Best Phone deals, prepaid, network, etc.

[mikeford]

We have 2 POTS, a monthly cell, and cable for tv and network, and plan to move to 1 POTS, and some combination of 2 or 3 lines via montly cell, prepaid, and/or network.

VOIP looks like a no brainer for a second line at home with all the free long distance and low costs right now. Vonnage is looking good, not lowest cost, but best chance to be around for a year or more. With a good cell plans we might just skip a network phone, but if we stick with el cheapo cells might go ahead with VOIP.

T Mobile family plan also looks good, $50/month for 2 phones and 500 anytime with unlimited weekend and mobile to mobile (most of my calls). Downside is activation and contract time, plus I am not that hot on the phones.

Verizon digital saver 100, my plan and no longer offered, maybe too sweet to give up. $25/mo, my 3rd year so drop anytime I want, just 100 anytime minutes, but 500 nights and weekends that are 7pm to 7am (actually usefull), plus we have a new battery in phone and all the chargers etc. Phone is old audiovox, but has text etc.

T Mobile To Go, $100/1000 min with 1 year exp looks good, but charges are per minute, $35 activation, and phones and phone deals aren't that exciting. Prepaid has none of the monthly perks like MTM, but may be bottom line cheapest.

******************************************* Any better deals or things I am missing?

 

[mscdex0]

Originally posted by: mikeford
Any better deals or things I am missing?

Yep, here.

 

[mikeford]

Yup, I read last months thread, I mean any better deals NOW as in deals that have not expired.

 

[mscdex0]

Originally posted by: mikeford
Yup, I read last months thread, I mean any better deals NOW as in deals that have not expired.

The prepaid plans listed in that thread are not "expired."

 

[mikeford]

Most plans are still available, but the phone deals don't last.

 

[Kuhlman]

Originally posted by: mikeford

T Mobile To Go, $100/1000 min with 1 year exp looks good, but charges are per minute, $35 activation, and phones and phone deals aren't that exciting. Prepaid has none of the monthly perks like MTM, but may be bottom line cheapest.

Just curious what monthly perks does MTM give you that are not available on a pre-paid phone?

Where are you getting the $35 activation fee from? I just got a prepaid Nokia 6800 and had no activation fee and $24 in free minutes included. As for phone deals the Nokia 6800 is quite nice. Got it at Office Depot for $50 after rebate. You can get it on Ebay for close to the same price. It has a foldout QWERTY keypad, e-mail, voice recorder, FM radio, voice dialing, speakerphone and lots of other little features.

The T-Mobile deal is the best for light users. You can get 1000 minutes for as low as 8.5 cents a minute with discounts at online phonecard sites.

The T-Mobile minutes are good for a year and with T-Mobile if you buy 1000 minutes you become a Gold Rewards member. You can then buy a small amount of minutes before your 1 year is up and all the minutes you haven't used will roll over for another year from the date of the second purchase. So in essence the minutes will never expire until you use them as long as you make a purchase of any amount once a year.

I figured out I will pay only $3.60 a month for cell phone service over 2 years with this setup! (And will have an average of 40 minutes a month to use included in that cost).

 

[imported_Decaf]

Originally posted by: mikeford
things I am missing?

This is a hot deals forum. It is not a place to post new threads for the purpose of asking questions. But you already knew that. You must think the rules don't apply to you 'cause you're so special.