Cell phone or Smart phone?

Ouch !!! He'll I got 4 phones, 2 of them smart phones. 2g data plan on both. My total bill averages $175 a month. Even better. Since it is a shared plan. My part (the 2 smartphones and one flip) is only $125 average.

 

Loving my new T-mobile Radar 4G. Never a dropped call, unlike my previous iPhone ( a great device, just not for my area) 79.99 month unlimited data, talk, text. The thing is tough as nails and has great battery life. It was free on Valentine's Day....lol. Had to put out $165 and will get it back on a MasterCard on the device.

 

Verizon is out. All the local towers near my house have been bought out by Element Mobile, and I am NOT even considering them. If things worked out for the next few years and I stay OTR, Verizon would be fine. But with no guarantees in life, I don't want to be stuck with a 2 year contract that gets yanked due to some weird "deal" the two companies have, if I'm using my phone in my home area most of the time, where it would be roaming. Ugh...
AT&T and Sprint have no towers in my area, either...soooo....looks like I stick with US Cellular. Until other options come available, my hands are tied. Guess it's not a HORRIBLE thing, since I like their service anyhow...now to figure out what smart phone to get...

 

They're all great IMO. Some have different quirks that irritate people.

I have an iPhone. Had I not gotten it. I would have gotten a Motorola Atrix. But I have yet to hear anyone complain about THEIR smartphone. Unless is was about screen size or button size.

Pick one you really like. Then make sure the features meet your requirements. C-net provides some really unbiased reviews IMO. See if they have the phone you want rated there. They put it in plain simple easy to understand English

 

1400 minutes.................$89 IIRC
Additional line (my wife)...$9.99
10GB USB......................$80
5GB USB (my wifes).........$50
My sons phone................$110...its a separate package that he will take over himself soon...smartphone (Casio Commando), grandfathered unlimited data.

+ taxes and fees.

 

I had a Samsung Galaxy S2 for a month that was rooted & could tether it to a laptop. I sent it back before the 30 day return was up as the data package on it was $30 a month for 3 gb x 24 months. It looked awesome & the phone functioned great. Battery life was way better than what was posted online. But I never could find a actual need to keep the thing as I already have a LTE air card for the laptop.

Back to my rotary dial age flip phone until I can find a need for a smartphone.

For those looking to root(to tether), check XDA developers website for a one click method. I had some help with it from a friend, but wasn't difficult at all.

 

I don't intend to hack my way into tethering...I understand not wanting to pay and all, but hacking in is just making things worse for all of us.

 

For what it is worth, my data plan was 3 gb for $30 a month. My bill was prorated for 4.3 gb or $43. That is approximately 4300 mb or however they break it down.(3gb = 3072 mb on my billing page) I used 6.72 mb. Pretty sure they made out OK on me.

 

Just to be clear.

I wasn't attacking you in any way...I was just making a blanket statement pointing out a fact about where things lead.

I don't really wanna pay for it either...but I will, because if I didn't I'd be stealing from everybody who does...and that just ain't me.

 

why give the carriers any more money then you have too. it's bad enough having to use verizon becuase they have the greater coverage. but let's get realistic.

$135 after taxes when i was only paying $90 with sprint. and that's just one line.

with verizon we're all capped. with sprint unlimited means just that. unlimited.
i could call after 7 for offpeak minutes. verizon makes you wait till 9.
i could call any mobile on any carrier during peak time. can't do that with verizon
internet was totally unlimited and included in the bill. verizon is packaged for certain amounts and costs extra.
gps was free. verizon charges extra.
text message was unlimited. verizon you're maxed at 5000.

i have internet on my phone and can use it was a mobile hotspot. why buy an air card. and pay an extra fee.

$80 for 10 gigs of data only with an air card. or smart phone.
$90 with sprint. i get unlimited internet, unlimited mobile to mobile calling, unlimited text to any carrier. unlimited gps. all for one low fee.

you call it stealing. i call it being smart with my money.