Thread: Cell Phone Service

Does anyone have any experience with the "Straight Talk" phone service?
Do they really provide the same service at half the cost or is this like a discount home inspection?
I know the drill.............if it sounds to good to be true...........................


Thanks for the help.

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Originally Posted by Don Schlecht

Does anyone have any experience with the "Straight Talk" phone service?
Do they really provide the same service at half the cost or is this like a discount home inspection?
I know the drill.............if it sounds to good to be true...........................


Thanks for the help.

I haven't heard of them, but years ago when PrimeCo started up (remember them? one of the first cheap 'alternative' cell phone services which only did major metropolitan areas), a friend of mine switched to them as they had an unlimited plan for not much money, the problem, as my friend described it, was that, yes, you could use the phone for an unlimited number of minutes each month, but you were limited to 1 minute per call because of all the dropped calls ... ... he eventually went back with one of the larger service providers. PrimeCo eventually became, through consolidation of interests, spectrum, and other companies, Verizon - you've probably heard of them.

I know a few people that use them; I do not use them.

Check which cell company and infrastructure they use in your geographic area, as they buy airtime on the big 4 carrier's networks.

If they use, for example, T-Mobile in your town, and T-Mobile has spotty coverage there, it won't get better with a different reseller.

Dom.

I have friends and wife that are using the Straight Talk network. Straight Talk seems to use the Verizon network and about $50 a month. I still have another 2.5 months left with Sprint before I can leave without paying them additional royalties for wanting to leave the terrible service I have been stuck with. Being that we travel a lot along the eastern coastal states I have noticed my wife's phone has more coverage and better signal than mine ever seems to have. Unlike my service provider who may take 24 hours to deliver some messaging to my phone, my wife's seems instant. I would check into coverage for your area to make sure you will be able to receive calls promptly.. Sprint business simply everything package $120+tax, Straight talk unlimited plan $50! Two, almost three, phone lines for less than one current one.

I have had straight talk for a year now. In my area they have phones that run on the Verizon network and on ATT. I have a phone on the ATT network as this has the best reception in the rural area my family lives in. Unlimited calling and texting. However, just like with many of the other big name companies the data is not unlimited. Once you go over 2gb they slow your speed down. Some people have reported that their accounts were closed. I have been slowed down numerous months, but no calls of threats to cancel my service. I don't have internet at home, so this is why i have used so much data. I don't drop calls, for $50 it can't be beat. Their phone options are not the best although I did see where they had iPhones now, but if you have ATT service in your area and an old ATT phone or unlocked GSM phone you can purcahse only a sim card from Straight Talk and use the phone you want.

Hope that helps.

I use straight talk and it's great. No hidden nothing..... get the cards or pay automatically you only pay what you buy.....30 or 45 dollars for unlimited....no problems here.

Originally Posted by Ray Thornburg

I use straight talk and it's great. No hidden nothing..... get the cards or pay automatically you only pay what you buy.....30 or 45 dollars for unlimited....no problems here.

I have been using Straight Talk for 6 years now and there are a few things I learned. If you are on a smart phone don't get Sprint. I was on Verzion with the regular phone but when I switched to Smar it went on Sprint and when I brought it back to Walmart for a refund it would not even work in the store I bought it in. They didn't ask any questions. I now have a Galaxy II and it is on AT&T. $45.00 for 30 day talk text and emails works very well for me. You may wish to got to the Straight Talk websit and get your information. I bought mine online through their site because I don't like to go to Walmart more than I have to. Online they have a choice of phones and the carrier it will be hooked up to. I have had no problems with my Galaxy. I like this service better than any other I have had.

Straighttalk is actually TracFone being sold by wallmart.
I switch mine and my wifes service to them.
Have to buy the phone but the rates are way cheaper.

TracFone gets wholesale service through the four major providers, ATT, Verison, Sprint and T-Mobile, all depends on the type of phone you buy/have, and location, and if getting along with a particular provider at the time, once had an issue and was not offering new services on Verizon for a while but are now.
I pay 30-45 a month and my phone id on the Verizon network.
for some smartphones and higher data plans can be 50, not sure exact price plans but they have all posted on-line

ATT and T-Mobile are GSM

Spring and Verizon are CDMA

unless have a world/dual phone can only use on either GSM or CDMA not both, and can only roam in one or the other, unless have the dual/world phone.

GSM uses the sim cards, all have to do is move a sim to another phone and in business. CDMA has to be registered to use.
You can bring your own phone, if a GSM model and unlocked can just get a sim for GSM and register that with straightalk and in business. if a previous CDMA phone on another network have not had any luck getting those registered with straightalk as they will not automatically register a phone that is another network, even though the wholesaler is that network tracfone would be using.

otherwise been great service and had not problems as forr the service itself.

One thing is, if buy the phone from wallmart, have only seven days to return otherwise nothing they will do period, and any manufacturer issues after that and would have to contact the manufacturer and they never help.

My wife and her business partner have been on Straight Talk for over a year and are very happy. I waited until I saw how her service was and the a couple of months ago switched myself. In this area they are on Verizon. I switched from AT&T and so far so good.

Originally Posted by Marshall Brown

My wife and her business partner have been on Straight Talk for over a year and are very happy. I waited until I saw how her service was and the a couple of months ago switched myself. In this area they are on Verizon. I switched from AT&T and so far so good.

LOL I am not the only one allowing the wife to be the test subject for new service?

I'm not sure "allowing her" is exactly the right terminology . But her subscription ran out before mine. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.