RingPlus

[jimindenver]

RingPlus is another company like Freedompop that once you buy the device, you can go on a plan that gets you free data month to month for little or no charge. In RingPlus's case it is a free gig and a half of data and it will cost me $2 a month to turn on the hotspot.

You do have to keep $10 in the credit account so that they can charge you if you use up your data. They also have other plans and charges related mostly to the phone side that I wont be using.

Like most of the lower cost solutions, they are on the Sprint network. I'll post a update once the phone gets here.

Here's a link

https://ringplus.net/

Between the Freedompop hotspot and the Ringplus phone I'll get 2 1/2 gigs a month for $2.

 

[akrvbob]

Jim, we are going to have to start calling you the "Phone Guru" !!!
Bob

 

[jimindenver]

LoL Bob

Just be glad you caught on the tail end of all the solar testing.

Actually I see the two companies like the solar in that you make the initial investment and reap the benefits for free afterwards.

 

[elSueco]

I have set up four phone lines for my self and others on RingPlus free accounts. It's surprisingly good for a free service. They offer different free plans for limited periods of time that offer varying bundles of minutes, texts, and data.

One of the neat things with RingPlus is that you can activate brand new Sprint Prepaid phones on the service. I got a deal for a friend on a Moto E from Best Buy for $40, and it activated on a free RingPlus plan with no problem.

 

[jimindenver]

I have been very pleased with my RingPlus plan. I picked up a LG tribute duo when they ran the Leo 4 plan the second time at Christmas. For awhile there they were in competition with freedompop to see who could give away the most.

Today Ringplus announced a add on called the Bob Wells. For $10 a month you get 2 gigs of data added to your account. Over 3 gigs total in my case. That's the cheapest 3 gig account I know of and more than many people have. Crickets 2.5 gig plan is very popular and cost over three times as much. In my case 1400 mins talk, 1400 text and 3.2 gigs of data for $10. Free without the add on.

The special is for 4 days and is a tease for their upcoming premium membership plan where the members will be offered deals like this either exclusively or before and after the common folk get them. I've never been much of one to spend money just to get the opportunity to spend even more money.

Still if you get Sprint coverage, (most important) and are not a mega user, Ringplus can be a free or very affordable option. I prefer them for a phone over FP, then again RP doesn't have hotspots or free data from friends either.

 

[elSueco]

I've been watching FP for a while now, but I just can't get over how sleazy they come off. If they're not willing to put clear information out there BEFORE one signs up and gives them a credit card number, they're not getting mine.

RP is just weird with their constantly changing free plan offerings and horrible music instead of a ringtone. I don't understand how they can be making any money when their free plans often offer more minutes, etc. than their paid plans. I won't be surprised if they suddenly go out of business, but until then, the service is very good, especially when you consider the price.

 

[WriterMs]

Wow, I'd love 3 GB for $10 for my hotspot .. BUT, like so many of us who travel instead of stay in one spot or area, I have personally found Verizon to be the only network I will consider.

I bought some data for my StraightTalk hotspot while at RTR, but another problem with that service is that the data is good only for 30 days (with the 1GB or 2GB purchase) or for 60 days for the 4GB and up.

Having to come back early from RTR, I now have most of my 2GB purchase about to expire (since I have home wifi at the s&b here).

 

[jimindenver]

Verizon certainly will be the biggest feather in my multi carrier cap but there are areas that I will be glad for the rest of them too. I hope T-Mobiles band 12 works out, they are the only LTE where we go. The rest are 2 and 3G, overloaded and slow most of the day.

I saw someone post in a RTR thread about their Sprint experience or lack there of. Those user reviews mean more than all of the maps. Having service on a map vs having usable service is two different things.

 

[jimindenver]

As a update to RingPlus. Tomorrow they roll out their latest plan that includes unlimited calling, text and 500 Mb of lte data including tethering and unlimited 2G speeds after that but you will not be able to tether that. The month to month cost are nothing.

