OT - Affordable Mobile Options?

[b***@corporate.america]

I guess maybe this is not totally off-topic as it concerns WiFi/broadband..

I'm one of those people that hardly use a mobile phone and when I do it's
almost exclusively text or voice. Occasionally I'll map something while
out and about. Current data usage is well under 500 MB per month.

I signed up with T-Mobile under their "Walmart" plan - unlimited talk &
text + 5 GB data for $30 / month, pre-paid. Supposably it's a good deal
but like I said, most of that data allocation goes unused. Also T-Mobile's
coverage sucks once you get away from urban centers which I'm increasingly
inclined to do.

Anyway, we have Comcast cable and Internet service and recently got an
offer to sign up fro their Xfinity Mobile service. The ala cart option -
unlimited talk & text + $12 / GB / month - seems like it'd be an
improvement. Xfinity Mobile uses Verizon's celluar network so the coverage
ought to improve over T-Mobile. My main concerns are 1) have to buy a
new phone from Comcast, 2) the plan makes heavy use of those Xfinity WiFi
hotspots, basically their broadband customer's co-opted WiFi modems. I
*think* all the celluar service is done via Verizon; no VoIP-to-mobile as
near as I can tell. As far as contractual commitment, it looks like it
runs month-to-month and you could return the phone for a full refund -
$35 restocking fee.

Would you sign up for this? I'm sort of leaning towards it as, after the
phone purchase, it sounds like I can get by for $12 / month.

To be honest I'd be happy to go back to a flip phone but I don't see plans
that would save much money by doing so; might as well have a full-fledge
pocket computer.

[Rich]

Post by b***@corporate.america
I'm one of those people that hardly use a mobile phone and when I do
it's almost exclusively text or voice. Occasionally I'll map
something while out and about. Current data usage is well under 500
MB per month.
...
Also T-Mobile's coverage sucks once you get away from urban centers
which I'm increasingly inclined to do.

I think you'll find that 'coverage' goes downhill rapidly on most
providers depending upon how far away from urban centers one travels.

Post by b***@corporate.america
Would you sign up for this [comcast phone plan]?

It is comcast. Isn't that enough said right there.

Post by b***@corporate.america
I'm sort of leaning towards it as, after the phone purchase, it
sounds like I can get by for $12 / month.
To be honest I'd be happy to go back to a flip phone but I don't see
plans that would save much money by doing so; might as well have a
full-fledge pocket computer.

I just recently (as in last two or three days) ran across this MVNO:
https://tello.com/

They have an actual 'pay as you go' plan here
https://tello.com/rates/pay_as_you_go that for truly low volume users
would likely come in under $12/month. Most of the other 'low cost'
MVNO's have 'boxed' plans where you pay X for Y units, and if you use
less than Y units the leftover go away (so your actual cost per unit is
higher than the initial cost would seem). Plus the total monthly for
the 'box' is often in the $15-20/month range. Note Tello also has
'boxed' plans.

Also, Tello offers (amazingly) an actual flip phone in their "get a
phone" section.

Negatives: they run on Sprint's network, so if non-urban T-Mobile
coverage is bad, theirs is not likely to be much better overall. But
you may find that comcast's xfinity wifi hotspots are also few and far
between in rural areas as well (just because homes are far apart the
further you go 'rural').

[RS Wood]

On Sat, 23 Sep 2017 18:38:07 -0000 (UTC)

Post by Rich

Post by b***@corporate.america
I'm one of those people that hardly use a mobile phone and when I do
it's almost exclusively text or voice. Occasionally I'll map
something while out and about. Current data usage is well under 500
MB per month.
...
Also T-Mobile's coverage sucks once you get away from urban centers
which I'm increasingly inclined to do.

I think you'll find that 'coverage' goes downhill rapidly on most
providers depending upon how far away from urban centers one travels.

Post by b***@corporate.america
Would you sign up for this [comcast phone plan]?

It is comcast. Isn't that enough said right there.

If you're in rural America, the order of operations is:
1. Which company/ies provide coverage in the places I want to be?
2. Of those, which can I afford?
3. Of those listed in #2, which has the fewest lock-in measures?

Arguing about which carriers you like/don't like is useless until
you've pinned down their coverage.

[b***@corporate.america]

Post by Rich

Post by b***@corporate.america
I'm one of those people that hardly use a mobile phone and when I do
it's almost exclusively text or voice. Occasionally I'll map
something while out and about. Current data usage is well under 500
MB per month.
...
Also T-Mobile's coverage sucks once you get away from urban centers
which I'm increasingly inclined to do.

I think you'll find that 'coverage' goes downhill rapidly on most
providers depending upon how far away from urban centers one travels.

Post by b***@corporate.america
Would you sign up for this [comcast phone plan]?

It is comcast. Isn't that enough said right there.

Post by b***@corporate.america
I'm sort of leaning towards it as, after the phone purchase, it
sounds like I can get by for $12 / month.
To be honest I'd be happy to go back to a flip phone but I don't see
plans that would save much money by doing so; might as well have a
full-fledge pocket computer.

https://tello.com/
They have an actual 'pay as you go' plan here
https://tello.com/rates/pay_as_you_go that for truly low volume users
would likely come in under $12/month. Most of the other 'low cost'
MVNO's have 'boxed' plans where you pay X for Y units, and if you use
less than Y units the leftover go away (so your actual cost per unit is
higher than the initial cost would seem). Plus the total monthly for
the 'box' is often in the $15-20/month range. Note Tello also has
'boxed' plans.
Also, Tello offers (amazingly) an actual flip phone in their "get a
phone" section.
Negatives: they run on Sprint's network, so if non-urban T-Mobile
coverage is bad, theirs is not likely to be much better overall. But
you may find that comcast's xfinity wifi hotspots are also few and far
between in rural areas as well (just because homes are far apart the
further you go 'rural').

Hey thanks! Tello kind of looks like a good fit for me plus I could
bring my own phone. All my current phones are GSM so I'd need to buy
one but it sounds like it's nothing special, just anything unlocked
that works with Sprint.