sunnydogday
Newbie
I've been googling this and asking people but seem to get a lot of different answers, and I'm confused.
I have been on a family plan with my daughter (and others) with AT&T for around 4 years. We have several phones on it and it's gotten so expensive we can't keep up with it, and going to look for something else, probably not a family plan (some are getting Net 10, some Straight Talk) She is going to make a payment arrangement for repaying what she will end up owning AT&T, we are all going to help with. Last Fall I started buying a galaxy s4 from AT&T on a payment plan. My daughter thinks this will just go into the overall balance we will owe, the past due and termination fees, etc. I have been looking into Verizon (at first a family plan, but now the family seems to want prepaid, and no contracts, etc) but apparently I can't use my AT&T Galaxy with Verizon, and would have to buy one from them or elsewhere. I am thinking now of going with Straight Talk, at least for now, but, some say I can't use my AT&T phone (that is locked by AT&T?) for this, and some say I can because Straight Talk uses AT&T as a provider (one person told me AT&T owns Straight Talk, but I think it's Walmart)
I can always return the phone to AT&T and maybe get credit for it, but then I'd have to start over and I like the phone.
I can see where AT&T might not unlock it if I owe the money for it, to use with another carrier, but can I use it with a Straight Talk SIM card (I could call Walmart to get?) and prepaid?
one time one of the family's phones needed a new sim card AT&T was sending and she was told she could get a Straight Talk sim card to put in and use while waiting (she didn't). So, they must be compatible.
When I was googling this I read (elsewhere, here) that it's illegal to unlock a phone and use it with another carrier, but if Straight Talk is AT&T....?
I don't have a lot of money, I live on Social Security, and don't have credit cards (I don't have a high income and "credit") I once tried to set up AT&T service on my own just for me and they wanted a $500 depost. I don't know if Verizon would let me get service (just for me not a family plan) without something like this. Though I could get another galaxy, maybe s5 from Verizon and return this one to AT&T.
If it's not too much more expensive and I could get Verizon and a phone from them, I like the idea of not having to buy time every month.
So far, I haven't called any of these places to ask, but I'd like some idea and be a little less confused, before I do.
Right now, choices seem to be "Straight Talk" (using my phone or getting one of theirs if I can't) or trying to get set up with Verizon and getting another phone from them for payments, if they'd let me do this.
I live in rural VT, and we don't have much options (like T Mobile or Sprint) but I know AT&T, Verizon and Net 10 work here.
Maybe someone who knows about this can help me with the basics? I've only had AT&T (on family plan) and before that Trac Fone, which said I had coverage here, but I didn't..
Thank You...
I have been on a family plan with my daughter (and others) with AT&T for around 4 years. We have several phones on it and it's gotten so expensive we can't keep up with it, and going to look for something else, probably not a family plan (some are getting Net 10, some Straight Talk) She is going to make a payment arrangement for repaying what she will end up owning AT&T, we are all going to help with. Last Fall I started buying a galaxy s4 from AT&T on a payment plan. My daughter thinks this will just go into the overall balance we will owe, the past due and termination fees, etc. I have been looking into Verizon (at first a family plan, but now the family seems to want prepaid, and no contracts, etc) but apparently I can't use my AT&T Galaxy with Verizon, and would have to buy one from them or elsewhere. I am thinking now of going with Straight Talk, at least for now, but, some say I can't use my AT&T phone (that is locked by AT&T?) for this, and some say I can because Straight Talk uses AT&T as a provider (one person told me AT&T owns Straight Talk, but I think it's Walmart)
I can always return the phone to AT&T and maybe get credit for it, but then I'd have to start over and I like the phone.
I can see where AT&T might not unlock it if I owe the money for it, to use with another carrier, but can I use it with a Straight Talk SIM card (I could call Walmart to get?) and prepaid?
one time one of the family's phones needed a new sim card AT&T was sending and she was told she could get a Straight Talk sim card to put in and use while waiting (she didn't). So, they must be compatible.
When I was googling this I read (elsewhere, here) that it's illegal to unlock a phone and use it with another carrier, but if Straight Talk is AT&T....?
I don't have a lot of money, I live on Social Security, and don't have credit cards (I don't have a high income and "credit") I once tried to set up AT&T service on my own just for me and they wanted a $500 depost. I don't know if Verizon would let me get service (just for me not a family plan) without something like this. Though I could get another galaxy, maybe s5 from Verizon and return this one to AT&T.
If it's not too much more expensive and I could get Verizon and a phone from them, I like the idea of not having to buy time every month.
So far, I haven't called any of these places to ask, but I'd like some idea and be a little less confused, before I do.
Right now, choices seem to be "Straight Talk" (using my phone or getting one of theirs if I can't) or trying to get set up with Verizon and getting another phone from them for payments, if they'd let me do this.
I live in rural VT, and we don't have much options (like T Mobile or Sprint) but I know AT&T, Verizon and Net 10 work here.
Maybe someone who knows about this can help me with the basics? I've only had AT&T (on family plan) and before that Trac Fone, which said I had coverage here, but I didn't..
Thank You...
I've been paying a lot to AT&T for yeas but it was under my daughter's name and I don't have "major credit cards" . I don't have bad credit more like no credit. I think first I will find out about Straight Talk, at least for now, because I have an AT&T phone I can probably use (nothing is for sure till I try it). If I can't use it, I can get an unlocked one on ebay and go from there. I think buying a phone outright is probably better than financing one through the carrier. I have the Galaxy S4 which I like, and don't need a newer version. There are a few points that are vague with Straight Talk, though, like I have to pay $14.95 for a sim card and it says if it can't be used/activated (the phone) they don't refund it. It also says in small print if you have a smart phone, there is a small monthly fee that is charged for this, but I can't find out what this is. I remember when it was GoPhone they said this, it was $2.99 a month, they took out of our checking account. I was also reading that Straight Talk is a little less (fees and taxes) if it's auto taken out of one's bank, but people who set it up couldn't later get them to stop doing it. I don't like or trust auto withdrawals and avoid this all I can. I don't mind the small fee, I just don't like the being connected to my checking account.