Need cell phone plan advice

So, at long last my wife is going to drop her Trac Phone plan that requires continually purchasing a card and adding minutes to her phone. Yes, it's been cheap at apprx. $15/month but she sometimes doesn't think she's getting as much data as she had paid for and we learned while traveling this year that the coverage is poor.

Since we plan to travel a fair bit upon my retirement, I'm all for a better plan/coverage. She brought home some pamphlets of different providers but, since I don't even own a cell phone, I'm probably not the best source for picking a plan.

So, who has the best coverage? I know this is not a simple answer so maybe it should be, whose coverage should she stay away from? As for data, she primarily uses the phone for Facebook at about an hour per day. Should she go unlimited or with that, will she be paying for data she will probably never use and go with a limited plan?

There are probably as many choices out there for service as there are for audio equipment, it makes my brain hurt!
Yep, my name really is Bob.
Parasound HCA1500A(indoor sound) and HCA1000(outdoor sound), Dynaco PAS4, Denon DP1200 w/Shure V15 Type V and Jico SAS stylus, Marantz UD7007, Polk L600, Rythmik L12 sub.

Comments

  • pitdogg2
    pitdogg2 Posts: 25,556
    edited September 2022
    I've been a TracFone member for more than a decade. I've been a number of places and have not experienced your coverage problem. I've always made sure to get the TF's that run on the Verizon network. Last year when I bought a new smartphone they sent me one that was tied to AT& T or T-Mobile network. I promptly sent it back and ask them to send me one that ran on the Verizon network. My mother had a AT& T cell phone plan and she had nothing but problems and she never even traveled out of the city.
    After about the second time that she didn't have service for a couple of days I took her to Comcast and tied her internet and her cell phone together and that cell phone ran on a Verizon network.

    In the beginning My Tracfone had triple minutes every time I added a card. Since people rarely wanted to talk or call me I ended up with thousands of minutes I think right now I probably have 7,000 minutes. I go out to the TracFone site and buy the thousand text cards four at a time. I'll also buy five or six of the data cards at a time as well. I do not like the new smartphone cards that they have for TracFone now. At the present time I've added so many minutes to my Tracfone over the years that if I stopped buying anything I still have a TracFone to 2028 at the present time as long as nothing runs to zero.
  • treitz3
    treitz3 Posts: 19,132
    Hey, Bob.

    Straight Talk through Wal-Mart works like this. You buy the phone outright and own it. It can be a el-cheapo, an iPhone or an Android. Unless they have changed the plan, it's $30/month limited and $45/month unlimited data and calls. The wife has been using this plan for decades and has no complaints.

    The key is, (as Ivan alluded too) you HAVE to get a phone that is compatible and works off of the same towers as with the network you want. Whether it be AT&T, Verizon (my recommendations) or any other major carrier. Stay away from Sprint at ALL costs. Did I mention to stay away from Sprint?

    When it comes to coverage, my experience up in the mountains, on the highways, at the beach, deep in a valley or up in a skyscraper? Verizon may have coverage at one but not the other(s). AT&T? Same deal. You may have coverage at one but not the other(s).

    It's a cr@p shoot as to what service will actually provide service with certain locations. Most of the time both of them work fine but in outlaying areas or sketchy signal areas, it just depends and it seems like just pure luck sometimes on which company has a signal at some of these locations. Usually someone in our crowd has the other carrier if one of them doesn't get a signal, so no worries there for us. May want to keep that in mind if you start to travel to new destinations.

    Now, when it comes to tethering? You might want to check with them (Straight Talk) on that. I can't remember if the wife is able to tether or not. If your other half doesn't tether, then I guess that's a mute point but I thought I would at least mention it.

    Hope this helps and doesn't add to the choice conundrum. Oh, and stay away from Sprint. ;)

    Tom

    ~ In search of accurate reproduction of music. Real sound is my reference and while perfection may not be attainable? If I chase it, I might just catch excellence. ~
  • muncybob
    muncybob Posts: 3,052
    Tethering? like on a hot air balloon? :)
    Yep, my name really is Bob.
    Parasound HCA1500A(indoor sound) and HCA1000(outdoor sound), Dynaco PAS4, Denon DP1200 w/Shure V15 Type V and Jico SAS stylus, Marantz UD7007, Polk L600, Rythmik L12 sub.
  • Emlyn
    Emlyn Posts: 4,525
    Interesting but true...Verizon owns TracFone and TracFone operates Straight Talk too.

