Boost Unlimited Intro's Cool New Phone\Plan Addon

I'd put this at the other site only, but it is in serious need of a post-mortem inspection.

Anyhow...

Boost Mobile has intro'd a new phone and beefed up their more expensive plan. The Motorola w385 is the phone ($130 vs. $100 for the Moto c290) and the $50 plan is the one they beefed up.

About the phone, the $30 price difference is worth every penny. You get everything from a built-in camera to GPS with location based fun to an external display to a slimmer profile. Granted, this probably suffers from some of the same "cheapness" flaws that you could aim at the w370 on Tracfone, but I remember the w370 to be a solid phone overall so no big deal there.

As for the plan, the $5 difference between it and the regular "unlimited talk" plan is that you now get both unlimited text AND multimedia messaging, right in line with the $5 most other unlimited carriers charge for the privelege. Oh, and Sprint's network sends the unlimited carriers crying home to mommie in terms of data capability so far as I've seen...granted, the current boost Unlimited phones are 1x-only and the unlimited carriers have rumors of EvDO rollouts, but Sprint has a nationwide network where on 1x you can get double-dialup speeds. Versus CricKet or MetroPCS whose data services don't work out of their relatively small coverage areas.

But enough blabbing about this stuff...my point is that Boost intro'd a new unlimited phone and plan, and the world is just a tad better as a result.

New Tracfone and Net10 Deals

First off, Tracfone now offers a free Motorola v176, refurbished, with purchase of a 1-year airtime card. Not a huge benefit as it's besically an older, bulkier version of the w370 but it's better than the Motorola v170...which is now offered as part of the "twofer" deal.

Second, Net10 now has an option that actually costs less than 10 cents a minute! Pay $75 a month (though minutes roll over of course) and you get 1000 minutes...which makes for 7.5 cent minutes and 3.75 cent texts wherever you may travel in the U.S. And now with the introduction of the LG 200c and Kyocera K126c, wherever really means wherever.

Third, Net10 has introduced some pretty good deals otherwise. For example, the Nokia 1600, refurbished, comes with a $30 airtime card for a mere $30. geesh, I need to get one of these for review purposes, though I think I'll be getting in some other phones first (possibly the Virgin Mobile Super Slice and some T-Mobile phones).

LG 200c and Kyocera K126c on Net10!

Well, it is now official: at a Wal-Mart near you the LG 200c ($60) and the Kyocera K126c ($30) are out for Net10! The 200c looks a bit girly, so people say, but it brings to Tracfone the best of both worlds: CDMA reliability and Net10 cost per minute!

Unlocking the iPhone (aka T-Mobile To GiPhone)

Sorry but I'm in class now so this post will be short, but if you wanna use your iPhone on something beside GoPhone Pick Your Plan, take a look at these links:

www.itsyouriphone.com (my site; info on unlocking the iPhone, paid or unpaid, see the various blog posts)
www.freeit4less.com (partly my site; buy the iPhoneSIMFree software unlock for $45...and it does work)
www.hacktheiphone.com (other iPhone info, including hacking the iPhone to use on any variant of Cingular\AT&T...but not AT&T Wireless)

Twofer Update

Well, Tracfone is FINALLY out of those pesky Motorola c139 refurbished phones! So the new deal includes Motorola v170s..better phone in my opinion and the first time the "twofer" has come with a flip phone...

You can take a look at basically all of what Tracfone offers (minus the LG 3280 and the LG 3280 plus double minute card deals) here:

http://www.tracfone-orders.com/bpdirect/tracfone/Start.do?action=view&market=COGSM4&aid=&vid=&vc=&sahcid=&com=&locale=en&siteType=TR&gotoPhonelist=true

Tracfone & Net10 News - LG and Kyocera FInaly Out! Plus Super Slice at Best Buy

They weree out in the store, and now they're out on the web...or they're just plain out in the store.Tracfone has now released the LG 200c online for $29.99 (inexpensive!) and the Kyocera K126c for $14.99 (cheap!). Then again I'm sure Tracfone will be selling refurbished K126Cs as "twofer" phones soon enough...

Also, Net10 is now selling the Kyocera K126C! $29.99 including $30 of "bonus" airtime. Interesting...finally CDMa is ten cents a minute prepaid anywhere...

Last, Best Buy now has the Super Slice in stock:

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=8456814&type=product&id=1184369166114

New Phones for Virgin Mobile!

Well, the Super Slice and the LG Aloha are now out from Virgin Mobile. The former costs a cool $60, the latter an okay $35. What's really neat is technically speaking, aside from the lower-res camera and lack of a keyboard, the Super Slice, with Bluetooth etc., is the most advanced Virgin Mobile phone yet. Then again it is priced as such considering the Cyclops' price...the same thing.

