Today (7/19) Last day for $25/mo plans

[Greg04]

If you want to lock in the Virgin Mobile $25/mo plan, today is the last day to do it.

Yes: You can get a rumor touch and get grandfathered in when you upgrade to the Triumph.
No: You cannot buy a Triumph and activate it on the $25 plan. (Some rare cases have been cited, but I call BS on most of them)

So, if you want to lock in at $25, you must activate today (7/19).

Buy a rumor touch for $79, activate, buy a Triumph. Sell touch. Ebay shows decent prices for used touches.


link to FAQS:

http://www.totalnoid.com/2011/07/15/virgin-mobile-beyond-talk-25-plan-ends-midnight-july-19/

http://espanol.virginmobileusa.com/...do?easyirid=F4ABAEBA3A27ECD9&pagesec=vm_price

 

[TwiceOver]

I wish Sprint's coverage didn't suck balls around here.

 

[Craig234]

Is this a great deal? Sprint seems to be $70 for 'unlimited'.

I noticed this, but they say '97% of customers probably won't be affected':

Effective in October [exact date TBD] , when any Beyond Talk customers reach 2.5GB of data usage within a current monthly cycle, they could have their maximum throughput speeds limited to 3G speeds of 256 kbps or below for the remainder of that plan cycle.

 

[rivan]

Are these sold in any B&M?

Ordering via the website would leave me waiting to activate the phone after it shipped and miss the window.

Edit: Tons of B&M - according VM's 800#, WalMart, Radio Shack, even places like Walgreens.

 

[ibex333]

Do these guys actually give UNLIMITED data and TEXT ALL for $25 per month?! Can anyone confirm please?

Also, is this an android enabled phone they are offering? Does it support skype and GPS?

Thanks.

 

[LOL_Wut_Axel]

Do these guys actually give UNLIMITED data and TEXT ALL for $25 per month?! Can anyone confirm please?

Also, is this an android enabled phone they are offering? Does it support skype and GPS?

Thanks.

Err, yes. You can buy the LG Optimus V for $150 and get the $25 plan with 300 minutes, unlimited texting and unlimited data. If you were asking about the Rumor Touch, no, it's not an Android smartphone. The Optimus V is, and a very decent one at that.

Skype is just an Android app available to all the phones, and the phone includes GPS.

The best thing about VM is that it's without contract.

 

[Zap]

Do these guys actually give UNLIMITED data and TEXT ALL for $25 per month?! Can anyone confirm please?

Yes, unlimited.

Note that they will now be throttling after a certain amount.

Also note that data speeds are not always that great.

 

[Pardus]

According to SD forum, if you didn't lock in the purchase by midnight last night, you will not be grandfathered in with the $25/mo plan. I was gonna switch to VM, but didn't have time to get the phone.

Also, the LG Optimus V and the Samsung Intercept have software issues and are old phones. The Motorola Triumph is coming out this week, but i'm not shelling out $300 for a phone.

VM contact is 1-888-322-1122

 

[fleshconsumed]

Do these guys actually give UNLIMITED data and TEXT ALL for $25 per month?! Can anyone confirm please?

Also, is this an android enabled phone they are offering? Does it support skype and GPS?

Thanks.

Yes, with two caveats. One, starting in the fall VM will throttle after you consume 2.5GB, and two, VM data is known to be flaky, I know first hand and it can be very frustrating. Do not get this if you can't live without data.

 

[blackrain]

According to SD forum, if you didn't lock in the purchase by midnight last night, you will not be grandfathered in with the $25/mo plan. I was gonna switch to VM, but didn't have time to get the phone.

Also, the LG Optimus V and the Samsung Intercept have software issues and are old phones. The Motorola Triumph is coming out this week, but i'm not shelling out $300 for a phone.

VM contact is 1-888-322-1122

Last night? I don't see that anywhere on SD forum. Don't you mean tonight at midnight? You are suggesting that this deal is dead.

 

[iahk]

Is this a great deal? Sprint seems to be $70 for 'unlimited'.

I noticed this, but they say '97% of customers probably won't be affected':

This is what carriers have to say to offset the kneejerk reaction of consumers who have no idea of how much data they actually use. It's true as a vast majority of users barely use nearly that much data month.

