prepaid

AT&T to scrap affordable data options for GoPhone users

It's going to be a little tougher to be an AT&T GoPhone smartphone customer.

AT&T confirmed to CNET that it is eliminating a few of its more affordable data plan options on June 20. A company representative said that new plans would emerge in the coming weeks, but didn't specify whether there would be a more budget-friendly option, noting only that there would be a "variety of plans."

"We're making some changes to our AT&T GoPhone prepaid plans to simplify our offers and better align with what customers … Read more

One-third of all smartphone sales were prepaid in Q1

Prepaid smartphone sales are starting to become more popular, according to new data from market researcher NPD Group.

NPD released on Wednesday a study that found 32 percent of all smartphone purchases came from prepaid devices during the first quarter. During the same period in 2012, that figure stood at 21 percent.

Although "postpaid" devices, which are subsidized but can lock customers into a long-term agreement, are still most popular, NPD believes the prepaid jump is due to consumers finding more value in older devices that can still hold up well in today's crowded smartphone space.

"… Read more

AT&T's Aio Wireless rounds on T-Mobile's no-contract plans

Well, this is interesting. AT&T launched a brand-new prepaid network on Thursday that goes head-to-head with T-Mobile's new no-contract model.

Called Aio Wireless (pronounced AY-oh), the new wireless service provider leans on AT&T's network and offers a range of prepaid devices, including Apple's iPhone 5, which costs 649.99 full retail.

Other smartphones are decidedly more entry-level, and Aio does not offer premium devices like the Samsung Galaxy S4 or Nokia Lumia 920. It does, however, sell Nokia's budget Lumia 620 Windows phone 8 device for $179.99.

There are striking similarities … Read more

T-Mobile-compatible phones coming to MetroPCS stores

T-Mobile will begin selling phones compatible with its network at MetroPCS stores later this quarter, according to T-Mobile Chief Marketing Officer Mike Sievert.

The goal is to sell only T-Mobile-compatible phones at MetroPCS stores by the end of the year. The move will help accelerate the migration of customers from the MetroPCS network to that of T-Mobile, Sievert told CNET on Wednesday.

T-Mobile was reborn today, appearing for the first time under the ticker TMUS as an independent and U.S.-based publicly traded company on the New York Stock Exchange. This follows the company's merger with MetroPCS. The … Read more

Verizon unveils $35 prepaid mobile phone plan

Verizon has kicked off a new prepaid plan to lure in feature phone buyers.

Launched yesterday, the new no-contract plan costs $35 a month and offers 500 anytime minutes of talk as well as unlimited text and Internet. Tipping over the 500 monthly minutes will ring up an extra 25 cents per minute.

The deal is geared strictly toward feature phones, so smartphone owners need not apply.

Verizon offers four feature phones along with the plan -- the LG Cosmos 2, the Samsung Gusto 2, the Samsung Intensity 3, and the LG Extravert. All four phones are heavily discounted when … Read more

Virgin Mobile fires salvo at T-Mobile, offers $100 to switch

Virgin Mobile wants consumers to know that it's a major player in the no-contract wireless game too, and isn't afraid to spend a little money to show it.

Virgin set its sights directly on T-Mobile, offering $100 to T-Mobile customers willing to switch their number over and buy a smartphone before May 31.

Carriers will often provide incentives to switch, but rarely do they target a specific company. T-Mobile has made a lot of noise about its move to abolish contracts and subsidies, and Virgin Mobile, a business built on prepaid service and a unit of Sprint Nextel, … Read more

T-Mobile undercuts Apple with iPhone prices

T-Mobile's new service plans mark a huge change for wireless carriers. In addition to ditching contracts, the nation's fourth largest wireless provider also has dropped handset subsidies completely. So now, when you buy a new phone from T-Mobile, you'll pay much more for your device than you did when you signed two years of your life away. You have the option of paying the full cost at the time of purchase, or paying a deposit with monthly installments, but the phone's price is the same either way. And, of course, you won't be tied to … Read more

Prepaid or postpaid?: The fight for your cell phone dollars (Smartphones Unlocked)

This article originally published 11/11/2012 and was updated most recently on 3/25/2013.

Now that T-Mobile has smashed into the center of the no-contract wireless game, the tussle for your business between the contract and no-contract carrier model is even more urgent.

There's no question that the prepaid model is designed to save you money over a two-year contract agreement, but how much do you really gain by going prepaid, and what might you lose from the subscriber experience?

For the sake of comparison, I'm going to break down the cost of ownership over a … Read more

Get more out of your old Sprint phone

Sprint today announced a new initiative that allows customers to activate old Sprint-branded handsets on a Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO).

Sprint says that the program, called Bring Your Own Sprint Device, aims to cut down on the volume of cell phones being thrown away or improperly disposed of each year. Customers, of course, benefit by not having to pay the full retail price for a new handset.

Some MVNO partners, such as EcoMobile, already offer a similar reprogramming service in the past. With today's announcement, Sprint is giving a more broad stamp of approval.

There are a number … Read more