STi on CPC, My T-Mobile To Go, AirVoice Disappointments

Sorry for the long period of nonposting. It's spring break and I've taken up with a vengence my other hobby: pure computeres (namely compiling five or so systems donated to me into two or so). Anyway, it looks though like I haven't missed awfully much.

First off, CheapPhoneCards now has the LG 5350 phone in stock, and has dropped the price of the LG 5225 by $10. They also have the LG 225 again. Small problem about the 225: there is no coupon code of any big value (cell4 takes 4% off but that's not much) for it. But with the 5225 paymecell still delivers a nice $19.80 discount, making the phone\card combo $84.95, $34.95 if you count the $50 card that comes with the phone at face value. Not bad, until you remember that you could get this phone for the same price with a $10 card a few months ago...and get $89 back with a rebate! As said, they also have the LG 5350 and it, like the 5225 and the Samsung a460, has the ability to be discounted by paymecell. As a result you can get a color flip phone with external caller ID (albeit old and refurbished) for $60.95 including $50 in airtime. $11 isn't bad for a color flip...

Second, the long-awaited release of My T-Mobile for T-Mobile To Go is here. Note the omission of an exclamation point. The offerings on the site are quite underwhelming if you ask me and practically everyone else. Sure you can see your balance and expiration date, and add airtime, and see what your phone is and what services you can get, but you can't actually sign up for any new services, nor can you see a call log online, which in my opinion and a lot of others' is the big point of online account management, My T-Mobile included. Sure, it's a nice perk, but I'd rather have sooner...

The third thing: T-Mobile is going to open up roaming (for the same rate as home calling) onto Cingular and Edge Wireless (!) for prepaid, thus filling in a good bit of dead spots that 1900 MHz signals can't reach. Also, they will have $1.49\minute Mexico and $0.49\minute Canada roaming. Others have said that they'll also get the same international roaming countries and pricing as postpaid customers, but unfortunately I don't know who to believe yet: them or the TMo reps I've talked to. They're also supposed to have a bigger, better version of T-Zones for T-Mobile To Go, including real (POP3) email, driving directions, chat and a whole bunch of other stuff, but again there are discrepancies (such as the site that says it has it and reps who say it's only for postpaid). I'll keep everyone posted.

The fourth thing: AirVoice. Sorry people, but these guys have proved a disappointment. Their TDMA plan is no more and noncompetitive when compared with Beyond Wireless. Their CDMA plan is similar to Locus Mobile's fairly expensive Viva Wireless (short expirations, half-price night and weekend calling) except with more expensive rates and I think less local numbers (25 cents daytime vs. 18 cents). Their GSM service is plagued with the short expiration dates that are common to most Cingular-based MVNOs (Beyond Wireless GSM not excepted), contrary to my first impressions, and they don't offer any redeeming qualities (read: web access). Oh, and AirVoice Express's SMS is a whopping 10 cents both ways! Sorry to get people's hopes up on the GSM part of the service but I'm sad too...

OK. Now for the last thing: the Go4Prepaid Sweepstakes is still going on! I'm still waiting for 7 more people (3 for FreeiPodShuffle, 4 for FreeiPods) to complete their offers before May 30th. Let's get this thing moving; I have stuff to give away :).