I'd like to put together an updateable wikilike editable spreadsheet, maybe helpful to members.with new deals in starred notes.
something like this
MVNO's
categories
Sprint
verizon
att
tmobile
true Paygo
semi paygo
plans
gothcas such as overages
This is in response to deidrich duos post.
"I'm about ready to give up on Nth Circle due to the unpleasant nature of many of the posts that seem to be appearing in more and more of the threads. They are extremely uncomfortable to read and not why I participate on this forum."
Hi Als.
I attempted a similar comparison some time back & found that it was too complex to lay out...
Some of the confusions revolve around low use vs. high use scenarios as well as data use vs. non-data use - but for us it got even more baffling because of local limitations.
Here in Vermont, only 2 of the big 4 have actual coverage, with some bleed over near state lines for the other 2, so=>
We got some decent usage out of r+ even though there is zero actual sprint coverage in our immediate area - and tmo is a total non-option around here.
Of the 2 which are allowed to have towers here, they aren't universal, so we have been forced to carry 2 phones when out & about if we wish to be able to make or get calls.
The redeeming feature we depend upon is pretty much restricted to very few carriers - and sillier still both AT&T + VZ are priced unaffordably around here for these very same reasons.
So how do we get our best value ??
A sprint MVNO with free VZ roaming included...Twigby - which also has great rates for non-data users like us.
So:
Charting this except in the most basic terms looked to me as to be crazy-making & I quit trying to do it for that reason alone.
It seems likely to me that the best starting points go like so:
[ol]
[li]Estimate voice, SMS & data usages realistically;[/li]
[li]Determine the best price point that is needed;[/li]
[li]Figure out which carrier's coverages are the best fit;[/li]
[li]Where all these items intersect - it may be time to get what is there & test it.[/li]
[/ol]
Else there seems to be no really easy way to lay this problem/solution out unless one is a database genius, which I most certainly am NOT !!!
There are just so many at different price points. Some guy on reddit has a chart but it isn't extremely comprehensive and yet still very large. It misses out some really good plans like the special TPO ringplus plans or unique ones like xfinity mobile. And lacks detail in areas.
Really I think it is easier if someone who doesn't know what plans are out there but knows what they need just asks - then people can provide suggestions. It is easier to just tailor it to the request.
Hi Mmfacemm.
We got a mailing about xfinity mobile - so I called about it - and they only offered it WITH phones then, but said that BYOD was 'in the works'.
Given that they are big around here I'd be inclined to give that a try IF they get their BYOD options working.
Else, our options are rather limited - 1st by budget, 2nd by limited coverages.
JTSR71 is a big fan of xfinity so can probably answer your questions. I doubt we'll see byod soon though. They have been saying that since launch. They had a few really good deals on phones over the months. One phone was $1 a 5(?) months ago but yes it seems like $180 is the cheapest phone right now and you have to buy one of theirs.
I am currently online with their rather useless outsourced chat to ask them.
The best deal they have at their site is an LG phone for 7.50/month for 24 months - which is as you said.
All the info he gave is this:
No idea even if it is based upon GSM or CDMA, but it hardly matters - we stand as we are !!!
Da!@#$
it is only too complex because they wish to befuddle us@
I'll start laying it out.
There exist many thousands of cell towers across the USA.
Some are dedicated to
One provider only.
Depending on where you live or travel , You may need only one ,or a combination of the big four.
att verizon t mbile or sprint
Within those four major providers there are possible subsidiary providers of service called MVNO's ( somtims cheaper_
At MVNO levels you can choose monthly plans derivatives or paygo plans or derivatives...........
Hi Als.
Yes, I assuredly get the picture - though perhaps just deeply enough for our area.
It is very odd to some folks that in Vermont ONLY VZ & AT&T have towers due to regulatory limitations.
Since I already tried to 'splain our silly situation, I'll not repeat any of that, other than to say we remain open to better costs for voice & text only whenever good options may appear.
Da!@#$
it is only too complex because they wish to befuddle us@
I'll start laying it out.
There exist many thousands of cell towers across the USA.
