Internet able cell phone help

[KrisM]

DH and I are in the market for new cell phones and plan. Don't laugh, but DH has a phone from 2000 and a plan from Sprint for $20/month for 20 minutes. He rarely goes over. I have a Tracfone that's a few years old. I probably use about 30 minutes/month now.

DH definitely needs a better phone as his is bulky and doesn't hold a charge, etc. I would really like a phone with web access, as I sell on ebay and would love to be able to check prices while out.

Does anyone know what the cheapest way to do this is? So far, I've looked at Verizon and it'll cost us $115/month for a family plan with 700 minutes and unlimited internet. Ugh! Considering we pay about $30 now, that is just more than we want. Without web access, it's still $70/month for 700 minutes.

I suppose if I don't do the web access, we should just stick with Tracfone or something else similiar, since it's cheap.

[kijip]

Maybe an internet enabled PDA is cheaper for you. Like a blackberry. You pay $30 now and for 2 phones with 1 having internet, the lowest we were able to find/go is about $90-100 a month. So if you could get an internet PDA for $20-40 a month or so, you come out ahead of having the phones with internet. We don't have home phones and use the cells a lot to talk to friends and families who are all on the same service, so we go ahead and pay the $90.

[KrisM]

Maybe an internet enabled PDA is cheaper for you. Like a blackberry. You pay $30 now and for 2 phones with 1 having internet, the lowest we were able to find/go is about $90-100 a month. So if you could get an internet PDA for $20-40 a month or so, you come out ahead of having the phones with internet. We don't have home phones and use the cells a lot to talk to friends and families who are all on the same service, so we go ahead and pay the $90.

Where do I find these? Do I shop Blackberry directly or do I still go through Verizon or similar?

[BillK]

Most - if not all carriers - require you to add the PDA/Blackberry access to your plan (not replace it) - so with Verizon - if you got a Blackberry (I just did) - you HAVE to choose either the $29.99/mo. Unlimited Blackberry Personal plan - or - the $44.94/mo. Unlimited Blackberry Corporate plan.

The carrier that seems to have the lowest price plans along with Blackberry is T-Mobile (their Blackberry plan is $19.95/mo plus your basic phone plan). It just depends on how T'Mo's service is in your area.

Let me know if you have any Blackberry/Verizon questions. I love mine.

[KrisM]

Thanks, Bill.

So, could I just have a data plan for $30 with Verizon for a Blackberry? No voice plan?

I'm thinking that I'll stay with my tracfone for phone and get one for DH. They have a auto-renewal plan that adds 50 minutes a month for $9.99. This would be sufficient minutes and most definitely cheaper than anyone's family plan.

Question on the Blackberry - can you get to all webpages? I remember hearing things in the past that people couldn't look at completed listings on ebay. I would need to be able to do that, or I don't need a Blackberry. :).

Thanks!

[BillK]

Thanks, Bill.

So, could I just have a data plan for $30 with Verizon for a Blackberry? No voice plan?

No - you "have" to have a voice plan for any phone with Verizon and if you get a Blackberry - you also "have" to have a BB plan or they won't activate a Blackberry.

[linsei]

What about an internet tablet? You could keep your current cell phone plans and just upgrade to a new phone if you are happy with the plans.

I have one of these. http://www.amazon.com/Nokia-N800-Portable-Internet-Tablet/dp/B000MK4GGM

It might be a good choice if the places you go offer wireless internet access. It cannot access the web on it's own. Although, somehow you can blue tooth it to your cell phone (i'm not sure how efficient that would be for your needs). You can also use it to videoconference with something like skype.

My cell is a palm treo and the internet browser is SLOW and tedious to use. I prefer to surf with the tablet if I am somewhere that I can. The screen on the tablet is easier to look at than the treo.

[KrisM]

What about an internet tablet? You could keep your current cell phone plans and just upgrade to a new phone if you are happy with the plans.

I have one of these. http://www.amazon.com/Nokia-N800-Portable-Internet-Tablet/dp/B000MK4GGM

It might be a good choice if the places you go offer wireless internet access. It cannot access the web on it's own. Although, somehow you can blue tooth it to your cell phone (i'm not sure how efficient that would be for your needs). You can also use it to videoconference with something like skype.

My cell is a palm treo and the internet browser is SLOW and tedious to use. I prefer to surf with the tablet if I am somewhere that I can. The screen on the tablet is easier to look at than the treo.

Pretty interesting tablet. Mostly, I shop at garage sales and thrift stores, so they don't really offer access :).

[khm]

I just upgraded to a Sprint Mogul. It can surf via wi-fi (like if you have wireless internet at home, or at Starbuck's, library, etc.) or through ev-do, which is a cellular wireless internet.

It surfs pretty well, really. I use Opera Mini and Internet Explorer. Mini seems nicer and faster. I use my work email and my gmail account on it. Works great!

My plan is Simply Everything - unlimited internet and 450 calling minutes, free long distance, and free Sprint to Sprint calls. I think it's $69.99. So, it is expensive, but I use it for all my long distance, etc.

I adore the PDA-type features - contacts, appointments, calendar, notes.

You could check into plans with any carrier that you and your husband could share. I don't think the Simply Everything plans are shareable, but their other plans are. You can do a limited internet. You'd have to keep an eye on it though, because it is very hard to tell how many kbps or whatever you are using when surfing! ;)

Verizon had great plans and was cheaper (great sharing options too), but our company was already with Nextel, so it was super easy to go to Sprint.

If you aren't going to be using the cell much, it seems like a pretty expensive internet device. But, if you can plan on using it over your home phone and reducing that bill/plan, it might come closer to panning out.

[bandemommy]

I just switched from Verizon to Sprint. I have unlimited email, web, text, and 500 minutes for $30. Google Sprint SERO and you will find lots of information about this plan. It is for new customers, I was able to port my number from verizon. I got the Palm Treo 755 and have been pleased. I was using a Blackberry with Verizon and my monthly plan went from almost $80 to $32 (including tax).

[AngelaS]

Dh has a Treo, but he recommends an iPhone for surfin' the net.

[KrisM]

I just switched from Verizon to Sprint. I have unlimited email, web, text, and 500 minutes for $30. Google Sprint SERO and you will find lots of information about this plan. It is for new customers, I was able to port my number from verizon. I got the Palm Treo 755 and have been pleased. I was using a Blackberry with Verizon and my monthly plan went from almost $80 to $32 (including tax).

Looks like it's for people referred by a Sprint employee. Unfortunately, I know no one :(.