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Can I buy a smartphone and just use prepaid/pay as you go minutes?

post #1 of 18
12/14/09 at 6:15pm
Thread Starter 
I'm on AT&T, and I rarely ever use my phone. But I'd like a smartphone for the PDA aspects, so I'm wondering if I can just buy a carrier or unlocked smartphone and just add minutes. I don't plan on using carrier data, I've got wi-fi for that.
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post #2 of 18
12/14/09 at 7:14pm
You can in the UK.
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post #3 of 18
12/14/09 at 7:16pm
Thread Starter 
But I is in the US, and our plans are rapacious.
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post #4 of 18
12/14/09 at 8:13pm
You certainly can. My sister has a Samsung Blackjack that she uses on AT&T. She keeps it up with a prepaid plan so she can't use most of its data functions, but she can still use it from a PDA standpoint and as a phone for calling and texting.
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post #5 of 18
12/14/09 at 8:24pm
Am I the only person without a cell phone? I'm sure some people need them if you need to be contacted 24/7..
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post #6 of 18
12/14/09 at 8:29pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by appophylite View Post
You certainly can. My sister has a Samsung Blackjack that she uses on AT&T. She keeps it up with a prepaid plan so she can't use most of its data functions, but she can still use it from a PDA standpoint and as a phone for calling and texting.
Another reason I won't get a cell phone.. You must subscribe to a service, & be a slave to the plan to get the full benefits, unless you want to pay out of your 2-4 term contract.. You must deal with the providers BS.. un wanted charges, over billing, etc.. Over course, for 200.00 you can break the deal.. Seeing the problems my parents have with cell phone providers makes me more reluctant..
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post #7 of 18
12/14/09 at 8:29pm
I want an iPhone so bad I can't stand it, but can't stand the idea of $40 more per month in fees more.
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post #8 of 18
12/14/09 at 9:05pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
You certainly can. My sister has a Samsung Blackjack that she uses on AT&T. She keeps it up with a prepaid plan so she can't use most of its data functions, but she can still use it from a PDA standpoint and as a phone for calling and texting.
Thanks. I'm looking into getting an HD2 (when it come stateside) or Android phone, and since I generally use a handful of minutes per month, it just seems a better value in the long run.

Anyone else do this, particularly recently?
Quote:
Another reason I won't get a cell phone.. You must subscribe to a service, & be a slave to the plan to get the full benefits, unless you want to pay out of your 2-4 term contract.. You must deal with the providers BS.. un wanted charges, over billing, etc.. Over course, for 200.00 you can break the deal.. Seeing the problems my parents have with cell phone providers makes me more reluctant..
Get a prepaid phone?
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post #9 of 18
12/14/09 at 10:14pm
you might want to wait til January 5th....

Reuters: Nexus One Available Directly Through Google Website January 5 | AndroidGuys

Quote:
Here’s the price: $199 unlocked in stores. $100 rebate online if you have an active and old Google account. That $100 rebate is either to buy it $99 online from Google’s online phone store, for using on Android
Marketplace or for using on any Google Checkout stores. Can also be used for T-Mobile or AT&T pre-paid Data SIM card service at $29 per month, no contracts required.

Google will push full VOIP usage on these, meaning no voice/sms plans needed at any carrier. Voice calls
will go through Google Voice on Data SIM cards and will provide unlimited free voice calling. And SMS is replaced by unlimited free Gtalk.

Finally, Google will provide easy roaming data services in other countries. For example, if you go to Europe, you can roam on HSDPA data networks for the same price of 20€ per month, and if you only stay in Europe for a few days you won’t need to pay for the whole month. You may not even need to change the SIM card.
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post #10 of 18
12/14/09 at 10:25pm
Thread Starter 
^ Well I probably won't be switching until January. Not sure about the nexus, for the price I doubt the internal hardware will be up to current smartphone (Cortex A8, Snapdragon) standards.
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post #11 of 18
12/14/09 at 10:30pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kirosia View Post
^ Well I probably won't be switching until January. Not sure about the nexus, for the price I doubt the internal hardware will be up to current smartphone (Cortex A8, Snapdragon) standards.
it's a Snapdragon phone.
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post #12 of 18
12/14/09 at 10:35pm
Thread Starter 
It is? Hard to believe, unless the price estimation is incorrect or they cheaped out somewhere else.
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post #13 of 18
12/14/09 at 10:39pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kirosia View Post
It is? Hard to believe, unless the price estimation is incorrect or they cheaped out somewhere else.
yup, it is. it's an HTC Dragon/Passion.

Google is eating the majority of the cost. they're aggressively going after this market and want Android all over the place.

im picking one up for sure. i love my Pre and i was torn between that and the Hero. now i can have the best of both worlds for a heck of a lot cheaper.
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post #14 of 18
12/14/09 at 10:42pm
I got a google G1 phone (the first android phone with nice keyboard & originally on Tmobile) for $60 used from craigslist. Unlocked it by paying 12 bucks online and on ATT prepaid plan (add sim and change carrier settings). Works great except T-mobiles 3g frequencies are different from ATT so on the G1 you have 2g rather than 3g, but the differences from wifi and 2g isnt that much better (wifi is faster than 3g). If you are planing on getting an android when the newer/more powerful ones come out and want to get used to the os/apps I would get a used g1 unlocked it for att. On the plus side there are alot of custom roms for the g1, updated daily. So you can put a hero rom/os or the newer android 2.0 rom etc.. I suggest cynogen newest roms. more info here: Dream - xda-developers
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post #15 of 18
12/15/09 at 2:09am
Quote:
Originally Posted by kool bubba ice View Post
Another reason I won't get a cell phone.. You must subscribe to a service, & be a slave to the plan to get the full benefits, unless you want to pay out of your 2-4 term contract.. You must deal with the providers BS.. un wanted charges, over billing, etc.. Over course, for 200.00 you can break the deal.. Seeing the problems my parents have with cell phone providers makes me more reluctant..
Um.....I was referring to data functions as in connecting to the internet over 3G or downloading stuff directly on the phone. These are things for which you have to pay more than basic plans like mine which is a 2 year contract with unlimited minutes and X number of texts every year.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Kirosia View Post
Thanks. I'm looking into getting an HD2 (when it come stateside) or Android phone, and since I generally use a handful of minutes per month, it just seems a better value in the long run.

Anyone else do this, particularly recently?
I used to do this until I realized that the guys I work with call and text me so often that I was spending more money recharging the phone than I would be if I just got a basic plan.
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