Some are dedicated to
One provider only.
Depending on where you live or travel , You may need only one ,or a combination of the big four.
att verizon t mbile or sprint ( curent offerings and deals)
Within those four major providers there are possible subsidiary providers of service called MVNO's ( somtims cheaper_
At MVNO levels you can choose monthly plans derivatives or paygo plans or derivatives...........
Within those major providers you can choose between contract nocontract data and voice test plans.
currently sprint is offering.............
In veromont, only .... [providers work.
In oklahomea only..... lblank providers offer service
in
bullfrog , Utah yo'll be lucky if you can get Verizon form the towers on navajo mountain when the weather is clear.
If you opt for an MVNO your service will be cheaper . but you run the risk of being an mvno second class ciotizen and being de- =prioritzied on networks when traffici is high
Thank you very much! Here's hoping we can keep this thread conflict-free.
As far as my two cents' worth on "cheapskate MVNOs", I have two phones. One is my old flip phone, still on T-Mobile's "legacy" (translation: no longer offered) Pay As You Go plan for $100 / year that includes 1000 minutes or texts or any combination thereof. Now I just top it up with $10 a year to keep it on the plan, even though I rarely use it and always have more than half of my remaining minutes left (and they roll over for another year).
My newer smart phone is on Twigby, which primarily uses the Sprint network but also includes Verizon roaming for no extra charge: 200 minutes / unlimited texts / 150 MB of high-speed data, throttled afterwards, $12 plus taxes and fees per month. I occasionally go over my 200 minutes, but Twigby just charges you for the difference for their next-higher plan allotment.
So, for well under $20 a month, I have coverage on 3 of the 4 Big Four carriers' networks. Not as cheap as the good old free plans offered by RingPlus, but it works for me.
Thanks again for your OP, @als! Looking forward to seeing the udpated results as they appear.
This might be needless duplication of @mmfacemm's information, but I have found two sources that might be helpful for "MVNO cheapskates". Here are the links:
Neither of them is (wiki-like) editable, but they seem to be updated regularly. The first site, Prepaid Phone News, has lots of information about the various carriers and the latest deals by category. The second site, Whistleout, allows you to customize your allotments and compare features, a nice touch. Perhaps they could be a good resource for some.
Pity there hasn't been an update since Feb 2016. But maybe that's a good thing seeing that the generous person collating that information would probably have shot themselves trying to keep the R+ info updated.
It was a really fantastic resource, the best I've seen.
Agreed -- keeping on top of RingPlus's promos would have been like herding cats! The poor person in charge of the updates probably would have ended up like Inspector Clouseau's boss.
I'd like to put together , using input from the super knowledge base nth circle forum members have acquired, an updateable wikilike editable spreadsheet, maybe helpful to members.with new deals in starred note.
What sortable categories would you like to see?
For starters I'd suggest,
Carrier
Monthly fees,
Cost per minute
Cost per gb
Carryover
Cost per text
Overage charges
Roaming
Ulimited slower speeds after allotment use up?. @ what speed?
2g 3g 4g LTE ( dates when each sunses for each carrier._
All suggestions welcomed.
I'm thinking sortable spreadsheet with dropdown sub sortable boxes. combo of spreadsheet linked pages/
Wonderful nuances , gems like having two cheap plans two cheap phones, dual sim cards' getting coverage with all major carriers,
Talk data and text in a seperate sheet,. or a drop down sheet inside of the main sheet.
Thanks
Good suggestions I'm adding to the list.
Please feel free to copy and add to or alter the list to reflect new category additions
I'd like to put together , using input from the super knowledge base nth circle forum members have acquired, an updateable wikilike editable spreadsheet, maybe helpful to members.with new deals in starred note.
What sortable categories would you like to see?
For starters I'd suggest,
Carrier
Monthly fees,
Cost per minute
Cost per gb
Carryover
Cost per text
Overage charges
Roaming
Ulimited slower speeds after allotment use up?. @ what speed?
2g 3g 4g LTE ( dates when each sunses for each carrier._
Tethering
BBB rating
Hotspot ( or is this the same as tethering?)