If you don't stream music all day long or similar things, you don't have to worry about the cap.

 

[rivan]

According to SD forum, if you didn't lock in the purchase by midnight last night, you will not be grandfathered in with the $25/mo plan. I was gonna switch to VM, but didn't have time to get the phone.

This is not what the rep on the phone told me - said I was good to go as long as I activated today.

Also, the LG Optimus V and the Samsung Intercept have software issues and are old phones. The Motorola Triumph is coming out this week, but i'm not shelling out $300 for a phone.

Well then, cross your fingers for me. I just activated an Intercept.

 

[SunRey]

Thank You!

 

[Pardus]

Sorry, was misinformed, just called Virgin Mobile.

Long as you get and activate a phone today before 12am EST tonight your locked in with the $25 monthly plan, you can transfer a number from another carrier or exchange phones in the future with no increase in rate fee.

The only thing that will cause you to lose the $25 rate is switching from one plan to another, so if you switch to the $60 monthly plan, you lose the $25 plan forever.

The only thing i do not like is that the LG Optimus V only has 157MB of internal storage. The Samsung Intercept only has 512KB of internal storage.

The Motorola Triumph is somewhat better with 2GB of internal storage. I know you can use SD cards for expandability, but would nice to see these phones get updated with more internal storage like the apple iphone or the samsung captivate.

 

[mnewsham]

This is what carriers have to say to offset the kneejerk reaction of consumers who have no idea of how much data they actually use. It's true as a vast majority of users barely use nearly that much data month.

If you don't stream music all day long or similar things, you don't have to worry about the cap.

Damn, so my pandora streaming should end?

Nope can't do it, $110 for verizon is steep but I still have their unlimited data and plan on keeping it.

 

[ibex333]

Wow... Are you frigging kidding me?! Even after a college employee discount I am still paying $90/month for Verizon, and the supposedly "awsome" Droid 2 Global constantly freezes, compass doesnt calibrate, and GPS stopped working rescently. Plus I constantly get dropped calls when calling from my Brooklyn, NY apt...


When I called Verizon and complained about dropped calls, they pretty much said, "tough luck pal" we cant help you because this is when calling from indoors and offered me to buy a signal extender for $150!!! I might as well cancel and sell the Droid 2 for this much.

I may as well switch to the $25/month plan with no contracts and an "outdated" phone. All I really need is unlimited text and data so I can occasionally phone Skype my girl who is in Russia.

 

[Craig234]

What's a good phone to get with this? The phone people weren't too helpful but said the plan is available on the internet until midnight.

Just get the cheapest and plan to replace it?

Or is there one good to get?

 

[Greg04]

What's a good phone to get with this? The phone people weren't too helpful but said the plan is available on the internet until midnight.

Just get the cheapest and plan to replace it?

Or is there one good to get?

Here's the thing - you can get the Optimus, its OK. The triumph is where its at right now. But to get to the triumph at $25, you need to activate within the next few hours. AND you need to activate a "beyond talk" phone. I bought the rumor touch (currently $79 @ BestBuy) and activated it. Next week I'll buy a triumph and ebay the Rumor. Or, you can just return the rumor to BB for $40 cash and call it day (they buy phones back within 6 months for 50&#37.

 

[Craig234]

I've got 30 minutes left, I think - but I see these messages about not being able to activate the plan in time if you buy the phone on their site.

You have to buy the phone first, then activate, so if that's the case I'd be buying the phone for nothing, then finding out I can't activate it in time. Their phone help is closed...

 

[LOL_Wut_Axel]

According to SD forum, if you didn't lock in the purchase by midnight last night, you will not be grandfathered in with the $25/mo plan. I was gonna switch to VM, but didn't have time to get the phone.

Also, the LG Optimus V and the Samsung Intercept have software issues and are old phones. The Motorola Triumph is coming out this week, but i'm not shelling out $300 for a phone.

VM contact is 1-888-322-1122

The LG Optimus V is not an old phone. It has older hardware, but it's not an old phone. Don't know where you heard about these software issues, either.

