In doing research for one of our newer web pages, How to Get Cheaper Wireless Service, I noticed that many of the suggestions for cutting your wireless bill involves communicating with your cellular carrier...even having them help find more economical solutions for your wireless account. We found that may be difficult with several wireless carriers, even some of the large ones.
Take MetroPCS. They try to handle all of your concerns either online or by an automated voice response system. They claim, "To keep prices low..." they limit the number of humans who can help you. This requires a different approach to finding your best deal, mostly through online resources. I tried to get some quirky questions answered at a local MetroPCS store, only to get a puzzled look from the store's solitary, big-eyed, female, uh...sales clerk.
There are several other wireless companies who have similar challenges, some of which result from having too few, or too inexperienced representatives. We would expect this kind of "bargain" service from prepaid companies, but some of them do a respectable job. As usual, though, it depends on how lucky you are when you spin the customer service roulette wheel.
In the most extreme cases, the best strategy is to start over...disconnect your service and establish a new account. That might be too drastic if it means you lose your current phone number. In that case, you might go even more extreme and "port" your number to an entirely different carrier, and then port back. Extreme could be the new normal.
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Thursday, January 19, 2012
Phones from Wal-Mart
We have recommended for years to stop by a 'brick & mortar' store to play with the wireless phones you might be interested in, then shop online for them to get the best deal. Now, we can turn that around. Ours is one of the few sites that offer online phones that are supposed to be "only" available at stores like Wal-Mart. For years we have been offering Straight Talk phones on our online shopping pages, something the other retailers say can't be done. Now, we can also offer Wal-Mart Family Mobile phones online!
Wal-Mart has several phones you can handle in the store, including the iPhone, and now you can order all of the phones available in the store, right here, online. Family Mobile recently began offering their Unlimited Talk & Text plan for only $45 a month, with the real benefit coming when you add additional family members at only $35 each. The whole family also gets to share 250 Mb of monthly data. We also like their cheap international calling rates at .05 per minute to 12 countries including Mexico and Canada. And, while you probably won't want to pay the high rates, Family Mobile phones also work while roaming in Canada, Mexico, Haiti & Dominican Republic. It's one of the those 'nice to have just in case' features.
With Straight Talk and Family Mobile available on our shopping pages, you can pick among your options even easier than ever. Family Mobile phones use the entire T-Mobile US networ
k, which has improved lately. Also, Straight Talk phones recently began offering you the choice of one of each of the top 4 networks, AT&T, T-Mobile, Sprint and Verizon Wireless, making their flavor of economical unlimited service even more tasty.
k, which has improved lately. Also, Straight Talk phones recently began offering you the choice of one of each of the top 4 networks, AT&T, T-Mobile, Sprint and Verizon Wireless, making their flavor of economical unlimited service even more tasty. Wednesday, January 11, 2012
The Case for T-Mobile
Today at the CES, T-Mobile president and CEO, Philipp Humm, claimed T-Mobile is ready to upset the apple cart again. He revealed that they indeed have been working on their "Plan B" for several months. They came out of the failed deal with AT&T with more money, more spectrum, and more roaming agreements (hey, might that have been their objective all along?). T-Mobile also quietly upgraded a few hundred of their stores. Now they can put all of these things to good use, and consumers should benefit.
T-Mobile already offers a good product and several exclusive benefits including the choice of cheaper plans without extra fees for subsidized handsets, and without a contract. There's that great Prepaid plan and the pay-as-you-go broadband I used during the holidays. They also have enough spectrum to offer faster broadband for the next several years whether they choose HSPA or LTE. The T-Mobile staff should be a happy group now that their jobs aren't on the line. The only thing they don't have is the iPhone, and that may be coming.
T-Mobile could indeed be grooming their operation for another buyer, but they're also treating it like they may be stuck with it. We still haven't heard from the other communications players like cable or satellite who may be courting T-Mobile on the side. So, our view of T-Mobile is now more positive than ever. As the feds put it, the market needs a "disruptive" force in wireless. We hope we will be shaken, not stirred!
T-Mobile already offers a good product and several exclusive benefits including the choice of cheaper plans without extra fees for subsidized handsets, and without a contract. There's that great Prepaid plan and the pay-as-you-go broadband I used during the holidays. They also have enough spectrum to offer faster broadband for the next several years whether they choose HSPA or LTE. The T-Mobile staff should be a happy group now that their jobs aren't on the line. The only thing they don't have is the iPhone, and that may be coming.
T-Mobile could indeed be grooming their operation for another buyer, but they're also treating it like they may be stuck with it. We still haven't heard from the other communications players like cable or satellite who may be courting T-Mobile on the side. So, our view of T-Mobile is now more positive than ever. As the feds put it, the market needs a "disruptive" force in wireless. We hope we will be shaken, not stirred!
Monday, January 9, 2012
Roaming Data
You might have guessed I was heading out on the road after the updating of our Roaming Zone web site and you guessed right. I used data in a few fixed locations and wi-fi is almost universally available, even at many rural rest stops. The sad news is that none of my relatives have wireless available at their homes. Instead of staying at a nearby hotel, I decided it was time to refill in my cellular air cards to plug in to my Netbook.
