Prepaid Wireless Broadband Plans
It's difficult to fight the greed of telecom industry in the USA ;-). You only option is to
switch to "pay as you go" plans. Please note that one hour of regular internet usage (e-mail, web) means
data transfer about 20 megabytes. For example in Ukraine one day unlimited 2G internet is $0.20
(ten times less the T-mobile charges), 3G around $1 for 100MB.
This "true-pay-as-you-go" services are rare in the USA as the US industry tries to cultivate
phone addicts with their 2 year plans ;-). But they do exists.
Here are some options for moderate and low volume users in the USA.
- OK offerings
- AT&T Gophone has 10c per minute, 1c for 5KB($2 per megabyte!!!) plan. Looks like the only "true"
pay as you go plan in existence but it is suitable
only for basic GSM phone, not smartphones. Everybody else try
to charge monthly fee for connectivity. You can try to use it with smartphones, if all you look
on the Web is weather, but in this case you need to buy your own unlocked smartphone separately. It applies only to unlocked smartphones that you bought
elsewhere. AT&T Lumia 520
($99) is not qualified for this plan, but you can try to unlock it after purchase and use with
this plan. If you use less then 10 MB of data per month (big if as Android consume
quite a lot of data by itself: 2M per month for Android itslef, another 6M for stupid Google
services; even if you do not use Gmail, it consume data) it might make sense. Otherwise you are
better off with PTel Mobile.
- PTel Mobile (PlatinumTel) is similar to Tracfone
service (uses T-Mobile network) for very low usage (emergencies and checking schedule, weather). Minimum
cost per year is $100. It make sense for smartphones as it charges just 10 cents per megabyte of Internet traffic ($10
per 100MB), 5 cents a minute for calls, 2 cents per SMS. You can pick up a PTEL SIM card on EBay
for $0.99 (you need to select right size). The problem is that they sell "service days"
like Tracfone, and unused minutes bought within
"service day" cards are expiring in one year, unless you buy $100 card (price model
identical to Tracfone)
Real Paygo_ Multiple denominations are available, each with a set number
of service days: $10 good for 60 days, $20 for 90 days, $30 for 120 days, $40 for 150 days,
$50 for 180 days, and $100 for a whole year. Data billing might seem delayed since we accrue
your data usage until we are able to bill a full penny, which means we do not round up your
data usage. Unused balance from $10, $20, $30, $40 and $50 carries over for 365 days from date
it was originally loaded onto the account. Unused balance from $100 carries over until depleted.
To maintain your Real Paygo service, a new PIN must be loaded on/before service days
- Air Voice Wireless uses AT&T
network and have one of the most affordable AT&T based pay as you go plans,
- $30 per 150 days of service, includes $1 maintenance fee, 10 cents a minute for voice
calls, 7 cents per megabyte of data. Unused minutes roll over to the next service period.
- $10 is required for each 30 days of service ($250 voice minutes or 500 text messages), so annual minimum is $120.
Data are 6c per MB. Additional minutes are 4 cents a minute, 2 cents per SMS.
- Here is one Amazon review (by
Beeber):
I didn't see this SIM at Amazon when I purchased, or I would have bought it here.
Where I live, I only have one option, att, and though it is an OK company, the pay-as-you-go
price is 25cents/minute AND NO ROLLOVER MINUTES. I have purchased several other SIMS in the
past year (all claiming to use att towers) and nothing worked. I hardly use the phone, but
DO need it occasionally.
I bought this Airvoicewireless SIM, popped it in my Razr V3i, activated online (one minute),
and I was all set. Now I pay 10cents/minute, and as long as I buy more minutes before 90
days is up, they roll over forever.
They have no-contract plans for people who text or MM alot, but I don't need those
functions. If I want to send the occasional MM or text, I can, but it will cost straight
airtime. No biggie.
I now have crystal clear reception at a very reasonable price.
