Comments on: 5 Reasons to Consider Prepaid Phone Plans http://gigaom.com/2008/12/04/5-reasons-to-consider-prepaid-phone-plans/ Trusted Insights and Conversations on the Next Wave of Technology Thu, 26 Nov 2009 06:47:41 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: I’m Taking the Prepaid Plunge http://gigaom.com/2008/12/04/5-reasons-to-consider-prepaid-phone-plans/#comment-964737 I’m Taking the Prepaid Plunge Thu, 06 Aug 2009 01:04:45 +0000 http://gigaom.com/?p=30769#comment-964737 <p>[...] in December I took a look at five reasons to consider prepaid plans. While I caught some flak from readers who questioned why GigaOM would care about such things, with [...]</p> [...] in December I took a look at five reasons to consider prepaid plans. While I caught some flak from readers who questioned why GigaOM would care about such things, with [...]

]]> By: I’m Taking the Prepaid Plunge | Tech Newz http://gigaom.com/2008/12/04/5-reasons-to-consider-prepaid-phone-plans/#comment-964735 I’m Taking the Prepaid Plunge | Tech Newz Thu, 06 Aug 2009 01:02:53 +0000 http://gigaom.com/?p=30769#comment-964735 <p>[...] in December I took a look at five reasons to consider prepaid plans. While I caught some flak from readers who questioned why GigaOM would care about such things, with [...]</p> [...] in December I took a look at five reasons to consider prepaid plans. While I caught some flak from readers who questioned why GigaOM would care about such things, with [...]

]]> By: How to Build a Free (or Almost Free) Phone System for Your Business « Online Buissnes http://gigaom.com/2008/12/04/5-reasons-to-consider-prepaid-phone-plans/#comment-932069 How to Build a Free (or Almost Free) Phone System for Your Business « Online Buissnes Wed, 18 Mar 2009 10:35:46 +0000 http://gigaom.com/?p=30769#comment-932069 <p>[...] are in a price war, and if you’re on top of it, you can get unlimited mobile voice for $50 per month or less. I recently got $50/month unlimited service from T-Mobile, and Metro PCS is trying to take [...]</p> [...] are in a price war, and if you’re on top of it, you can get unlimited mobile voice for $50 per month or less. I recently got $50/month unlimited service from T-Mobile, and Metro PCS is trying to take [...]

]]> By: How to Build a Free (or Almost Free) Phone System for Your Business http://gigaom.com/2008/12/04/5-reasons-to-consider-prepaid-phone-plans/#comment-932044 How to Build a Free (or Almost Free) Phone System for Your Business Wed, 18 Mar 2009 07:31:13 +0000 http://gigaom.com/?p=30769#comment-932044 <p>[...] are in a price war, and if you’re on top of it, you can get unlimited mobile voice for $50 per month or less. I recently got $50/month unlimited service from T-Mobile, and Metro PCS is trying to take [...]</p> [...] are in a price war, and if you’re on top of it, you can get unlimited mobile voice for $50 per month or less. I recently got $50/month unlimited service from T-Mobile, and Metro PCS is trying to take [...]

]]> By: MetroPCS Grows As Economy Shrinks http://gigaom.com/2008/12/04/5-reasons-to-consider-prepaid-phone-plans/#comment-928996 MetroPCS Grows As Economy Shrinks Thu, 26 Feb 2009 15:21:31 +0000 http://gigaom.com/?p=30769#comment-928996 <p>[...] Stacey Higginbotham | Thursday, February 26, 2009 | 7:21 AM PT | 0 comments Prepaid mobile phone provider MetroPCS today reported profits of $14.6 million for the fourth quarter on sales of $723.6 million. The carrier didn’t meet Wall Street earnings expectations after writing down more than $90 million in auction rate securities, but it has added a significant number of new subscribers thanks to its expansion into new markets and the economic turmoil driving folks to consider pre-paid phone plans. [...]</p> [...] Stacey Higginbotham | Thursday, February 26, 2009 | 7:21 AM PT | 0 comments Prepaid mobile phone provider MetroPCS today reported profits of $14.6 million for the fourth quarter on sales of $723.6 million. The carrier didn’t meet Wall Street earnings expectations after writing down more than $90 million in auction rate securities, but it has added a significant number of new subscribers thanks to its expansion into new markets and the economic turmoil driving folks to consider pre-paid phone plans. [...]

