[monikernc]

I just got bumped up another $20/mo by Verizon. Apparently, this should not have come as a surprise because it was on page 6 of my statement last month. I am now up to $116.32/month with a 20% employee discount.

What do you pay? I use data more than voice and most texts are with other verizon users in family so no additional charges for those.

My phone is an old iphone4 but sufficient for my purpose. I really don’t want to get into another contract and the last time (4 years ago) I walked out with a new phone and plan it cost me $400+ – this is not an option right now with Christmas and NTS and other exam expenses looming.

Help me find a good plan. I live in a metro area with good coverage. Suggestions?

Thanks.

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Ninja Book and MCQ and the forum - all the way!!!
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if you want things to change, you have to do something different

[Anonymous]

$100/month on sprint. It is just me. This includes unlimited everything, a leased 64g iphone6s (I also had an iphone 4 until October.) and insurance for the phone.

[Skynet]

FYI, do not go with an off brand prepaid provider that uses Sprint as their network provider. Their coverage is horrible because you are stuck to their network and they provide no roaming.

You should also consider the data caps on these off brand prepaid providers too as they throttle you after a certain amount of GB.

[monikernc]

aerti – i am considering sprint with iphone6 lease but what did you pay out the door? at verizon it will be $300 minimum.

FAR 7/25/15 76!
AUD 10/30/15 93
BEC 2/27/16 82
REG 5/23/16 88!
Ninja Book and MCQ and the forum - all the way!!!
and a little thing i like to call, time and effort!
if you want things to change, you have to do something different

[Anonymous]

I recently left Sprint because I couldn't tolerate the service anymore! I had them for so many years but these last couple years their service has definitely tanked. I was paying $70/month and I was on the “framily plan” which they no longer offer (I'm sure you saw the commercials on it). I started looking into ATT and Verizon and was shocked by how expensive they were! I ended up switching to ATT a few months ago with 2 other people. So for 3 lines we each pay $71/month and I got 15gb data (5 each vs. 3 each with sprint), 64gb iphone 6s (vs. 16g iphone with Sprint), data rolls over for one month (not that I would get close to using 5g anyways). But the cherry on top is the service! OMG night and day….. phone quality is amazing you can hear the other person so loud and clear. You can send picture messages and surf the internet while talking on the phone. I also got a 17% discount from my school so for the extra $1 i'll take it 🙂
*note: if you can get other people on your plan you can split the data charges so it will decrease your out of pocket cost.

[monikernc]

cpa8488 thanks. i do worry about sprint coverage. what did you pay out the door at att? lease or buy the phone?

FAR 7/25/15 76!
AUD 10/30/15 93
BEC 2/27/16 82
REG 5/23/16 88!
Ninja Book and MCQ and the forum - all the way!!!
and a little thing i like to call, time and effort!
if you want things to change, you have to do something different

[Anonymous]

I pre-ordered the iphone 6s…so that day I only had to pay sales tax. I believe I pay approx. $23-25 a month for my cell phone. That's on the next program for 24 months. I'm not sure what the procedure is after the 24 months is up. I'm sure I can either keep my phone or get another iphone on the next program and do the same process. The $71/month I pay is the total monthly out of pocket cost- that includes the data fee, iphone fee, line fee, and taxes. I don't have insurance on my phone either. You might end up paying a little more unless you can find other's to split the data fee with you and find a discount. ATT offers hundreds of discounts-you just need a valid email address to prove you qualify for the discount. My company offered an ATT discount but my university offered a bigger discount so I obviously took that. So call ATT and say hey I bank at a credit union, or I'm part of the cpa organization in X state or I have AARP or AAA do you offer any discounts for these organizations? worst case they say no best case they say yes we offer x% off. Anything off is better than nothing off. And be careful Sprint isn't THAT MUCH cheaper than ATT so if you have to pay a few dollars more with ATT trust me go with ATT!
EDIT: nothing is more aggravating than trying to talk on the phone and saying, “what I can't hear you” OMG that got so old! and everytime I would call sprint to complain about poor service they would say the same thing, “we are working on towers in your area and they should be ready to go by X date”. They said this to me for literally a year straight!

[Anonymous]

monikernc – I have always been a sprint customer so I don't know if you will have to pay any activation fees, but I didn't have to pay anything upfront. It literally took me less than 10 minutes to switch my plan and get a new phone. I know sprint is doing a “cut your phone bill in half” promotion for new customers, so I would bring in your bill and see what they can do for you.

[Texan_176]

I have the T-Mobile Pay as you go one for “$40”.

It's really nearly $50 a month with the BS fees and taxes. The phone I bought outright on my own from Apple.

https://prepaid-phones.t-mobile.com/prepaid-monthly-plans

It's better than being in a contract but I still think this is high considering how much business they do.

BEC 11/29/14 77 (Roger)
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Texas Ethics Exam 92%

Licensed TX CPA Aug 2016

[mystical guy]

As a CPA with no kids, no wife to drain my finances (haha joke), I don't know why I'm still using Straight Talk with the data speeds being worse than my 1990s modem computer. Seriously. Why do we subject ourselves to this misery when we can afford better?

CPA - Since 2015
CISA - Smashed 2012
CIA - Passed 2015

[Author]

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