Prepaid Cell Phones Guide

Boost Mobile Monthly Unlimited Prepaid Plan

admin — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 00:16:11 +0000

Boost Mobile is one of the more popular prepaid cell phone service providers in the marketplace today. Boost Mobile’s tag line—“where you at?”—pretty much sums up the fact that Boost skews to a younger audience.

This has been true in the past and is still true today, but the new Boost Mobile Monthly Unlimited prepaid plan has adults paying more attention. It’s not only that they may be saving money on the phone bills of their kids, it’s also that they might be interested in getting in on the unlimited prepaid plan from Boost Mobile for themselves.

The Boost Mobile Monthly Unlimited plan provides customers with unlimited talk time, unlimited text messages sent and received, unlimited web browsing, and unlimited mobile-to-mobile calling. It’s a pretty comprehensive package. Keep in mind that you will have to purchase a phone handset that works on the Boost Mobile Unlimited plan in addition to your monthly fee of $50.

There are several prepaid wireless providers out there who have very attractive deals for today’s cost-conscious consumer. First, there is TracFone, which recently released its Straight Talk brand of prepaid phones. This plan comes in two “sizes.” One is an unlimited plan, like the one from Boost, and the other one is a cheaper prepaid plan that still provides ample talk time and text messaging to its subscribers.

Another company you may have heard of is MetroPCS, which is a regional provider of prepaid plans. It too has an unlimited plan on its roster that it hopes will launch it into the big leagues or at least pull in a bunch of new customers.

There are quite a few plans from which to choose. A good way to get started is by comparing the plans available to your prior cell phone bills. Look for patterns and find the best one that will save you the most money while providing you all the services you need.

These companies are all competing against Boost Mobile for prepaid dominance. It really doesn’t matter that they’re competing. The most important thing is that consumers can find the right plan that works for them. It is possible to save a good amount of money over postpaid plans with the Boost Mobile Monthly Unlimited plan. On the same token, there are other prepaid plans that may be of interest to you as well and may work better for your particular needs.

Straight Talk by TracFone A Winner in Prepaid Phones

admin — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 01:49:35 +0000

Straight Talk by Tracfone is a prepaid phone plan that is a clear winner in a marketplace that is increasingly becoming crowded by prepaid offers. You may have seen some of these unlimited offers that have been popping up with greater frequency in the past several months–and truly, there are some good deals to be had.

What is Straight Talk?

Straight Talk is a brand of prepaid phones created by TracFone. The idea behind them was to create an affordable prepaid alternative for people who want a cheap cell phone plan on a respectable network that isn’t going to drop every other call. Straight Talk runs as an MVNO on Verizons’s strong network, so it’s a very good option for people across the nation.

You are assured great coverage all over the country and few dropped calls. There are two plans available. One is an unlimited plan and the other is for 1,000 minutes and 1,000 texts per month. The cost $45 and $30 respectively.

What are Unlimited prepaid plans?

Unlimited plans provide with just what you would expect: unlimited use of your phone. You typically receive limitless minutes of talk time, so you never can “go over” your minutes, and limitless text messages. In the case of Straight Talk, you also get unlimited web browsing, which is a huge plus!

T-Mobile’s New Cell Phone Releases

admin — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 06:46:17 +0000

The new holiday lineup for T-Mobile includes the following phones.

Google Android MyTouch 3G
Samsung Behold II
Motorola Cliq, of course
T-Mobile Tap
Nokia 3711
The new BlackBerry Curve 8520 is available in white.

The Nokia 3711, one of the new ones this year is your basic clamshell phone, but it supports T-Mobile’s 3G network and Web2Go, the web access and browsing component. It also boasts a 2 MP camera.

T-Mobile Tap is for people who live online and need to be connected while on the go. If you want easy access to all kinds of apps, this phone is for you.

This is not a bad lineup for T-Mobile, which also made some headlines recently due to the news about T-Mobile’s “Project Dark,” which is seen as a threat or at least a competitor in the prepaid phone market.

AT&T Prepaid Can’t Compete with TracFone Straight Talk

admin — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 06:37:24 +0000

AT&T recently released its third quarter results and it looks like the company is relying heavily on iPhone activations. Its recently revamped prepaid program bolstered revenues slightly, but according to analysts, it is insignificant revenue. In other words, AT&T’s prepaid arm will not be bringing in too much money in the future.

TracFone’s foray into Wal-Mart stores may further hurt AT&T’s prepaid chances. It’s all about the iPhone for AT&T!

MetroPCS In Trouble, Plus New Phone: Huawei M750

admin — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 15:34:35 +0000

MetroPCS has been going up against some very stiff competition in the prepaid cell phone plan market. Most notable, Boost Mobile has been the thorn in the company’s side.

Now, it looks as if MetroPCS may be forced to sell or create a merger, because even after adding (or because of adding) close to 700,000 subscribers in Eastern U.S. markets, the company can’t seem to make ends meet or make a big leap in profits. MetroPCS is going to have to make a move due to competition.