All suggestions welcomed.
I'm thinking sortable spreadsheet with dropdown sub sortable boxes. combo of spreadsheet linked pages/
Wonderful nuances , gems like having two cheap plans two cheap phones, dual sim cards' getting coverage with all major carriers,
Talk data and text in a seperate sheet,. or a drop down sheet inside of the main sheet.
Thanks
I would welcome suggestions as to how to incorporate useful nuggets and gems such as DD and ET "It seems likely to me that the best starting points go like so:
Estimate voice, SMS & data usages realistically;
Determine the best price point that is needed;
Figure out which carrier's coverages are the best fit;
Where all these items intersect - it may be time to get what is there & test it."
DD "As far as my two cents' worth on "cheapskate MVNOs", I have two phones. One is my old flip phone, still on T-Mobile's "legacy" (translation: no longer offered) Pay As You Go plan for $100 / year that includes 1000 minutes or texts or any combination thereof. Now I just top it up with $10 a year to keep it on the plan, even though I rarely use it and always have more than half of my remaining minutes left (and they roll over for another year).
My newer smart phone is on Twigby, which primarily uses the Sprint network but also includes Verizon roaming for no extra charge: 200 minutes / unlimited texts / 150 MB of high-speed data, throttled afterwards, $12 plus taxes and fees per month. I occasionally go over my 200 minutes, but Twigby just charges you for the difference for their next-higher plan allotment.
So, for well under $20 a month, I have coverage on 3 of the 4 Big Four carriers' "
Please update add to this list with useful links such as:
Nth cirlcle
Howard forums
Turk forums
Good suggestions I'm adding to the list.
Please feel free to copy and add to or alter the list to reflect new category additions
I'd like to put together , using input from the super knowledge base nth circle forum members have acquired, an updateable wikilike editable spreadsheet, maybe helpful to members.with new deals in starred note.
What sortable categories would you like to see?
For starters I'd suggest,
Carrier
Monthly fees,
Cost per minute
Cost per gb
Carryover
Cost per text
Overage charges
Roaming
Ulimited slower speeds after allotment use up?. @ what speed?
2g 3g 4g LTE ( dates when each sunses for each carrier._
Tethering
BBB rating
Hotspot ( or is this the same as tethering?)
Phone swaps, self swapping
Easy to use intuitive dashboard on website
All suggestions welcomed.
I'm thinking sortable spreadsheet with dropdown sub sortable boxes. combo of spreadsheet linked pages/
Wonderful nuances , gems like having two cheap plans two cheap phones, dual sim cards' getting coverage with all major carriers,
Is my phone eligible for this carrier plan?
Talk data and text in a seperate sheet,. or a drop down sheet inside of the main sheet.
Thanks
I would welcome suggestions as to how to incorporate useful nuggets and gems such as DD and ET "It seems likely to me that the best starting points go like so:
Estimate voice, SMS & data usages realistically;
Determine the best price point that is needed;
Figure out which carrier's coverages are the best fit;
Where all these items intersect - it may be time to get what is there & test it."
DD "As far as my two cents' worth on "cheapskate MVNOs", I have two phones. One is my old flip phone, still on T-Mobile's "legacy" (translation: no longer offered) Pay As You Go plan for $100 / year that includes 1000 minutes or texts or any combination thereof. Now I just top it up with $10 a year to keep it on the plan, even though I rarely use it and always have more than half of my remaining minutes left (and they roll over for another year).
My newer smart phone is on Twigby, which primarily uses the Sprint network but also includes Verizon roaming for no extra charge: 200 minutes / unlimited texts / 150 MB of high-speed data, throttled afterwards, $12 plus taxes and fees per month. I occasionally go over my 200 minutes, but Twigby just charges you for the difference for their next-higher plan allotment.
So, for well under $20 a month, I have coverage on 3 of the 4 Big Four carriers' "
Please update add to this list with useful links such as:
Nth cirlcle
Howard forums
Turk forums www.cellguru.net/prepaid_compare.htm
