So I'm swapping carriers and I pay for my parents...

[Shyatic]

I have four lines on my mobile phone plan, and with TMO I am paying about $195 for everything. My parents have "dumb" phones and I think they like that... my wife and I have smartphones. I'm switching to AT&T because I get a 20% discount, and I also want the Lumia 920 for the camera/build quality for both my wife and myself.

Question is... what do I do with my parents? I don't want to add them into my plan because of the contract, but then MVNOs don't seem to be that cheap either.

Any suggestions folks?

Thanks!

 

[Red Storm]

Straight Talk? It'd be $30 a month for each of them if I understand their plans correctly, and it uses AT&T's network.

 

[Shyatic]

Straight Talk? It'd be $30 a month for each of them if I understand their plans correctly, and it uses AT&T's network.

My issue with prepaid is that the minutes expire, and I have to keep buying them indefinitely.

 

[Strk]

My issue with prepaid is that the minutes expire, and I have to keep buying them indefinitely.

There are prepaid plans. A set amount for a set amount of minutes etc.

 

[Chocu1a]

My issue with prepaid is that the minutes expire, and I have to keep buying them indefinitely.

As with almost any carrier, prepaid or contract, any unused minutes expire at the beginning of a new billing cycle, so I am not sure what you are referring to.
Just set up the billing to a credit card & it will automatically renew each month.
Straight Talk, Virgin, Boost, & I believe t-mobile all have that option.

 

[boomhower]

Why do you have to put them on a contract? Just get cheap GSM dumb phones and add them. If you don't get a subsidized phone you don't have to put their lines under contract. It'd be $10/month per line for them with AT&T's family plans.

 

[ponyo]

It'll be cheaper to add them to the AT&T plan. It's $10 a month for each additional line so you're looking at $20 a month for your parents plus tax and junk fees.

 

[Shyatic]

Why do you have to put them on a contract? Just get cheap GSM dumb phones and add them. If you don't get a subsidized phone you don't have to put their lines under contract. It'd be $10/month per line for them with AT&T's family plans.

That is sage advice... I just need to find some good and cheap dumbphones now. Any suggestions?

 

[Chocu1a]

That is sage advice... I just need to find some good and cheap dumbphones now. Any suggestions?

buy any straight talk phone. they use at&t. walmart

 

[bearxor]

Why not just use their current phones? They can likely be flashed to support AT&T services.

 

[kia75]

Have you tried net10? At least 2 years ago net10's minutes didn't expire. You had to buy $20 worth of minutes every month for the phone to work, but the minutes themselves never expired.

 

[golem]

How many minutes do they use. If it's very little, put them on tmobile pay as you go plan. $100 for 1000 minutes that last a year. Renew for as little as $10 a year and the left over minutes roll over for another year.

 

[Infrnl]

Straight talk is basically $50/mo ea after taxes. Tmobile would be cheaper. Maybe check into adding them to att as suggested by others