Best deal on Hobby phones? Whats your deal?

[happychapp24]

Hey guys whats the best deal on hobby phones anyways? I'm doing a metro pcs deal, and its about 60 bucks a month, for unlimited calls/txts. Anyone out there got a snazzier deal they've got?

[daaaaaman]

get a prepaid phone. I bought one with 1000 minutes for a total of $170. It was $40 for the phone $30 to activate and $100 for 1000 minutes

[guest123009]

Yeah, T-mobile has the best deal on an annual basis in my estimation.

[Guest020119-1]

I think Metro PCS is really good, if your not going to be traveling much. Althrough I travel Back & Fourth to Tampa and Mines still works out there, I hear it doesn't get service everywhere, but for $60 a month and you can talk & text all day long who cares! LoL

[npita]

Originally Posted by daaaaaman

get a prepaid phone. I bought one with 1000 minutes for a total of $170. It was $40 for the phone $30 to activate and $100 for 1000 minutes

A tracfone at walmart costs $15.00. It comes with 30 minutes on it and no activation fee. You can purchase a double minutes card that gives you double the number of minutes you purchase, forever. 200 minutes (400 after doubling) costs $40.00 and 450 minutes (900 after doubling) costs $80.00.

[guest123009]

T-mobile has the best deal IMO for light usage (like I do in the hobby). I think it was the one daaaaaaman may have been referring to. The minutes last an entire year. You can go cheaper on minutes, but then there is often a daily access fee or the minutes expire in 30 or 90 days. The longer you commit to, the less it usually costs. I just re-upped my T-Mobile and was given 15% more minutes at no additional charge.

Also, the texts do cost. But they are subtracted from the $100. So if you do not plan to use all those minutes, the texts will use up the $100 too.

[RebeccaFair]

I personally use Net 10...no phone charge (buy the phone for 30 and you get 300 mins, there are more expensive phones, but I went with the most basic). Basically, it's $0.10 a minute. But it does go in 30 sec intervals. TXT are $0.05 or half a minute. Most times I am good with just one 300 min card a month, sometimes two...the main draw: no contract, and no trace back to me.

[dsocorvette]

Metro PCS all the way. I had AT&T very bad. Drop calls, limited service, very expensive. I'm a very happy camper with Metro. dso

[LaidBack]

Originally Posted by lacensatin

I personally use Net 10...no phone charge (buy the phone for 30 and you get 300 mins, there are more expensive phones, but I went with the most basic). Basically, it's $0.10 a minute....the main draw: no contract, and no trace back to me.

That's exactly what I bought for hobby use only. It's a great no-strings deal, purchased with cash at W-M...

[alain44]

As a guy, I don't need to use it nearly as much as a provider. Tracfone at W-M is cheap, it's about $10 a month for continued access, and I always have extra minutes.

[Dstorm]

Do you talk alot or a little on your hobby phone? Virgin mobile has some good deals. Service as low as $7 a mo., with 5 cent texts and 10 cents a minute. Doubles as a second voicemail. Messages can be checked from any phone and do not count against your minutes.

[GneissGuy]

AT&T and T-mobile use SIM cards. You can upgrade to a new phone, or replace a broken phone with no involvement by the carrier. You can remove the SIM card and carry it separate from the phone. A SIM card is a lot easier to hide than an entire phone.

AT&T has a several prepaid plans, including a $3 per day unlimited talk only on the days you use it. They screw you royally for text and data.

[ofcoursenot]

I also like the T-Mobile pay-as-you-go setup. Get the basic Nokia phone from Target for $17 (comes with 200-300 minutes as I recall), then buy 1000 minutes refill from CallingMart.com for $94.00 (or $88 when they have a special) once a year. If you blow past the 1000 minutes before the year is up you'll have to refill sooner, but I've never had to. Conversely, if you have minutes left at the end of the year, you keep them so long as you add a 1000 minute refill once a year.

[johnnybax]

Net 10 is what I use. Super cheap and can be purchased at most national chain stores

[Mr Clever]

Originally Posted by GneissGuy

AT&T and T-mobile use SIM cards. You can upgrade to a new phone, or replace a broken phone with no involvement by the carrier. You can remove the SIM card and carry it separate from the phone. A SIM card is a lot easier to hide than an entire phone.

AT&T has a several prepaid plans, including a $3 per day unlimited talk only on the days you use it. They screw you royally for text and data.

The SIM card idea is good.....keep the SIM in your wallet. Whip out as needed.