Best Pre-paid Cell Phone

[RangerG]

The last few years I have been making an annual trip from Canada to the North-Central US.  ND, SD, MT, WY and possibly MN.  Pay phones are disappearing fast and I need a way to call home.  To get a phone in Canada, that will work for a month in the US would cost over $100.00.  If I was to stop at the first Wal-Mart I come to in the US, what would be my best option as far as service and cost, in a pre-paid cell phone?

[et]

I've used two different pre-paid cell phone providers; Page Plus and Virgin Mobile.

Page Plus is the lowest cost by far. And it used Verizon's network and other networks that have agreements with Verizon. So Page Plus works just about anywhere in U.S. or Canada.
BUT you won't find Page Plus in any Walmart. You'll have to either order a phone directly from them or register an old Verizon compatible phone by calling them.

Virgin Mobile is nice in that it has an auto-top-up feature. Your balance will automatically be topped up when ever it runs low or is about to expire. So you don't have to worry about keeping track of your balance. Nor worry about not having enough balance/minutes for a call when you're balance is running low.
You probably can find Virgin Mobile in any Walmart, CVS, Best Buy, etc ...
BUT Virgin Mobile has limited coverage because it uses Sprint's PCS network. Notice it's only Sprint's PCS network NOT Sprint's whole network.
So basically it only works along major highways or in congested areas such as the east coast or only in major cities out west.

http://www.pagepluscellular.com/
http://www.virginmobileusa.com/

--ET

[garry]

I have been a TracFone user for 4 or 5 years now. No complaints.

[HipGnosis]

I'm currently shopping for a new pre-paid cell phone because my daughter (and others) wants to communicate via text msgs and I therefore want a phone w/ QWERTY buttons...  I'm also looking to switch away from AT&T because their coverage in the area I ride a lot (SW WI) is pathetic.

There are quite a few Pre-paid Cos. and Wal-Mart seems to have them all (except for Striaght Talk, which is ironically sold by WalMart.com).  

For a months use, I wouldn't worry about the 'best', but I'd certainly be concerned about the coverage in the area you're going to be in.

Go to http://www.wirelessguide.org/plan/prepaid.htm (or google cell phone plans) and use their links to see the coverage of ea Co.

[zer0netgain]

Net10 has a QWERTY phone that's prepaid.  Samsung T401g.  It comes under Tracfone as far as how its network coverage seems to work.  Available online at Wal-Mart.

Coverage is almost a non-issue.  Most all of them work if there is a signal nearby.  I have a bigger issue with the signal strength.  Not all antennas are created equal.

[ST1300Rider]

Check a coverage map for "GSM" coverage in the areas you ride. If you've got coverage there's another option. Pick up an "unlocked" GSM SIM card based phone on eBay etc. US prepaid SIM cards are available from US carriers or use a travel company like eKit (what I do). The phone will also work with Rogers or Fido in Canada with the appropriate SIM card also available cheap on eBay. Swap cards when you cross the border. As long as the plan is in effect, you keep the number, another plus.

The big appeal of these phones is that they also work in Europe and most of Asia with the proper SIM. Something to consider if International travel is a possibility. I picked up a refurbed BB Pearl for around $100.00 that's become my dedicated travel phone. I also lend it to friends/family who need Canadian coverage when visiting.

[Snowbird]

Thread revival.

Page Plus is the lowest cost by far. And it used Verizon's network and other networks that have agreements with Verizon. So Page Plus works just about anywhere in U.S. or Canada.
BUT you won't find Page Plus in any Walmart. You'll have to either order a phone directly from them or register an old Verizon compatible phone by calling them.

I've contacted a Page Plus dealer and he said any CDMA phone will work on Page Plus' system.

How do I go about finding a CDMA phone locally? IOWs how do I determine if the phone is CDMA? Just look for a phone that will work on Verizon's network, buy the phone, but no plan, then either initialize the phone via PP's web site or take it to this dealer?

EDIT: Oh boy!    I found this from HipGnosis' post above.

http://www.wirelessguide.org/communication/cdma.php