I ended up using a cheap model from T-Mobile called the Rocket. It is slow in starting up but once connected, my 4G connections were surprisingly fast, at least 5 Mbs. $30 gets me 1Gb of data to use over 30 days. I sorta hoped I would need to try some of the other cheap options, but the Rocket performed beyond my expectations. T-Mobile now has a "Jet" model that is Free after rebates. Virgin Mobile has a similar Laptop stick and a plan that gives you 500 Mb over 30 days for only $20. That connection is supposed to be only "3G", but connections can be surprisingly fast.
This isn't a review of one wireless device over another, but instead the options available for those of us who want wireless data for a laptop for occasional use (and don't forget we offer Discount refills for those prepaid data cards at Mountain Prepaid!). Paying $30 was easier than trying to convince my sister that she needs to add a wireless router to her Internet connection, "I just got it all working the way I like it." And I don't need to sneak into her bedroom to unplug her Ethernet plug. A small price for family harmony.
I ended up using a cheap model from T-Mobile called the Rocket. It is slow in starting up but once connected, my 4G connections were surprisingly fast, at least 5 Mbs. $30 gets me 1Gb of data to use over 30 days. I sorta hoped I would need to try some of the other cheap options, but the Rocket performed beyond my expectations. T-Mobile now has a "Jet" model that is Free after rebates. Virgin Mobile has a similar Laptop stick and a plan that gives you 500 Mb over 30 days for only $20. That connection is supposed to be only "3G", but connections can be surprisingly fast.
This isn't a review of one wireless device over another, but instead the options available for those of us who want wireless data for a laptop for occasional use (and don't forget we offer Discount refills for those prepaid data cards at Mountain Prepaid!). Paying $30 was easier than trying to convince my sister that she needs to add a wireless router to her Internet connection, "I just got it all working the way I like it." And I don't need to sneak into her bedroom to unplug her Ethernet plug. A small price for family harmony.
Monday, December 26, 2011
Ready To Roam?
Our Wireless Roaming Web Pages were built primarily to share PRL's, SID's & MNC's for the various carriers so users could either control or predict the behavior of their cellular phone while roaming around the US. With so much consolidation in the wireless industry, there is far less roaming necessary and as a result, less need to consult our roaming databases. So our Roaming site has taken on a new focus: International Roaming.
We added a bunch of new pages and information about using your current phone outside the US, how to talk & text on the cheap, and what pitfalls to avoid. Our most popular pages were for Roaming in Mexico, but as the holidays were approaching, it looks like travelers were headed to other locations around the globe and on Cruise Ships. We also added a specific section for Canada.
Another popular feature is our Recommendations. The AT&T GoPhone and Cricket lead the pack for cheap short-term use in Canada & Mexico, with AT&T being the top roaming phone service for use around the globe, but definitely not the cheapest. Bon Voyage!
We added a bunch of new pages and information about using your current phone outside the US, how to talk & text on the cheap, and what pitfalls to avoid. Our most popular pages were for Roaming in Mexico, but as the holidays were approaching, it looks like travelers were headed to other locations around the globe and on Cruise Ships. We also added a specific section for Canada.
Another popular feature is our Recommendations. The AT&T GoPhone and Cricket lead the pack for cheap short-term use in Canada & Mexico, with AT&T being the top roaming phone service for use around the globe, but definitely not the cheapest. Bon Voyage!
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
T-Mobile Love-Hate
-AT&T wanted to love T-Mobile, but hates that it can't.
-T-Mobile customers will love the new roaming capabilities that are coming.
-T-Mobile's owners love the $3 Billion check that AT&T will be sending them, but may still hate the network enough to look for another buyer.
-Consumers will love the fact that carriers will still have more competition, carriers may hate it.
-Sprint will love that they won't be the next to be gobbled up, but will still hate those "disruptive" plans that T-Mobile comes up with.
-Thousands of T-Mobile employees will love that their jobs are not in immediate jeopardy, especially the girl in the pink dress.
-We love the dozen or so web pages and articles dedicated to T-Mobile that we won't need to delete.
-There's a bunch of lawyers who hate the idea they won't be getting any more of the millions that AT&T was spending to fight for the merger.
-Dish Network, and maybe a few other suitors, love the idea that there now may be a wireless network for them to snuggle up with.
-As we noted a month ago, we think you'll love what's coming next! We would hate to miss it.
-T-Mobile customers will love the new roaming capabilities that are coming.
-T-Mobile's owners love the $3 Billion check that AT&T will be sending them, but may still hate the network enough to look for another buyer.
-Consumers will love the fact that carriers will still have more competition, carriers may hate it.
-Sprint will love that they won't be the next to be gobbled up, but will still hate those "disruptive" plans that T-Mobile comes up with.
-Thousands of T-Mobile employees will love that their jobs are not in immediate jeopardy, especially the girl in the pink dress.
