Jun 6th, 2009
Not SERO But Not Bad: Tracfone’s Straight Talk Plan
While I’ve had many issues with Sprint customer service, I remain loyal to them in large part because of my Sprint SERO phone plan: 500 minutes (which I never get close to using), unlimited SMS, and unlimited data for $30 a month plus tax. Unfortunately, the Sprint SERO plan is no longer available to new customers as of a few months ago; instead, Sprint offers a plan with similar features but at about double the cost.
In the last few months, more and more thrifty bloggers and journalists have recommended pay as you go, no contract plans as a lower cost alternative to the two year contracts the wireless providers in America seem to love. Unfortunately, most wireless plans have been unappealing (at least to me) in terms of value compared to the contracts.
A new alternative comes from long time pay as you go wireless provider Tracfone, the Straight Talk plan. This is a $30 a month plan with no contract that provides 1000 minutes, 1000 SMS or MMS, and 30 megabytes of data. Compared to the 200 minute $29.99 GoPhone Plan from AT&T, this certainly appeals to be a deal! While I use very few minutes–I dislike talking on the phone–I use a large amount of data, so this doesn’t really appeal much to me. But if you talk on the phone a lot more than you use data and you dislike contracts, it might be appealing to you. In any case, I think it might be the best of the pay as you go plans right now. If you’re between contracts or want to stop being on the contract merry go round, check this one out.
I did read about the Straight Talk plan here http://clarkhoward.com/liveweb/shownotes/2009/06/08/15934/. I read the comments section and then was back to square one in trying to decide what to do….contract or no contract.
Run away, repeat, run away from Straight Talk. These guys took 4 days to port a number and they still cannot get my web browsing operational. Their customer service is absolutely useless. They seem to be great at dithering around and thanking you for choosing Straight Talk wireless. I think you are best off with Boost as no contract. Boost just plain works. Thank God, I only ported an inconsequential number to Straight Talk. Boost is 50.00 a month and unlimited. Still 40.00 less per month than any of the post-paids and it works so well you forget that it is prepaid.
people – who talk shit about tracfone’s strait talk plan – they just work for one of the tracfone’s competitors.
Matt clearly works for Boost.
I work for radioshack and let me tell you – this is the best plans around with the best coverage across all of the prepaid networks.
Once I quit Radoshack (hopefully very soon) I’ll port my number to tracfone.
Why? -because it’s very similar price to my employee plan with AT&T!!!!!!!
to Matt – boost as well as tracfone is using indian calling centers – and let me tell ya – after years of working in radioshack and calling different tech support centers every day – I can rate tech support quality like this:
On 1 to 10 scale (1 being the worst)
Virgin mobile: 1 – absolutely impossible to find a human being.
AT&T: 2 – the same. support closed on sundays. and they don’t work 24×7
Boost: 7 – pretty good support. does take like 10 min to get through though.
Tracfone: 10 – very fast answer. usually within the 1-st minute.
Net 10: 10 – very fast answer. usually within the 1-st minute.
Guess again, big boy. I don’t work for Boost. Your deductive reasoning skills are phenomenal.
Just ported to StraightTalk from TMobile…lost my job and can’t afford even TMO’s unlimited loyalty plan. My number ported in 25 minutes. The phone is cheaper than AT&T, TMO’s and most other non-subsidized phones….I got the W385 MOTO…has voice command. When you are activating the phone, it says “Welcome to Verizon Wireless” (they use their towers).
When my phone number port completed, I received a call from StraightTalk telling me so (a live person not a robot). Gave me their phone number to call back if I had any problems.
I have no problem with Boost, but for $30/mo or $45/mo unlimited, you just can’t beat the deal…I am saving $30 per month.
I did not go with boost because they use the iDen network and their phones were more money.
If you live in a major metro area, give straighttalk a shot. So far it is like Verizon at 1/3 the cost.
Clicking on a TracPhone site, they offer Straight Talk with two plans. One for 1000 minutes @ $30.00 and another with unlimited minutes for $45.00. When I clicked on the $45.00 plan, it sends me to the $30.00 site. What’s with this?
Would love to sign up at my contract is just about up.
I was caught between buying a boost or straight talk for my daughter. I end up going with straight talk because a friend of my have boost and his texting sucks. I will send him a text today and he will maybe if he is lucky get it the next day. My daughter phone works so great I am thinking about changing my phone service from at&t to straight talk. I’m pay about $150 a month for the unlimited plan with taxes. That’s 3x amount of straight talk.
well let me tell you about TF.
If everything goes well you are good to go…….but…………if you have an issue, good luck getting it resolved. I have used their disposable phones for years and except for one or two times, things worked fine. Fast forward to this year, I purchased another phone from them and since March of this year, I have been on the phone for over eight,
8..yeh, eight..HOURS!!! (while I’m doing other things but still)
the phone doesn’t work, hasn’t worked………
Every time they say they will send a new: battery, sim card, etc….I find that I must call back after 15 days and ask where it is, since it was never shipped. Today I was on hold for thirty minutes while the rep tried to contact a supervisor!!!!
this is either a Utube or webblog in the making!!!
wj
I have used ST for 2 mos now and have not had any issues. I had to call them twice and got through to them both times within a few minutes. I haven’t had any problems using their phones. I think it is important to separate Tracfone from Straight Talk. I know both are the same company, but TF uses primarily GSM phones and ST uses Verizon CDMA phones. They use separate call centers and networks. I highly recommend ST and feel that, at this time, their deal simply cannot be beat. Anywhere.
