Author Topic: Help with New Phones and Plan Starting Over  (Read 2381 times)

engineerjourney

  • Bristles
  • ***
  • Posts: 453
  • Age: 36
Help with New Phones and Plan Starting Over
« on: January 14, 2014, 04:53:17 PM »
My DH and I have super dumb phones that are over 5 years old, on our families phone plans with Verizon, costing our parents like $5/month so they haven't minded.  We desperately need new phones because ours are starting to turn off randomly and just not work from old age.  We would like to go ahead and get on our own plan but we dont want to pay a ton of money.  I need some help figuring out what we should do though.  I have read the Superguide and it seems like a lot talks to people trying to keep their phones.. we need new ones.  I would appreciate any insight (or let me know if I missed a part in the Superguide.. there was so much info there).

Info:
 - AT&T and Verizon have the best networks where I am
 - Most of our phone calls are made from home so I would love a phone that can use wireless for calls since reception isnt great at our place.   Or maybe a phone that is easily compatible with aps that allow you to do this? 
 - We probably use 300 minutes a month calling between us?  (Max?)
 - We text a lot!  I would love a phone that would allow me to have them in conversations rather than having to open each message individually.  Also one that I don't have to delete them all the time from no memory room!
 - We do not own any Apple products
 - We don't currently have data but I would love to be able to check my email on my phone and randomly google every once in a while.  My friends say gmail works best with the Android platform.  I doubt we would use a ton of data that isnt wifi though.

Let me know if you have any thoughts!  Thanks for the help in advance.  Let me know if you need any more info.   

seattlecyclone

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 7254
  • Age: 39
  • Location: Seattle, WA
    • My blog
Re: Help with New Phones and Plan Starting Over
« Reply #1 on: January 14, 2014, 05:34:21 PM »
Can you buy new phones and stay on your existing plan? You're not really going to do any better than $5/month by switching plans.

engineerjourney

  • Bristles
  • ***
  • Posts: 453
  • Age: 36
Re: Help with New Phones and Plan Starting Over
« Reply #2 on: January 14, 2014, 05:48:38 PM »
Unfortunately the reason we haven't gotten new phones is because we would have to get smart phones with mandatory super $$$ data plans based on the plan our parents are on and it adds 2 years to the contract.  (My brothers phone two years ago added $20 just for data to the family plan, just for his phone).  We do want some data which we just can't get cheaply through Verizon, at least on their plans.  To be clear, he is on his family's plan and I am on mine.. so $5/month each.. and actually it might be more but our parents wont let us pay it.   

So, I guess ignore the fact that we are not paying right now; advice for two people out of contract, with dying phones, wanting the ability to start fresh with as little transition costs as possible.

VuwylkOnlezzyen

  • 5 O'Clock Shadow
  • *
  • Posts: 32
Re: Help with New Phones and Plan Starting Over
« Reply #3 on: January 14, 2014, 06:29:40 PM »
You could try Airvoice+Moto G.

Airvoice has monthly plans as cheap as $10 a month, and I believe the remaining account balance rolls over as long as you continue to renew.  How many is "a lot" of texts?  If you send them to only few places, might it be replaced with a messaging app like Kik?  That would actually be cheaper.  Nevertheless, if you feel you need texting and 200 is too constrained (150min talk=$6, leaving $4 for $0.02/text=200), they also have a $30 that is unlimited talk/text+500mb of data.

All of this is on AT&T's network, but currently without LTE.  That won't be an issue, though, if you go with the Moto G, as it doesn't have an LTE antenna.

2xMoto G = $358+shipping/taxes

Another option is to look into purchasing a Nokia Symbian handset or a used phone, although the Moto G is fairly competitively priced if you are looking for a smartphone.