I need help picking a new cell phone!

[J.]

Okay. I'm dumping my lousy landline. I hate talking on the phone. I'm getting a very inexpensive cell phone plan and porting my landline number. T-Mobile is very popular around the Twin Cities. T-Mobile has the best pricing structure. I hate Sprint with a passion. Verizon is good, but more expensive. I am going with T-Mobile.

 

I'm cheap. I want to get a free phone when I sign up. I want a bluetooth. Bluetooths make the user look like a retard. I don't care. I'll only use it in my car. I don't like to talk on the phone and drive at the same time. I will do it if necessary. I hate holding a phone up to my head. Hence the bluetooth. Bluetooth will be better than corded earpiece methinks.

 

Now, onto the advice. Here's the phone listings:

http://www.t-mobile.com/shop/phones/

 

Here's a Scrotorola with a free screwtooth:

http://www.t-mobile.com/shop/phones/Cell-Phone-Detail.aspx?cell-phone=Motorola-RIZR-Z3

 

Here's a Chokia with a free screwtooth:

http://www.t-mobile.com/shop/phones/Cell-Phone-Detail.aspx?cell-phone=Nokia-6103

 

Here's a Samshung with a free gootooth:

http://www.t-mobile.com/shop/phones/Cell-Phone-Detail.aspx?cell-phone=Samsung-t439

 

Another Scrotorola:

http://www.t-mobile.com/shop/phones/Cell-Phone-Detail.aspx?cell-phone=Motorola-V195s

[fingeringam]

Have you thought about Pre Paid?

[dDigitalPimp]

whatever you do, check into business discounts depending on where you work. all you have to do is enter your business email addy in and see if you get a discount on the plan.

 

i work for a major IT company that is contracted to work at a fortune 500 company and my email address from either company was worth a 20% discount on my service. {censored}, ive been working with them for 5+ years now and could have been getting the discount all along. ill be saving about 120 a year using the discount.

[misterhinkydink]

The RIZR is also a decent MP3 player with A2DP capability. Besides being able to use it with a stereo BT headset, it can be used with a BT capable car stereo.

[Brother Mango]

What other uses do youhave for your phone?

 

My experience is with Virgin and TMobile.

 

I liked Virgin's service plans much better than TMobile's. I was paying maybe $30/month for 1000 texts and more than enough minutes. And I loved not having a contract.

 

The problem with Virgin is their phones. I needed a PDA phone with internet. Virgin's phones do have internet and bluetooth and they're all inexpensive: $90 for their most expensive phone. But I needed Windows Mobile, a large screen for a decent internet experience, a QWERTY keyboard, and a high-powered calendar.

 

Also because I refused to be on a contract, I got a TMobile Wing off of eBay, took it to a TMobile store and had it activated on their Flex Pay option.

 

 

My experience & needs probably aren't yours but the idea is that you need to say more about what you really need, and that'll guide your decision.

[miggo]

I have owned all of these except forthe samsung. If you want my input

 

The Z3 is slow. It does have an MP3 player but if you have a lot of songs on it it takes forever to start the player. The keypad is awkward. It is hard to dial numbers and almost impossible to text.

 

The 6103 feels cheap. I got one off ebay and it is in my desk drawer now. It is not A2DP which means not stereo bluetooth. It works okay, just feels like I will break it if I am not carefull.

 

Teh v-195 is solid. It is a basic, no frills phone. It also does not have A2DP or even a camera. If you are looking for a good solid phone that works like a .... well, PHONE, I would go with this one.

 

Just my 2 cents worth.

 

--Mike

 

http://www.t-mobile.com/shop/phones/Cell-Phone-Detail.aspx?cell-phone=Motorola-RIZR-Z3

 

Here's a Chokia with a free screwtooth:

http://www.t-mobile.com/shop/phones/Cell-Phone-Detail.aspx?cell-phone=Nokia-6103

 

Here's a Samshung with a free gootooth:

http://www.t-mobile.com/shop/phones/Cell-Phone-Detail.aspx?cell-phone=Samsung-t439

 

Another Scrotorola:

http://www.t-mobile.com/shop/phones/Cell-Phone-Detail.aspx?cell-phone=Motorola-V195s

[J.]

Thanks for the advice guys. I would like MP3 player capability but that's not absolutely necessary as I do have a small Sandisk unit. The only thing I don't like about the Z3 specs are the battery times... very short talk (3 hours) and standby time. I've also heard that reliability on those slider phones isn't very good. Anyone else heard the same?

 

As far as texting, I'd like to block the ability to send and receive text messages. They annoy me.

 

Right now I have a Virgin Mobile cell phone that I got back in 2005. It's a Nokia Shorty. I like the old Nokia bar phones, as they're indestructible. I had one when I was with Sprint, and both of them have been left out in subzero weather and dropped numerous times on the pavement. Both still work as new. They're ugly and awkward, but solid phones.

 

It used to be cheaper to have my landline and a prepaid cell, but now that I have a girlfriend that's not the case. Virgin's terms used to be a lot better too... it was 25 cents the first minute, and ten cents afterwards. That was it. No other plans. Now they've got a few, including prepaid cards that are very affordable if you buy the high value ones. The only drawback is that you have to keep buying them or the minutes will expire. One card works out to five cents a minute... the only thing is your extra minutes will disappear if you don't keep feeding it.

 

Now that my girlfriend calls me all the time and wants to talk, I need something that is more affordable. Replacing my clunky landline and cell both will simplify things for me. Most importantly, the bluetooth headset will allow me to tolerate girlfriend chatter much better. That way I can actually get stuff done while she talks away. I can balance my checkbook, browse HCBF, watch TV, you name it. I really hate holding a phone up to my head, and those cheap wired earpieces are only a halfhearted solution.