How to select a phone and not get trapped by a plan - Advise

1. There are a few 'resellers' on the version network all of which work in my area. As I mentioned - StraightTalk, Tracfone and of course Version it's self work great where I live.

2. Yes I can easily forgo a smart phone.

3. I was hoping to have a pay only for what you use plan - Tracfone has such a plan. But later, should my phone use increase I do not want to be limited to such a plan, or a phone that will only work with Tracfone service.

Unlocked phones all seem to be on the AT&T network, which doesn't work in my area - West of the Cascades in Oregon. Sprint only works in pockets same as AT&T, and I do not travel much at all.

Thank you for your assistance

With that plan you can hit zero bucks on any of the 3 areas (voice, data, text.) As to your Sprint comment, some have reported to me that since Ting can use Verizon towers as well as Sprint, coverage has been better than expected.

What zero-bucks, who said zero bucks? I missed the part where I complained about costs. I want options and choice (for my costs), not entrapment.

Coverage with Sprint may work for some, but as I've said it is hit and miss in my area -

You did complain about the data plan. So with this carrier if you hit zero on data, it's zero on the bill.

Yes, you did complain about costs, otherwise you would not have griped about the plans.
Bob

They don't use GSM. Since you are in the western US, for better coverage you ideally need a Verizon compatible CDMA carrier/MVNO that lets you bring in your own handset without plan restrictions. That part may be tough since they don't want to give you the farm (e.g. actually allow you to only pay for what you use, especially w/ smartphones they do not issue).

Ting is Sprint based, and if there's no native Sprint coverage, it's still not necessarily good IME. There still may be pockets where Verizon does not allow a Ting customer to roam. That's not often advertised. I'd focus on a Verizon MVNO that let's you bring in your own device. Here's a list at least to get you to some options:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_United_States_mobile_virtual_network_operators

I would also look at Net10 to see if they let you bring in a Verizon compatible device of your choice. Page Plus Wireless too.

well the second of May it will be a month. I checked my stats with Ting yesterday and haven't seen a roaming charge yet and have been in Lower Michigan, Wisconsin , Indiana and Illinois. Maybe there are pockets but haven't found one yet.

On a side note, Ting is showing me a projected bill of $15.00 so far

Digger

Not only is it a much larger expanse, but it's traditionally been very CDMA focused.

The worst part is, it won't be an additional charge, but your phone simply will not work if there is no roaming agreement in place at a particular location. <thinking years ago when I blew a tire between ski hills out west.> Ugh.

I lived in Colorado a couple of years in the 70's and in some of theose towns , they were lucky to have Telegraph.
Went through Colo. Wyoming and Montana a couple of years ago and for the most part I had a good signal with Verizon , Montana was hit and miss though.

Digger

Given the huge influx of people.

Thank you for the information!

I will look into Ting, Net10 and your link....

~Jami

I was really disappointed to find the Ting won't work in my area. Neither does Net10.
For others in my area (western Oregon) who read this: US Cellular, Version, StraightTalk and Tracphone all work well along I-5 hwy. This is not a complete listing, just the largest coverage carriers in my travel area. There are smaller carriers in various locations, especially in eastern Oregon.

I've found that all the above listed service providers that work in my area do require you use their locked phones, or with Version that your phone has their sim card pre-installed before you sign up for their service plan (the soft-side of locked).

I'm still a little uncertain, but it seems like I could buy an unlocked phone, and then a sim card from version and (my phone) would work (with Version) in my area. But my calls to the other listed carriers could not determine if this was true of them (conflicting answers). Since I do not travel much I'm unsure how going this route might benefit me. So I'm still looking into this subject of un-locked phones, I find it an interesting idea.....the idea of freedom of choice.

However, thanks to the info in the posts here (and my follow up) I believe I will get the most flexible service plan choices through Version, and because my use is minor at this time - a flip phone seems to be the best fit, until I grow into the usage that justifies a smart phone's data plan.

It was 'How this all works, and doesn't work' that I came here to learn. It was the being trapped, without choices that fit my situation which bothered me, not the costs. It's was the conflicting answers from people I'd ask. I'm sure $45 a month for unlimited is a great price, but when you only make a few calls every week - it's not great for you. Everything is relative to one's needs.

Thanks to everyone who offered 'specifics' - carrier names, links, service plans and personal experiences. I was not getting straight answers from the local sales staff (surprise

I have learned much ~

Verizon is supposed to work fairly well there, and Tracfone roams on big 'V' for a price, so you should be fine for the most part w/ basic CDMA calling in eastern OR. I'd double check that it's not simply a poor RF reception issue vs a no-roaming permitted issue...

Also, so you are not left hanging on the 'unlocked' phone issue/SIM card component of these phones, I will clarify it a tad bit more so you don't hit that confusion later on when upgraded/migrating to other systems.

How the (u)SIM card inside your current Verizon phone functions should not be equated with (traditional) SIM cards used with unlocked phones on GSM networks (ATT & T-Mobile). The (u)SIM card inside your Verizon smartphone is there to allow it to be activated on their high speed LTE data network. That's why they ship with one inside. It's not meant to be removed and placed inside other (non-Verizon issued) phones freely. Verizon uses CDMA technology for Voice, which does not require SIM cards. CDMA providers like Verizon, Sprint & US Cellulal can pick and choose which phones they want to allow on their networks. In this regard, 'unlocked' does not apply.

On the other hand, the SIM cards inside GSM based ATT phones *do* however facilitate use on their voice and data networks, and may be removed for use in other unlocked (even some non-ATT issued) GSM handsets with the correct hardware/frequency bands for ATT/T-Mobile's GSM networks.

I'm looking for choices, flexibility. No contracts to break, phones to re-sell, or over spending for plans I don't need or use. My thread post outlines just how stuck my first cell phone purchase has me.

As we read now, your area is one of fewer choices. Here's another exit my Canadian friends use as they don't want to pay monthly when they don't need it.

Look at ATT's PayGo system/plan. In the past they would turn off the phone and it would idle for a long time then when they needed it (travel in the US) then they would turn it on, make a call/text and then that would eat 2 days off the plan.

I don't see how I can possibly explain why CDMA phones are what they are. Locked phones are mostly of the GSM variety. CDMA phones are locked as you select your carrier. Select a new carrier and we transfer that phone to the new carrier. It's a long discussion that I would be duplicating the web about how CDMA phones differ but what to do next? Some get really upset when folk won't repeat it all again in yet another post.

Nod to Howard's Forums for more about that.
Bob

Our Virgin Mobile never showed service. The cheap Tracfone (a flip phone) worked great. Since both mostly use Sprint towers, a mystery.
Bob

You were mostly in a less populated/roaming area, which is why you didn't get coverage with VM, more strict of the two as far as roaming is concerned. VM simply does not offer it, while Tracfone (at least the used to) charge more for roaming. Look at the maps which tell the story-

http://nordicgroup.us/prepaid/coverage.html

By comparison, I-5 is where all the people live, and you get data too

cheers