5 Months of Smartphone Badassity for $20

[Z]

Ptel's new GSM Pay As You Go plans have gone live.  5 cents per minute, 2 cents per text, 10 cents per MB.   PTel uses T-Mobile native coverage, and allow you to bring any T-Mobile or unlocked AT&T phone.  They're running a special for $20 today until 12/31: a sim card and a $40 150 day top up (use coupon code SIMWOOT40). 

So....

A free sim card and a combination of
800 minutes OR 400 MB used over 5 months
for $4 per month

These are the best pay as you go rates currently available, and Ptel is one of the most reputable and respected MVNO's.  Check out the following pages if you need more detail (T-Mobile coverage will be a deal breaker for some MMM readers).

http://www.platinumtel.com/plans

http://www.facebook.com/ptelmobile

[ketchup]

Definitely getting in on this. Thanks for the heads-up!

[Daley]

Z, I hate to be a downer, but you're technically incorrect with your headline. I'll clarify here shortly.

Alrighty folks, I've got official news straight from the horse's mouth regarding the Platinumtel relaunch:

First is the most important for pre-existing P'tel customers:
CDMA USERS - THEY WILL BE TERMINATING CDMA SERVICE THROUGH SPRINT BETWEEN MARCH-APRIL 2013!

For the CDMA users who stay with until the end before porting out or switching over to GSM, the new recharge rates and airtime expiration rates apply. This applies to both the monthly and Real PayGo users for cost, features, and airtime.

Next up on the good news front, CDMA users who migrate to the GSM service will keep both their number and their airtime balance in the transition. That means all those credits you pre-existing users have? You get to keep them!

Finally, clarification on the Woot deal that Z posted the coupon code for. I got details regarding the coupon and the value... this isn't going to work for Real PayGo use. Full stop, no exceptions. The promotion is for the SIM card and a credit for the $40 Unlimited plan only. For pre-existing users, the $40 credit cannot be applied to the account without first switching to the $40 Unlimited monthly plan which wipes out any existing Real PayGo balance. New users who sign up for the Woot deal will have to start with the $40 Unlimited package, and they can convert the account over to Real PayGo, but the balance does not go with it as the conversion apparently happens after completion of that monthly billing cycle. So no, there's no way to use that $40 credit towards the Real PayGo service... so there's no five months of P'tel service for $20 deal. Unless you're going with the monthly plans or already on one and staying put, most everyone's going to be better served just spending $5 on the SIM card instead of dealing with the Woot coupon.

EDIT: The Woot coupon is a $24.99 credit that applies to any shopping cart that has a SIM card and $40 or more of airtime cards in it, Unlimited or PayGo. I stand corrected, and my sources appear to have been incorrect. Day one of relaunch, there's bound to be conflicting info. C'est la vie.

[Z]

Alrighty folks, I've got official news straight from the horse's mouth regarding the Platinumtel relaunch:
I got details regarding the coupon and the value... this isn't going to work for Real PayGo use. Full stop, no exceptions.

Thanks for the post I.P.  It's possible that PTel has been providing incorrect information, but public posts on their official facebook page state unequivocally that it will work for PayGo.  They haven't removed the posts saying that the deal is applicable to PayGo, and multiple individuals have reported being able to purchase a $40 PayGo top-up with a sim card for $20.  I be surprised if PTel cancelled sales that have already gone through, but who am I to disagree with the horses mouth :)  That said, even without the coupon code, it's still currently the best value in pay as you go.

[Daley]

Thanks for the post I.P.  It's possible that PTel has been providing incorrect information, but public posts on their official facebook page state unequivocally that it will work for PayGo.  They haven't removed the posts saying that the deal is applicable to PayGo, and multiple individuals have reported being able to purchase a $40 PayGo top-up with a sim card for $20.  I be surprised if PTel cancelled sales that have already gone through, but who am I to disagree with the horses mouth :)  That said, even without the coupon code, it's still currently the best value in pay as you go.

That is a distinct possibility... relaunches frequently have conflicting information at times, even within the organization. Granted, exceptions could occur and policies are changing, but given what their existing and past policies have been, the credit only working on the $40 plan and not being transferable is pretty consistent with past actions. Your news piqued my interest as well, and when I had occasion to talk with my rep, I inquired about it just to make sure because all the official stuff on their Facebook and the Woot thread only mentioned the $40 Unlimited credit, despite unanswered users asking about Real PayGo. It could be a great deal potentially if they do allow it to be applied as $40 of Real PayGo for existing users, but I've got too large an unused balance to potentially sacrifice and know enough about their billing policies to take the risk to satisfy curiosity and confirm first hand on a finite promotion that could potentially save only $25.

