Suggestion for cheap monthly phone for sms and talk

[darkcyber]

I am looking at getting my 9 year old daughter a phone for just texting and very little talking. I checked Verizon today and the cheapest I can do is $10.00 a month pre-paid for 1,000 sms a month and I can add additional money for the talk time and it pulls off .99 per day (unlimited talking on those days when she uses talking).

I have looked at those Tracphones, but know nothing about them. I was told they operate on the VZW network...does anyone know if those are any good or not?

Just looking for a cheap monthly solution...don't care about the price up front for the phone. Funny thing, I have 2 Droid X's and a Thunderbolt not in use, but can't use those because that would cost minimum of $90.00 a month

 

[jerofld]

I think VZW is not extending the contract they have with Tracphone, so in a year or so, they will no longer exist. Might not be a problem right now, but in the future it may be.

Did you consider the sub contractors from Sprint, too? Metro PCS, Boost, and Cricket? You would be able to transfer either DX or the TB over to Metro PCS, I think. Instructions are on the net, and it'd be tricky for a complete noob to the phone modification world.

 

[ThatonedudexP]

Straight talk offers several $20 - $40 phones. You can get your daughter unlimited everything for $45/ month, but you said you probably don't need unlimited. What sounds more up your alley is their $30/ month plan. This plan gives your daughter 1000 texts, 1000 talk minutes and 30 mb. of data for 30 days. This way (to me) sounds cheaper than Verizon's plan ($10 text + an additional $30, if she talks on the phone a little bit everyday over the 30 day period) You can find all of their phones and information about them here. http://www.straighttalk.com/Phones IMO, getting and keeping a phone with Tracfone, Net 10, and Straight Talk is really easy. For S.T., all you have to do (this is if you don't order the phone online) is go to walmart and buy the phone and a $30 minutes card. Then inside the phone's package is a red slip showing your security number (or something like that) and other things about the phone's features. Then, call Straight Talk and ask them to activate the phone. (This is where the number on the red slip and minutes card come in.) Then that should be it. =D This was basically all I had to do with my LG 290c, but, with my Precedent, after I activate it and turn it on, it will automatically complete anadditional activation process by itself, but I don't think you have to worry about that. Now your set for 30 days. On the 30th day (or before then) you can refill the phone with another $30 30 day minutes card. Make sure to refill before the 30 days run out or the phone will deactivate (bad thing =P). I'm not positive about this, but I'm sure S.T. will block the internet on your daughter's phone if you want. I think that's it.
Edit: Almost every Straight Talk phone used to run on Verizon or At&t, and you can still buy these phones. Almost all new phones now run on At&t, Sprint, or T-Mobile.

 

[RottnJP]

When I was looking for an emergency back-up phone to let my 7 year old carry once in a while, I got a pre-paid card from T-mobile. That seemed to be the most cost-effective way to go. Got a compatible RAZR flip-phone for $30 off eBay.

 

[darkcyber]

I think VZW is not extending the contract they have with Tracphone, so in a year or so, they will no longer exist. Might not be a problem right now, but in the future it may be.

Did you consider the sub contractors from Sprint, too? Metro PCS, Boost, and Cricket? You would be able to transfer either DX or the TB over to Metro PCS, I think. Instructions are on the net, and it'd be tricky for a complete noob to the phone modification world.

Problem with Sprint or Sprint subs and T-Mobile, the coverage in this area is not good, to say the least. But I did look at Straight Talk and Boost at Walmart today. So many of these blooming pre-paid things...can't figure them out...lol!

So, you are saying I can use the TB or X on Metro PCS, but have to do some modifications to it?

I am looking for the cheapest monthly texting and just emergency talk time.

 

[LilacBleeds]

To me that is too young to have a mobile
They don't need phones because for me I didn't go out and round my friends house to see them once I had a mobile I could do it at send of a text .... I must old fashioned
I had my first one at 11 but had to share with my dad so I only took it when I had extra lessons at secondary school which is year 7 to 11 ( sorry don't know the grades ) and I always had something going on at school weather it was science club textiles club and even I was still dancing so getting home and going to that plus texting mates to make sure they were ready for dancing

I think everyone is different
Plus I lived with a guy who's step daughter (sister of his son) she lived with us who had one at 6 years old... The worst thing is that once they have one they know how to use your phone

Sorry if I sounding bad but its my opinion on it thou

But good luck thou

 

[darkcyber]

To me that is too young to have a mobile
They don't need phones because for me I didn't go out and round my friends house to see them once I had a mobile I could do it at send of a text .... I must old fashioned
I had my first one at 11 but had to share with my dad so I only took it when I had extra lessons at secondary school which is year 7 to 11 ( sorry don't know the grades ) and I always had something going on at school weather it was science club textiles club and even I was still dancing so getting home and going to that plus texting mates to make sure they were ready for dancing

I think everyone is different
Plus I lived with a guy who's step daughter (sister of his son) she lived with us who had one at 6 years old... The worst thing is that once they have one they know how to use your phone

Sorry if I sounding bad but its my opinion on it thou

But good luck thou

I agree with you 100% about to young for a cell phone! This phone is for mainly texting me and her mom, when she is not with us, which is usually only at dance class. She is basically with us or one of us all the time, except at school. That is the reason I am trying to come up with a cheap texting option that also has the very limited ability to call us if she needed to. This is not and will not be a constantly used phone. That is why I am looking at pre-paid, I don't want to be locked into to anything if this doesn't work out like we want it to.

I personally don't think they need a cell phone until around 13 - 15, and maybe not even then.

 

[RottnJP]

Don't forget, you can program stored numbers into the keypad. My oldest is 7, and we want him to have a phone on him when he's going for a walk up in the woods behind the house (which are fairly large) or at one of his classes or something like that. The easiest thing for him is just to have the home number programmed as "2" my cell as "3" and Mom's cell as "4", for example.

So adding a text plan may not be that critical.