Cell Phone Plans. Which company has the best offer?

[Tuesday Afternoon]

My contract is up and I am thinking about switching.

[mwooldri]

1. Then I have lots of questions for you.

What do you use your phone for?

Who is your current carrier and do you want new phones or do you want to keep your existing phone? Do you want to be locked into contract for 2 years or is flexibility more important?

If you're an occasional user, on a tight budget and don't mind taking a risk there's a couple of virtual networks selling prepaid plans that on paper look a good deal. Total Call Mobile offers prepaid at $10/month, but you got to refill every 90 days to keep service active - refill at least $10. They're a Sprint reseller, so if you have Sprint now, these guys are basically reselling their services. They can be found at www.totalcallmobile.com. Tuyo have a similar deal, but they're on T-Mobiles' network. They're at www.tuyo.com.

If you need multimedia, web access, lots of text messages, stuff like that then you definitely need to look at plans.

[Tuesday Afternoon]

2. I mainly use it for long distance. Currently, I am with AT&T

(they bought out Cingular, my original). I would like to have camera capability. The rest of the stuff is not necessary. Right now, I have a nationwide plan. I use my cellphone daily.

[mwooldri]

6. Well, that helps narrow it down.

I am presuming you don't have a camera right now on your phone, so a new phone will be required. Also sounds like you talk a lot, so a prepaid plan would definitely be out of the question.

If you don't mind being tied in for two years and you have a budget, then really, any of the majors probably would do you a nice phone with camera capability, a voice-heavy plan with some texting capability (you will need a means to get those pictures off your phone, and they will advise you on how to do it) will I think be the way to go. Certainly check into Credo, which someone else posted about. They use Sprint's network so if Sprint's coverage is good for you then Credo will be fine. It's the getting the new phone part which makes it more interesting. You can buy up front and pay $200 for a basic phone, or lock into contract and get it for free. Alternatively you could scour ebay for a phone that'll work on the service you want to use, and when obtained, call said carrier and sign up for service without a contract period. Buying you own phone is good in the sense that if you hate their service or run into any difficulties you can call them up and cancel your plan at any time or switch carrier (if you got a AT&T phone you can switch to T-Mobile, got Sprint, you can switch to Verizon (usually)) dependent on which system they use (GSM or CDMA) without buying a new phone. If you get one of the carriers phones and get locked in, well you're in contract unless they change it (your get out clause) or you pay hefty early termination fees.

I don't know if this helps any but good luck in your phone search!

mark.

[Tuesday Afternoon]

7. Thank you Mark.

:hug:

[KansDem]

3. There's Credo...

http://www.credomobile.com/

Mission:

A small band of idealists comes together to further the causes of human rights, women’s rights, peace, environmentalism and an entire progressive agenda. They have an idea about helping people spend in a socially responsible way, turning everyday purchases into automatic acts of generosity.

So they establish a company called Working Assets. It is 1985.

And then - long before “corporate social responsibility” is a buzzphrase - they develop an innovative long distance service where 1% of your charges goes to progressive nonprofits you vote on, your bill serves as a progressive newsletter and your phone company as a progressive lobby.

And something really clicks with consumers.

This Working Assets movement grows steadily over the next 23 years, providing steadily growing support for a wide range of progressive nonprofits, before taking the natural next step into mobile phones - along with a name that better reflects their current business: CREDO Mobile.

To date, the company and its members have donated more than $60 million to amazing groups - groups that members themselves help select - like Doctors without Borders, the ACLU, the Global Fund for Women, Greenpeace, Planned Parenthood, and more, while generating 5,652,914 letters, 15,785,829 emails and 932,992 calls to political and corporate decision-makers.

And though the name may have changed and the business evolved, the company’s philosophy and mission remain the same: to make it easy for passionate progressives to make a difference.

[Tuesday Afternoon]

4. Thank you for this link and the info. I will check into them. I had

heard of them and then forgotten the name.

[KansDem]

5. I receive occasional ads from them in my email

I'm thinking about getting my own cell phone. My wife and daughter have them through AT&T, but I thought I might look into something different, since I haven't been too happy with AT&T since they saw fit to let the Bushitas spy on me illegally.