- "Lycamobile"are less known provide but they look cheap at 2c a minute and text at 5c with no time
frame limit. See customer
review at
UNLOCKED LG A341 Quad Band Flip Cell
- Pure data plans, no voice
- TruConnect gives you
access to their network for $4.99 per month ($60 a year) You pay additional 3.9 cents per
MB They offer MiFI 3G Mobile Hotspot
$4.99 per month plus 3.9c per MB. Hotspot device for only $59
- Not so good offerings
- T-Mobile 4G mobile broadband gives fast speeds on any mobile device so long as you are
in an area with 4G coverage ( Speeds are regularly in the 8-12 Mbps range with 4G LTE providers.)
but for a price of $3 a day for 4G (only first 200MB are at top speed) and $2/day for unlimited
2G web.
- Walmart's 1GB plan for $20 a month ($240 a year). Useful for really heavy users. Most people will not use more than 1GB a month on
tablet and cellphone on the road if they have home computer.
- Virgin mobile (Prepaid
Mobile Broadband Plans Virgin Mobile): $5 a day that you use 200 MB a day 3G, unlimited
4G. Makes sense only if you are in their 4G coverage area.
You also need to understand that data and voice are interchangeable thanks to VOIP. That does not
bring you considerable savings. For example you can install
Skype on AT&T Gophone and use $5 per month unlimited calling paying only for the data,
skype cost would be $60 a year not much cheater then Tracfone annual plat at $100. If you use
less than 80M of data a month, then at 5c per megabyte that's just $4. Assuming VOIP consumes around
20 Kbps that's 4000 seconds or around one hour. At 10c per minute you would pay $6 instead
with much less troubles. So here using Skype you would lose $3 ($5+$4-$6) a month. But if you
can use at least half of those minutes via WI-FI or need to call a single foreign country you can
come as a winner.
VoxOx
With VoxOx, you can easily make audio or video calls to your friends. VoxOx-to-VoxOx
calls are entirely free, so if your friends all use VoxOx, then you’ll all benefit. However,
VoxOx can still be used to call real telephone numbers and send text messages at cheap
rates.
On their overview page, it’s immediately apparent that VoxOx really likes their free
features. Here’s what you get for free: personal phone number, voicemail, inbound
calls/texts/faxes, conference calls, chat and social features, file sharing, and more. VoxOx
is available on Windows and Mac.
Tnny5, September 7, 2012
How did you miss Tango and Talkatone?
Nokia 520 provides this functionality out of the box. Also compare with Skype $5 per month plan (only voice, no SMS).
If you've ever struggled with a monthly cell phone bill, you've probably looked for cheaper
alternatives like prepaid plans from big box stores or startup carriers like Zact and Ting.
Well, what's cheaper than free? That's exactly what Scratch Wireless aims to offer with what
it claims is the world's first free mobile service, which launches today. It manages to do so
with a modified Android OS that pushes the phone to connect to WiFi for pretty much
everything -- calls, text and data. However, if you do want to use your phone outside of a
WiFi area, that's when the charges come in. Scratch Wireless has a partnership with Sprint to
offer $1.99 per day for up to 30 minutes of cell calls and another $1.99 per day for up
to 25MB of data. There's also a monthly $14.99 pass for either 250 minutes of voice calls or
200MBs of data.
Both daily and monthly passes are entirely optional, and it's up to the consumer to add those
services. Payment is not recurring, and there's never a contract. Regardless of which you
choose, Scratch promises us that text messaging is always on and free. CEO Alan Berrey
tells us that Scratch Wireless wanted to take a different tact from traditional cell phone
service. "There's no unnecessary cost with us," he says. "We have no towers, no FCC, no leasing
locations to deal with." Because of this so-called "WiFi First" strategy, the phones will
work internationally as well, as long as you have access to a WiFi network of course.
Right now Scratch only offers one phone with the specially modified OS, and that's the
Motorola Photon Q for $269. Berrey did promise us that a long list of Sprint-compatible devices
is in the pipeline, but we should note that this modification is unique to Android, so we
wouldn't expect anything with iOS or Windows Phone to be in Scratch's portfolio.
While the non-WiFi daily and monthly data allotments seem mighty skimpy to us, Scratch is
clearly aiming its service primarily for those who are constantly in range of a WiFi network.
