Need a new phone plan (1 Viewer)

[inca911]

I'm looking for a new cell phone plan for calls/work with unlimited data. Any recommendations? Thanks!

 

[Josh Kifer]

I've been on Mint Unlimited and pay 240 a year for unlimited everything, and it's been solid. No complaints here.

They do throttle your data when you hit 37 gigs per month. But that's alot...

 

[tabletalker7]

I use Straight Talk. $55 a month. 5G. Unlimited data (throttle at 60GB a month) unlimited hotspot. BYOP program allows you to keep your current phone or buy any phone you want - I personally tend to buy phones that carriers won't carry, like my current Red Magic 6s Pro and it ROCKS. If hotspot is important there is no better deal to be had

 

[links_slayer]

Which plan/carrier do you have now?

We have Verizon unlimited and are happy with it (doesn't hurt that it's covered by my wife's job). We're not heavy data users though and only travel a couple times/year but haven't had any coverage issues when we have.

 

[inca911]

I've been on Mint Unlimited and pay 240 a year for unlimited everything, and it's been solid. No complaints here.

I currently have ATT. I’m going to give Mint a try. They use the T-Mobile network and are half the price of T-Mobile, ATT, or Verizon (i.e., only $30/month with prepayment). Throttling shouldn’t be an issue. Thanks much for the recommendation!

 

[Josh Kifer]

I currently have ATT. I’m going to give Mint a try. They use the T-Mobile network and are half the price of T-Mobile, ATT, or Verizon (i.e., only $30/month with prepayment). Throttling shouldn’t be an issue. Thanks much for the recommendation!

I went from T-Mobile prepaid and it's actually cheaper with 5G access. I've been pretty dang pleased.

 

[honkydevil]

I currently have ATT. I’m going to give Mint a try. They use the T-Mobile network and are half the price of T-Mobile, ATT, or Verizon (i.e., only $30/month with prepayment). Throttling shouldn’t be an issue. Thanks much for the recommendation!

I used Mint for a while up north here. When I travelled a little further north and/or east/west of the freeway area my service would hit a lot of dead spots.

I cancelled and switched to Visible. Same idea as Mint but using Verizon network. I get incredibly better coverage with Visible compared to Mint. Not sure how their service area compares for you near the Twin Cities.

 

[FDLmold]

I wouldn’t use a network other than Verizon for anything. I have xfinity mobile right now and the price and quality are hard to beat.

 

[pltrgyst]

If you have Spectrum (or Brighthouse) cable, their unlimited voice and data at $29/month per line via Verizon is awfully good.

 

[inca911]

Status update: Mint’s service has been very good since I joined. Thanks for the suggestion @Josh Kifer . If anyone is thinking of making a switch, I can share a referral bonus. Drop me a PM if you are interested.

 

[Josh Kifer]

Status update: Mint’s service has been very good since I joined. Thanks for the suggestion @Josh Kifer . If anyone is thinking of making a switch, I can share a referral bonus. Drop me a PM if you are interested.

Yeah, it's a give and take overall, but I'll say the data and coverage has been outstanding for the value. Way better then the last 10 years of plans I've had.

That shows you how smart I am, I could have dropped my referral codes, but I'm a old man who forgets that shit. Hahaha.

Glad you enjoy the service tho!

 

[tabletalker7]

That shows you how smart I am, I could have dropped my referral codes, but I'm a old man who forgets that shit. Hahaha.

If @Josh Kifer turned smart I would be doing this .......

 

[Josh Kifer]

If @Josh Kifer turned smart I would be doing this .......

View attachment 897453

At least I know my Chaos Empire is built off the backs of Memes and Idiots. Hahaha

 

[Venturalvn]

Was on ATT for the last 10 years but they're just such a nasty company and I wasn't getting anything there that I can't get anywhere else.

Switched to Mint - trial period for 3 months first and then I reupped into an annual plan HAPPILY. Amazing how cheap I'm paying now and for better account management UI and without a hiccup in service.

 

[tabletalker7]

I honestly think the prepaid MVNOs have to have it together more than the big players. They don't have those ridiculous contracts to fall back on. People can just leave them if they suck. Verizon and AT&T lock you down before you can realize they suck, and then charge you huge fees for leaving.

 

[Josh Kifer]

I honestly think the prepaid MVNOs have to have it together more than the big players. They don't have those ridiculous contracts to fall back on. People can just leave them if they suck. Verizon and AT&T lock you down before you can realize they suck, and then charge you huge fees for leaving.

My boss has been paying 200 bucks a month for 3 lines on Verizon, and his data was running 5mps. I ran my speed test that day and hit 300mps. He kept going to Verizon and they couldn't explain it, but apparently it's happening to a chunk of the 5g customers. He dumped it for Mint and has been mostly happy. His home has some spotty areas which he hates.

It's a give and take. But I'll say I'm rolling with it until a better deal comes along.

 

[Windwalker]

I currently have ATT. I’m going to give Mint a try. They use the T-Mobile network and are half the price of T-Mobile, ATT, or Verizon (i.e., only $30/month with prepayment). Throttling shouldn’t be an issue. Thanks much for the recommendation!

My really good buddy David Glickman owns Mint. He also owns Ultra Mobile and a few MVNO (“mobile virtual network operators”). MVNOs basically lease airtime from the big 4, and then resell by marketing to specific communities and cohorts. They use lower margins and softer cost structures to get you better prices.

There are a few drawbacks with MVNOs you should be aware of, tho:

- at high usage time, the leaser tend to provide priority of data usage to their own traffic and MVNO quality get degraded.

- MVNOs are almost always data-capped before throttling.

- MVNOs don’t have roaming.

- many MVNOs have restrictions on which devices they can use, put on them by the carrier.

You’ll always get a better price, though.

