HATMAN

I guess I will be the 1st one to post here. I have 4 prepays plus my postpaid. Plan to drop the postpaid when my contract is up. There are pros and cons on each one of my prepays. The average person who buys a prepay, doesn't have any idea what they are getting. The only informed customers are the ones who do some research on one of the cell phone forums. (or knows someone who is informed) Probably an extremely very small number of folks even know that these forums exist. Case in point, if you buy a Tracfone, usually GSM, there is nothing on the package or inside the package to show you what states and areas that the phone will work. The only way you would know, is to get on the internet and do some research. I would have never known about Page Plus, Alltel U etc, if I hadn't spent time on the internet. Even though I don't use a cell phone much anymore, I like to stay informed (I am a retired old fart) I used to work for a local phone company, Motorola and a USCC agent, and some other occupations, so I know just enough to be dangerous! :D :o:)

mingkee

I also have prepaid
the purpose is using it as backup when I have reception or internet is active on main line, that I still can make and catch a call (I have call fwd'ing setup to my prepaid)

NotSmellyPrepaid

teehee.... You're baiting me, Hatman... :-)

Pros:
1) Cheap.
2) No stinkin' indentured servitude for 2 years to Corporate America.
3) Anonymous if you're careful.]
4) You can change your phone number on a whim.
5) It's one addiction that won't make you fat or make you slur your words (echo maybe, but not slur...)

Cons:
1) Locked phones are a royal nuisance and more obvious when you're using prepaids.
2) If you forget to pay your bill (buy more airtime), it's a bit more obvious, and more quickly at that, to the people who call you regularly.
3) Did I mention locked phones?

HATMAN

How does that work ? I have never used that feature and don't understand how it works...

NotSmellyPrepaid

Not all prepaid carriers allow call forwarding. Cingular is the only one I'm aware of that DOES allow call forwarding, and that's definitely at a price. Tracfone doesn't, T-Mobile doesn't, Net10 doesn't. Not sure about Beyond Wireless - I used up all my minutes and can't test that one right now. Pretty sure SpeakOut doesn't.

On a Nokia, it would be set up by going to Settings > Call > Call Forwarding > Then you get the choices for the circumstances under which you want to forward calls > To voice mailbox or To Other Number > Then you would input the other number > Then choose your delay time (for calls not answered) > Activate. At that point on the T-Mobile carrier, it attempts to activate then gives the message "Request Not Completed". If the carrier allowed it, the message would say "Call Forwarding Activated" or something like that.

HATMAN

Well, I'm getting chubby, guess I can't blame it on my prepays anymore...

MobilePrincess

Both of Verizon's prepaid services will allow call forwarding also.

chokaay

PROS:

6) Isn't possible to run up a HUGE overage bill, as once you use up all your minutes, your phone stops working (good for those who don't keep track of their minute usage and don't want to pay overages).

7) Cheap for those who use it as an emergency phone, don't use that many minutes per month, and have very extreme irregular usage patterns (ie: 0 min/mo for 5 months, then 1000 minutes in the 6th, etc).

8) No tax on refill minutes (heard someone else say this, haven't confirmed if it's true or not).


CONS:

4) More expensive than postpaid IF you use a ton of minutes regularly each month (especially if N&W and/or M2M is included in the postpaid plan and NOT on the prepaid).

5) You must PREPAY your minutes instead of PAY AFTER you used them (might make a difference to some). (NOTE: With Cingular Postpaid and some other carriers' Postpaid plans, you STILL must pay a month in advance anyway, so that technically is a "prepay" service IMO since you must pay BEFORE you use your monthly minutes. T-mo postpaid is a TRULY postpaid, in which you receive a bill for the previous month's usage AFTER your cycle closes.)

MobilePrincess

There is tax on Prepaid refills depending on what location you get your pin numbers from.

chokaay

Thanks for the clarification! ;)

MobilePrincess

Any time. :)

mingkee

I'd go for SIM only option if I get GSM prepaid (except Tracfone/net10, they're fake GSM), and use it on my unlocked phone (I use prepaid on my SE W810i)

MobilePrincess

Mingkee, I don't understand this statement. How is Tracfone/Net10 GSM service fake?

NotSmellyPrepaid

It's not fake. It's castrated, neutered, and emasculated.. LOL!

MobilePrincess

Oh, I see. Verizon does this to all the phones on their network as well but I never heard anyone call them a fake CDMA network.