Any good mobile phone service deals?

[danagee]

I'm shopping for a new mobile phone service provider. Has anyone seen any hot offers lately??
TIA

Dana
ds 8/04 * dd 1/06

[rwagdivh]

Not sure how much you use your phone, but we recently switched to T-Mobile Pay as you go plan. We don't use text messaging or the other extras and although I use mine a decent amount my DH never remembers to even turn his on (some months he was using like 15 mins, if that). I did the math and it made a lot of sense to switch to Pay as You go.

After doing the research T-Mobile had the best deal for us. The network is awesome in our area -- North Central MD into South Central PA. I couldn't get a signal in my house with my old Verizon phone, but now I can with T-Mobile. When we purchased it Target was running a free phone with a $100 phone card deal. Plus, on top of that you get something like 10% extra minutes when you do the $100 phone card for all phone card purchases made for the next year. Target usually runs a sale on one of the pay as you go time plans from different companies each week. If you're patient you can get what you want.

And T-Mobile's customer service is AWESOME. The best I have ever dealt with and they can switch your phone number from your old carrier.

I highly recommend sitting down and doing the math so that you're not buying minutes you'll never actually use up.

[danagee]

How does that pay-as-you go plan work? Will I get a phone number? And there's no monthly fee?
You can pm me the answer since this is a bit off-topic.
Thanks

Dana
ds 8/04 * dd 1/06

[wendmatt]

It depends how many minutes you use.We use Tmobile to go too. I got the $100 card and that makes you a gold card member, which means your minutes last for a year. I'm on my second year and only used just under the $100 (1000 mins) in the first year and when I got the new $100 card, the minutes rolled over. You just call and you can either set up a new phone # or add minutes to an existing #. It works really well for me as I hardly use it and paying even $20 a month for a basic service is more than I need. Dh just got one too, athough he's using more minutes, but it still seems more economical for us. Highly rec it and like PP said, Target often does deals, we just got the $100 card for $89 and DH got a free phone when he got the first $100 card early on this year.

[rwagdivh]

The other posting sums it up perfectly. And, yes they will automatically give you a new number or you can call and have them transfer a cell number that you already have. There's absolutely no monthly fee. Like the other posting says a $100 card activates your phone for one year. The smaller denominations only activate your phone for 60 days (I believe???) So, you have to purchase another card befoe the 60 days is up to keep your phone active and retain the same phone #. All in all buying the $100 card seems the best deal overall.

Rachel

[danagee]

Thank you all SO much! I just wish I'd asked earlier.
$100/year is so much cheaper for me than the $37/month I've been spending on basically 1-2 calls each month.
Thanks again...off to go shopping :)

Dana
ds 8/04 * dd 1/06