I'll probably have to review the Super Slice. :) I'll go ahread and order it over the weekend I suppose...and maybe the Aloha after that...plus some T-Mobile phones...

Aloha in Best Buy, Coupon Code

It's too late for a long post, so...

1. The Virgin Mobile LG Aloha was spotted, with no price tag, at Best Buy by Chris from the forum. Though there was no price tag, it's safe to assume it'll be sold for $35 (not $30) like everywhere else says. Now if only they'll get the phone up on the website!

2. Quick promo code for $10 added to your phone, which may or may not work: 7372007. Thanks logan!

EDIT: The_Sweeper picked one up for $34.99.

Virgin Mobile\Net10 News...

A few quick things:

1. On the Virgin mobile front, looks like the Super Slice is going to have a new Virgin Mobile UI. Wonder what it'll be...oh, and expected retail price in a few weeks will be $60. Not too shabby.

2. Net10 has the Motorola w375...just the name, nothing else...on their phone descriptions page. Maybe a mistake...it's the w370 plus a camera and Bluetooth...maybe not...

More Deals: Tracfone, Virgin mobile

A few quick things, thanks to the guys over at the forum:

1. The Net10 versio of the LG C1500 is out!

http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=5740964

At $60 with $30 included airtime...which doesn't look to be "bonus airtime" like some of the other Net10 handsets, the price ain't bad for a color flip with an external screen. Now let's just hope it comes to Tracfone with such a sweet price...as in, including double minutes or some other such madness at this price...

2. Also at Wal-Mart, the Kyocera Cyclops is down to $50. Come on guys, put out those new phones now.

Tracfone - New Phones, New Deals!

Well folks, Tracone is getting the show on the road again...first, the deals on existing phones:

1. The Nokia 1100 is back on Tracfone's website...refurbished...for $9.99. Not a great deal but I'll certainly take it over the Motorola c139...

2. ...which is selling for the same "blowout" price at Office Depot. Which is nice...maybe they'll finally get rid of that phone.

3. At CDMA-stocked Family Dollar stores, the LG 3280 is a mere $20. I'd say it's worth every penny of that...

And now for the new stuff!

1. The LG 200C is now available on Tracfone CDMA...for a mere $30! Check your local CDMA-carrying store...try Wal-Mart or maybe elsewhere. Can't wait to get my hands on this one to review...

2. The Kyocera K126C is also out, for $15. Now whether it's worth that much is a very good question, but hey, it's another phone. Check your local Dollar General store if they offer CDMA...I'll bet my 3280 that these'll be available as a "twofer" deal in the near future.

Labor Day Deal - Virgin Mobile

This is a short post for whatever reason...for Labor Day (I'm ironically sitting in class right now...we don't get today off) the Switch_Back is selling for $60 at Circuit City. Hey, $40\40% off ain't bad...

THe iPhone Is Now Unlockable!

Want to use the iPhone on prepaid? No, not GoPhone Pick Your Plan...something better, like T-Mobile To Go or maybe GoPhone Pay As You Go. Or maybe some GSM-based contract plan...

...well, now you can. I'm getting into the business of unlocking one of the most advanced phones in the history of mankind (one of the other ones is my very own Sprint Mogul which I won't give up for the iPhone ;P). Via software so it's less dangerous to do than the hardware unlocks.

I'll be doing the unlocks either via iPhoneSIMFree or UniquePhones, whichever offers me a better deal. The problem being right now that iPhoneSIMFree is going to cost anyone willing to sign up a boatload ($36 per unlock for 50 unlocks, minimum). Hopefully UniquePhones will offer me a better deal.

I'm saying that to say this: if you want to use an iPhone on T-Mobile To Go or whoever else that uses GSM for their network I'll be selling unlocked iPhones on eBay (my ID is littmanc) in relatively short order. Or if you want to just buy the unlock I might be able to do that too, though unnfortunately to recoup the initial layout there'll be a bit of markup there at first.

At any rate, the iPhone is now officially network-free risk-free though you'll be a little more money-free for the privilege. But hey, if you're gonna use the phone on T-Mobile To Go for a lot of WiFi-based apps and not very much talking, you'll make back your outlay versus paying homaage to the AT&T beast...

T-Mobile To Go...New Phones!

It has been awhile since T-Mobile To Go intro'd the last round of new phones. But now there's another few phones to choose from, and they're both pretty good:

Nokia 2610 - $39.99 - Nice, small bar phone...I think I'll grab one to review and maybe keep...
Nokia 6103 - $59.99 - Nice camera-toting, Bluetooth-enabled flip phone...a bit older but nice and inexpensive...maybe I'll get it as well...

