Anyone have one?

I have scanned most of the major carriers (AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, etc) and I can't stand how they are set up here. I am used to how they worked overseas (you pay money on the phone and then when you run out you put more on). Seems like every one has minutes that EXPIRE!! What is that crap, I just want a phone for emergencies, I use my phone about 5 minutes a month, max.

Anyone know of any prepaid phone that is not such a rip off or am I just screwed by the carriers in the US?

 

I have one through Verizon but it is as you say. I pay for minutes and have to use them or add more minutes before they expire so my minutes will "roll over" but yeah prepay sucks. If you find one like you find over seas then let me know.

 

I bought one for my Mom for emergencies. I think it cost $40 and lasts an entire year. I got it at Walmart of all places.

 

Will have to go check on this. Seems like I can pay 100 bucks for an entire year but that ends up being 1k minutes or something which I will just never use.

Ahh nuts.

 

Do you remember what brand by any chance? My gf wants to get one like that for her dad.

 

My wife has one from AT&T. We load minutes at $100 a pop and with the amount she uses it it is much less than doing a normal monthly plan.

 

I don't recall the phone, I'll ask though. Its through Sprint.

 

My daughter and mother have Tracfones-- conventional cell phones, not data phones. No daily/monthly fees, and you can get a $100 card that lasts a year, IIRC, although I add time for them on a quarterly basis since the phones aren't used much.
Sounds like Boost Mobile.

 

Man you're so right about over seas.

I'm in hong kong right now, I just walked into a cell phone service provider shop, picked up a sim card to put into my unlocked phone for about 12USD and got about 500 minutes. Although it expires in 6 months.

What was nice thou was I didn't have to fill out anything, didn't need a credit card or whatever. Just went in, asked for the card, paid cash and walked out.

 

I'm late but check this. I got my wife a t-mobile prepay. Once you spend a certain amount ($100?) on minutes they do not expire. You have to make one additional purchase every year for about $10.00. That's it.

I bought this like 3-4 years ago so it works for us. She might use 5 minutes per month but always has it available.

 

Metro PCS is running a special this month. $30/mo unlimited text/talk. Phones they offer are a little meh, but its a pretty good deal. The wife has it currently and likes it, I am cancelling my $70/mo Verizon phone soon for this deal also. Since I got my work Blackberry, I have no use for my personal phone, but still want a cheap one just so I dont feel like a grub

 

+1 my parents use t-mobile prepaid, its only .10 for each min they use, and my dad only uses maybe 300 mins a year. they pretty much paid $100 for the first year and then $10 a year afterwards. this is their 5th year on t-mobile. and they can still have nice phones, all you have to do is switch the sim cards.