taking the plunge

[Guest]

I have been reading so much on here and other sites about smart phones. All I have now is a basic no frill dumb phone.<br>So I just celebrated my 13th sober year, and have decided to gift myself a smart phone.<br>I haven't had anything new in years, dang it. I've been rubbing pennies to make quarters and now have a little fund.<br><br>This is what I decided on: Straighttalk Samsung Galaxy Proclaim.<br><br>Its on special now and is on the Verizon network, which is the best out there. We're in the deep boonies.<br>My son has a ST blackberry and always has full signal at all time.<br><br>I have had ST before and liked it. <br><br>My other thing is trying to save money. Internet here is almost $70 a month. So I figure I can get this phone, hook it up to my laptop and use that for internet?<br><br>I don't do alot on the web except reading some forums, FB to keep up with my young ins, and email. I do a little banking, just check acct and small stuff.<br><br>I won't be streaming much if at all.<br><br>This would put costs under $50 a month for the cell, with the added internet.<br><br>What do you all think? Good plan? If it is, I will be back here to get info on the tethering and all that. <br>Thanks yall

 

[ontheroadagain]

<br>You can not do better than verizon

 

[Guest]

thanks! i think so too. i'll have to be back for some tutoring for sure.

 

[katelyn]

I loved my Straight Talk phone when I had it,&nbsp; getting another one next month with internet, $45 unlimited, can't beat that!&nbsp; And with the android phones wherever you have a phone signal which is practically everywhere when I used mine the internet is there too!&nbsp; <br>&nbsp; Good buy, no contracts, good reception, and if you don't want to pay the $45 bucks one month, just pay when you have the money as long as you keep your phone.&nbsp;

 

[Guest]

thanks katelynn, looking forward to it. just a small thing but i think it will make a good difference.

 

[caseyc]

Be forwarned that "tethering" as in using your smartphone for a mobile wifi hotspot normally costs an extra $30 monthly which Verizon charges.<br>There are ways around that, but that depends whether your phone and/or carrier allows for **unauthorized** wireless tethering with-out extra charge.<br><br><br><br>

 

[Cubey]

You may want to read my blog post about Virgin Mobile/Boost (on Sprint's network). You can get tethering for $10 (Boost) or $15 (Virgin) with unlimited data. Not unlimited FAST data, but unlimited data all the same. It beats $30 capped tethering of post paid plans and ends up being WAY cheaper if you want tethering. <br><br>http://cubey7800.blogspot.com/2013/04/my-positive-take-on-virgin-mobile-boost.html<br><br>Straight talk claims unlimited but they really mean "Strict 2GB/mo cap or we'll terminate you". Net10 has finally dumped the unlimited claims for their AT&amp;T SIMs and now says point blank "1.5GB limit".

 

[joey]

&nbsp;I have Straight-talk and I've never had a problem with being "capped".

 

[caseyc]

Check out this interesting article below:<br><br>Verizon Wireless To Pay $1.25 Million To Settle Investigation<br><a href="http://www.fcc.gov/document/verizon-wireless-pay-125-million-settle-investigation" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://www.fcc.gov/document/verizon-wireless-pay-125-million-settle-investigation</a>

 

[Cubey]

Guess where the $1.25mil is gonna come from? Raised rates. No wonder they suddenly rolled out that "Share everything" crap last year.<br><br>It is unfortunate that only Sprint an TMobile are the major carriers offering unlimited data on Smartphones now. Both Verizon and AT&amp;T have killed it. You can get unlimited data on AT&amp;T postpaid for basic phones but it costs you MORE for less minutes and texting than $50/mo prepaid for unlimited everything!<br><br>The HTC Freestyle I have is the closest thing to a Smartphone I have found that can run on AT&amp;T's $50 everything plan. The phone has 3G data, capacitive screen, full html web browser, tiny amount of BREW apps, plus it can run some Java apps, up to 32GB microsd card, mp3 and video player.

 

[twokniveskatie]

I switched these last couple posts where I highjacked Meg's topic. We can carry on the convo here:

https://vanlivingforum.com/post/the-Samsung-Note-2-and-unlimited-data-6282258


Edited for topic.

 

[twokniveskatie]

In the interest of space, could we edit some of these and replace all the text with some links, and maybe a few quotes for clarity? Thanks!

 

[Cubey]

I just have a hard time justifying $100 a month for phone+internet year round. That's over 10% of my monthly income. Now, if when I go to Quartzsite as planned and there's no Sprint signal, I may activate my AT&amp;T HTC Freestyle and use that with a throwaway number just for the month(s) I am going to be outside of the Sprint network. Verizon's $50/mo unlimited actually lets you use a basic/feature phone too which I wasn't aware of before I bought the Freestyle. There seems not to be a Verizon equivalent to the Freestyle however else I would get one of those and sell the Freestyle.

 

[twokniveskatie]

One of the goals here is to keep the database searchable. One way we do that is to limit unnecessary pages. We ask members to limit the quoting of other members posts when responding, and also when quoting websites. A link will suffice. Thanks.

 

[twokniveskatie]

https://vanlivingforum.com/post/PLEASE-READ-)-using-the-quote-feature-6103481

Edit: the link seems to be broken and I cant figure out why. Is it working for anyone else?