Currently with Verizon and contract is up. We each have a flip phone and looking to upgrade. I also have a MIFI device with contract ending on mid-September with a 5 Gig plan.. Wife is happy with her flip phone and sees no reason to switch. She is technically more challenged that I. Looking at the small or next size up on phones that I can place in my pocket..I have been to the Verizon store and browsed at Wal-Mart. The salesman recommends a Samsung. We currently have the 700 shared minutes and only use about 200 minutes per month. We text only to reply to text from others and that is very seldom.I see the 65 Plus Plans and it may fit what we are looking for with the 2Gig. data and $10 per additional Gig. That plan would only cost an additional $10./month above my current plan.I have also looked at the Trac Phone from Wal-Mart and on line and don't understand it although I haven't spoken to anyone at the store. It seems the Trac Phone can be purchased relatively cheap and without a contract is appealing.Battery life ranks up there as a desired feature. Any recommendations? Any types that seem to be trouble prone? I will continue to use my Jet Pack at campgrounds and areas where there is no internet. Salesman said I could put it on standby when not needed after the contract but I am thinking that there may be a cost or reactivation fee he is not telling me about. Tethering (just learned what that means)is appealing and with limited use would replace the Jet Pack. Sorry if I have not provided enough information but you now know the extent of my knowledge.Thanks

I think Verizon has the best network out there. I have an IPad on it and it always works.I also have a IPhone on strait talk on ATT and that just sucks. Data is intermittent and works about 50% of the time. I even tethered my iPhone to my iPad and what a difference. If it were me I would upgrade to a Verizon Samsung galaxy v .I plan on doing that soon with my iPhone on crappy ATT.

ATT, T-Mobile, Sprint all suck in more rural areas. Stick with Verizon. BTW, set the flip phone down and back away. It's time for some new hardware.

Usually third party cell plans are cheaper because of limited roaming agreements. Post paid customers enjoy a much larger roaming area. Your phone may not say it's roaming when it actually is because of roaming agreements. If you stroll into US Cellular or Sprint areas with a prepaid phone there is no guarantee your phone will work on normal calls. 911 will always go through (usually). I'm not familiar with phones that only make calls. My younger daughter does have an older Samsung phone only. It works great for her. She only gets Craigslist phones. I use her upgrade toward the smartphones. I have the Samsung Galaxy S5. Battery life is has been great. My previous S3 would roar through the battery. The S5 can make it a full day on one charge. I'm a heavy user. It also has Super Saver mode. The S5 becomes a phone only in Black & White. Supposedly it can go 12 continuous days on a single charge. Camera with HDR is also a nice benefit.

If you travel around...Verizon has by far the best coverage. We had a couple of flip phones that we stubbornly would not give up. Finally gave in and went with Samsung Galaxy S4's.Really like them. We should have done it a long time ago. Change is good, especially with technology.

I like the LG Zone and Zone 2 prepaid Android Verizon smartphones. Either fits easily in a pocket. $20 or $50, no contract, extra data available at 3gb for $20. Did I mentions no contract?

Smart phone Advice | Good Sam Community

17 Replies

Charlie_D_
Explorer
Jun 05, 2014
1775 wrote:
My wife's cell phone is on the Verizon network through Straight Talk. No contract and only $45 a month for unlimited talk, text, and data. You can bring your own Verizon unlocked CDMA phone or purchase a phone with the plan - either on the Straight Talk website or at a Walmart store. Her service is excellent and has had service everywhere we have gone. If you are going to go to Verizon either on contract or not, check this out and save a lot of money for the same service.

You don't accept PM's and I was wondering which phone she has? Guy at Wal MArt seemed to know their product line and felt that the Samsung Galaxy Centura and Huawai Ascend Plug would be his recommendation.
camping_man
Explorer
Jun 05, 2014
I use H2o, I buy a sim card for $1 on ebay, and stick it in a ATT, or unlocked GSM phone, and go online H20's site, and pick my plan. I go no contract, $20 goes me 3 months. I just bought a Samsung note 2 used for $200 only 3 months old, love it, I can see the screen plenty big. H20 uses ATT's network so you don't need an unlocked phone if it's an ATT phone.
tragusa3
Explorer
Jun 05, 2014
1775, I've got the same plan, and have signal in most of the appalacians, which I did NOT have with Tmobile.

So far, really happy.
Skid_Row_Joe
Explorer
Jun 05, 2014
fla-gypsy wrote:
ATT, T-Mobile, Sprint all suck in more rural areas. Stick with Verizon. BTW, set the flip phone down and back away. It's time for some new hardware.

HA - HA!!! Now that's funny right there!!!!!:B
1775
Explorer
Jun 04, 2014
My wife's cell phone is on the Verizon network through Straight Talk. No contract and only $45 a month for unlimited talk, text, and data. You can bring your own Verizon unlocked CDMA phone or purchase a phone with the plan - either on the Straight Talk website or at a Walmart store. Her service is excellent and has had service everywhere we have gone. If you are going to go to Verizon either on contract or not, check this out and save a lot of money for the same service.
Charlie_D_
Explorer
Jun 03, 2014
blw2-Thanks for the post. I am considering the prepaid from Verizon and looked at the Moto. If I am correct all the prepaid phones are 3G but I don't think that is an issue. The IPhones under Verizon's prepaid are refurbished and am wondering if that would be a good alternative. When buying anything I am used to handling and still struggling with buying on line.
Charlie_D_
Explorer
Jun 03, 2014
This ain't no old thread. Posted today.:)
blw2
Explorer
Jun 03, 2014
fla-gypsy wrote:
ATT, T-Mobile, Sprint all suck in more rural areas. Stick with Verizon. BTW, set the flip phone down and back away. It's time for some new hardware.

I disagree.... about the flip phone anyway.
For me, yes, smartphone for sure...... but for some not so much.

My brother in law gave my Father n Law in his 80's an old iphone. He doesn't use the "smart part" and the dumb part (the phone) is harder to use.
If you just want a phone, with very limited capability for hot spot, maybe a quick email or gps look up, some of the flip type "feature phones" look promissing to me. I know because I looked at them for my father in law.

No way should you get a samsung unless you like bloatware and all sorts of "junk" on your phone. I mean really, who needs a "golf" setting for their camera?
They are only popular because they have a huge advertising budget.

Now for me, I was with iphone for years. Recently switched to a Moto X
I shopped around a lot. Settled on the moto x. Basic android experience, very capable phone.
Moto G is the lower end lower cost version
The Nexus lines are also good for a basic android experience.
HTC one is a nice looking high end phone

Iphone is nice, good hardware, very simple and intuitive...... Apple makes top notch hardware for sure.....but they haven't stayed with the times. Android offers a lot more in many ways.

Oh, I now notice that this is an old thread.... sorry.
Gr8life
Explorer II
Jun 03, 2014
Verizon prepaid is 3g, which is all I have locally anyway. $45/month for unlimited Phone, text and half meg of data. Zone can be used as a hot spot. Extra data is cheap and doesn't expire for 90 days. Some Canada and Mexico calls included. I am no expert, but the folks at Radio Shack are. Online at Verizon.com for best prices.
Charlie_D_
Explorer
Jun 03, 2014
Gr8life wrote:
I like the LG Zone and Zone 2 prepaid Android Verizon smartphones. Either fits easily in a pocket. $20 or $50, no contract, extra data available at 3gb for $20. Did I mentions no contract?

Where did you get them. Verizon store? On line?

I have looked at many prepaid and some are 3G and others 4G-Does it matter for what I plan on using for?