Many people who are looking for cheap cell phone plans with a lot of talk, text and even some data all in one simple plan are looking at StraightTalk cell phone plans. StraightTalk is a trademark of TracFone and offered at Wal-Mart as a low cost cell phone option for people who need to use their cell phone on a regular basis. The generous amount of minutes on their plans make it difficult to complain about the talk and texting limits, but for some people the data plans aren’t all they claim to be.
Like many other affordable prepaid cell phone plans they don’t have a wide selection of cell phones to choose from, but their selection has improved. They now offer a couple of options of touch screen smartphones with the Android operating system. They also offer some low cost options including a few different styles of refurbished cell phones and even a free option.
Like any cell phone carrier they have their pros and cons. The options look good in print, but are they all they are cracked up to be? For some people they have been a great find, but for others they have been a disappointment. Here is a list of their pros and cons including their biggest strengths and biggest weakness.
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TracFone may be one of the most well known names in prepaid cell phone service. They were one of the early providers of this type of service and they are still around evolving their plans. TracFone isn’t one of the cheapest cell phone plans if you look at the cost per minute, but they are one of the lowest cost per month options for people who don’t use their cell phone that often. They have plans starting at $9.99 per month or $100 per year.
They also offer cheap prepaid cell phones, starting at $9.99. They don’t have the most advanced cell phone selection, but for the most part their low cost cell phones fit the occasional users they are marketing their services to. To get more for your money you can purchase their double minutes plan, which provides double the minutes on all future airtime purchases. Some of their cell phones come with this plan.
TracFone isn’t the best cell phone plan for people who use their cell phone frequently or for people who want decent data coverage, but it is a good option for occasional users. It’s also a good option for seniors or kids who may be getting their first cell phone. TracFone is one of the cheap prepaid cell plans that actually rates pretty well.
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Net10 is just one of the many options available if you are looking for cheap prepaid cell phone plans. They are more well known than some of the other no contract wireless carriers, partially because they are a branch of TracFone, a well established no contract wireless provider.
Net10 cheap cell phone plans are simple and their website is pretty easy to navigate so you can find answers to your basic questions. They are getting a better selection of cell phones, including touch screen Androids and QWERTY slide keyboards. But they also have basic cheap cell phones and refurbished cell phones to fit basic needs and to fit any budget. Some of their cell phones even come with minutes and 30 days worth of service, which makes them a better deal.
While customer service seems to be lacking for many wireless providers, including Net10, they have overall good customer satisfaction ratings and a good coverage area. They offer two sets of cell phone plans: monthly service plans and pay as you go cell phone plans. The plans start as low as $20 for 30 days of service and go up to an Unlimited International plan for $65 per 30 days.
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MetroPCS may have started as a small carrier, but they have grown and are now competing with many of the large wireless carriers. MetroPCS cell phone plans are all no contract plans so you can give them a try without risking too much, especially if you can use your own CDMA cell phone. They specialize in unlimited cell phone plans that are all inclusive (text, data and voice), so you don’t have to pick and choose separate voice, messaging and data plans to get the service you need – one plan provides everything. These are pretty cheap cell phone plans if you are looking for unlimited service.
They offer some more advanced headsets than some of the other budget cell phone carriers. These headsets allow you to make better use of their 4G LTE unlimited plans, some of which include Rhapsody Unlimited Music, Video On Demand or GPS navigation.
If you’re looking for cell phone family plans for teens who like to text a lot, you can get a $5 discount per line. With these plans you won’t have to worry about overage charges, so they can save you a lot of money in that regard. Just make sure they have good coverage in your area and wherever you need to use the service or the cheap unlimited coverage won’t do you any good.
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Even though the majority of cell phone service providers seem to be competing for the younger, tech savvy crowd, there are a few providers who realize some people just want a simple cell phone for calling and texting without all the complications of a smartphone. Just5 is one of those companies. Just 5 cheap cell phone plans are geared toward seniors and people who just want the basics at an affordable price. As you may have guessed from the name, Just5 offers five simple and relatively cheap cell phone plans, all of which are prepaid cell phone plans with no commitment to a contract.
The main draw is their senior cell phone. This cell phone has large buttons that are easy to use and read, along with a display screen with larger text than most and a clear image. It has clear, loud audio that works with hearing aids. It also has an emergency feature called an SOS button. When this button is pressed and held for four seconds it sends alerts to preprogrammed family or friends letting them know help is needed. This phone even has a small flashlight in it. While this is marketed mostly as a cell phone for seniors, people who just want a simple phone with long battery life may also like it.
