Straight Talk @ Walmart

[gadgetgary]

States no contract for $45 per month

Unlimited talk, text and web

 

Has anyone tried this?

How is the coverage?

Any problems?

 

 

 

[dirtybuck]

Gary:

While I was making a decision on what pay-as-you-go carrier to select, I looked at the Straight Talk and Net 10 phones. Straight Talk has a plan for 1000 minutes for 35.00 with a refurbished phone. You can get this plan from the Internet.

Net 10 has a 40.00 LG flip phone and 600 minutes for just that...40 bucks (plus tax). They add 300 minutes to your phone when it's first activated, and that's for 2 months. The other 300 minutes can be added to your phone when you use up the other 300, or at the end of the first two month. So, depending on how often you use your phone, you can get 600 minutes for 4 months..and yes, the are rollover minutes.

I opted for the Net 10 because of finances right now.

 

[mattl]

I switched from the Metro PCS Unlimited $50 plan with unlimited talk, text, and internet, to Virgin mobile. My plan is $25/m with 300 minutes talk and unlimited text and internet. For $40 you get 1200 minutes of talk. Since my phone is WiFi enabled for $2.99/m I get unlimited Skype, so when I'm home or anywhere WiFi is available I do not need to use any of my 300 minutes.

Even at $40 Virgin beats Metro and I'd say Walmart, but you do have the upfront cost of the phone. I got the LG optimus V on sale for $129 and love it. They have a range of phones available for $49 and up. all with web. They use the sprint network and have the same coverage as Sprint.

 

[jamiel]

Slight edit: Virgin has the same coverage as native Sprint CDMA (not Nextel). Given you're in the Northeast, you should be fine, but even here in Michigan (north of Midland) there is limited Sprint service. Virgin doesn't allow roaming. A good source for prepaid phone advice is www.cellguru.net (although the coverage comparison is skewed toward New England)

 

[mattl]

I got my cousin to switch to Virgin and he had Sprint. They travel up north of here quite a bit and he was always happy with his Sprint coverage. Being it's the same coverage he's happy.

Interesting side note. I was in Chicago for a week and a half and ended up taking the train back. I loaded up Pandora and was able to listen to my music all the way back to Flint with only a short drop out or two around Battle Creek. I'd say over the 5 hour trip I had coverage 98% of the time. Granted, each region will differ, but I'm quite surprised at that coverage.