My Sprint contract is just about up. I purchased the Tracfon, the $79.00 Motorola W385 (with camera) & opted for the 1000 minute card after careful review of my past years minute useage. Figured I’d try it to see if it works as well as my Sprint service. Ordered it online through Walmart, picked it up at the store to avoid shipping charges. It arrived in 4 days, was notified via email that it was in the store.
I set the phone up as per Straight Talk instructions on Tuesday and thought all was well. I tried to use it on Wednesday. Got a recording instructing me to “wait for an outside operator.” That didn’t happen.
I called the toll-free Straight Talk number. The CSR was most cooperative. Yeah, it took 50 minutes to resolve the issue. She actually spoke English without an accent, was polite, gave status reports thruoughout the process.
Bottom Line: The Straight Talk with Verizon service is working PERFECTLY for me in my home (Philadelphia, PA).
One concern for the near future is when my Sprint contract is up in 10 days, I need to “port” my phone number to my Straight Talk. I called S.T. a few weeks ago about porting my old number to my new service. I was told I had two weeks to do that after my initial activation. (Keeping my figures crossed or the deals off.)
My contract was up this past month with Sprint. Bought Straight talk phone for me and Trac Phone for my wife. Thought I would try both and see how they work.
My phone # was ported in about 2 hours. Was really surprised it went that fast. Getting my phone activated was a little bit of a hassle but come to find out it was my fault. Not the phone or service. But got resolved and everything has worked fine for the last couple of days. The value is unbeatable.
Phones are a little behind in latest technology but what do you expect? The old adage is true “if you want to play, you have got to pay”. I was just getting sick of paying.
There was 12 dollars a month of Sprint/Fed/State user surcharges on my bill every month. I’m happy with the final cost.
I know this is a late comment, but I would like to say that I ported my number from Verizon within minutes with ST. Maybe because it uses VZW’s network it was faster, I am not sure. I have had excellent service, and even better reception than my old VZW phone which is just strange, but my old phone was a RAZR which had horrible reception, honestly. ST simply cannot be beat in my opinion.
Straight talk and Page Plus are the best at this moment.
Page Plus just as cheap. It’s using Verizon as well and it actually allows you to use any Verizon phone -even the droid.
i think Matt is right
I think Matt is right about number portability issues. I am having the same issues now. Let me inform you that am not new to porting numbers. I first ported my cell phone number from cricket to sprint in 2006. Then ported to Cingular in 2008, then to Net 10. But i attempted to port to Virgin mobile, it took so long that i abandon the idea. So i port to TMobile pay as u go. And then in October 2009, i ported to consumer Cellular. And now am attempting to port to Straight talk. In all my porting experiences, never did it take more than 2 hours to complete. And in all cases, i continue to use my number until few minutes before the porting process is completed. To my surprise and disapproval, straight talk will continue to say tank you for using straight talk and may i put you on hold for a minute while i talk to my supervisor. It is 2 days as i write this opinion and my number has not been ported yet while they continue to lie that it will port in 4 hours. They have no shame. They are the worst in port in. I think worst than Virgin mobile who could not port my number previously
Corrections: Actually, i cancelled my sprint service after a few months and ported my number to cingular in 2006 and not 2008 as orginally stated
I have just got to say how great Straight Talk has been for me. I recently had At&t ( an iphone) which I loved! But I was paying over a hundred dollars a month! So I got the Samsung Finesse from Straight Talk which is pretty much the exact same thing as an Iphone. BUT FOR 45 dollars a month!!! AND its unlimited texting, minutes, and data! It’s just unreal! First off- there is no contract which is JUST AMAZING but the service is fantastic. It is on the Verizon network so you really get the best of two worlds. Joining Straight Talk was the best thing ever.
Straight Talk really is that great of deal – total truth. Their $45 unlimited use plan is saving me more than $50 a month versus my previous plan and no more overage fee worries. I also purchased the Samsung Finesse and I love having a Smart Phone without the contract or price issues. The ST Verizon network is giving me amazing coverage no matter where I go and I have yet to drop a call. Even the customer service is better than any review lead me to believe – I had a minor minutes issue and it was cleared up in less than 5 minutes. It really doesn’t get any easier than Straight Talk and finally I have control over my phone and my bill.
In regards to using straight talk…………………. are you charged for incoming calls ?
are incoming calls charged against your strait time
1000 minutes and 100 texts for BOTH – incoming and outgoing.
This is COMMON thing for ALL United States carriers.
All of the major providers like AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, and T-mobile charge for incoming and outgoing.
Page Plus cellular – you get more bang for the buck.
1200 minutes and 1200 messages for 29.95/month, in addition – u can use any Verizon phone – from Verizon Inpulse 19.99$ prepaids to 500$ DROID.
Hello Tracfone customer my name is Elston and I am a Tracfone Employee and I am here to assist anyone that is having a problem with their phones. you can contact me at by email elombillo@tracfone.com.