How much is your phone bill?

[dbk]

Was on that $30 a month Tmobile plan for a while 100min unlimited text data (4g capped at 5gb?) Switched to Ting (Sprint phones) since i kept going over 100 mins voice lately... Probably around the same. Im using a LG G2 Sprint variant which also worked on Tmobile after an unlock.

 

[Strk]

I'm currently on the tmobile $30 a month plan, but I'm thinking about switching to Cricket. I use less than 3gb a month, so their $45 a month plan would be nice, plus a better signal from at&t would be nice.

I guess it depends on how quickly tmobile gets their band 12 stuff off the ground.

 

[pontifex]

That's where the margins (and for the sales drones, the commissions) are. The big carriers want you locked into a cycle of endless upgrades to the newest and bestest, all while you're emptying your wallet into their pockets.

Talk to the MVNOs instead, and you'll find much better rates, especially for your usage. The better MVNOs won't blink when you tell them you don't care about texting or data, even on smart phones. You could take your exact phones you have now to Ting and be paying $40 plus tax.

Also, there's been a lot of focus on the low- and mid-range phone market, so you can easily get some really nice phones for under $100 now.

I have a Droid X2 now and had Pageplus turn off data on their end, so even if my phone's data settings accidentally get turned on, it still won't use up my prepaid money for data.

 

[pontifex]

$200,.. a year.

I have pay as you go. I don't need / care for data. I rarely make calls.

you could be paying a lot less, at least if you're using verizon towers

 

[Imp]

Can I ask what service you use?

Virgin. Prepaid.

 

[BeeBoop]

Question for you guys that pay 10$ a month plans. Is it still possible to use google maps without a data plan by downloading the map before you leave your home? If this works, I am assuming that the GPS on the phone works even without a data package?

 

[dabuddha]

I'm going to be moving some contract phones over to Verizon Edge plus adding a third line with a MotoX I already own. 3 smart phones, 10 gig of shared data and unlimited text and messaging.

I'm starting to take the "best of last year" approach to phones and buying 2nd hand for 1/3 of the price on Android devices. My wife is still an iPHone junkie so we'll be paying for those either 2nd hand or through the program at some point for another $30 a month.

That's what I've done. Bought my wife's nexus 5 a year after release and I just got my OPO last month.

 

[Ksyder]

I'm starting to take the "best of last year" approach to phones and buying 2nd hand for 1/3 of the price on Android devices.

Yep this is a good way to go. Bought a brand new unlocked Moto X (2013) from ebay for $230.

As far as service, Cricket group savings are immense. With 5 people the discount is like $100 off or something, so I use the unlimited + 1gb 4g (after that its throttled) and its $20 (normally 35 or 40, not sure)

 

[TwiceOver]

Question for you guys that pay 10$ a month plans. Is it still possible to use google maps without a data plan by downloading the map before you leave your home? If this works, I am assuming that the GPS on the phone works even without a data package?

Yes. You can do that. You wouldn't get Traffic though.

 

[Svnla]

$30 for Sprint SERO plus junk fees/taxes = $35.xx or less than $36/month for unlimited data plan and text plus 500 any time voice minutes plus unlimited voice after 7 p.m. daily and other good stuffs.

I will drive this gravy train until the wheels fall off.

 

[DaWhim]

in china here. my cell phone service charge me 6rmb a month, $1 = 6.2rmb, so less than a dollar a month. it is free to receive call, charge about 0.2 rmb a minute for call.

as for data, i spent about $40 on a data card with 10gb usage, good for 1 year.

my phone has dual sim, that's how it works for me.

in US is even better. I use tmob prepaid, don't remember the last time I fill up. I am barely in the US. as for the data, I got freedompop mifi 1gb a month free. got another backup internet-on-the-go mifi and still have 200mb data left.

 

[ViviTheMage]

$205 for 4 smartphones, unlimited data/sms/mms, basically unlimited voice(like 6000 in rollover minutes) on ATT ... grandfathered plan.