Also, all phones currently available except the 2610 (namely the 6103, the 6030, the Samsung Stripe and the Sidekick 3) include a $25 refill card when you buy them, so you start off with $40 credit on your phone (versus $15 normally) or, alternatively, you have a phone for $25 less than you thought you did :). Oh, and DealKing and FatWallet both will give you $5 back for using their links to buy the phone.

But yeah, I may have to get one or the other of these phones...I just hope T-Mobile won't be like AT&T and forbid entrance because my address is in a dorm (which still lets you get packages; you just havve to go up to the front desk and ask for them...),

What I've Been Working On

Want to know why I haven't been spending a ton of time on Go4Prepaid recently? One word...college.

Seriously, though, there's another reason besides the large mound of homework slowly growing smaller on my dorm room dresser: www.prepaidphone.com.

Yes, folks, I am their main "content guy" when it comes to the folks powering PrepaidPhone: the folks at PrepaidWireless, and then some. Granted, there are plenty of affiliate links to go around, but from browsing the site I have no problem with 'em and it's really neat to see what amounts to an end-all, be-all site for prepaid phone and service info, if you're looking to compare\look up phones and serices.

The site may seem a tad bare at the moment (or it may not...there's a TON of content on there actually), but I\we (we being myself and the rest of the PrepaidPhone team) are working on adding pretty much continually to the site so it will end up being pretty much the only site you need for prepaid info. Until of course you want to buy something at which point you'll be happily ushered off to an afiliate, whether that's eBay, AT&T or PrepaidWireless.com.

But anyhow it is already\is going to be a really, really great source for prepaid info so I suggest you stop over there and see what I've been working on :) It's definately worth a visit.

News: Tracfone, iWireless (a different one), T-Mobile, Virgin Mobile

Sorry for not posting recently. Homework and a feeling that nothing was happening and prepaid caused this inaction. On the second part, I guess I was wrong...

1. Tracfone LG CG225 for $59.99 at Target.com ($20 cheaper than elsewhere, but no $50-value double minutes)
http://www.target.com/gp/detail.html/ref=br_1_3/601-1866207-3870565?ie=UTF8&frombrowse=1&asin=B000UOCH2U

2. Another iWireless company, actually the first company to call itself iWireless as far as I know...a division of Cincinnati Bell...
http://www.i-ontheweb.com/

3. T-Mobile revises minute rounding policies (you still get at least as many minutes as you're paying for with the refill, but maybe not as many extra)
http://www.howardforums.com/showthread.php?t=1217413&page=1&pp=15

And, last but not least...

4. Virgin Mobile is going to intro a LOT of new phones! All of which look pretty good...some of which we know about already...but some of which were heretofore unbeknownst and look sweet...
http://www.howardforums.com/showthread.php?t=1225773&page=1&pp=15

I'd post more information\commentary\etc. but I'm in a Physics lecture and messed up on yet another quick quiz question...:/...so gotta go...

Another Company Called iWireless...

I was just surfing around HowardForums and found out that another company has taken up the name iWireless. Looks to be a company that is affiliated with Kroeger's...that's where they sell their phones on the street...

Anyhow, they actually offer decent plans and a good selection of phones. While I still can't figure out how they're able to get away with calling themselves iWireless and even using the old iWireless logo (CinBell has had an iWireless brand for awhile now) they're pretty neat...

Based at www.iwirelesshome.com, they offer two plans: 25 cent weekday minutes and 10 cent nights and weekends starting at 7 or $5 a month for 10 cent minutes all the time. In other words, if you're going to use 34 or more weekday minutes per month the $5 plan is better. Both neither plan is all that bad...considering everyone else's offerings...

Text messaging, like the good old days, is 10 cents to send per message and free to receive. Always a good thing.

The phone selection is pretty broad. Phones and prices are below...but note that you have to add at least $20 of airtime to the phones to start service. One good thing: airtime expiration is 90 days...

Sanyo Katana - $120 (cheap)
LG 225 - $100 (expensive)
LG 150 - $70 (expensive but possibly worth it)
Sanyo 2400 - $65 (expensive but probably worth it)
LG 125 - $40 (decently priced)
Nokia 2125i - $20 (decently priced)
UTStarCom 7025 - $20 (decently priced)

The phone selection has some rather unique phones in it (Sanyo 2400, Nokia 2125i, LG 150) and is not too expensive, and the rate plans (which operate on Sprint's network a la Virgin Mobile and STi) are decent. So if you jsut wanted to talk and text and didn't do a ton of both (thus not justifying a monthly plan from Virgin Mobile) this carrier is better than the big VM...especially since the phones aren't Kyocera junk!

But I'm definately keeping my eye on this carrier...

Locus Just Went Crazy...and more...