Even having older hardware it's a much faster phone than the Intercept, and it also has a much better screen and screen resolution. Build quality and physical dimensions are much better as well. The only thing I could really say is a drawback in comparison is that it has no physical QWERTY keyboard.

 

[matas]

Do I have to buy a phone from their website to be able to use their plans? Do they use simcards? It is still a good deal at $35 dollars. I think my dad pays like 100 for two phones lines, but I don't even get a data plan.

 

[Zap]

Do I have to buy a phone from their website to be able to use their plans? Do they use simcards? It is still a good deal at $35 dollars. I think my dad pays like 100 for two phones lines, but I don't even get a data plan.

There are stores that sell their phones. I think maybe Radio Shack does. I know Sam's Club used to.

They do not use SIM cards. They are on Sprint using CMDA.

At $35... if you seriously use very little minutes then it is still a decent deal. If you use more minutes and are considering the $45 plan, then consider Boost Mobile. They are unlimited everything at $50/mo, and after 6 months (if you are a continuous subscriber) they will drop to $45, then $40 after another six months, finally $35 after yet another 6 months.

 

[Craig234]

I went to a store with VM today. They said the $25 rate is the normally available plan and has not expired.

They also indicated the Optimus has the latest software, it costs $149.99 on the web and $179.99 in the story, they said the extra costs covers them 'setting it up'.

When I asked about the Optimus versus Triumph, they indicated the Triumph is faster with a little bigger screen, but didn't indicate much to justify the $350 web price.

 

[Lucifer Lost]

Thanks for a heads-up on this. I was able to pick up a Loft for $20 from Kmart to lock in the $25 plan. When the Triumph drops down to around $150 I might pick it up if the reviews hold up after people really start using it.

I went to a store with VM today. They said the $25 rate is the normally available plan and has not expired.

The store you went to is wrong. The $25 plan is now gone: http://www.virginmobileusa.com/cell-phone-plans/beyond-talk-plans.jsp

They also indicated the Optimus has the latest software, it costs $149.99 on the web and $179.99 in the story, they said the extra costs covers them 'setting it up'.

And on top of being wrong, they're gonna charge you $30 to "setup"? Ridiculous. Go to Best Buy. There is a 10% coupon you can use on their $150 base price (http://m.bestbuy.com/mobile/coupons/Movercampaign-2525062-HOME3.html). You can set it up yourself in about 5 minutes (my GF picked one up to lock in the $40/1200 minute/Unlimited text/data plan.)

When I asked about the Optimus versus Triumph, they indicated the Triumph is faster with a little bigger screen, but didn't indicate much to justify the $350 web price.

There is a little more to it than that like a Front Facing Camera, 5MP Camera, HDMI output, and HD (720p) Video. Higher rez/larger screen, faster processor, and thinner to boot.

That said, you're taking a big hit on your talk/standby time (4hr/3days vs 6hr/7days) and paying twice the price ($300 vs $150) of an Optimus V. The better tech is there, but it does come at a "price."

 

[Craig234]

The store you went to is wrong. The $25 plan is now gone: http://www.virginmobileusa.com/cell-phone-plans/beyond-talk-plans.jsp

Ya, I just went to your link, it showed $25, I hit shift-refresh, $35.

I wonder what the store will say if I ask for the plan.

And on top of being wrong, they're gonna charge you $30 to "setup"? Ridiculous. Go to Best Buy. There is a 10% coupon you can use on their $150 base price (http://m.bestbuy.com/mobile/coupons/Movercampaign-2525062-HOME3.html). You can set it up yourself in about 5 minutes (my GF picked one up to lock in the $40/1200 minute/Unlimited text/data plan.)

Thanks for that and the info.

There is a little more to it than that like a Front Facing Camera, 5MP Camera, HDMI output, and HD (720p) Video. Higher rez/larger screen, faster processor, and thinner to boot.

That said, you're taking a big hit on your talk/standby time (4hr/3days vs 6hr/7days) and paying twice the price ($300 vs $150) of an Optimus V. The better tech is there, but it does come at a "price."

I'm not sure what to get. But the VM plans seem way cheaper than others, and it's good they don't have a contract.