If others want to roll the dice to see what happens and report back, please do! But for me, I'll err on the side of caution as always.

Speaking of conflicting info, I've had opportunity to review their new Terms and Conditions, which is nagging at me. I've been assured twice now that rollover balance up to a year on Real PayGo isn't changing, but there's no mention of rollover balance with the service anymore like the old terms had. Of course, they're still listing the Hybrid TNT plans, so. *shrugs* Hopefully it's just an oversight from Legal...

[Z]

all the official stuff on their Facebook and the Woot thread only mentioned the $40 Unlimited credit

To clarify, PayGo applicability was confirmed by the official PTel representative on their Facebook page. 

I placed an order and successfully received a confirmation for a $40 PayGo top-up and sim card for $20.

Orders could be cancelled, but if it's not a valid deal, PTel isn't trying very hard to stop it :)

[Daley]

To clarify, PayGo applicability was confirmed by the official PTel representative on their Facebook page. 

I placed an order and successfully received a confirmation for a $40 PayGo top-up and sim card for $20.

Orders could be cancelled, but if it's not a valid deal, PTel isn't trying very hard to stop it :)

Good to hear! (And like I said, gotta love conflicting info during these sorts of events... this is definitely news that I wouldn't mind being wrong about.) Let me know if it stays that way with activation... Boxing Day's my deadline for re-upping. :)

[TLV]

CDMA USERS - THEY WILL BE TERMINATING CDMA SERVICE THROUGH SPRINT BETWEEN MARCH-APRIL 2013!

*sigh*. We were just getting used to our pretty pink Intercepts.

Do you recommend waiting until the last minute or switching over sooner?

Any inexpensive phone recommendations?

[Daley]

*sigh*. We were just getting used to our pretty pink Intercepts.

Do you recommend waiting until the last minute or switching over sooner?

Any inexpensive phone recommendations?

My wife said the same thing. lol

A good place to start would be my post over in the cell phone / smartphone advice thread. That's sort of my short list for GSM smartphones and feature phones. It's a pretty short list, honestly.

Personally, I'll probably likely pick up a Moto Droid PRO/XPRT with the transition or something similar, honestly (yes, it's a CDMA/GSM world phone)... but I really do miss my old Blackberry chicklet keyboard.

As for waiting... I'm sure there'll be some reasonable last minute switcher deals offered, but if Z is right on the $40 credit being usable by PayGo, could be six a one, half dozen the other.

[Daley]

Z, I decided to actually monkey with the coupon and the shopping cart after what you last said and given I finally woke up enough to realize it wasn't a coupon for a specific bundle on their website. It looks like the basics of the Woot coupon code has the following restrictions in their shopping cart:

$24.99 off of any purchase of a SIM card with a $40 or greater account credit (monthly or PayGo).

I stand corrected, and I went ahead and ordered (initial post will be edited appropriately). I also seriously doubt they'd void or cancel any pre-existing orders, or stick in a $40 Unlimited credit... though, time and the package will tell. Now I'll have to dust off my ancient Nokia from the AT&T days until I get off the fence on a new smartphone model.

[Z]

Edit to my initial post - the coupon code is valid until December 31st.

http://www.howardforums.com/showthread.php/1786073-For-those-who-did-the-PTel-Woot-deal?p=15015718#post15015718

[JT]

What a great option!  Wish there was something like this in NZ!

[N]

Im still a newbie when it comes to prepaid plans and such.

currently my husband has an iphone 4 (just given to him by his brother, and in the process of being unlocked)
and I have an iphone 3gs.
both are on airvoice, husband has the 10$ pay as you go, and I have the 35$ unlmted talk/text, 250 mb data.

I think ptel might be a good option for us-but I cant figure out if the coupon is only good for online orders or can I use it in the store?
I need to port both numbers, and from teh website, it appears I need to call when activating to do that.

However, the very first step is to order the sim cards, right? and the plan? how do I specify which size sim I need? I have looked all over that ptel site and cant figure this out.

so, first I order the card and plan, using the code (online only? store? over the phone?)
then when I activate, I call in to do so, to port the numbers (and use the referral code to get 5$ off)
then I can just do nothing and the airvoice acct is over since I ported the numbers?