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Even though Consumer Cellular cell phone plans have options that make them a good fit for seniors looking for easy-to-use senior cell phones and plans doesn’t mean they are limited to this age group. While this wireless service may not be the best choice for the technically savvy, heavy cell phone user, Consumer Cellular does have some cheap cell phone plans that make them a good fit for those who need to use their cell phone fairly regularly.
Consumer Cellular offers plan options that literally start at basic service with no minutes included; any calls made are charged at 25 cents per minute. They offer a lot of other plan options with their most expensive plan providing 2,400 minutes per month for $60. They also have varying levels of text/data that can be added to the voice plan for not too much more per month.
Any plan can be turned into cell phone family plans by adding another cell phone (for $10). The minutes are then shared between all of the phones on that plan. The cell phone choices are somewhat limited, but unlike most other no contract cell phone providers they offer a senior cell phone that boasts larger, easy-to-read and use buttons, and an emergency call feature. They do offer a couple of smartphones with touch screens as well.
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There are a lot more cell phone service providers than most people realize. PlatinumTel is one of those carriers that most people don’t know about. They specialize in prepaid or pay as you go style cell phone plans. Their focus is to offer cheap prepaid cell phone plans and phones to fit a variety of cell phone needs. They offer four different plan styles with different options available within each of these plans so more people can find a plan that actually fits their needs.
If you are looking at cheap cell phone plans PlatinumTel’s Real Paygo plan is worth considering, or at least worth adding to your cell phone comparison list. This plan offers a 365 day service option for $100. At 5 cents per minute for calls and 2 cents per minute for basic texts that $100 can go a long way. This plan also offers data for 10 cents a MB. If this isn’t the plan for you there are other options available that provide more talking and texting per month.
Before you choose any plan it is important to look at their cell phone selection, customer service and general customer reviews. This is what people had to say about these subjects.
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If you’re searching for cheap cell phone plans for seniors you may want to consider Jitterbug. Jitterbug cell phones are vary basic and easy to use with large backlit buttons, simple navigation and an easy to read screen. They were made for people who just want a simple cell phone without complication or extra features. Because they are often marketed toward seniors they also have additional services you can add to their plans that fit this demographic, like LiveNurse and Urgent Response.
Jitterbug prepaid cell phone plans are also pretty simple. They offer four different plans starting with basic voice with 50 anytime minutes, stepping up to an unlimited plan that offers both unlimited voice and text. Their higher-level plans can be turned into cell phone family plans with free mobile-to-mobile calling for members within the plan.
Jitterbug has good coverage area and their signature senior cell phone, which is a benefit for people looking for this, but this isn’t one of the cheapest prepaid cell phones available. The per minute cost is higher than many other prepaid or pay as you go cell phone providers, but they do offer some unique features and added services.
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Whether you are tired of being locked into a cell phone contract or you’ve experienced cell phone bill shock one too many times you may be starting to compare prepaid cell phone plans to see what options are available. When you are looking for the top cheapest prepaid cell phone plans that will meet your needs and fit your lifestyle there are a couple of factors that may help you make your final decision.
Anytime you are looking at the cheapest cell phone plans it is important to look at more than just the price of the plan. Consider how you use your phone. Think about how many minutes you use per month, what kind of minutes and consider your texting and data needs. Are you an occasional user who simply needs a decent low use cell phone plan or do you rely on your cell phone for multiple functions every day?
Defining how you use your phone will help you find the best cell phone plan in the right category. There are a lot of prepaid cell phone plans available but some are stronger in certain areas than others. Knowing what to look for will help ensure you find the best prepaid cell phone plan for you. Here are some tips that will help you find that plan.
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When trying to find the best cell phone family plan for your family there are a number of things to consider. Keep in mind family cell phone plans can also be a good choice for couples who want an affordable cell phone plan they can share.
Whether you are looking for cheapest cell phone plans for the family or simply one that fits your family’s needs best you want to compare the options between different carriers. Different carries have slightly different options, including different advantages and disadvantages.
When looking at cell phone family plans it is also important to read the fine print, as with any cell phone plan. Most family cell plans come with a two year contract so you want to make sure it’s a good fit.
Here are the details from some of the most common family cell phone plans, but keep in mind your geographical area can impact your satisfaction with these plans. Make sure the carrier you choose has good network coverage in the areas you’ll be using it most.
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