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SusanJ
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| Posted: Sept 16 2009 at 3:56pm | IP Logged
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After spending far too much time today looking at the cost for various permutations of cell phone plans I've determined that these companies make it complicated on purpose.
Dh and I are switching plans--probably to T-Mobile since we get a work discount through them. I currently have a very cheap unlimited plan but I don't like the service or the equipment. But since it's unlimited I have no idea how many minutes I use.
So, ladies who have only a cell phone--how many minutes do you use, on average? I know a lot goes into that so you can qualify if you want. I'm probably an average user and two of my biggest conversation partners would be on the same network and therefore free. But I have no idea if I need 400 minutes or 2000.
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mellyrose
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| Posted: Sept 16 2009 at 4:07pm | IP Logged
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DH, the kids & I share 1400 minutes. My DH talks more than I do -- and the kids phone only calls me, DH or my sis (and those minutes are free cuz they're all on the same network.)
I average 4 - 500 minutes/month, which includes free minutes to DH and my sis. I have 2 friends I talk to often and they use a different provider.
We do not have a home phone line (which is why we have a "kid" phone - it allows us to have a phone home for a sitter)
I would go low, and bump it higher if you find you need to do so. For a few reasons, we went WAY over a few months in a row (we had rollover minutes, which is why it took us a bit to realize -- and other things going on, which is why I didn't investigate the bills), AT & T was good about bumping me up to a higher minutes plan and retroactively applying it for the month we went over (by 1000 minutes) AND they gave me 1000 extra rollover minutes to give me a cushion again.
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JodieLyn
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| Posted: Sept 16 2009 at 4:29pm | IP Logged
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I'd agree with Melanie, start it on the lower end.. and keep a close eye on it (so that you don't accidently go over).. bumping it higher shouldn't be a problem.
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KC in TX
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| Posted: Sept 16 2009 at 4:31pm | IP Logged
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If the the people you mostly talk to are on network and free, I'd go lower on the minutes. We have way more than we need. I need to get it changed and with dh deploying, we'll even need less.
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SusanJ
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| Posted: Sept 16 2009 at 4:40pm | IP Logged
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That's good advice to start low--especially if the companies are willing to retroactively apply it in some cases.
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Mom to Joseph-8, Margaret-6, William-4, Gregory-2, and new little one due 11/1
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DominaCaeli
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| Posted: Sept 16 2009 at 4:40pm | IP Logged
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SusanJ wrote:
| But since it's unlimited I have no idea how many minutes I use. |
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The company should still have your call log even if you're on an unlimited plan--is there a way you could ask them for the minutes for your previous few months?
We use very few minutes, but our in-network minutes are free and my side of the family is all with the same company, so my calls to them are free. Our calls to each other are free too, of course. And we do have a home phone as well, so my SIL, whom I probably talk to most outside of my own family, always calls our house line. Do you have a home phone too, or would you be using the cell for all your calls?
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sewcrazy
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I share a plan with my 2 teens. It is an 1800 minute plan with free in-network calls and "five faves". Our total minutes are about 3000 a month including "free" calls.
We don't have a home phone.
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LeeAnn
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SusanJ
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| Posted: Sept 17 2009 at 8:34am | IP Logged
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I don't have a home phone. Dh barely every uses his phone except to talk to me but we both want him to have one. I was hoping for a smartphone but dh nixed that, I think. So since I'm letting go of the particular phone I wanted I might have to go back and re-shop a little. Why do I obsess so much over decisions like this?
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stefoodie
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| Posted: Sept 17 2009 at 9:24am | IP Logged
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We haven't taken this wireless plan service guide quiz, but we will before our contract is up next year. It's very comprehensive.
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Stephanie_Q
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| Posted: Sept 17 2009 at 11:10am | IP Logged
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We have to go with a "minimum" number of minutes to "add a line" so that both dh and I can have one. Our cell company just sold to another whose plans are not as good and cost more - but since we get grandfathered in, we just upgraded to a plan that lets us text unlimited. It is less bothersome to him to read a message than to receieve a call while at work.
When our contract is up, we'll be obsessing over whether to stay with this or go with the other service provider in our area. (It helps to live in the boondocks, sometimes...if we had more options to 'obsess' over, we'd be doing it, too). 
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SusanJ
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| Posted: Sept 17 2009 at 11:16am | IP Logged
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Stef, I took the quiz but it's almost two years old now and a lot of plans have changed. It also doesn't take into consideration how many people you call might be on the same network and with "favorites" or friends and family features you can get a lot of airtime that way.
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Barbara C.
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| Posted: Sept 17 2009 at 12:48pm | IP Logged
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Depending on price I would probably go with the 2000 minutes.
We are getting rid of our land-line in the next week or so. According to our land-line phone bill I use a little over 400 minutes a month. And I only call my mom and mother-in-law and make business calls. Our current cell phone is kept strictly in the car and uses about 100 minutes/month (I am guessing) but we get up to 500 on our plan.
However, we have a very close family friend who works for Sprint and he is setting us up with a second 500 minute plan and phone at a very cheap rate. "Uncle Jeff" just marks us as family on his plan.
I know it's a tangled web.
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stefoodie
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hi susan -- sorry about that. when i found the quiz a few weeks ago i only looked at our particular plan and it looked the same to me, no idea it was outdated. i had tried to find other "comparison sites" but none of them did it Q&A style. if you happen to find one, could you share it please? thanks!
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SusanJ
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| Posted: Sept 17 2009 at 3:18pm | IP Logged
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billshrink.com was pretty useful thought not as comprehensive as the one Stef linked to.
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4Real Forums : Tea and Conversation
Topic: cell phone usage survey
