Prepaid Cell Phones Cost- Good Deal?

[Seth Goodman]

There are six GSM companies listed on the prepaid comparison chart previously mentioned at:

[Sherman]

I went with the TracFone Plan. $19 or $26 and change with tax and shipping of the phone. The coupon code didn't work with the $19 promo 40 minute Deal.

Here are some of the costs I calculated. Per Min Minutes Length

$0.593 TracFone This is the 40 minute card plus the phone - not bad for $20. Phone cards alone Per Min Minutes Length $0.200 400 60 day $0.250 200 60 day $0.300 100 60 day $0.500 40 60 day $0.430 300 annual card $0.600 150 annual card

With Double Minutes Prepaid for $129 Per Min Minutes Length Adv Rat Real Rate $0.100 800 0.217272727 Assuming 1100 min a year $0.125 400 0.242272727 Assuming 1100 min a year $0.150 200 0.267272727 Assuming 1100 min a year $0.250 80 0.367272727 Assuming 1100 min a year These figures show that if you use the double rate card, they advertise 10 cents a minute while the actual rate is 21.72 cents per minute - and that's if you use the full 1100 minutes per year 800 Plus

300.

Clearly deceptive advertising but I'm getting one anyway.

Sherman

[me]

I went with Sti but haven't received the phone yet

[Sherman]

That was my first choice but their web site said they didn't have any coverage in Houston.

Go Figure.

[me]

They use the Sprint network, yes?

Does that mean Sprint has no service in Houston as well?

[Seth Goodman]

Really? I went to the STI Mobile web site's coverage page and entered

77030 as the zip code for Houston (first one I found in Google search of "Houston Zip Code") and found this coverage map:

The dark green is STI (i.e., Sprint) coverage. Looks like all of Houston and most of the surrounding vicinity is covered. Where on the web site did it say they don't cover Houston?

[Sherman]

Wish I could retrace, but the site said it had all kinds of international service but none in Houston. I know it had STI in its name.

Thank for setting me straight. I'm out $19 with tracphone for 40 minutes of time, so not much harm done.

Here are some of the costs I calculated. Per Min Minutes Length

$0.593 TracFone This is the 40 minute card plus the phone - not bad for $20. Phone cards alone Per Min Minutes Length $0.200 400 60 day $0.250 200 60 day $0.300 100 60 day $0.500 40 60 day $0.430 300 annual card $0.600 150 annual card

With Double Minutes Prepaid for $129 Per Min Minutes Length Adv Rat Real Rate $0.100 800 0.217272727 Assuming 1100 min a year $0.125 400 0.242272727 Assuming 1100 min a year $0.150 200 0.267272727 Assuming 1100 min a year $0.250 80 0.367272727 Assuming 1100 min a year These figures show that if you use the double rate card, they advertise 10 cents a minute while the actual rate is 21.72 cents per minute - and thats if you use the full 1100 minutes per year 800 Plus

300.

Clearly deceptive advertising but I'm getting one anyway.

Sherman

[Joseph Meehan]

I got my phones yesterday and set them up today. It looks like they are going to do exactly what I had hoped for. Thanks again for the suggestion. It also will make a nice Christmas present for Rita.

[Seth Goodman]

You're welcome! I'm glad it's working out for you.

[me]

I got my STi phone just a few minutes ago!

[WM]

I got my phone a few minutes ago.

I'm into tracphone for $20 for 40 minutes, so am looking for deals where I can buy a couple hundred minutes for the year.

Must I stick with TracPhone for the prepaid minutes I buy?