    So either way, money goes to Verizon. I've used Verizon for as long as there have been cellphones. They have many different plans to choose from.
  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 33,895
    Emlyn wrote: »
    ... I've used Verizon for as long as there have been cellphones. They have many different plans to choose from.

    Acually -- at least (apparently) in the Northeast, for smart phones, they have one, and only one, plan now: unlimited data and it is (apparently) prix fixe as they say.

    I only mention this because we have an old (cheaper) plan that's apparently grandfathered in. We can't make any changes without going to the unlimited data plan. We'd have to use a lot of data to justify the cost difference (which we rarely do). :#

  • jdjohn
    jdjohn Posts: 3,160
    The Xfinity cell phone plan operates on Verizon's network, and is super cheap if you happen to already use Xfinity/Comcast for internet and cable TV.
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  • rooftop59
    rooftop59 Posts: 8,121
    @muncybob what on earth do you for a living that allows you to not own a cell phone?!? And clearly you have no school aged children. You are an enigma to me…

    Good luck finding a plan! You got plenty of good advice…
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  • PSOVLSK
    PSOVLSK Posts: 5,208
    edited September 2022
    muncybob wrote: »
    …I don't even own a cell phone…

    gt0j743725hw.gif
    Things work out best for those who make the best of the way things work out.-John Wooden
  • sucks2beme
    sucks2beme Posts: 5,602
    I've got a basic plan with Verizon. Under 30 a month.
    Unlimited minutes, 5g of data. Up till 6 years ago I had a
    Flip phone. I had to get a smart phone for my job so I could receive
    alerts and look at tickets. Now that I'm retired, it spends all day
    on the charger. The wife is the only person who calls me, so
    if I'm home it's useless. I do have to two factor for some logins,
    so that's about the only texting I get that's legit.

    "The legitimate powers of government extend to such acts only as are injurious to others. But it does me no injury for my neighbour to say there are twenty gods, or no god. It neither picks my pocket nor breaks my leg." --Thomas Jefferson
  • muncybob
    muncybob Posts: 3,052
    rooftop59 wrote: »
    @muncybob what on earth do you for a living that allows you to not own a cell phone?!? And clearly you have no school aged children. You are an enigma to me…

    Good luck finding a plan! You got plenty of good advice…

    Yea, I get that all the time. I'm employed by the state of Pa. and I do have one of their phones. Haven't used it except for GPS when I did travel. Right now I'm not even sure where in the house the dang thing is. All my communication is through my laptop. I never text except for email(and here)...if that's even considered texting.

    We traveled earlier this year and while in Charlotte my wife's Trac Phone had no service while we were trying to get home. I think it's tied to AT&T. Thanks for the info...time to shop I guess.
    Yep, my name really is Bob.
    Parasound HCA1500A(indoor sound) and HCA1000(outdoor sound), Dynaco PAS4, Denon DP1200 w/Shure V15 Type V and Jico SAS stylus, Marantz UD7007, Polk L600, Rythmik L12 sub.
  • VR3
    VR3 Posts: 28,737
    I don't know your situation, but if you have family with a cell plan, it will be much cheaper to add to their plan than start your own. It doesn't matter if they are in a different state either
    - Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit.
  • muncybob
    muncybob Posts: 3,052
    this is from the Joke thread and 1 of the reasons I have no desire for a cell phone.
    laehjlqb4hmk.png
    Yep, my name really is Bob.
    Parasound HCA1500A(indoor sound) and HCA1000(outdoor sound), Dynaco PAS4, Denon DP1200 w/Shure V15 Type V and Jico SAS stylus, Marantz UD7007, Polk L600, Rythmik L12 sub.
  • scubalab
    scubalab Posts: 3,103
    Bob - I have an iPhone through my employer that was recently switched from Verizon to T-Mobile. And I will second that T-Mobile's coverage is nowhere NEAR as broad as Verizon's. My wife and kids switched from Verizon to Xfinity a couple years ago and we have no complaints. I'm not sure what the price is since we switched years ago and purchased three new phones at the time. However, I believe that even WITH the price of the phones (around $700 each) spread out over 24 months, our bill was about the same as or slightly less than Verizon with no phone costs. Now that the phones are paid off, I think it's about half the price of Verizon. I think you can get a very good plan for around $20/month plus the cost of the phone. We live not far from you and I can say, coverage, even when traveling has been fine! Xfinity uses Verizon's network.
  • pitdogg2
    pitdogg2 Posts: 25,556
    Just a side not here I find hilarious. When T-Mobile comes on TV and shows how the entire United States is pink from their broad coverage take a look where Nebraska is it's like the whole state of Nebraska has absolutely no T-Mobile coverage
    Lmao 🤣🤣
  • invalid
    invalid Posts: 1,372
    There are many places in Michigan where I live, that no carrier has coverage. I work construction all over including the lakeshore, and no coverage for everyone at the sites, with many different carriers.
  • treitz3
    treitz3 Posts: 19,132
    invalid wrote: »
    There are many places in Michigan where I live, that no carrier has coverage. I work construction all over including the lakeshore, and no coverage for everyone at the sites, with many different carriers.

