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General discussion

Anybody use Verizon prepaid plan???

Jul 8, 2004 3:38AM PDT

Just wanting to get suggestions as we are coming up on the end of our contract with Verizon. We do not want to switch from Verizon because of their excellent service however we are in a family plan and my wife carries the phone for emergencies only so does not need many minutes. Prepaid seems the way to go for her. Is anybody familiar wtih Verizon prepaid and are they pleased with it? Also, any suggestions on the best way to using this service is helpful. Thanks!!!

Discussion is locked

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Re: prepaid plan vs family plan
Jul 8, 2004 4:28AM PDT

My wife, also, only wanted a phone for those times of emergencies. We were using a minimum plan, from Verizon, for a couple years. It included 20 minutes a month for 20 dollars. Plus, because of our employment we got $10 of that. So, the end result was 20 minutes a month for $10.

However, she typically was only using the phone for one or two minutes a month, and if you consider that, it was costing us about $10 a minute. Also consider that there was NO roaming, at all. So if she used that phone almost anywhere, not home, there was that roaming fee. Also there were no "free" nights or weekends. Can get pretty expensive.

I recently looked at the prepaid plans, but I didn't like that either. The minutes, you buy there, expire in 60 or 90 days. I think there are extended life (a year) minutes (I know you can get that on OnStar - that I have in my car) but still, after that period, those minutes expire. I think by adding new minutes it can extend the life of those old minutes.

What I finally decided to do was for the two of us to get on a "family plan" and I added her (new) phone to my account for just $10. that way I don't have to worry if, for some odd reason, she decides to talk to whoever, for whatever length (up to my total minutes), wherever.
That seems, to me, the better way to go. It works out much cheaper than those prepaid plans, when you are not using the phone that much anyway. And if your usage habits change you aren't ding with some additional fees you weren't expecting.

Just something for you to consider.

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Re: prepaid plan vs family plan
Oct 5, 2004 9:23AM PDT

That is great if you have a plan that you are happy with. Tracfone also uses Verizon as its provider, so you could get her a separate phone for about $100 a year where she would have 350 minutes to use. Might also want to consider the other services like Virgin Wireless $80 (360 min), or AT&T Free to Go (800 min)phone plans $100/yr.

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Re: Anybody use Verizon prepaid plan???
Oct 5, 2004 11:45AM PDT

Providing Verizon will allow your wife to retain the same phone, you should be able to switch it to prepaid. The difference between prepaid and contract is if you have a contract for Americas Choice, you're allowed to roam in select areas at regular airtime rates where you must be on Verizon's network or the minutes get eaten up quickly on prepaid. Verizon's prepaid costs $.25 for each time you make a call, then $.10 a minute. So if you make a 5 minute call, it'll cost you $.75 (.25 for the connection and 5 minutes @.10 each minute = $.75). $15 - $29.99 expire 30 days from activation. $30 - $74.99 expires in 60 days.
$75 - $149.99 expires in 90 days.
$150 and above expires in 120 days. The only advantage with prepaid is when you get a refill card, any minutes you already have carry over, unlike the contract. I've never tried the prepaid, but I'm going to try and talk to a friend and see if he would consider trying Verizon Wireless prepaid. He already has T-Mobile prepaid and pays $.50 a minute and doesn't care for T-Mobile. I have Verizon Wireless, but have a contract and have a new 2 year plan and doing better with this contract now that I have a better phone. I hope someone on here will be able to comment on Verizon Wireless's prepaid plan and how they like it.

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Re: Anybody use Verizon prepaid plan???
Oct 14, 2004 11:27AM PDT

I have had verizon prepaid for 4yrs. now and I love it. It might not be the best deal but it works for me and there are no fights in the house over a huge bill. I just upgraded to the little flip phone and it works well for me. The minutes carry over from month to month but you have to make sure to log a new card on every month or two months depending on how much you buy. I belive the least amount is $15 and that lasts one month and $50 is two months. Every time you reup with a $50 card you get free weekend minutes. I only use the long distance on my home phone if there is an emergency during the week but just to chat I call out of state on the weekends because of this and it's great. You get caller ID, voice mail, text messaging and such. The only thing you can't do with the prepaid is downlaod ring tones from the net. I have used it traveling to other states and even call from Canada when we are up in Niagara Falls. It uses a few more minutes there but it doesn't really eat them up. I don't know if you can use your excisiting phone as prepaid with them. There are two phones to pick from for the prepaid service and I was told I couldn't buy anthing else in the store for that plan. MY flip phone was $120 and you could either get $50 cash back in the mail or a $75 card in the mail so I chose the card. You can check it out at www.verizonwireless.com. Look on the bottom right under prepaid plan.

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Re: Anybody use Verizon prepaid plan???
Nov 20, 2004 10:11AM PST

NO BECAUSE IT SUCKS AND YOU CANT GET RECEPTION AND THE RATES AND PHONE SELECTION SUCKS I WENT TO VIRGIN MOBILE

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Anybody use Verizon prepaid plan???
Dec 31, 2004 2:02AM PST

Phone plans are the cheaper way to go if you use your cell phone a lot. You get more minutes and spend less in the long run for the amount you pay versus the number of day time and night time minutes you get with FreeUp. It is more expensive, but if you don't have good enough credit to get a phone plan, FreeUp or prepaid is the way to go.

Understand that the minutes you purchase with FreeUp expire. The time limit depends on how much you purchase. For example if you purchase $15.00 worth you must use the minutes within 30 days, $30 worth expires in 60 days and so on. You have to make at least one call every 30 days or you have to purhcase another startup which is like $15 as well.

It is like paying $15/month for a phone plan that only gives you 150 night and weekend or 50 daytime minutes. The benefit is you are under no obligation to pay every month.

The number of minutes you have vary as to when you use the phone. $15 gets you like 50 day time minutes or 150 night and weekend minutes and about 300 data minutes (text messaging). This is a guess but it is approximately .15/minute from 6 AM to 9 PM Mon-Fri and .05/minute nights and weekends.

Roaming is more, like $1/minute. You don't want to make a roming call. I did it once by accident. I didn't notice the little flashing roaming signal on the phone until I was a couple minutes or so into the call.

You can add minutes anytime with FreeUp. Any purchase over $30 gets you 200 free night and weekend minutes.
Just dial *611 and use your credit or debit card or use one of the prepaid online web sites. Sometimes you can get a dollar or three off using them.

If you don't use the cell phone much and don't want a phone plan it is a good way to go. I use it and I'm happy with it.

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get alltel u prepaid
Dec 9, 2008 9:28AM PST

it has great coverage everywhere. the .75 a day plan is good i have the unlimeted txt and nights and weekends.