For whatever reason (maybe because Page Plus Cellular is taking all their Verizon business and Beyond Wireless is taking all their GSM business, and no new customers are signing up) Locus Telecom just wet insane... ...with limited-time-offer (for some brands; others have low rates to stay, looks like) ultra-low per minute rates...see the list below:
Locus Platinum (Verizon)

$10 - 83 minutes - 30 days (12 cents per minute)
$20 - 222 minutes - 60 days (9 cpm)
$30 - 428 minutes - 60 days (7 cpm)
$50 - 833 minutes - 90 days (6 cpm)
$100 - 2000 minutes - 120 days (5 cpm)

Looks like they're competing against Page Plus except with better per-minute pricing and shorter expirations...and no monthly fee. So now you can talk 500 minutes per month and pay $25 for it...no contract required. Sick ;) Oh, and these prices are not limited-time like the other pricing below, which extends from 8/1 till 12/31 this year.

O2 Wireless (AT&T)

$30 - 500 minutes - 6 cents per minute - 30 days
Rewards ups to $44 for 733 minutes - 4.1 cents per minute !?!
$50 - 1000 minutes - 5 cents per minute - 30 days
Rewards ups to $78 for 1560 minutes - 3.2 cents per minute !?!?!?!?!?!

I had no idea that these guys even bought the minutes as low as this price! Granted, you have to spend $250 on service to get rewards rates, but for an anytime minute plan (if you don't talk much on nights\weekends anyway) this blows even contract plans outta the water! Geesh...only a few $50 calling cards can beat the rewards rate on Oxygen! *shakes head* No, I'm perfectly happy with my Sprint SERO plan...but anyone wanting to try out prepaid...well...this is your opportunity to do it!

Locus Mobile GSM (AT&T)

I honestly don't know what's going on here, but I think these guys are also offering 5 cent minutes in one form\fashion or another. Insane, I tell you...

CallPlus Wireless (AT&T)

Looks like these guys have the same "ultra rate" offering as Oxygen, except without rewards and with a 25-cent-per-day fee. Still, 5 or 6 cents a minute is darn good!

POP GSM (AT&T)

See Oxygen, except without the rewards. Still, it's dang insane!

So if you need a phone for four months and want insane rates, grab O2 if you can find it. If you want great rates for a longer period of time, with a lower monthly minimum, you have Locus Platinum. Granted, Page Plus has a lower monthly minimum than Locus Platinum on all but the highest-end Page Plus refill, but if you want incredibly cheap minutes because you're going to use a lot of 'em, Locus Platinum beats Page Plus by about 12% on per-minute cost.

Now if only the mainstream carriers would lower their rates...

...and now for the promised tidbits. First off, Page Plus is rebranding soon, I hear. You'll be hearing\seeing more of them in mainstream media, but I also hear that the rates will continue to drop. I don't want to say anymore for fear that I've already said too much...

...and one more thing: check back here tomorrow. I have an announcement about something I've helped work on, related to prepaid...and it's big...

Just stopped by F.Y.E. And...

...saw that the Motorola c168i GoPhone for a mere twenty-five dollars. Unfortunately, I have no more news of prepaid events to disseminate.

Net10 & Tracfone News: CG225 and More

And my final post to catch up on prepaid happenings...

1. The 30-minute card is gone. Nice idea but I guess Tracfone didn't like the high cost per transaction, which means of course lower profit for them. Why they even had it is another question altogether but ah well...

2. There has been a report at the forum that the LG CG225 may need reprogramming so that you get what you paid for: double minutes for life. As in, it doesn't look to come with it...odd, huh? Just keep this in mind when you get one of these new phones.

3. Net10 now has the LG CG225, just a week or two after it came out on Tracfone! The price for this phone is the same across both providers, yhough the Net10 version comes with 300 bonus minutes (note, not free minutes anymore...more on that in number 5) instead of the double minutes for life found on Tracfone. Overall not a horrible deal considering the Motorola c261 is $80 as well.

4. Net10 has lowered prices on a few of their phones, which is always a nice thing. The Motorola v176 is now $60 and the Motorola c261, as mentioned, is $80. However, if you're in a CellularOne\Dobson (now part of AT&T...almost) user you're stuck with two relatively expensive phones: the Nokia 2600 for $40 or the Motorola v171 for $60. Oh well...pretty soon everyting will be T-Mobile or AT&T based.

5. Looks like Net10 is measuring the bonus airtime a new way. Now on the Nokia 1600, Motorola w370 and LG CG225, you get merely 100-minute bonuses on your first three refills, rather than 300 minutes outright with the phone. I'm supposing that this hasn't spread to other phone models, but I'd not be surprised if it has...:/

And now I'm caught up with prepaid happenings. On to other activities, which may or may not be related to prepaid, depending on how tired I end up being after I get ready for my second night at the dorm...