"We believe consumers ought to be able to buy a compelling Android device and not pay for a plan
when they already have a wireless network in their home or office," said Berrey. If that sounds
intriguing to you, hit the source for more info or head past the break for the promo video.
It allows you to exist on pure WI-FI
Your own number that anyone can call from their phone and you pick up on Skype wherever you are
in the world.
Learn all about it here
- Select numbers from a variety of area codes in several countries/regions – no more expensive
international rates for your friends, family and clients.
- Whether you're moving abroad, travelling, or simply need a global presence for your business,
your Skype Number will ring wherever you are.
- Pick up on Skype using your laptop, mobile or tablet.
Get a Skype Number now from just $5 per month* .
November 3, 2011
M
TOP 1000 REVIEWERVINE
VOICE
Don't trust Simple Mobile!
Amazon Verified PurchaseI signed up for Simple Mobile because they advertise a $40 unlimited
talk, text, and "up to 3G" web plan. After I signed up and paid for one month, I learned that they
throttle their data on that plan to 119 kbs. 3G data typically runs between 500 kb/s and 3 gb/s.
2G data, on the other hand, can go up to 150 kb/s. So, their "up to 3G data" is actually a 2G data
plan!
When I called their corporate HQ, they admitted that they throttle data, but claimed that 119 kb/s
is at the "low end of 3G." When I asked for a refund, they refused. I ultimately disputed the charges
on my credit card and received a full refund.
My advice: Don't trust Simple Mobile.
Update: Since this review was first published, Simple Mobile was acquired by American Movil, which
also operates Tracfone Wireless, Net10, and Straight Talk Wireless. They've since changed their
policies very slightly. The $40 plan is now throttled to 230 kb/s.
Tracfone Triple Minute for Life (TMFL) has clearly turned up the heat on the other prepaid
phone companies. Tracfone's brand-new Triple minute mobile phones offer prepaid phone with rates
that are finally competitive with contract phone accounts. Take a look at
TracFone.com
to see the recently released Triple Minute for Life phones. Traditionally Prepay mobiles were considerably
more costly to utilize per minute compared to contract cellular phones.
Triple Minute phones from Tracfone can get you minutes for as low as 4.4 cents each.
Tracfone vs T-Mobile
Prepaid - Tracfone Tips
T-Mobile like Tracfone has
a simple Prepaid Cell phone plan. They have a graduated rate depending on how much you spend.
Tmobile also has a 15% bonus (Gold Level) after you have spent $100 on minutes. You get
instant Gold level Status as soon as you add a $100 refill.
T-Mobile Rates
$10 for 30 minutes (33 each)
or 35 minutes (28.5 each) after Gold Level has been reached.
$25 for 130 minutes (19.2
each) or 150 minutes (16.66 each) after Gold Level.
$50 for 400 minutes (12.5
each) or 460 minutes (10.7 each) after Gold Level.
$100 for 1000 minutes (10
cents each) and you are at Gold Level for this phone.
Once you reach T-Mobile Gold
Level for a phone your minutes will not expire for a year. Before you reach Gold level your
minutes will expire in 90 days. As long as you keep your phone active your minutes will
roll over.
|
[Oct 11, 2013] H20 wireless.
H2O Wireless (formerly O2 Wireless, not to be confused with O2 of Europe) is a United States-based
prepaid GSM phone and Internet service. It is the brand of mobile virtual network operator (MVNO)
Locus Telecommunications via AT&T's network.
Basically, it's a nickel for text and phone calls. Pay $10, get 200 minutes. Pay $20, get 400
minutes. Or simply pay $100 and get 2000 minutes to use in 12 months (about $8.33 a month). I had
to pay $9.99 for the SIM. Bought it at the BestBuy store rather than waiting for it to be shipped.
Free SMS in roaming countries. 2c/min, 4c/text, 6c/MB, 4G data
Softpanorama Recommended
Updated
and Expanded The Best US Prepaid Data Deals Prepaid Phone News
Prepaid Wireless
Broadband Plans, Compare Mobile Internet Plans
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