 

[tabletalker7]

There are a few drawbacks with MVNOs you should be aware of, tho:

Not all of these are true of all MVNOs.

- at high usage time, the leaser tend to provide priority of data usage to their own traffic and MVNO quality get degraded.

This is best said as formerly true. It used to be a problem years ago. Nowadays, the big 3 have so many towers and so much bandwidth available that the problem pretty much solved itself. The big 3 didn't want to risk throttling their own people that they went extremely overboard with the towers. I have found throttling during busy time nonexistent for a few years now.

- MVNOs are almost always data-capped before throttling.

I have no cap. I get throttled at 60 gigs, but I have never come close to that.

- MVNOs don’t have roaming.

So far, my Straight Talk service has worked in NY, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Maryland, Delaware, Virginia, Indiana ........ well you get the picture. As long as I don't leave the country it works. I imagine there are small time local outfits that won't work outside a certain radius, but that is not something I have ever had to deal with.

- many MVNOs have restrictions on which devices they can use, put on them by the carrier.

I have never had an issue, but I am a little bit educated in this matter. Straight Talk has a "Bring Your Own Phone" program that lets you drop in a Straight Talk SIM card into any phone. Hell I am currently using a phone meant for the Asia market, but it gets 850 and 1900Mhz for 4G LTE and gets bands 41 and 71 for 5G, so I connect to TMobile towers just fine. If you do your homework on both the phone in question and the MVNO, you can enjoy phones nobody else stateside can.

Now I would like to add two serious drawbacks to using MVNOs

- you have to buy your phone. No monthly installments (like the big 3) to help you. Now granted if you have the money to buy the phone it is always cheaper to do so but not everyone does, especially after making a chip purchase here

- NO PHONE INSURANCE! You are on your own if you damage it, so just don't. Better yet, actually bother with a screen protector and a rugged case.

And now that I have written a book that would make @Ben8257 proud, I think I will take a nap.

 

[FordPickup92]

I always use a screen protector and case on my phone. I'm happy if I get 3 years out of a straight talk phone. Mine are almost always death by water anyways. I don't ever spend more than $150 on one and it does the same exact things an $1800 phone does. Do I have mega high def low light super res extra quality pictures? Nope. But I can take a nice picture all the same.
It connects to wifi, makes calls and texts, and has pretty decent internet. My autobill plan is $48 bucks a month for unlimited anything, and I've only lost service on the eastern shore and the sticks of VA. Which really, Ben's phone also lacks service there and is through AT&T
I also have a data roaming option but have never used it.
I've been on a non contract phone/plan for 5 years and have had zero complaints as far as functionality. The only real complaint I do have is I hate all the pre installed apps that take up space and are not able to uninstalled.

 

[tabletalker7]

The only real complaint I do have is I hate all the pre installed apps that take up space and are not able to uninstalled.

Didn't I warn you not to buy an actual Straight Talk phone? Ya know, back when you were going to shove said phone up a former boss's a** sideways? And whoever told you that even unlocked phones have apps that can't be uninstalled never met me. Trust me. Next time you need a phone let me know. We will find something for you that fits your budget and does everything you want.

 

[FordPickup92]

Didn't I warn you not to buy an actual Straight Talk phone? Ya know, back when you were going to shove said phone up a former boss's a** sideways? And whoever told you that even unlocked phones have apps that can't be uninstalled never met me. Trust me. Next time you need a phone let me know. We will find something for you that fits your budget and does everything you want.

Last time I bought one (recently actually) my phone stopped charging suddenly (water incident) and I had to replace it in a hurry.
Next time l give you a shout tho

 

[tabletalker7]

Last time I bought one (recently actually) my phone stopped charging suddenly (water incident) and I had to replace it in a hurry.
Next time l give you a shout tho

Considering your admitted chosen execution method of phone, might it be worthwhile to up the budget a little and get a waterproof model? I won't tell you exactly how many times my other half's phone has wound up at the bottom of a full sink of dawn and dishwater, I will just tell you that she dries it off, restarts the phone, and everything keeps working

 

[FordPickup92]

Considering your admitted chosen execution method of phone, might it be worthwhile to up the budget a little and get a waterproof model? I won't tell you exactly how many times my other half's phone has wound up at the bottom of a full sink of dawn and dishwater, I will just tell you that she dries it off, restarts the phone, and everything keeps working

Probably, but I don't often see them available in store (or I don't look hard enough)
I have had waterproof phones before and it worked out well, had that one for 5 years roughly

 

[tabletalker7]

Probably, but I don't often see them available in store (or I don't look hard enough)
I have had waterproof phones before and it worked out well, had that one for 5 years roughly

I have a cheap $50 garbage phone in my desk. When one of us has to replace a phone, we throw our SIM card in that and use it for a few days. Amazon can have any phone I want on my front porch in 72 hours. Stores suck!

 

[pltrgyst]

I currently have ATT. I’m going to give Mint a try. They use the T-Mobile network and are half the price of T-Mobile, ATT, or Verizon (i.e., only $30/month with prepayment). Throttling shouldn’t be an issue. Thanks much for the recommendation!

Hmmm -- we pay only $35/month per line withe T-Mobile...

 

[tabletalker7]

Hmmm -- we pay only $35/month per line withe T-Mobile...

That plan from T-Mobile doesn't fit my needs. What's really funny is T-Mobile has a $70 plan that fits my needs, but I get the exact same thing from Straight Talk for $55 and I am using T-Mobile towers to get that service. WTF

 

[buffalojim]

Been using Cricket for over 20 years, because I don't like commitment $60 a month I get unlimited everything, never had an issue. Early early on there were definitely spots where there was no service but for some years they've been on the back of AT&T, so no issues. You just have to buy your phone, which I like to do anyway. Pixel 2 for life.