What are some of the recommended cellphones (smart phones) that are under $ 130 ?
I don't do much with a phone,but have had a smart phone for a good number of years and as it has a non user replaceble battery and is getting some age on it I am thinking fo getting a new one. I just don't see me using one of the $ 200 and up phones for anything.
I would like one that will connect to wifi as where I am at sometimes I do no get good cell tower service from some companies.
I do want one that will fit in a pocket and not one of the large tablet sizes. I have a tablet and laptop to carry around, but mostly use the large screen and computer on the desk.
Right now the LG Astro 3 is lookiing good to me.
If I change services to Mint Mobile like I am thinking of Trader4 said there is a code I could get so he could get credit for a new user. Not sure if I go that rout,but may in a few months.
... no help here - I'm still using my 9 year old Nokia flip phone - .. original battery is still fine.. it has been dropped on the floor/sidewalk about 5 or 6 times .. $ 100. per year for service. I'm gonna miss it when it's gone. John T.
That it says that doesn't make it true. Check google for a video or instructions on how to change even a non-changeable battery. My last phone, that was stolen, had a non-replaceable battery and a video like that, and replacement batteries for sale. Basically it showed how to pop open the case and how to unstick the battery which is attached to the case with double-sided tape. I'm pretty sure yours is like that too. What make and model is it?
Don't know about the replacement phone, havne't checked it.
I think they all do that but maybe not if it's cheap enough. ;-(
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gsmarena.com has loads of info about most phones, but this one isn't listed.
I use them too. Last year they increased the amount of data without raising the price. I pay yearly (but they send annoying texts every month to tell me I have a new month. I haven't tried yet but I have a feeling I won't be able to get them to stop. I could have gotten by on the lowest amonnt of data but decided to treat myself to one level better, anothe 60 a year, which I'm pretty sure I've never used.
But when I stayed some place for 10 days with no internet, before I got Mint, I used a lot of data as a hotspot supplying the laptop. Hotspot ability is probably less common than wifi-enabled.
Mint uses T-mobile equipment and there is supposed to be blanket coverage around Baltimore, all of Md, Pa. Va. except probably a few spots in the middle of the mountains. They have a webpage which gives locations all around where I was and either customer feedback or something else attesting to coverage. But last week I was in one spot in Eldersburg and I couldnt' get data or phone. A mile away I could. I bought a new app for the phone which says which cell tower it's using, but I haven't been out there yet to see what it says. If you want I'll go next week. It's a curiosity.
You can probably get better info on comp.mobile.android.
There is also uk.telecom.mobile,alt.satellite.gps fwiw.
Yes, most batteries can be changed if you can find them. It has been my expierence that for devices of $ 100 or less the batteries are often near the cost of a new device. I do want to up grade the phone I have . It is getting some age on it and does not have a sim slot and very limiated memory.
I did make a mistake on the spelling of the LG phone I am looking at. It is a LG Aristo 3.
I have about 2 weeks to make a decision on what I really want to do before the next pay cycle is due on the cell service.
All of them will connect to wifi for data and will default to that if a wifi connection is available. But if you want to use wifi for calling, unless you have one of the vew, oddball services that use it, eg Republic?, then to do that you'd need to get a wifi calling service with their app for the phone. Ooma or Google Voice for example. But then, you'd need a different number for that, at least with all the ways that I'm familiar with.
Depends on what size pockets you have and expect to use and what exacty "fits" means. I like a big screen, I use the phone for apps and data a lot. I have a ZTE Blade Z Max, it has a 6" screen, 16GB Flash,
2GB RAM, fingerprint sensor, USB-C, quick charging. I just measured the case, it's 6.75 by 3.5. That fits easily inside the pockets inside my jackets that have them, if not inside the hand pockets. It fits in the back pocket of my pants. But it's not going to fit, or not well, into a typical shirt pocket and it's at the upper limit of what I think is a usable size. I'm very happy with it. I just looked on Ebay, you can get one brand new for $108, used for about half that. If you don't currently have a smartphone size phone, I suggest cutting out a couple pieces of cardboard to the sizes of phones you're considering so you can try them in pockets, etc. That's what I did.
You can go on Ebay and search for cell phones that are on the Tmobile network, so you know they are network compatible and most of them were sold by the Tmobile carriers. Make sure you're in just the cell phone category, so it doesn't display cases, etc. Then filter on networks, selecting only Tmobile and MetroPCS. Also filter to de-select non-working ones. Then you can see what phones are already on Tmobile network, that will work, etc. And then you can look up their sizes, features, etc. Other GSM capable phones will work too, but that's an easy place to start. I think LG phones are fine. An LG was my other choice when I went with ZTE. ZTE gives more bang for the buck.
The important thing is what kind of coverage Tmobile has in the areas you're going to be used in. If you know any people using TM or MetroPCS, you can ask them. There are online services that will show coverage maps too.
And make sure whatever phone you buy, including any brand new one, is not network locked.
Forgot to add, when looking for a new phone, one thing I'd insist on is quick charging, preferably Qualcomm, but if not then the manufacturer's alternative. I also strongly prefer USB-C connector, which goes in either way, so you don't have to orient it right side up. I like the fingerprint sensor too, I use that to unlock it. I didn't have that on my list, didn't think I'd use it, but tried it for unlocking, it's fast and better than entering a code. I'd probably want at least Android 9 today too. Unlike PCs, typically what you get is what you stay with, they make patches, but if you get 7 they usually don't come out with an 8 upgrade.
I think I am going with the LG Aristo 3 plus. Found some new unlocked ones on ebay for about $ 75. I think they were locked to a service,but the seller is unlocking them.
Mint mobile sells the same type phone so should work with that service.
I have a smart phone that is about 5 x 2.5 inches that fits me fine. I do not want one that is much if any larger. That one goes in the pockets very well.