 

[railer]

I was a little hostile in my last post. Sorry. I have just found that Verizon, Sprint, et al act as if you HAVE TO 1) have a smartphone and 2) a data plan. When I have talked to them about not needing all of that, they get angry, and ... entitled?

Why has someone not come out with an unlocked "phone" that is basically just a wifi device? Or a traditional calling plan without the extremely expensive data plans attached?

I don't like the attmepts to force me to sign up for darn near a car payment every month. Those phone data plans are way more than even my TWC internet/tv/phone bundle with HBO and other add ons. It's crazy.

That's why you get a used, off contract phone off of ebay, then activate it on pageplus for $10 (I actually do $25) every 4 months. Keep wireless data off and enjoy the awesome cell coverage of Verizon for very little $$$.

 

[Dedpuhl]

Zero since work pays for it. I haven't had a phone bill for about 4 years now.

 

[olds]

Verizon
2 phones
4GB Data, shared
Unlimited everything else
$160 month

 

[BurnItDwn]

Ehh dont remember exactly, I switched over to unlimmited time & data plan on sprint. I have 1 phone on that plan, though Im paying fiancee and her moms plans too, which are t-mobile. I want to switch to t-mobile, but, t-mobile has bad signal at my house, even worse than sprint....

Anyhow, I think Im paying like $80 or so a month, but I do get a discount since my employer has like thousands of sprint lines, they give us like 10 or 15% off our personal sprint plans

 

[lxskllr]

$0.00

 

[waffleironhead]

ATT unlimited talk/text with 30 gigs data
5 total "lines".
1 iphone, 2 samsung smartphones
1 tablet
1 mobile data hotspot
total is around $220/month iirc

att is strange. I can add another tablet for $10 a month, but to get a wwan card in my laptop it's $20 a month.

 

[Squisher]

$6/month PagePlus

It's actually less. The $80 prepaid card (2000 minutes) is actually lasting more than a year now, but they force you to buy a new card at the end of the year.

 

[tortillasoup]

~$300 for 5 phones and 1 tablet. 15gb shared data, unlimited everything else

Sounds like you're getting ripped off or your financing all of your stuff.

 

[Humpy]

Less than $20 per month with PagePlus. I always buy the $80 card (lasts around 5 months) and treat it as "unlimited" meaning I do whatever I need without thinking too much about it.

Include whatever the best $100 phone is (currently MotoG) every year or so and accessories (ear buds, cords, apps, etc.) and it would never be more than $30 /month total cost.

 

[Nograts]

Thanks for all the replies. Seems like I am indeed getting duped, from the consensus (those that use major carriers) I should be getting either 1 additional line, or unlimited everything for what I am paying.

My contract doesn't end until August, so, I'll have to bite the bullet a little bit until then I think.

I had T-Mobile for years and was happy with them, was on a decent family plan I shared with my mom and wife.

Moved to Hawaii and had ZERO service, and had to do away with them. I might go hit up one of their stores.

Such is the sorrow of moving so often, you have to constantly change carriers for services like this.

 

[RockinZ28]

Yea Verizon is pricey, but for many people, including myself, they're really the only viable option in a lot of areas. Their new plans blow though, I wouldn't be a customer without a grandfathered plan.

Pay $126/mo total. 2 smartphones, 700 min, no texts and unlimited data on my line, 2gb for wife. I dumped the text plans, saved $20/mo. Been using GV for years, and now recently Hangouts for texts and free calls that use data instead of minutes. So really I have unlimited texts/minutes, but they use my unlimited data instead.

Work gives me $50/mo for phone bill. And my phone is my home internet as well. Been using over 200gb/mo and Verizon has said nothing .

 

[Leopardos]

15$ Unlimited Calls, Unlimited Texts, with 5GB Internet limit

 

[minendo]

Sounds like you're getting ripped off or your financing all of your stuff.

5 smart phones at $40 per month + $100 for dataplan adds up real fast.