New Cell Phone plan question

[medford]

Need some advice, I'm sure there are many on here with some to dispense.

My cell phone battery is pretty much crapping out, same with my wifes. We could go the simple route and just purchase new batteries for our phones, which are each 3+ years old so perhaps its time to get a new phone anyways.

Niether of us use our cell phones a ton, most of the calls are b/w each other, so outside of each other, we could probably get away with 300 minutes a month combined (if that).

Neither of us texts very often, actually my wife's phone has text messages shut off for some reason she's not sure of. She's still on a family plan with her mother, which he mother has been generous enough to continue even after we got married 6 years ago, so I don't think we'd qualify as a renewal (She's with AT&T mobile I believe). I have my service thru verizon, and am certainly eligible for the renew every 2 discount.

Niether of us have a smart phone, though I'm interested. I don't think I'd use the smart phone capabilities a ton, I'm in front of a computer at work most every day, she's teaching, outside of that we're home w/ a WiFi connection. Of course, it could come in handy when we're out, but don't think we'd need an unlimited data plan.

We spend a majority of out time b/w Cincy & Dayton.

Anyone have an opinion on plans/phones?

Virgin mobile seems to offer what I'm looking for, $35 a month for 300 minutes, unlimited data/texts. Not sure which phone is the best one for that type of thing. I'm not looking to spend a ton, but I dont need to go cheap either. However, I'm open to anything at this point, if anyone has any advice.

Thanks,

[BuckeyeRed27]

If you make most of your calls between each other you need to get on the same service provider. Minutes between Verizon members for example are free. That would allow you to get the lowest minutes package available.

I would also strongly advise you to get a smart phone. You will use it far more than you think you will.

Also if you both get iPhones you can text back and forth for free as well.

[oneupper]

I can hear your confusion (sounds like me). I have an AT&T family plan, with 5 phones on it and every phone can get a discounted upgrade phone every 2 years IF you renew your contract for two more years.
The thing is to upgrade them all at the same time, because it always goes from the latest one upgraded.
At 9.99/month for each extra line, its hard to beat the family plans for marginal cost.

But if you want to "break free" from your wife's family plan, get one of your own or switch your wife into yours. She will be eligible for a new phone (and you will be on the hook for two years).

Verizon and AT&T have data plans which when unlimited, can be expensive because they are not a pool like the minutes.
I'm intrigued by the Sprint unlimited iPhone plans (don't know details). Right now, one of the family phones is an iPhone and we're on a 25 MB (I think) plan for like $20/month. (or $25 for 20 MB...). (My daughter) Never goes over the limit because they have warnings when your usage is close and Wi-fi is available all around. Its nice to have the 3G (4g) when you're in the car and need some kind of info.

It's complicated and can get expensive. I spend way too much on phones (home, family, business, Skype).

[medford]

Thanks for the update. Its only my wife and me, my 3 year old and 2 month away from being born don't need one quit yet.

I assume at some point, my mother in law isn't going to keep paying for my wife's cell phone plan, so I can't exactly join her family plan, more likely starting our own.

Can you share data plans over a family plan? I'm not even sure if my wife cares to have a smart phone at this point, but if she does, can we share the data plan across both of us, or do we have to get a seperate data plan for each phone.

[oneupper]

Yeah, you should probably start your own family plan. You and your wife both could probably each get a new phone (w/2 yr contract) when you establish it.

I don't think data sharing is possible over family plans like minute sharing. At least AT&T doesnt allow it. Maybe Sprint or T-mobile have better deals.

[LoganBuck]

Originally Posted by oneupper

Yeah, you should probably start your own family plan. You and your wife both could probably each get a new phone (w/2 yr contract) when you establish it.

I don't think data sharing is possible over family plans like minute sharing. At least AT&T doesnt allow it. Maybe Sprint or T-mobile have better deals.

Granted we have a family business but we were able to work a deal with Sprint, so that we get unlimited data, unlimited texts, unlimited mobile to any mobile, 1500 minutes to landlines (shared, we only hit about 1000 per month), insurance on all the phones, 4 smartphones (HTC EVO 4G), and another standard phone, $250/month.

[oneupper]

Originally Posted by LoganBuck

Granted we have a family business but we were able to work a deal with Sprint, so that we get unlimited data, unlimited texts, unlimited mobile to any mobile, 1500 minutes to landlines (shared, we only hit about 1000 per month), insurance on all the phones, 4 smartphones (HTC EVO 4G), and another standard phone, $250/month.

That's a sweet deal. I have to look into that.

[Roy Tucker]

Originally Posted by LoganBuck

Granted we have a family business but we were able to work a deal with Sprint, so that we get unlimited data, unlimited texts, unlimited mobile to any mobile, 1500 minutes to landlines (shared, we only hit about 1000 per month), insurance on all the phones, 4 smartphones (HTC EVO 4G), and another standard phone, $250/month.

We've got close to the same deal with Sprint only 5 phones over 3G. About $195 a month. But its the same unlimited data, unlimited texts, unlimited mobile to any mobile, 1500 minutes to landlines and insurance on 3 of the phones. My 2 daughters average about 100 texts a day. Sprint has some good family deals.

[LoganBuck]

Originally Posted by Roy Tucker

We've got close to the same deal with Sprint only 5 phones over 3G. About $195 a month. But its the same unlimited data, unlimited texts, unlimited mobile to any mobile, 1500 minutes to landlines and insurance on 3 of the phones. My 2 daughters average about 100 texts a day. Sprint has some good family deals.

My number includes all the taxes, and access fees. Does yours? If it does I need to see why I am paying more. I guess part of that is if you only have insurance on 3 phones. Sprint does charge a fee for smartphones, how many of yours are smartphones?

[ABEsolutely]

i can't wait until our contract is up. i'm going with PagePlus and their 12 buck plan:
http://www.pagepluscellular.com/Plans/12%20Plan.aspx

my wife will probably get the $30 one. you can take pretty much any verizon phone with you to PP, which also runs on verizon's towers. we're never doing post-paid again. my experience is only with verizon, but they look for any reason to charge you more, and i think they're a huge ripoff.