I was under the (probably mistaken) impression that carriers have to allow tethering and hotspot at no extra charge.
There was a Verizon v FCC case in about 2012 that I thought had resulted in an industry shift away from charging extra and simply rolling the cost into the overall plan fee.
From a quick google, I think what happened was Verizon was blocking customers from using third party apps that allowed them to tether/hotspot. The FCC said that they could not do that, that they couldn't deny customers the ability to tether. I don't see where they said they could not charge for it or limit it. I know that as of about two years ago, when I last looked into what various carriers were doing before I switched, some were definitely charging extra for tethering/hotspot and/or putting a low limit on the data usage allowed for it. I can't imagine FCC getting their shorts in a knot over that, it is additional usage.
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"In addition, the company recently revised its service offerings such that consumers on usage-based pricing plans may tether, using any application, without paying an additional fee".
Bottom line, anyone considering going to a new carrier should do all the appropriate checking both for the carrier and the specific plan they are looking at, eg prepaid vs billed, etc. Even after the FCC does smack them around, some are incredible shysters. Like unlocking. The FCC smacked them around to play fair on that. But as of a couple years ago, I saw many threads where Sprint was still screwing customers big time. You buy a locked phone, you have it for the year on their network that they require. You decide to go to another carrier, you want it unlocked. People said when they called up, first they put them through every sales pitch, transfered them to nowhere. If you persisted, finally they would get you to someone that would give you the unlock code. There is only one problem. Most phones, there is just a simple key sequence to then enter the code and unlock it. With the phones these people bought from Sprint, there was no way to put the code into the phone! They would call Sprint, complain, and the answer was that it was up to the customer's new carrier to put the code into the Sprint phone. Which of course they can't do, the new carrier says it's not our phone, we know nothing about it, etc. That is some mighty devious shystering.
Disregard the above, my mistake. I was looking at the 667 Mhz which I guess is the RAM speed and comparing that to the 1.2 Mhz speed of my phone. The CPU speed of the LG is 1.4 Mhz, so it's actually faster than my
1.2 Mhz phone. So it's LG 1.4 with 4 cores vs ZTE 1.2 with 8. IDK how much difference more cores vs more raw speed makes, 4 at 1.4 might be faster than 8 at 1.2. So, that LG should be fine.
OK, the LG Aristo 3 plus is what I have coming. Should be here Monday or Tuesday if the tracking info is on target.
YOu mentioned a code where you could get a 'rebate' of sorts for others that you recommended to switch to Mint Mobile. If you can send me that code, I will use it if I switch which looks like I will if the phone pans out.
You get $15 good for your first renewal, I get $25 :) That link takes you to the Mint website where you then purchase the plan. You need to make sure you purchase it via that link for us to get the credits.
The whole process worked easy for me. They send you the sim, pop it in and it was working instantly. Hope it works out for you.
Well I was talking about phones when I said hotspot was probably less common than wifi. Wifi is just about universal iiuc and hotspot is getting more and more common, except perhaps in very cheap phones.
As to providers, Mint allows hotsppot, but I guess there were ones (still are??) that prohibited it. Strange, I would think they would just charge more like the ones mentioned do.
Frankly, Ralph, it might be a mistake to save maybe $40 and get a phone without certain capabilities. I'm as cheap as anybody, but upgrading a phone is cheaper and maybe as worthwhile as upgradinga car which would cost several thosand. When I read about hotspot, I thought, "I'll never use that" but then I stayed that one place for 10 days and the following year another place for 6 weeks. I'd have no interneet on the laptop without hotspot on the phone. And it's fast too, faster than DSL iirc.
It may be a mistake Micky. However I have had a smart phone for probably 10 years and seldom use it for much. It is one that has limited memory and no slot for a SD card. I felt like the battery is probably ready for a new one at any time. The battery is not just a pop in one. I could probably change it as I have a good electronic work banch and microscope to work on the surface mounted devices. If like most battery devices, it is almost as inexpensive to get a new one as it is the battery.
I am retired so do not get out much where I really need a phone except to make a call or two. I have been using the Republic system and it works well except I do not have the cell data. This system works just off the wifi networks unless I want to upgrade it, well,it will go to a cell tower if it has to. The price was right at the time. Slightly under $ 13 a month for text and messages. It does have the option of upgrading for data off the cell system,but I have never needed it.
The way I understand how the phone system works, If I ever do find myself in a situation like you all I have to do is go to Wally World or Best Buy and get a phone and pop in the sim card.
I thought it would be good to ask over here about some of the services and phones as there are are probably a couple of dozen cell compnaies and hundreds of phones. Trader put me on Mint Mobile. For about $ 1.50 more a month I do get the data oprion. If I change phones, the price of my Republic service would go up. They have a limitated selection of phones.
I have been around the internet from the time of 2400 baud modems. I was lucky where I worked I had access to a T1 line when most at home were lucky to have a 56k modem. Working as a breakdown person at a large plant gave me plenty of time at nights and weekends with no one around and free time if nothing was broke gave me plenty of time to play with the internet way back then.
How can they or why would they restrict hotspotting? You pay by the megabyte - whether it's on the phone or a connected device. Not sure they can even tell.
I bought my first new blackberry BRCAUSE I could hotspot it. Great tool for troubleshooting customer internet problems - or downloading drivers or updates for customers who don't have internet. A little Netis WF2123 rides in my wallet all the time
I've never paid more than $15 for a cell phone battery
Different circumstances for different people. My mother doesn't drive, so she uses Lyft; she finds it convenient to use the app on her phone.
When it works. She's got her phone screwed up somehow, so I'm going there for a technical support visit in a couple of days. Worst come to worst, we'll go to the Verizon store and ask for a factory reset.
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