Low Cost Cell Phone Carrier

[SOD]

I'm looking for a low cost cell but still want good coverage (if possible). Walmart has TracFone has anyone used it or heard if it has good coverage. Wife and I only use about 100-150 Min. per month so I would like to stay away from Sprint or Verizon.

Dave

[Izzyblueye]

I used TracFone for 10 years, was very satisfied with it until last Jan in Florida. Suddenly I could not call out of my M/H any more. TracFone uses 3 phone company towers to send/rec calls. If I went 4 miles closer to the towers I could use the Trac Fone just fine. In checking I found that Verizon who was closest to me, at high peak times of the day apparently squeezed TracFone's availability. I purchased a Verizon and had no more trouble getting out from my motor home parked in a resort. I kept the TracFone because that was the first time I ever had a problem getting out on it. I still have it and it works just fine 95% of the time. There is no cheaper Cell service any where else.

[lostagain]

We have been using Consumer Cellular for about 2 years now and have not had any issues, check out the coverage map.
No Contract Cell Phones & Wireless Plans - Consumer Cellular

[frankdamp]

Low cost and good coverage seem to be mutually exclusive. We've had Virgin Mobile for several years. With auto top-up, it's $5/month, with all the cost going into minutes, which never expire. VM reseslls Sprint service, but I'm not sure if they get to all of Sprint's towers. VM has been fine for use until we started RVing again.

The first negative is that the minutes are expensive, but if you only use the phone for emergencies, like we do, that's OK. Our monthly usage is probably less than 10 minutes. The second (and major) drawback is the coverage. Since we got our current MH last July, we've had 19 nights away (Washington and the Oregon Coast). We had no signal at any of the CGs.

Since home base is very close to the Canadian border, coverage in Canada is something we want to get. Verizon seems to be the only one offering it, according to the various web-site coverage maps.

Talking to folks in the CGs we were at who did have coverage, the majority were either AT&T or Verizon. With the poor rating AT&T got in the recent Consumer Reports review and the lack of Canadian coverage, I guess we'll be going Verizon for the new season.

[geekyexplore]

Don't rule out the big vendors, I did have a friend who was on AT&T but used a pre-pay plan. If you are using the phone primarily as a phone and not with data service this is often the most cost effective way to go.

Keith

[gb1999]

We have used CC for 2 years now, very nice people to deal with and coverage is good, much cheaper than the big ones, you can change your plans and services over their website not for smartphone users though, we are very satisfied.

[ctcamper]

t mobile is not bad for prepaid. Prepaid card is 100 and is good for a year plus they roll over. The coverage I know is good for the eastern seaboard. I generally do less than 1000 minutes a year. I dislike phones period . I do most of my work through a computer so I handle more with email than voice.

[lllkrob]

If your 65 or over you can get a Verizon plan for $29.95 per month 200 minutes. Check the Verizon Wireless website.

[mr300ce]

Wally World has a phone with unlimited stuff for $50 mo, no long term plan.

[rvgrandma]

All the postings are a year old - any more reports? We have had Verizon for years but need to lower bills. I am looking at Consumer Cellular due to cost. We currently pay 75 for 2 phones and want to lower to $50 or less. I don't use data, so that is not an issue. I just need it to have GPS. I am not sure how much more traveling we will do. We will be north of the Tri-cities area in Washington for the summer. After that, I don't know.

[awarnes]

Last year I cancelled my ATT cell phone because I wasn't using enough minutes. I was losing more minutes than I was using. I went with T-Moble prepaid for $100 (I had a T-Moble phone that worked) and have 1000 minutes. In July when that year comes up if I add $10 to the account they rollover the minutes. Coverages is great except on the Washington Coast (no coverage there). If you want to get a phone for T-Moble go to Walmart and they have phones that will work for the prepaid. I've been happy since I got it. I/We only use about 50 minutes a month.

[free-to-roam]

Quote:

Originally Posted by rvgrandma All the postings are a year old - any more reports? We have had Verizon for years but need to lower bills. I am looking at Consumer Cellular due to cost. We currently pay 75 for 2 phones and want to lower to $50 or less. I don't use data, so that is not an issue. I just need it to have GPS. I am not sure how much more traveling we will do. We will be north of the Tri-cities area in Washington for the summer. After that, I don't know.

We have used Verizon for several years, 2 phones, 2100 shared minutes, and a wireless stick, come to $189 a month. TOO MUCH!
Recently doing search, found the Wally offering, known as
StriaghtTalk, offeres two plans. one $30 a month, unlimited talk, text, and one for $45 a month, unlimited talk, text, data, no contract needed.
With the latter, you can get a phone that will act as a Hotspot, allowing you to use your computer, either wireless, or wired.
This service uses BOTH ATT and Verizon towers, just according to which is closer. Do the math, even tho you buy the phone, and there is a good variety, especially on-line, you can have nice service, and not pay the big monthly premium.
i will save $100 a month when I switch in May.
Will have good phones, service, and most importantly. my own secure WIFI, not a doggy dangerous shared service. IMHO

[Road Ranger]

We became Snowbirds in a motorhome last August and came south to AZ last November 2011. We picked up 2 Tracfones at Wally World and have had good service with good quality signals both here in the Phoenix area and in the LA area in CA. Although I use mine very little, DW will spend more than an hour per call once or twice a month talking to her family.

PRO's - Minutes roll over at the end of the month. They also have a few nice free options for keeping in touch via long distance! Online, you can provide your friends/family with local numbers so they can call you without paying LD charges PLUS you can also assign ten 888 numbers to friends and family so that you can call them without paying LD charges. Totally cool, as my g/daughter says. HOWEVER!.......

CON's.....we have had the absolutely hardest time replenishing our minutes! We still don't know why, but it takes us more than an hour by the time we give up trying to do it online and then trying to do it by phone before we give up and call customer service!

YMMV - but we'll keep this service for the time being, anyway.

[demoon]

OK, we live in Central MA where there is solid coverage from all the major carriers. We tried both Consumer Cellular and Trac Phone and neither worked at all in our area. You cannot depend on the "we use AT&T/Verizon towers>" You cannot be sure until you try. Make them give you a demo or trial period. Consumer Cellular was great - when they conceded that we had no coverage they refunded all of our money. With Trac Phone you own the phones and the minutes you bought, so we were out $100 on that fiasco. We now have the Verizon senior plan which works great.