Phones and plans

[Wrider]

So the new every two plan we have on Verizon is coming up for my phone, and the other one is already eligible. Basically though we already pay a substantial fee every month, and don't want to add on another 10/line for the data package if we get smartphones.
So I'm turning to the phone gurus here for help.
What are the cheap plans? What are the good plans? Are there any overlaps?
Not too many requirements, just would like smartphones so we can catch up with the rest of y'all.

Annndddd GO!

[Vellos]

How many people are we talking, just two? And if you get a new phone with another two year contract make sure it's a good one. What type of smart phones were you looking for? Some of them require an unlimited data plan!

[Rooster]

im gonna go with 1 of these local companies or maybe even sprint. or i think its sprint my wife mentioned. i have a smartphone and my wife has a normal phone. were paying 130 a month for the phones and this is with verizon. i dont know about the minutes or anyhting. nothing fancy like gps for the road or anyhting. i think its sprint that has a $30 plan for a smartphone with unlimited everything. i could be wrong thogh.

[PhL0aTeR]

i regularly check into other options, and sprint has always met my needs for the cheapest. 2 phones, unlimited data, text, 1500 shared min for less than $120/mo out the door. Make sure you shop around for employee discounts too, im still rockin the govt discount despite long since leaving their employ. The nextel/sprint merger bugs are pretty much worked out, and i havent had any problems in years.

PS, it also bears mentioning that sprint has a "premier" status, which i fit, it allows me a new phone every year instead of two like most other plans.

[Captain Obvious]

Couple other thoughts.

Some carriers have unlimited data plans, but then charge you for "premium" data as an extra due to the smartphone (cough cough Sprint). And they don't have 4g service in CO per the Sprint employees, however they charge you the "premium" data fees since the phone is capable.

As mentioned, always check for employer discounts.

Also, I ended up buying my phones through CostCO. Phones at a much reduced price and they waive the connection service fees, then you are connected to the carrier just as if you purchased it at a Carrier's retail location. I got my phones for free at COstco in North Carolina.

I gave SPrint the option to give us the best deal to keep us. When I said shut off serivce, they were able to sweeten the offer but they still couldn't match the new customer offers elsewhere.

Based on my research and reviews, most of the carriers have pretty comprable fee plans and service agreements. Find a phone you like and a company you don't dislike.

For our service, Tmobile gave us better employer discounts so is a touch cheaper (my govt rates long gone) and since I travel, it works well for us. No complaints so far.

And you will get all sorts of GPS functions for free on the phones.

My wife didn't mind her old blackberry, till she got a real smartphone. Now she understands why I hated our blackberries so much., she didn't know how much better the new phones are and how old out dumbphones were.

Make sure when you can get a new phone each year that it doesn't restart your 2 year agreement. Sprint offered that to me as well, but didn't mention the agreement counter restarted.

Keep in mind. Smart phones chew up batteries, unless you turn off many of the functions, then they don't truly serve as originally intended. The Iphone battery seems to be a bit better than the others.

[brennahm]

Actually I get 4G in several places locally on my Sprint phone. Plus the service is far away better in terms of both coverage and dropped calls. I used to have Verizon.

[Rooster]

what is this employer discount you speak of?

[Ghost]

i regularly check into other options, and sprint has always met my needs for the cheapest. 2 phones, unlimited data, text, 1500 shared min for less than $120/mo out the door. Make sure you shop around for employee discounts too, im still rockin the govt discount despite long since leaving their employ. The nextel/sprint merger bugs are pretty much worked out, and i havent had any problems in years.

PS, it also bears mentioning that sprint has a "premier" status, which i fit, it allows me a new phone every year instead of two like most other plans.

Same, this is what I've got, and the discount is nice too (there's Gov't and other corporate partner discounts to look into).

You can't get an iPhone, but my HTC EVO 4G is very comparable (and better in some ways).

4G isn't widely available in Denver yet, but it's nice when you are in range.

Overall I think Sprint has decent but not exceptional coverage in this area, and the pricing is arguably the best for voice + (unlimited) text & data.

[Canuck]

All carriers suck in North America.
Pick your poison.

[Captain Obvious]

what is this employer discount you speak of?

Depending on who your or your wife's employer is, may allow for you to get a discount. You will have to check with each carrier to see if they do and what the % is. Can be 5, 10, 20% depending.

[Rooster]

she's a school teacher. and im still technically military. what do you think that would be?

[Darth Do'Urden]

I'm in the same boat of wanting out of AT&T but no knowing who to go with. Cricket has a great plan, and from what I understand the service is respectable. Problem is that their smartphone selection blows, so I'm undecided as to who to go with next.

[PhL0aTeR]

she's a school teacher. and im still technically military. what do you think that would be?

im still using a 15% govt employee discount from sprint. Check your cell company for more info.

[Captain Obvious]

she's a school teacher. and im still technically military. what do you think that would be?

Ask about both but I suspect your employment will be better. No idea how much. We get 10?% for my wife working at Colorado College.

I'm in the same boat of wanting out of AT&T but no knowing who to go with. Cricket has a great plan, and from what I understand the service is respectable. Problem is that their smartphone selection blows, so I'm undecided as to who to go with next.

I was in the same boat when we looked to reup with Sprint. With multiple lines, the savings wasn't there to go with Cricket. Having to pay full price on the phones and the rate savings didn't pay off since both of us travel for work. And as you mentioned, the smartphone selection wasn't there.

As mentioned before by multiple people, there is so little difference between them...... We went with who had the best active deal and which phones I liked the best. And who I wasn't pissed at.

[Wrider]

Hmmm alright thanks guys, I will look into Sprint and starting a completely new agreement with Verizon.

As for the questions asked: Smartphones, honestly probably gonna go with Android powered phones, yes we will use mobile web and all that if we have already paid for it.
Yes two lines.

[The Black Knight]

Depending on who your or your wife's employer is, may allow for you to get a discount. You will have to check with each carrier to see if they do and what the % is. Can be 5, 10, 20% depending.

she's a school teacher. and im still technically military. what do you think that would be?

What Capt. O said. Check with your employer or go to Verizon and ask them if they offer a discount because of your employer. I get 20% discount through Verizon for being a City employee.

For me it also depended on the plan I went with. The better the plan, the more the discount. I had to go with a mid-level plan in order to put friends and family on their "5 Favorites" deal. Eventhough they aren't Verizon I can still talk to them for free because of the favorites.

My plan is $59.99, 900 minutes and 250 texts but I also added the PTT(push-to-talk) option, to talk to my friends on Verizon like you would talk to them on a Nextel with Direct Connect. I don't have a super high tech phone, just one that supports the PTT feature, that's all I needed.

But check it out, a discount is still money saved. I know my Dad gets(or did get) a 15% through his work, him and my mom are about to switch to Verizon.