Community Chat

[Shorty2U]

Warning.. This may be long, If you have patience please read it all so you get what I mean...

I have been looking online off and on for 3 hours (yes Im nutts..lol) @ cellphone plans ie NO contract plans. (its now driving me crazy. I dont understand all the mumbo jumbo!)

This is what happened. I rarely used my cellphone (AT&T prepaid) so when I didnt add minutes they took my number (without advance notice). So I have a stone age cell phone that isnt working so I want a NEW ONE with a camera and to JUST talk and text (NOT for the net). Really just for emergencies.

Ok.......... I was all set to buy a new phone (cheap) on the AT&T website. When I went to check out, it said pick a prepaid plan. So I went on with a live CS rep. I said cant I just buy the phone, then when I get it I can just buy prepaid cards or call to get minutes when I wanted? (such as 25 dollars worth for 90 days).

Oh no, she said, you MUST pick a prepaid plan now AND then you can get the add on cards BUT there is no credit check. No I dont want to do that because even though you pay month by month I would now be paying 25 a MONTH when I could use the prepaid add minute cards it was 25 for NINTEY DAYS. She said well you CANT just get the prepaid card anymore, you MUST lock into a month per month (even though its NOT a contract).

Sooo..I got so mad. I said no wonder you took my number, you just want people to "lock in" for 25 a month. OK there are less plans but they are by the day and 10 cents a minute. Are you kidding? FORGET THAT!

Sooo THEN I went on to look up consumer cellular (which CNN recommends) well people are complaining galore that they got billed for minutes they never used...lol..

Then I checked T Mobile, Virgin Mobile, and I think? Sprint. When I type in our RURAL area ALL their map say average or good coverage (not excellent or very well) so I DONT trust the service (IE my friend has T Mobile and her phones always going off in rural America).

Lastly I checked on Trac Fones website. I dont understand it..lol.. It says buy the phone but it won let me get a card for minutes. It says come BACK when you get your PHONE. I thought the Trac Fones CAME WITH MINUTES? (confused). Or is that JUST in the store???

Bottom line. I live in rural America PA and need a cell JUST for emergencies but I want good service. According to the maps the ONLY ones that have excellent coverage HERE are AT&T, Verizon (both too much) AND consumer cellular (which people are whinning about..lol).

So which darn cellphone co. do I go with?
Thanks for ANY advice. Im going bonkers and feel like Im anciently old all of a sudden because there are SO many choices and Im confused! LOL.

And this is yet another reason to hate cellphones..lol.. (but I want one for emergencies. IE our phone service with cable has gone out twice now so prefer a cellphone).