Cheaper cell plan -- contract okay, but need data plan

[Anonymous]

Our cell plan contract is up and I want to shop around before signing up again. We are currently with T-Mobile, two lines, and use about 1,000 minutes/month. We basically only talk to our families and text each other (we don't have a land line). We both need data plans because we both use our phones for constant work email, especially when travelling (cheap employers won't provide phones, though).

Our current bill runs about $150/month. Can we do better?

Also, DH needs a new phone (ancient blackberry, will no longer support his work email after the end of the month) and I just lost my phone in a cab, although it is insured.

Thanks!

[Anonymous]

2 months ago, I switched to Virgin Mobile. I bought a smart phone for $70 and have a plan for $35 that includes unlimited data and messaging and 300 minutes per month. For $45 per month I could get 1200 minutes of talk and for $55 per month I could get unlimited talk (the plan is called BeyondTalk). And Virgin Mobile is a subsidiary of Sprint and uses the Sprint network, so has very good coverage. I was with Sprint for over 20 years (pre-digital). Alternatively, Virgin Mobile also has a no contract plan called PayLo where you can get 1500 minutes, 1500 texts and 30mb of data for $30/month or unlimite minutes, unlimited texts and 50mb of data per month for $40.

You can definitely do much better than $150/month for two phones.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:2 months ago, I switched to Virgin Mobile. I bought a smart phone for $70 and have a plan for $35 that includes unlimited data and messaging and 300 minutes per month. For $45 per month I could get 1200 minutes of talk and for $55 per month I could get unlimited talk (the plan is called BeyondTalk). And Virgin Mobile is a subsidiary of Sprint and uses the Sprint network, so has very good coverage. I was with Sprint for over 20 years (pre-digital). Alternatively, Virgin Mobile also has a no contract plan called PayLo where you can get 1500 minutes, 1500 texts and 30mb of data for $30/month or unlimite minutes, unlimited texts and 50mb of data per month for $40.

You can definitely do much better than $150/month for two phones.

PP again. And I forgot to add that the Sprint network has much better coverage than T-Mobile.

[Anonymous]

Take a look at T-Mobile's current plans. We now pay $80/month for TWO phones with unlimited minutes and text, and 500 MB of data. It's a little more if you want more data. I use mine constantly for email and work email, and have never run up against the limit.

[Anonymous]

Are any of these plans available for iPhones, or are you stuck with Verizon or Sprint?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Are any of these plans available for iPhones, or are you stuck with Verizon or Sprint?

Yes but you have to buy it. I recently went to Virgin Mobile and pay $30 unlmted text and data and like 300 min talk (it's really $35 but i get a $5 discount t because I have automatic bill pay). I crunched the numbers and rather then getting a "free" phone it works out better to buy it and get the cheaper plan.