I feel like Im kicking it old school and disc-jumping thru all the internet providers who offered free discs with so many hours on them.
Im nervous about switching again to ptel (just switched to airvoice 2 months ago, from att for the last...forever)

N

[N]

and, I can go ahead and get the sim cards before the coupon expires, and how long do I have until I have to activate the card?

I cant find this anywhere on the site. do I not know where to look???? arg

[Z]

I think ptel might be a good option for us-but I cant figure out if the coupon is only good for online orders or can I use it in the store?

PTel, Airvoice, Ting, etc. don't have stores, they just resell network capacity.  And keep costs down :)

However, the very first step is to order the sim cards, right? and the plan? how do I specify which size sim I need? 

Using the code is a little tricky.  Here's how:
On the Plans page click the buy now button, and then the add to cart button on the following page. Then enter your zip code if prompted.
On the next page, click the picture of the SIM card to add it to the card.
Choose the $40 Paygo Plan and click the picture of the topup card on the next page.
Then click the checkout button and and enter SIMWOOT40 in the coupon code box.
http://www.prepaidphonenews.com/2012/12/ptel-gsm-goes-live-with-free-sim-and-40.html
Ptel only carries regular sim's at the moment, not micro/nano.

and, I can go ahead and get the sim cards before the coupon expires, and how long do I have until I have to activate the card?

Per a PTel post on HoFo: "you must load a PIN you purchased within one year from date of purchase"
http://www.howardforums.com/showthread.php/1784794-Ptel-Announces-Paygo-Expiry-Dates

I have the 35$ unlmted talk/text, 250 mb data.

FYI, the $35 plan has 100mb :)
http://www.airvoicewireless.com/plans-2/unlimited-plans-with-data/35-unlimited-plan-with-data/

I feel like Im kicking it old school and disc-jumping thru all the internet providers who offered free discs with so many hours on them.
Im nervous about switching again to ptel (just switched to airvoice 2 months ago, from att for the last...forever)

If you're happy with Airvoice service, no reason to switch.  Ptel data rates are considerably better than Airvoice, but there won't be a huge difference between Airvoice and Ptel minute/text rates once the coupon code is no longer valid.  Combined with the fact that native AT&T (Airvoice) cover is better than T-Mobile (Ptel), it will be a wash for many, particularly if you have to port every time you'd change carriers, as opposed to using Google Voice call forwarding.

[Z]

The deal is back

http://www.prepaidphonenews.com/2013/01/free-ptel-sim-and-40-pin-for-20-deal-is.html

[Z]

The ptelslick20 code is still valid.

It's also worth mentioning that Airvoice (finally) implemented an auto-renew feature.  http://www.airvoicewireless.com/AddAirtimeAutoRefill.aspx

Note that if you set up auto-renew it begins immediately, so best to wait until your current service is about to expire.

[keith]

Hmmm.

I'm currently on a t-mobile prepaid, 1500 talk/txt for $30 a month.

If I brought my handset to ptel, it looks like it would be cheaper if I kept the minutes down.

Questions:
1. Can you port your existing number to ptel? If so, how? If not, does everybody else just port to google voice and then forward?

2. With real paygo, is there any sort of email/txt notification that your balance is low? Or auto-renew? With T-mo I have it setup to monthly autopay, so its nice not to have to worry about running out and re-upping.

3. Do I need to unlock my phone first?

[Z]

1. Can you port your existing number to ptel? If so, how? If not, does everybody else just port to google voice and then forward?
2. With real paygo, is there any sort of email/txt notification that your balance is low? Or auto-renew? With T-mo I have it setup to monthly autopay, so its nice not to have to worry about running out and re-upping.
3. Do I need to unlock my phone first?

1. Yes.  Porting would be initiated during the account activation process.  https://www.platinumtel.com/activation The ptel FAQ has more info.  I prefer to have a GV# because of better portability, free texting over wifi (and free calling through 3rd party apps), visual voicemail, etc.  It's mostly personal preference though.

2. You can opt into balance notifications.  No auto-renew with ptel paygo.  The current coupon is for 5 months of service for $20 (effectively $.05/mb, $.025/minute), so renewal shouldn't have to be monthly.  Auto-renewal would be preferable though, hopefully they'll add it at some point like Airvoice just did.

3. Locked tmo phones should work.  Never a bad idea to call them up and unlock before you leave though.