To get the plan you have to pay a one time membership fee of $49, $10 of that goes into your top up balance to be spent on ad on's if you want. Members are suppose to get access to better priced ad ons and better service, they say they may increase the size of the data buckets, we will see.

https://discourse.ringplus.net/t/me...2g-speed-data-good-for-email-and-search/10717

Last time I looked a LG tribute duo was $39 at best buy, a moto E was just $29. So for the phone and membership fee you can have unlimited TnT for free every month.

 

[Txjaybird]

As a update to RingPlus. Tomorrow they roll out their latest plan that includes unlimited calling, text and 500 Mb of lte data including tethering and unlimited 2G speeds after that but you will not be able to tether that. The month to month cost are nothing.

To get the plan you have to pay a one time membership fee of $49, $10 of that goes into your top up balance to be spent on ad on's if you want. Members are suppose to get access to better priced ad ons and better service, they say they may increase the size of the data buckets, we will see.

https://discourse.ringplus.net/t/me...2g-speed-data-good-for-email-and-search/10717

Last time I looked a LG tribute duo was $39 at best buy, a moto E was just $29. So for the phone and membership fee you can have unlimited TnT for free every month.

hello... i just wonder if you can't fish or blow up stumps and outhouses with it    what does unlimited TnT mean
in your post?   Thank you for all the info on cell phone service......i don't get about 1/2 of it but i pass the info on to folks who do.........oh wait a minute.... damn.... the string on my tin can broke     :s     happy trails....TJB

 

[jimindenver]

Hmmm I bet if you applied the right amount of voltage to the battery, you might be able to blow up a bedpan.

TnT is talk and text.

You should git some of that there elastic string, it don't break so good.

 

[Txjaybird]

Hmmm   I bet if you applied the right amount of voltage to the battery, you might be able to blow up a bedpan.

TnT is talk and text.

You should git some of that there elastic string, it don't break so good.

TRIED IT AND WHEN I TURN MY HEAD WHILE COOKING IT PULLS THE CAN FROM BETWIXT MY HEAD AND SHOULDER AND GOT POOR LITTLE QUEENIE RIGHT IN THE BUTTOCKS...JUST LIKE POOR COUSIN FOREST......LT. DAN WAS NO HELP A'TALL...KEEP THE SHINEY SIDE UP...TJB & QUEENIE  [WE'RE NOT SHOUTIN']

 

[jimindenver]

As a update to this and the freedompop thread.

During the holidays it seemed as if the two companies were competing to see who could give the most away. They are back at it again.

Ringplus has changed in that they have a members program that currently cost $99.99. They tend to give the best deals there and reduced numbers for the none members BUT they have flash sales that allow none members to get the good plans too.

Freedompop has changed in that they now also offer GSM service here either AT&T or TMP HSPA.

So last week R+ started out with a 2500 TnT and 2500 Mb for $0 a month except that unless you hit the flash promo you had to be a members+ to get it. FreedomPop answered with the same no memberships needed. This week R+ has 3000 Tnt/ data and tethering is $5.99 a month. I'm waiting to see FP's response.

Lots of free or cheap phone/ data out there.

 

[jimindenver]

Too update this.

Since Sprint enforced its FED policy it has become harder or at least more expensive to get a phone to use on RingPlus. This has caused the number of sign ups to drop because it's one thing to buy a $20-50 phone for a 1000 minutes and a gig of data, people didn't want to pay full price for their phones for such small allotments. Ringplus has responded at time with plans with much higher allotments. I upgraded my original 1400 minutes, 1400 text and 1200 Mb account to 3k/3k/3k first and recently to 6k/6k/6k and it cost me $1.99 a month for tethering. That much data on Cricket would cost over $50. I alsoo have a 2 gig add on separate of my plan that cost $10 a month giving me 8 gigs of high speed for a total of $11.99 a month.

That's the upside to RP, the downside is that you have to spend the time to get to know the way it works. The plans change a lot so you have to be ready when something like the 6k BLT plan shows up for a brief time. They do have a classifieds section now where you can buy the phone and plan set up. The is a phone with the 6k plan for $250. ( plan is at 4750 now and 250 will be added a month till 6k is hit)