-We love the dozen or so web pages and articles dedicated to T-Mobile that we won't need to delete.
-There's a bunch of lawyers who hate the idea they won't be getting any more of the millions that AT&T was spending to fight for the merger.
-Dish Network, and maybe a few other suitors, love the idea that there now may be a wireless network for them to snuggle up with.
-As we noted a month ago, we think you'll love what's coming next! We would hate to miss it.
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Beware: Roaming Data
Recently we were updating the Roaming Zone pages to include rates and capabilities for US phones to roam in Canada. It also gave us the chance to update our International and Mexico roaming pages. We noted the usual roaming rates, international plans and foreign roaming capabilities. One surprise: data roaming rates can be unbelievably high. Often there were no 'packages' for data roaming. T-Mobile charges as much as $15 per MB for foreign data. And even if you find a good rate, rounding up increases your effective cost for small quantities of usage.
Some users who don't take advantage as sites like ours have been known to receive roaming charges in the thousands of dollars, and one unlucky T-Mobile customer got a roaming bill for over $200,000!
Domestic data roaming charges have also been a problem but the FCC is keeping those fees more reasonable. Outside the US...the sky's the limit! Unless you know your rates in advance, or you have a roaming data package, consider turning off your phone's Data capabilities before leaving the US. At least check the International Roaming Considerations and keep that nasty surprise from your vacation nothing more than a sunburn.
Some users who don't take advantage as sites like ours have been known to receive roaming charges in the thousands of dollars, and one unlucky T-Mobile customer got a roaming bill for over $200,000!
Domestic data roaming charges have also been a problem but the FCC is keeping those fees more reasonable. Outside the US...the sky's the limit! Unless you know your rates in advance, or you have a roaming data package, consider turning off your phone's Data capabilities before leaving the US. At least check the International Roaming Considerations and keep that nasty surprise from your vacation nothing more than a sunburn.
Friday, December 2, 2011
Get an Employee Discount
We are constantly working on strategies to help wireless users get cheaper cellular service. We discovered one of the most overlooked money-savers is getting a discount based on where you work, go to school, or any organization to which you might belong. To help you find out of you're eligible, we created the Back Door Employee Discounts Page. You can find out if you can get a discount based on any associations you might have. Savings can be as high as 25%. Programs include some combination of phones, service and plans. Often you don't need to change your carrier or your plan and some include other members of your family.
These programs are mainly offered by the largest wireless carriers but there are also some opportunities among smaller carriers including the LifeLine program. In some cases these savings are dramatic if you qualify, but more often you'll find several good ideas on our Cheaper Wireless Service Page which was recently updated with 13 simple ideas on how to save on wireless either with your current carrier, or by changing. Stop overpaying for wireless, especially if it's a simple as changing your plan. A majority of wireless users are reported to be on the wrong plan...but nobody in this group, right?
These programs are mainly offered by the largest wireless carriers but there are also some opportunities among smaller carriers including the LifeLine program. In some cases these savings are dramatic if you qualify, but more often you'll find several good ideas on our Cheaper Wireless Service Page which was recently updated with 13 simple ideas on how to save on wireless either with your current carrier, or by changing. Stop overpaying for wireless, especially if it's a simple as changing your plan. A majority of wireless users are reported to be on the wrong plan...but nobody in this group, right?
Thursday, December 1, 2011
Unlimited Gets Cheaper
Page Plus is one of our favorite pay-as-you-go wireless services partly because they have competitively-priced plans. Their plans are about to get even better as they drop the price of their Unlimited Talk & Text plan to $40 per month. Starting December 7th, you can get the new refill rate including with an auto-pay service which eliminates the most-hated headache of prepaid: remembering to refill at the end of each interval.
Not only do we like Page Plus's prices, we also like the idea that they offer an excellent alternative to switch your CDMA phone to pay-as-you-go with your existing Alltel or Verizon Wireless or US Cellular phone. Page Plus also throws in 20 Mb of data access at that price. This price matches those available from Unlimited leaders, Metro PCS, SIMple Mobile and even Cricket, and Page Plus offers a superior network.
Our own Wireless Network also offers Discount Page Plus Phones and a long list of Page Plus Refills. They achieved Mountain Wireless's "The Best" List and solidify that position among Unlimited offerings with the new price. We hope other carriers will take note. We don't like the term, "Price War," how 'bout just some plain ol' "competition."
Not only do we like Page Plus's prices, we also like the idea that they offer an excellent alternative to switch your CDMA phone to pay-as-you-go with your existing Alltel or Verizon Wireless or US Cellular phone. Page Plus also throws in 20 Mb of data access at that price. This price matches those available from Unlimited leaders, Metro PCS, SIMple Mobile and even Cricket, and Page Plus offers a superior network.
Our own Wireless Network also offers Discount Page Plus Phones and a long list of Page Plus Refills. They achieved Mountain Wireless's "The Best" List and solidify that position among Unlimited offerings with the new price. We hope other carriers will take note. We don't like the term, "Price War," how 'bout just some plain ol' "competition."
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