Thursday, April 26, 2012

Cell Phone Follies

So there I am, in the Ma Bell Cell Phone store.  They're telling me about tablets and smart phones.  They show me that the plans for data, voice and text messaging is something like $110 a month.

Sheesh.

So then I see, in a corner, something called "Go Phones".  No contract, you buy the phone, and unlimited usage (text, data and texting) is $50 per month.  I asked this:  "Hey, this is so much cheaper, why the hell would I want to buy those plans on a two year contract for twice as much a month when I can get one a these for a lot less per month?"

Man, you should have seen the Scrambling of the Sales Assistants to come up with an answer to that question.  Finally, the Most Senior Salesman finds a coverage map and shows me that in the Rockies and Far West, the coverage isn't so good.  But I've been out that way just once in the last 25 years, so why should I care?  And if I don't like the Go Phone, hell, it's not like I have a contract with those guys.

No cable or intertubes at home.  Makes for really quiet evenings.  It's kind of nice, actually.

5 comments:

  1. I'm with Virgin Mobile myself, using a phone that was new about six or seven years ago. It doesn't do the internet, or and fancy stuff, just makes at takes calls. I pay $21/month for 200 minutes - unused ones get rolled over. Since I'm not one for long chats they're just keep going up. No two year contract is yet another bonus.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Trac phone for me. No contract, I never use it unless I am driving anyway. Minutes roll over, mostly I just buy "time" to keep it activated. The phone was all of ten bucks at Wallmart and it came with "double minutes" for life.
    Very Pain Free!
    Say, does this mean are you moved in already, or are you still winding down your previous home?
    inquiring minds and all that ....
    w3ski

    ReplyDelete
  3. I have a need for text messaging. Anyway, I'm sort of moved. I think the truck with my furniture and shit is now circling some unnamed asteroid, though.

    I have moving companies. Doesn't matter which one, they all pretty much suck.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Virgin has three unlimited data plans: $35: 300 minutes of talk, $45 plan: 1200 minutes, and $55: unlimited talk.
    Ive been tempted to upgrade, but I'd have to get another phone to do the internet/text stuff, but all I need right now is a phone, not a smartphone.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I have an LG Olympus V ($129) with the Virgin $35 plan. Only Android 2.2, but has 3G, WiFi, Bluetooth and GPS. The micro Flash chip I put in it has all my music and e-books. (Get CoolReader) FYI, this is the No-Contract budget line of Sprint and coverage is the same. I used to have Tracfone, but wanted something smarter.

    ReplyDelete

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