Switching carriers & phones

[MrsJennyK]

I've been on Verizon for several years now. My husband and I are paying about $145 a month (including taxes and fees) for unlimited everything.

But we don't need unlimited anything. My husband can have his work phone also be his personal phone for $15 a month.

I use an average of 115mb data per month, fewer than 300 texts a month, and maybe 150-200 minutes of talk time a month.

It looks like Page Plus's $30 plan would be fine for me, but I don't want to use any of the 4 phones they have. Right now I use a Droid 2 Global. I hate it and want a new phone. I've seen some posts here about phones that work with PP, but I don't really understand what flashing, unlocking, porting, etc is. Don't even get me started on this rooting business. Reading threads about it only confuses me more!

I guess I don't need 4G, but I do want the best phone I can get, with the latest version of Android possible. I'd love to have the SG3 or the DNA.

A used phone is fine for me, and I'd like to spend $300 or less. Any advice?

Also, I have a tendency to drop my phone. A lot. Like, a lot. I've just about destroyed the one I have. I see lots of cases that say they are tough, but I need something *tough* LOL! Is getting a superduper screen protector necessary in addition to a superduper case?

BTW - My contract with Verizon is finished and I'm just month-to-month with them now.

TIA
Jenny

 

[James_Bond]

Hum, an interesting dilemma, I never had Verizon myself but if you have unlimited everything (including data) then you had it before Verizon decided to drop the unlimited plan. Meaning that you were grandfathered into the plan and here is the thing to consider... If you cancel or change your plan or leave Verizon and decide to go back you won

 

[DonB]

I moved this to Carrier comparison as it will be best served here.

 

[MrsJennyK]

Thanks for the info James. Unlimited is definitely not something I'm worried about. I use so little data and such that it's just not a concern. I suppose that could change someday but it's not worth paying over $100 a month for a just-in-case scenario.

And I don't have to have THE latest phone LOL - I do want something better than Gingerbread though.

Jenny

 

[iTzKPanda]

You can use Straight Talk. It's $45/month and you can bring your own phone.

Virgin Mobile is $35/month for 300 minutes & unlimited text and data.

And Ting is very flexible. 500 minutes, 1000 texts, and 500MB of data is $33/month and the plans are customizable. You can get a used Epic 4G Touch from them for $265, Samsung Galaxy Victory LTE for $300, Galaxy Nexus for $400, etc, or bring your own device. You might be able to find a used S3 on eBay or Craigslist

 

[MrsJennyK]

I know there are other inexpensive carriers but I was thinking of Page Plus because they use Verizon's network. Verizon has fantastic coverage in my area. Some of the others are spotty, especially as you move away from the city center.

Virgin Mobile uses Sprint I believe, which has terrible service here. It looks like Straight Talk uses Verizon, so that's one to consider. I don't want to bring my own phone. I hate my phone. I'd like to get a new one and that's my next dilemma. I'm so tired of the whole thing being so darn complicated.

I think I made my original post too broad though. I probably need to do a separate post for each question. First thing I suppose is to choose a carrier and then work on phones from there. Sigh.

I guess I'll narrow it to Straight Talk and Page Plus. My next post will be about phones. As if you guys don't get the what-phone-should-I-get posts about a hundred times a day. In fact, I've asked a couple of times already, but things keep changing.

 

[DarkJedi]

As you saw in your other posting, the PHONE MODEL itself from Straight Talk determines which carrier's network you will be on.

Simplest way to make sure you are getting a Verizon network phone is to look at the box. It will have a red map of the United States all filled in (that's Verizon's coverage map) and somewhere on the box it'll say "CDMA-V".

Straight Talk is launching SEVERAL new phone models regionally, so don't rely on any list you get as the exclusive list of phones. Check the phone box/literature.