    THAT has got to be a royal pain the you know what!!!

    Tom

    ~ In search of accurate reproduction of music. Real sound is my reference and while perfection may not be attainable? If I chase it, I might just catch excellence. ~
  • treitz3
    treitz3 Posts: 19,132
    VR3 wrote: »
    I don't know your situation, but if you have family with a cell plan, it will be much cheaper to add to their plan than start your own. It doesn't matter if they are in a different state either

    Alternatively, they do not need to be family. Just responsible enough to pay the bill.

    Tom
    ~ In search of accurate reproduction of music. Real sound is my reference and while perfection may not be attainable? If I chase it, I might just catch excellence. ~
  • VR3
    VR3 Posts: 28,737
    treitz3 wrote: »
    VR3 wrote: »
    I don't know your situation, but if you have family with a cell plan, it will be much cheaper to add to their plan than start your own. It doesn't matter if they are in a different state either

    Alternatively, they do not need to be family. Just responsible enough to pay the bill.

    Tom

    True true... Not saying Tom is responsible it anything
    - Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit.
  • boston1450
    boston1450 Posts: 7,653
    I paid 39.99 for my Straight Talk Android phone & pay 45.00 plus tax & 911 fee. Less than 50.00 a month for unlimited -calls text data- Verizon towers. I refuse to spend 1000.00 for a phone & have contract for 30 months.. I've been with Straight Talk for 5.5 years. Never a problem. My offgrid camp in northern Maine in the stix. I drive 18 wheeler all over & never a issue. I use GPS when needed. YouTube like crazy. Do all my banking. Ebay & Amazon when needed & all many more things with no issues. I can pay out of my acct OR automatically... When I was married we had AT&T & it cost 230+ for 3 phones. AT&T didn't work when I went to camp so I ditched them... I'm old school too. My daughter calls & I don't answer. I tell her I left phone in truck. She says why. I say cause I can :D I lock up the house. Get in truck & realize I forgot phone. I drive off & funny thing is - I enjoy my day... Good luck on your phone search
    ..
  • gudnoyez
    gudnoyez Posts: 8,124
    edited September 2022
    Went from Verizon to T-Mobile me and the Wife qualified for the Magenta plan $70 unlimited for two lines happy with it coverage is great so far In San Diego, Illinois, Iowa, Wisconsin, in Northern Minnesota, had a few dropouts but nothing major, never had any problems with Verizon in that area but to get $35 a line with Verizon you need 4 lines and we only need 2 so T Mobiles fine with us tried a stint with U.S. cellular avoid them at all costs terrible service. If I needed 4 lines then Verizon would be my choice.
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  • muncybob
    muncybob Posts: 3,052
    So, we finally made a choice. A friend gave us an unlocked iPhone11 when they picked up the 14. Gave Mint a try(T-Mobile). We got a 7 day trial, which was important since we wanted to be sure we had service from inside our house. With TracFone we had to stand at certain windows to get a signal...a PITA. TF continued to be a pain when trying to keep our old ph#. Was even told our new phone's sim needed to be a Verizon card to do it....wtf! So my wife said just use the new# from Mint and she'll tell her dozen or so contacts that really matte what it is. 3 hours after she notifies them she gets a text with the transfer PIN she needed to carry her ph# over....again, wtf!

    So far it's working fine and at $15/mo we ain't complaining. Now if she could just learn how to use the dang thing :)
    Yep, my name really is Bob.
    Parasound HCA1500A(indoor sound) and HCA1000(outdoor sound), Dynaco PAS4, Denon DP1200 w/Shure V15 Type V and Jico SAS stylus, Marantz UD7007, Polk L600, Rythmik L12 sub.