Best pre-paid cell phones?

[The Original OC Adventure]

My Verizon contract is running out in a couple months and I'm thinking about switching to pre-paid for a while. I'm in the middle of a move and don't want to commit to a new plan until I know what the service is like in the area I'll be living.

Who has the best deal?

[Prudence]

Virgin Mobile.

[belleh5]

Depending on where you are moving to, Metro PCS is really good & cheap. Unlimited minutes and text messaging.

[The Original OC Adventure]

Metro sounds good. I heard Boost as a similar deal. Are they worth trying?

[belleh5]

I've had metro pcs for years. It keeps growing and improving each year. The only thing that sucks about them is, you have to buy your phone. And right now all their phones suck.

www.MetroPCS.com

[blueerica]

I think that's been my only problem with the prepaid cell phone situation. I started using Net 10 when I was in my last year of school and simply didn't have the time to talk - nor the money to pay for a regular plan since I hadn't talked enough on the phone to justify any of the lowest minute plans on the market.

Anyway, Net10 has been great. Never have issues with sound quality and has worked from state to state and even in the boonies in the middle of nowhere Nevada.

[Pirate Bill]

I use T-Mobile prepaid. At the time I bought it they had the best deal. I can't tell you if that's still the case though. And by best deal I'm talking about the price of the phone. I wanted a flip phone because I can't stand the candybar style. They also had the best national coverage.

I pay $100 for 1000 minutes that has a one year expiration date. But all the minutes get a new expiration date whenever I add minutes. For example, if I have 400 minutes remaining when they're about to expire I can add another 100 minutes for $10 and all 500 minutes will have a new expiration date a year out.

I've had these phones for about a year and a half. I bought 2 phones for $50 each. I've paid $110 total so far on minutes for my phone (I don't use it much). And paid about $400 for my wife (who uses hers a lot more). So it's cost me about $35/month.

My only complaint is there are no free minutes. Not even for mobile-to-mobile calls. Also, when we're in very out of the way areas (camping, etc) and other carriers like at&t are getting some coverage (even very little) we get nothing, zilch, nadda.

[Prudence]

Virgin Mobile has either per minute plans or just regular monthly plans (with unlimited minutes, if you pick the more expensive options) that have no contract. And the phones don't suck.

[Kevy Baby]

Originally Posted by Pirate Bill

I pay $100 for 1000 minutes that has a one year expiration date.

1,000 minutes over the course of a YEAR? I think that is a weekly amount for NA.