Need suggestions for low cost Verizon phone replacement

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garyb1st

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Lost my cell phone.  It's a Convoy which is a basic phone and suits my needs meaning it must be almost unbreakable.  Got it at Costco for next to nothing 2 1/2 yrs ago.  Verizon wants $200 for the same phone on a month to month basis or $100 with a two year contract.  I don't text and am not interested in a smart phone.  Any suggestions for a replacement?

 
 
If you don't have a contract to deal with, check out Consumer Cellular -- until I went for a "smart" phone, I had a small flip phone for $20/mo, including 250 minutes/month. Today that's up over 500 minutes/month. I paid $10 extra for a second phone (and number) for DW. Now we've added 1GB data for another $30/month. And, being AARP, we get a 10% discount off all that.

We've been happy with them for the last four years, or so. They run on the AT&T network.
 
Larry, that sounds like a great deal.  Do you get 500 minutes on each phone or is that combined?  Also can you upgrade the data.  We currently have the Verizon Air-card with unlimited data.  I would not want to lose that.  Also, Verizon service is pretty good.  What has been your experience with Consumer Cellular as far as reception.  We've been all over the country except for the Northeast and rarely have a problem finding service.     
 
That's 500 min. total, Gary. Click the link in my post above to check the various plans yourself. I don't know about an air card -- you might have to stick with Verizon for that, assuming they don't require phone service for the card. You'd said you didn't want a smart phone, which is why I mentioned CC -- didn't know about the air card. But there are data services available from Verizon, AT&T and perhaps others that are separate from the phone.
 
CC may actually be better than AT&T which makes little sense as they do use it. We found that at Portal, in Moab, AT&T was a dead spot, but when we switched to CC reception was fine. We have three phones and 600 minutes for $55.

Ernie
 
Thanks for the suggestions guys, but all things considered, I guess we'll stay with Verizon.  The wife insists their network has the best coverage and we have unlimited talk and text as well as unlimited data on our air card.  The only down side is our 3G connection.  If we can update our air card without restrictions we'll probably do that at well.   

 
Find a Verizon store and go for the LG 99 cent phone, I have one and it works great - 99 cents with a 2 year contract....negotiate. Verizon does provide the best coverage for sure.

Jim
 
Jitterbug by Great Call.  Check out the Great Call web site.  Inexpensive, no contract, great coverage and you can add things like text if desired.  Mine is a flip - not smart.  Wife has an Android smart version also from Great Call and also, no contract. 
 
I've used Page Plus Cellular for over a year with good results.  They use the Verizon network and you can use Verizon phones.  You can get dumb plans for as little as $10 for 4 months (my wife's emergency phone), to $12 per month for dumb phone or $29 for a smart phone.  Same network.  Less money out of your pocket.
https://www.pagepluscellular.com
 
I use Tracfone and my carrier is Verizon.  It is a LG235C.  GSM PHONES (AT&T and T-Mobile).  My LG235C is CDMA (Verizon).  I think the LG235C has been replaced by a newer model.  TracFone www.tracfone.com  Dick nvrver

I think you can tell a GSM or a CDMA phone from the last digit of the model number, maybe someone will chime in and give us the info. 
 
StraightTalk is the Tracfone brand sold in Walmart stores everywhere.  StraightTalk, like Tracfone, uses the Verizon network.  Wander into the cellphone section of a WalMart and see what they have to offer - sometimes you can find a flip phone for as little as $10 with no contract.
 
nvrver said:
I think you can tell a GSM or a CDMA phone from the last digit of the model number, maybe someone will chime in and give us the info.
Click to expand...

Last digit of phone M# C = CDMA  Verizon,  G = GSM  AT&T.
 
Update: I just got an email from Consumer Cellular. They've once again increased our service at no additional cost. The 600 minutes of phone calls is now 750 minutes, the 5,000 texts went to unlimited, and the 1.0 GB of data went to 1.5 GB. All this for two phones at $50/mo, less AARP 10% discount, plus taxes and fees comes out to $57 and change every month. We didn't use all the data when it was 400 MB, nor all the minutes when it was 250 min, and we've never texted, but more is available now than ever -- maybe we should downgrade to the next cheapest plan for $10/mo less for data (down to 500 MB), and still have a little more than the 400 MB we started with, plus knock $5/mo off the talk plan and have the same 250 minutes we started with -- that'd make $35/mo instead of $50.

This is, they say, the 10th time in the last eight years that they've upgraded service at no extra cost. It's certain this is the 3rd (or is it 4th) time since we've been with them, still at the original, no contract monthly fee. They use AT&T's network, so coverage is pretty decent.
 
Gary,

If you stay with Verizon try to get a phone that is "XLTE 4G enabled."  Ours is and we are now getting, on the average, 20MB DOWN and 10MB UP.  When there is little traffic we can get as high as 34MB DOWN and 19MB UP.

Previously with regular LTE4G (notice no X) we would get about half that speed.

Do you connect a computer to the internet?

JerryF
 
Verizon upgraded me to 6 gigs from 4 gigs for free.  They say there is no catch, so far the bill has stayed the same, and they have the best coverage of any service I've used.  But my bill is still $122. total with taxes and fees.  I may be interested in that XLTE4G, I've never heard of that, I've got a Samsung Note 3 and not sure if it is XLTE4G or not.
 
JerArdra said:
Gary,

If you stay with Verizon try to get a phone that is "XLTE 4G enabled."  Ours is and we are now getting, on the average, 20MB DOWN and 10MB UP.  When there is little traffic we can get as high as 34MB DOWN and 19MB UP.

Previously with regular LTE4G (notice no X) we would get about half that speed.

Do you connect a computer to the internet?

JerryF
Click to expand...

Got one before we were in Quartzsite.  It's another Convoy 2.  OK phone with a so so battery.  We're a bit old school with 3G dumb phones.  We use the Verizon Air card for the Internet.  It has unlimited data but frequently connections are so slow I question it's value.  If we ever lose the unlimited data or just get tired of waiting for a connection, will get a smartphone and cancel the air card.  Then we'll go with the XLTE 4G enabled. 
 
Our Verizon MiFi has seen spotty coverage away from the highways in AZ, and sometimes it is only 3G.  Boy does that seem slow.
. 
 
Family Dollar has the Verizon Samsung Gusto III for $20.00.  It is a basic flip phone ready for the Verizon network.  Buy that and have Verizon activate it on your account.  That is the phone I have and like it.  Last year after putting mine in the washing machine in my pants a Verizon franchise store wanted $200.00 & a Verizon company owned store wanted $100.00, so I paid the $100.00 for a replacement then the next week I discovered Family Dollar had them for $20.00 so I bought a extra for the next time I do something stupid like that again. :)
 
I bought a Verizon type phone from Walmart several years ago and Verizon would not connect.  Told me it had to be purchased from Verizon.  If they changed their policy, that's great.  Let us know if the Family Dollar phone will work on the Verizon network.
 
It would be illegal for Verizon to require that you purchase a phone or modem directly from them, but they do have the right to set technical standards for any phone that will be connected. Maybe your phone didn't qualify. Another possibility is that you were talking to a clerk at a local Verizon franchise store - they often refuse to handle phones not sold by that franchise (as opposed to sold by any Verizon partner) and also having a reputation for giving out inaccurate advice. It's best to go to a Verizon-owned store rather than a franchise for help & info, but it can be difficult to tell the difference via the signage.

I use a Verizon Jetpack (Novatel 4260LE) that I bought from an independent equipment seller and subscribed with Verizon. Verizon even provided the Sim card for their network. That was about a year ago.
 
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