Breaking up is hard to do

[veg-0-matic]

Well, after more than 10 years with VM, I decided it was time to move on. Not that there was anything wrong with Virgin--I enjoyed my low-cost service and really never had any major complaints.

But even though my $35/month plan was cheap compared to ATT and Verizon, it was still more than I actually needed. I toyed with switching to FreedomPop but it turned out that I couldn't make calls from the two places I really needed to. It's an interesting concept though, and I'll check back from time to time to see if anything new is up.

So now I'm with RingPlus and am loving it so far. For 12 bucks a month (including taxes), I get 400 minutes, 400 texts and 300mb of data. That sounds like a lot less than VM's 300/unlimited/unlimited but in truth, I never came close to even using the amounts I'm getting from RingPlus. So though my new plan is much more limited, it fits me much better.

The phone I'm using is the Samsung Galaxy S3 and I am loving it! I've had it for less than two weeks now and the version of Android has been upgraded three times! I just got KitKat this morning. I've been getting really good battery life as well, doing all the usual how-to-save-your-battery things. Got it from Mobile Karma refurbished, and it looks absolutely brand-new.

 

[kate]

But even though my $35/month plan was cheap compared to ATT and Verizon, it was still more than I actually needed.

An excellent point for people who don't need unlimited data or text. If you have low usage (or use WiFi) there are several MVNO carriers that are cheaper then the Virgin Mobile $35 plan.

I had considered Virgin Mobile but then found Ting where my bill averages only $25 a month, plus they have voice roaming which VM doesn't offer.

Ring Plus was another one I looked at but was worried about the ads they play, called Ring Plus Radio, when you call someone - how are those?

 

[veg-0-matic]

Ring Plus was another one I looked at but was worried about the ads they play, called Ring Plus Radio, when you call someone - how are those?

Kind of odd at first, but by the third call, I stopped hearing them at all. They're like music on hold in that they're easy to tune out.

I've heard people complain that they don't want to listen to ads, but really--is listening to a ringing sound any better?

BTW, when the called party answers, the ad stops immediately--you don't have to listen to the whole thing.

 

[DT3428]

An excellent point for people who don't need unlimited data or text. If you have low usage (or use WiFi) there are several MVNO carriers that are cheaper then the Virgin Mobile $35 plan.

I had considered Virgin Mobile but then found Ting where my bill averages only $25 a month, plus they have voice roaming which VM doesn't offer.

Ring Plus was another one I looked at but was worried about the ads they play, called Ring Plus Radio, when you call someone - how are those?

Kate what kind of phones can you bring to Ting?

 

[mogelijk]

An excellent point for people who don't need unlimited data or text. If you have low usage (or use WiFi) there are several MVNO carriers that are cheaper then the Virgin Mobile $35 plan.

I had considered Virgin Mobile but then found Ting where my bill averages only $25 a month, plus they have voice roaming which VM doesn't offer.

Ring Plus was another one I looked at but was worried about the ads they play, called Ring Plus Radio, when you call someone - how are those?

There are lots of MVNO's out there, you just have to find the one that works best for you. T-Mobile's $30 plan is a great alternative for people who use lots of data.

In fact, some users may find they are still better served to get a similar plan but to pay more for it, just because Virgin (Sprint) is so slow in many markets compared to the other carriers. It's amazing to me that, in many locations, T-Mobile's and AT&T's 3G (HSPA+) is as fast or faster than Sprint's 4G LTE.

 

[kate]

Kate what kind of phones can you bring to Ting?

Ting will let you bring most used Sprint phones that were not just released. So you can BYOD the Galaxy S4, S3, Note 2, HTC One M7, and probably 100 other models. Compete BYOD list here. They also sell new flagship phones if you want one, but they are full price.

They charge based on how much talk, text, and data you use so low or medium users will get cheap bills, especially when using WiFi for data. Rates.

If they're a good deal and you decide to join, before you sign up - this link gives you $25 off :thumb:

There are lots of MVNO's out there, you just have to find the one that works best for you.

Very true