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Rooks989 · 09-29-2013, 06:58 PM

I'm looking for a disposable phone that I can add minutes to from month-to-month and was looking for some recommendations from other hobbyist in the US.

Wal-Mart recommended Trac-Phone, that seemed pretty good. The coverage seems to be a little sparse, but their minutes roll over from month-to-month. Since this would be a hobby phone, I don't want to spend to much on it, but still want to get a good value for my money. Does anyone recommend the Trac-Phone? Or other phones and plans?

Ed Highlight · 09-29-2013, 08:57 PM

Go Phone - AT&T (Sim card) - $25 every 3 months ($8.33/month) - Phone call $0.25 minute and text $0.25 each. You can buy 200 text messages for $4.99/month. I've had mine for 5 years.

MochaNautteBBW · 09-30-2013, 01:06 AM

I have a Tracfone and I use it for business only. I got the phone from my local 7-11...and I didn't have to give out any personal info.

Alyssa XOXO · 09-30-2013, 04:53 PM

I use Tracfone and when you buy the set in the box (cheapo $15), the minutes that you reload automatically double every time that you reload the card. Picked mine up at Wal-Mart. It can be costly at times but, it's COMPLETELY worth it due to the annomininity.....

pyramider · 09-30-2013, 08:05 PM

I use my neighbor's phone ... works like a charm.

Guest010619 · 09-30-2013, 08:27 PM

T mobile. Pay for minutes in cash, buy refill card at almost any gas station. $100 for 1000min.

SneakyCancer · 10-01-2013, 08:20 AM

pretty much all gas station and prepaid phones are good. every major carrier has a low grade prepaid that keeps you in the dark if you know what i mean. otherwise there are apps for that as well.

PleasantSurprise · 10-01-2013, 02:43 PM

Have you tried a second line feature such as Line 2 or Google Voice where you don't actually need a second hand held device?

Two numbers ringing to one phone..... and I believe with google voice you can turn it on and off so calls or texts won't come in and at inconvenient times.

LNK · 10-01-2013, 03:50 PM

Any of the many pre-paid phones will work as well as any of the others. The only thing that might make a difference is coverage for your area.

I would stay away from any service or feature that uses your current phone if you're going for stealth. Such a service is still connected to YOUR phone, even if it's turned off. It only takes forgetting to turn it off once to cause a problem.

Having a second phone that never comes home, that only has a battery in it when you're actively using it, with a locked keypad that can be plausibly denied as yours (since you "don't know" the password if anyone finds it, right?) is much safer, even if it costs a bit of money.

Make sure you know that the phone will lock itself automatically when you're not actively using it. Forgetting to lock it can also be a chink in your armor of deniability.

Delete calls, texts, etc. I've wrestled over whether to store contacts on it, but I figure nobody knows the password, so I do.

Pick a password that makes sense to you, but you don't use anywhere else. Use the keypad to spell out a word, instead of trying to remember a string of numbers.

Charlie Angel · 10-03-2013, 06:45 PM

TracFone should be able to use several different carrier's lines, so coverage shouldn't be an issue. To my mind, where it offers advantage over other pay-as-you-go providers is in very inexpensive phones ($10 for a basic brick, $40 or $50 for a semi-smartphone with keyboard if you text a lot), low rates ($20 every 90 days), and the fact that if you forget to pay for a day or two your unused minutes will still be there when you top-up (try that with T-Mobile). Also, among their least-expensive phone offerings are ones with lifetime double- or triple-minutes (buy 60, get 120 or 180).

Guest010619 · 10-04-2013, 12:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Charlie Angel

... and the fact that if you forget to pay for a day or two your unused minutes will still be there when you top-up (try that with T-Mobile).

I prefer the T-mobile (pay as you go plan) has a one year if you pay $100 for a 1000 minutes and go gold. All minutes after that will be rolled in and expire 1 year later. Beats having to pay monthly. I locked the phone at every turn, but I can leave it on my desk at work and not worry if someone fumbles with it, after 3 attempts it locks completely.
When you consider the cost of divorce or unemployment this is a good deal.

plainjoe · 10-04-2013, 11:03 AM

LNK submits great inputs - IF playing in the hobby, a second, throw away, stupid (and not SMART) phone is an absolute part of the hobby (much in the same manner as a throw away hobby e-mail account and verification service). The phone does not matter (T-Mobile, TRAC, Virgin, etc.) as long as you can go to Walmart (or any other place) and pay by cash and purchase minutes by cash too. No contracts, no signing in, no records. If compromised, you can simply "throw away" the phone with no issues.
IF using Google Voice or any other APPs on your primary phone, it is still anchored on your PRIMARY phone. DO you really trust Google or Apple or any other APPs NOT to link both numbers to the one primary device?
Make the wise investment and get a second hobby, throwaway phone...whichever service that you purchase or use should not matter - they all serve the purpose.