Cell Phone Question

[sauerkraut]

Hey Gang, I'm in need of a new cell phone my old Verizion phone from 2003 is worn out- I want a pre-paid phone and I'm thinking either an AT&T, or a T-Moble, I'm leaning toward the AT&T, do they have any hiden costs with them? I also like the TracPhone but people I know with them have told me the phones cut out alot and service is poor, I need a phone that has coverage in major cities since I travel alot and don't want to have roaming charges. Any ideas, any experence with AT&T cell phones? Getting a new Verizion phone is too expensive, Verizion charges too much for everything... Thanks-

[nathanm]

Hey Gang, I'm in need of a new cell phone my old Verizion phone from 2003 is worn out- I want a pre-paid phone and I'm thinking either an AT&T, or a T-Moble, I'm leaning toward the AT&T, do they have any hiden costs with them? I also like the TracPhone but people I know with them have told me the phones cut out alot and service is poor, I need a phone that has coverage in major cities since I travel alot and don't want to have roaming charges. Any ideas, any experence with AT&T cell phones? Getting a new Verizion phone is too expensive, Verizion charges too much for everything... Thanks-

Tracfone uses at&t around here, for all the good and bad that implies. at&t's network used to be incredibly good here, but the iPhone seems to be hammering it pretty hard these days, so I pretty regularly get network busies and can't make calls for a few minutes. (I've been using Cingularthe new at&t since 2001)

Verizon is pretty new in town, so is probably not the best choice. If you just want cheap and only need it in Tulsa, use Cricket. Or get a GoPhone.

[custosnox]

If you just want cheap and only need it in Tulsa, use Cricket.

I'm surprised at how far Cricket has come over the past few years.  Even though it is primarily for local use, any cricket market is concidered local.  In Tulsa the local area is extended to OKC if you have a tri-band phone.  It also has prepaid roaming minutes which come in handy for the occasional travel out of town, and for when in a bad reception area.  However, if you need more then 100 - 200 minutes a month outside of the local area it would end up costing you a lot more.  Dallas and Omaha are not local area's last I checked.

[Hoss]

I'm surprised at how far Cricket has come over the past few years.  Even though it is primarily for local use, any cricket market is concidered local.  In Tulsa the local area is extended to OKC if you have a tri-band phone.  It also has prepaid roaming minutes which come in handy for the occasional travel out of town, and for when in a bad reception area.  However, if you need more then 100 - 200 minutes a month outside of the local area it would end up costing you a lot more.  Dallas and Omaha are not local area's last I checked.

+1.  Oh, don't forget about Columbus OH...

[sgrizzle]

I have heard Virgin pre-paid is the way to go, but it's been awhile since I read much on it.

[sauerkraut]

I have heard Virgin pre-paid is the way to go, but it's been awhile since I read much on it.

That's what another poster told me on another forum. I also been told TracPhone is good. I have Verizion now and had it since 2003 -But the new Verizion phones charge you $1.00 a day when you make calls my current Verizion phone does not do that I just get charged for the calls I make, I'll also lose my 614 area code when I get a new phone, I'll be getting area code 918. Verizion was good I could be in Indianapolis, Omaha, or Columbus Ohio and make calls easy, However, When I was in Tulsa early on I was on Roaming until Tulsa went to Verizion- Thanks everyone for the info. I'd like to keep my current phone but the battery is not not made anymore, and it costs about $50.00 for just the battery if you can find it. ( I heard that "Battery Plus" carries it)- Anyhow, I'm better off just to get a new phone, my current cell phone is so old it does not even take pictures.

[Hoss]

That's what another poster told me on another forum. I also been told TracPhone is good. I have Verizion now and had it since 2003 -But the new Verizion phones charge you $1.00 a day when you make calls my current Verizion phone does not do that I just get charged for the calls I make, I'll also lose my 614 area code when I get a new phone, I'll be getting area code 918. Verizion was good I could be in Indianapolis, Omaha, or Columbus Ohio and make calls easy, However, When I was in Tulsa early on I was on Roaming until Tulsa went to Verizion- Thanks everyone for the info. I'd like to keep my current phone but the battery is not not made anymore, and it costs about $50.00 for just the battery if you can find it. ( I heard that "Battery Plus" carries it)- Anyhow, I'm better off just to get a new phone, my current cell phone is so old it does not even take pictures.

so if you'r e living here now, why is it a problem to lose your 614 area code?

Hmm?

Hmm?

[nathanm]

so if you'r e living here now, why is it a problem to lose your 614 area code?

I live here. I still have a 479 number and I'm not going to change it. I got no dog in this hunt, I'm just sayin'.

[sauerkraut]

so if you'r e living here now, why is it a problem to lose your 614 area code?

Hmm?

Hmm?

Maybe because so many people I know have my old phone number, I'd need to contact everyone about my new phone number. They even have my 614 phone number at Auto Zone & Advance Auto as a warranty number on the parts I buy there so I'd need to keep my old number in mind for that. Keeping my old number would be alot more easy.

[sauerkraut]

Looks like the TracFone is the way to go. They even have double minute plans and when you buy minutes you also get not only the added minutes on top of your old minutes not used up, but they add on extra days too. It seems like the NET10 phones are the same as TracFone they have the same plans and same phones and same thing with adding time & days. With Verizion I get added minutes but not added days.

[Conan71]

I have heard Virgin pre-paid is the way to go, but it's been awhile since I read much on it.

It's been awhile since I've had a virgin...

[sauerkraut]

I have heard Virgin pre-paid is the way to go, but it's been awhile since I read much on it.

They seem like good phones but the coverage is not too good, according to maps they don't cover much of Nebraska

[dbacks fan]

I have heard Virgin pre-paid is the way to go, but it's been awhile since I read much on it.

Is that legal in Oklahoma?

[Hoss]

Is that legal in Oklahoma?

I'd figure it most definitely would be, considering we're in the Bible Belt.