saving and investing or enjoying that money instead.
I know this thread is about moving away from Verizon, but I actually just switched to them from Sprint. Verizon has a new single line plan that's $60/month for unlimited talk/text, and 2GB of data. Throw in a $79.99 Samsung Galaxy S5 from Costco and I couldn't resist. So far I'm just LOVING the coverage, and I'm used barely any data (don't stream or watch videos except on wi-fi). Just thought I'd mention it because prior to this both Verizon and AT&T were quite expensive for a single line.
We have been Verizon customers for about ten years and are likely to switch to T-Mobile in the next few weeks.
I've tested a phone with a T-Mo SIM card at my home near downtown Durham and have gotten good signal, though haven't been out in your neck of the woods, JKG.
Price is compelling; our $250/month bill goes to less than $100 if we switch.
The weaker network has in the past been a concern for us, but several things ameliorate:
1) The addition of WiFi Calling on T-Mobile as a feature with iOS 8. The place we spend a lot of time (a cabin in the mountains) has NO signal from VZ, AT&T, T-Mo or Sprint, but we do have WiFi. The VZ femtocell is erratic at best so this is actually an improvement for us.
2) I am traveling more for work, and T-Mo's international rates completely blow VZ out of the water. Free unlimited data and text messages, and $0.20 per minute for voice, is amazing.
Highlighted above are the reasons why we switched from AT&T to T-Mobile. Bill went down from over $200 to a little over $100. But the really awesome part is the international coverage. T-Mobile's pricing makes AT&T look like thieves.
I know this thread is about moving away from Verizon, but I actually just switched to them from Sprint. Verizon has a new single line plan that's $60/month for unlimited talk/text, and 2GB of data. Throw in a $79.99 Samsung Galaxy S5 from Costco and I couldn't resist. So far I'm just LOVING the coverage, and I'm used barely any data (don't stream or watch videos except on wi-fi). Just thought I'd mention it because prior to this both Verizon and AT&T were quite expensive for a single line.
Well, when your contract is up save $15/month by switching to Straight Talk for the same exact plan you have now.
We use our cell phones very little, but need data service. 4 megs per month is PLENTY. Verizon does not have monthly plans that make sense for small users llike us, so I'm looking at other carriers who do have small user plans, usually on a prepaid, no contract basis.
I'm interested in how the voice and 4G data service is with carriers other than Verizon. Particularly TMobile and AT&T.
You can check coverage map of all the carriers online. Use that and determine if you are covered enough. I had Sprint when I moved here, and was so fed up with their awful internet speed I paid ETF on two lines and went to Verizon. At that time our bill only went up $20 a month for two lines so I didn't care much, but Sprint recently dropped their cost of service. It's not enough of savings to get me to switch back. Their 4G coverage is just pitiful compared to Verizon.
Verizon has the best coverage hands down.
Att is second but they still have great coverage.
Sprint/T-Mobile are much cheaper but their coverage stinks.
I depend on my phone for business so the extra cost is worth it to me.
Well, when your contract is up save $15/month by switching to Straight Talk for the same exact plan you have now.
In no way are the two plans comparable.
First, let's boil down the cost of both plans comparing apples to apples.
VZ post-paid $60/month plan, $60/month, $70 after taxes, $80 for S5, 2 year contract.
ST $45/month plan, $48-ish after taxes, $550 for the S5, no contract.
Subtracting for the S5 cost ($80) off the $550 for the new S5 no contract, you get a subsidy of $19.58/month over 24 months, making the $70 after taxes cost roughly $50, or $2 more than ST.
What else do you get for that $2/month?
You get:
-Roaming on VZ partners (check out Kentucky for instance); ST is native VZ only (although still decent)
-4G LTE data, ST is 3G only (and S5 doesn't worth on VZ towers under ST currently)
-VZ customer service (ever talked to ST customer service? I have, they can help but it takes a long time, in no way comparable
So, for a whopping $2/month, you get a much more robust plan, IMO.
Does ST make sense for some folks? Yep, like me who has a 3G only VZ phone under it, it works, it does the job but to say the two plans are comparable, is simply not correct.
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