Best Cellular Service for Hobby Phones

[Big Guitar Guy]

My hookup at Walmart understood what I wanted--a phone to call my girl, I said, without anyone knowing, and one I didn't have to give any personal information away to activate. He ran down the different options. I asked him "What would you get?"

"Straight Talk"--3 GB high speed data, unlimited talk and text, works on your unlocked phone or buy a phone and activate. Can be activated without talking to anyone. Absolutely anonymous. Better yet, it runs on AT&T's network for only $45/month--far less than AT&T charges for the same service to its paying AT&T customers. I was able to activate my hobby phone, access the internet, and do all my email using the phone and Straight Talk. Minutes and data don't roll over so just buy a new refill card every month and you are golden.

Hope this helps those of you trying to figure out what is the best service for you.

[bobo1cg]

what about freedom pop. https://www.freedompop.com/

[Fort Worth Punk]

Why not google talk on your existing phone. You can change/ditch a number easily.

[Ashi]

Do you trust google not to extract your phone's details (MAC address.)?

How about tracfone? I did some research on the subject not long ago and tracfone came out the best option for a hobby phone, that can also be a second phone if your first one is broken , lost, etc. It can be activated anonymously and it is way cheaper per month if you have a low volume of calls. Walmart has good sales on Android handsets that allow triple minutes for the lifetime of the handset. Simpler handset have double minutes and the refill cards are 19 bucks for 60 min which becomes 180 min... Cheapest phone is 10 bucks has double minutes, and can be discarded if your SO is after you. not having a monthly plan is better imho.

[Fort Worth Punk]

Originally Posted by Ashi

Do you trust google not to extract your phone's details (MAC address.)?

If I weren't single and I had the choice of worrying about the slim odds of Google's use of my MAC address hurting me, or my SO finding my burner phone, I'm going to take my chances with Google.

People tend to be paranoid about the wrong things and then take a gamble that risks the most likely downside scenario.

[Goose2u]

I use a tracfone too because if something does go wrong it's probably too late

[CaptCroakers]

Tracfone is great if the scope of your hobbying is minimal. My needs eventually out grew tracfone so I switched to verizon, much better selection of phones and service for us traveling guys.

[carmeltool]

Can second Freedom Pop...very reasonable (unlimited call/text/1GB data, vm for $23/month)...the downside is that it's Sprint's network :-)

[Roger.Smith]

Originally Posted by Ashi

Do you trust google not to extract your phone's details (MAC address.)?

How about tracfone? I did some research on the subject not long ago and tracfone came out the best option for a hobby phone, that can also be a second phone if your first one is broken , lost, etc. It can be activated anonymously and it is way cheaper per month if you have a low volume of calls. Walmart has good sales on Android handsets that allow triple minutes for the lifetime of the handset. Simpler handset have double minutes and the refill cards are 19 bucks for 60 min which becomes 180 min... Cheapest phone is 10 bucks has double minutes, and can be discarded if your SO is after you. not having a monthly plan is better imho.

MAC addresses can be spoofed, if that's a concern.

[Guest092216]

The thing about Google is it finds all kinds of new and inventive ways to sync and "peronalize your user experience". Then wires get crossed on "updates" and you risk real world info seeping over into hobby info or vice versa.

Google knows more about me than I do. I find that really uncomfortable when it comes to being a provider so I had to get a whole new device. Now I no longer have those 'oh shit why the fuck is that showing up there' moments.

[grean]

Any cheap one time usage options? 25 or less get it, use it, then recycle it?

[phoenixfire_]

Originally Posted by thathottnurse

The thing about Google is it finds all kinds of new and inventive ways to sync and "peronalize your user experience". Then wires get crossed on "updates" and you risk real world info seeping over into hobby info or vice versa.

Google knows more about me than I do. I find that really uncomfortable when it comes to being a provider so I had to get a whole new device. Now I no longer have those 'oh shit why the fuck is that showing up there' moments.

Ugh Google syncs with everything. If you' ve got that Google + crap your privacy/identity is non existent.

Just yesterday I went into serious panic mode cause my provider twitter account lpsynced with my real life contacts somehow O_o

"Oh shit ! Abort mission abortttt ...stop.... synching" .

Google Voice is cool though i think it makes for a good hobby phone and.......... That's about it

[atf searcher]

Originally Posted by CaptCroakers

Tracfone is great if the scope of your hobbying is minimal. My needs eventually out grew tracfone so I switched to verizon, much better selection of phones and service for us traveling guys.

I first found out about Tracfone from a thread here on eccie(thank's). For me it's the simplest, cheapest, and safest option for a dedicated hobby phone. I bought a pay as you go card that is good for an entire year and doubles the minutes. I'm set for an entire year.

I think the smartest way to hobby is to have a dedicated hobby phone that you use only for calling and texting providers and nothing else. Then use your regular cell phone for everything else. That way you never get the two mixed up. I hobby often and I've never needed anything else.

[bobo1cg]

When i used to do backpage, i would use the pinger/text free ultra app on my phone. Its free and if you want to go incognito then just log out until ur ready to use it again.