Cellular service recommendations

[JMT]

I have used ATT Wireless ever since I have had a cell phone (about 10 years). My current plan is 300 anytime minutes and costs around $40 per month, but it does not included nationwide long distance. My wife also has a cell phone but hers is with Cingular Wireless. She rarely uses the phone, has the minimum plan and it costs around $23 per month. She also has a real old Nokia phone, it is bulky and rather heavy.

I would like to find a plan that would be a type of "family" plan as I also want to get a phone for my teenage son, with minimal minutes and features. So what I would be looking for is: Three phones, shared minutes, nationwide long distance, and a monthly cost that does not exceed what I am currently paying by too much.

Any suggestions?

 

[RYCeT]

T-mobile, Family time basic plan, 3 phones, cost you $59.99(excluding tax) 400 minutes, nationwide coverage, unlimited weekend, unlimited weeknight, unlimited call between tmobile network, great selection of new phones. You might want to check amazon.com for tmobile, they have sony ericsson t610 after rebates you'll get $150.00 back, You should open 3 single plan then combine them into one family plan, see Amazon here and check with tmobile, is it possible to do that. If possible you'll get $450.00 back after rebate.

Tmobile also offer nokia 6010 or motorola v300 for free on their website.

 

[spaceman]

This is a tough one. I have AT&T as well, but they wanted an extra $9.99 per phone/month with the shared minutes plan.

My wife an I rarely use our phones, so I just downgraded to purchasing the minutes I need every 45 days, and we give our son one of our phones whenever he goes out for emegencies. I hate cell phones and the companies that provide the "dis-service," but unfortunately, they have become a necessary evil, like our cars. Oh well, at least I'm only forking out about $20.00 to $30.00 every 45 days, and I can tell them to stuff it if it ever comes down to that (no contracts). Good luck.

 

[Welly Wu]

Go with T-Mobile. The T-Mobile Family plan starts at $49.99 USD (plus some hidden fees of which you should read their fine print carefully) and it includes two lines, 400 "anytime" minutes, and unlimited nights / weekend minutes along with unlimited T-Mobile to T-Mobile minutes as well. For an additional $9.99 USD per month, you can add a third line for your son. So, it all comes to $49.99 USD + $9.99 USD + California State / Federal fees (0.86 cents multiplied by three phone lines per month = $2.58 USD) = $62.56 USD per month.

Please read the following links carefully before making a financial decision:

T-Mobile FamilyTime Plans: http://www.t-mobile.com/plans/Family...lanDetails.asp

T-Mobile FINE PRINT: http://www.t-mobile.com/info/inc_ser...ortantinfo.asp

T-Mobile US National Coverage Zones: http://www.t-mobile.com/coverage/?class=coverage

T-Mobile International Coverage Pricing & Coverage Zones: http://www.t-mobile.com/international/coverage.asp

T-Mobile Telephone Number Porting: http://www.t-mobile.com/switch/

T-Mobile Supported Cell Phones: http://www.t-mobile.com/products/def...sp?class=phone

Dear JMT:

I hope this information is useful to you. I am not affiliated with T-Mobile in any way, shape, or form. I do not stand to make a profit by recommending T-Mobile.

There are some bits of information that I have gleaned as my family is in the process of switching from Verizon Wireless to T-Mobile service. First, you should look into a third-party authorized T-Mobile reseller in your neighborhood with whom you feel comfortable as he or she can offer you different pricing plans and packaged T-Mobile branded cell phones at very deep discounts -- it is altogether possible to make a significant profit by switching to T-Mobile service by going through such an authorized third-party T-Mobile reseller. For example, do you have a China Town in California? Of course you do. Go and find those stores located in your local China Town and shop around in those stores that sell a plethora of cell phones. Each one will compete for your business and you will have different options for T-Mobile FamilyTime plans / packaged T-Mobile cell phones. You will most likely get the best plans, prices, and phones if you spend a day in China Town doing some comparative shopping. As another example, stick to the list of supported T-Mobile branded cell phones. Avoid purchasing a cell phone that is not supported by T-Mobile even if it is a GSM Tri-Band cell phone (which should very well work with T-Mobile worldwide) because any technical problems with the phone must be resolved with the manufacturer of that specific cell phone.