The news that Wal-Mart will be selling TracFone’s Straight Talk brand of prepaid phones, which are well priced and attractive since they operate as an MNVO on Verizon’s vaunted network, certainly is not going to be helping MetroPCS. It’s a shame since the company built part of its reputation on low prices and flat-rate plans.

In other news, MetroPCS is unleashing a new phone into markets. The new handset is called Huawei M750 and boasts a touch screen with a virtual keypad and a 1.3 megapixel camera. It retails at $199.

Business must carry on I guess.

Another Look at TracFone’s New Plans

admin — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 01:09:49 +0000

I was reading another review written by someone who writes for NY Times blog (not necessarily the paper) and he said some good things about TracFone’s new prepaid plans you may have read about that go under the name Straight Talk.

These plans have been in the news, not only because they are very well priced, but because they are going to be sold in Wal-Mart locations across the country. This is obviously a good thing for sales for the company.

The guy writes that Straight Talk is good for those few who are in the coverage area where service works. I think he misinterpreted the coverage map, perhaps forgetting that these plans operate on the Verizon network, or maybe he just looked at the wrong map.

His commenters–a few of whom use the service–jump right in and correct him, though.

Read more about the Straight Talk Unlimited plan and see if it can save you money. Or visit straighttalk.com to have a closer look at the plans.

Prepaid Phones Help You Save

admin — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 00:12:54 +0000

You may be wondering what all the hubbub is about prepaid cell phones. Well, at the end of the day, most people who use prepaid phones save money over their postpaid counterparts.

This statement is true, but you also have to keep in mind that certain phone users are meant for prepaid while other should probably stick with a contract phone.

If you need a super high-tech gadget you can pull out of your pocket or purse and instantly make an impactful status statement, then prepaid is probably not for you. In truth, pay as you go plans are generally for the more frugal user, who doesn’t live on the web and doesn’t constantly message their friends.

This is changing, however, as plans like Straight Talk from TracFone and Boost Mobile offer unlimited service to people. Both plans also provide unlimited web browsing, which is key. Unlimited text? Also key.

Clearly, the prepaid providers came to play.

Read more reviews on my plan reviews page.

Read about TracFone’s newest cheap prepaid cell phone plans.

Also, check out a review of Boost Mobile.

In other prepaid industry news, T-Mobile moves heavily into cheap no-contract plans in order to win more market share and compete with some of the smaller companies who have been picking up frugal subscribers.

Here are a few consumer tips for those looking for prepaid plans. That wraps it up for today. Thanks for stopping by. Subscribe to my RSS feed, follow my Twitter feed, or sign up for my monthly newsletter to stay up on prepaid deals and news.

Cricket Phone TXTM8 Pictures

admin — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 22:45:28 +0000

Cricket TXTM8 is a not too flashy phone for Cricket Wireless (built by PCD) that is about as simple as you can get. It has a really functional and “cute” look to it.

It’s a prepaid slider phone armed with a 1.3 megapixel camera, AWS CDMA, and stereo Bluetooth. It retails at a hair under $140.00, so you better be sure you like it before you get it. Get your hands on this one before you purchase. Read more here and here and see pictures below.

Prepaid Cell Phone Plans: Should You Dive in?

admin — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 22:21:21 +0000

You may have noticed that prepaid cell phone plans are getting better and better. In other words, wireless service providers are beginning to really take prepaid seriously and consider it an increasingly important part of their business. So should you go prepaid? Maybe you’re on the fence and haven’t quite figured out which plan is for you? Maybe you’re still worried that a pay as you go plan won’t work for your needs?

There are a few plans out there that may just fit the bill for you. But first, you should make sure that prepaid is something that will work for you.

Prepaid is for you if…

You want to cut your monthly bill.

You don’t care too much about having the trendiest, “app-iest” phone available. In other words, you’re okay with a “dumb phone” not a smart one.

You need flexibility in your plan.

Prepaid is NOT for you if…

You require a high-tech, up to the minute, trendy cell phone. Although some companies are starting to embrace higher end phones for prepaid plans, it is generally not the norm since the ultimate reason for pay as you go plans is to save money. An expensive phone misses the point.

You use a lot of features, apps, tools, and “live” online.

Your usage varies from month to month. This is true for some plans, but not unlimited prepaid plans like ones from Straight Talk or Boost Mobile.

Verizon Has Droid, Still Wants iPhone

admin — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 20:15:13 +0000

You may have seen some of the Droid commercials, aka the “iDon’t” ads that attacked the iPhone head-on. It may surprise you that Verizon Wireless still wants to get in on the iPhone craze. I would be all for it, considering Veirzon’s network coverage is superb in many parts of the country, while AT&T is, well, AT&.

The CEO of Verizon recently said the company would be interested in selling the wildly popular and culturally iconic smartphone any time in the future, that is, if Mr. Steve Jobs would ever give his blessing. Further quoted in an NY Times article, he said the decision is “exclusively in Apple’s court.”

But Verizon has other things going on. The new BlackBerry Storm 2 is coming, and of course, it’s quite busy ramping up its efforts with Droid smartphones that will openly compete with iPhone and run on Google’s Android 2.0 software. Here’s the news. Verizon wants the iPhone. Who wouldn’t?