]]> By: Where’s the Google Phone Bump? http://gigaom.com/2008/12/04/5-reasons-to-consider-prepaid-phone-plans/#comment-923793 Where’s the Google Phone Bump? Fri, 30 Jan 2009 02:24:23 +0000 http://gigaom.com/?p=30769#comment-923793 <p>[...] Given the recession, T-Mobile is decreasing increasing the proportion of pre-paid customers it’s attracting. While the number is up over the fourth quarter of last year, only 43 percent of this [...]</p> [...] Given the recession, T-Mobile is decreasing increasing the proportion of pre-paid customers it’s attracting. While the number is up over the fourth quarter of last year, only 43 percent of this [...]

]]> By: PrepaidWirelessGuy http://gigaom.com/2008/12/04/5-reasons-to-consider-prepaid-phone-plans/#comment-917120 PrepaidWirelessGuy Tue, 09 Dec 2008 16:09:57 +0000 http://gigaom.com/?p=30769#comment-917120 <p>The ability to pay by credit card easily is definitely one feature that would make prepaid be just as convenient as postpaid. While some carriers appear to only allow some set recurring payment, there are others that allow you to make your monthly payment (for monthly or unlimited plans) automatically, but also let you add as much money as you want whenever you want it. One common short code is to call #ADD (#233) from you phone. There are carriers that allow you to add quick amounts (ex. $10, $20, etc.) or you can select from an open range (ex. $10 to $99).</p> <p>Having autodraft protection for those using a bank account...well that's a slightly different animal. If your bank has that feature then you're set. If not, the carrier would have to build in such functionality to hit your bank, and if that fails attempt to hit your credit card. Usually the challenge here is that it can take up to 7-10 days before the ACH from your bank clears, so they wouldn't be able to hit your card until that happened or you could end up with a double charge (one to your bank and one to your card). This type of feature is typically best controlled by the bank itself b/c they know the balance in real time.</p> <p>Anyway, hope this helps.</p> <p>Cheers, PrepaidWirelessGuy www.prepaid-wireless-guide.com/compare-prepaid-plans.html</p> The ability to pay by credit card easily is definitely one feature that would make prepaid be just as convenient as postpaid. While some carriers appear to only allow some set recurring payment, there are others that allow you to make your monthly payment (for monthly or unlimited plans) automatically, but also let you add as much money as you want whenever you want it. One common short code is to call #ADD (#233) from you phone. There are carriers that allow you to add quick amounts (ex. $10, $20, etc.) or you can select from an open range (ex. $10 to $99).

Having autodraft protection for those using a bank account…well that’s a slightly different animal. If your bank has that feature then you’re set. If not, the carrier would have to build in such functionality to hit your bank, and if that fails attempt to hit your credit card. Usually the challenge here is that it can take up to 7-10 days before the ACH from your bank clears, so they wouldn’t be able to hit your card until that happened or you could end up with a double charge (one to your bank and one to your card). This type of feature is typically best controlled by the bank itself b/c they know the balance in real time.

Anyway, hope this helps.

Cheers, PrepaidWirelessGuy http://www.prepaid-wireless-guide.com/compare-prepaid-plans.html

]]> By: selfdefensedelhi http://gigaom.com/2008/12/04/5-reasons-to-consider-prepaid-phone-plans/#comment-916883 selfdefensedelhi Mon, 08 Dec 2008 10:34:46 +0000 http://gigaom.com/?p=30769#comment-916883 <p>agreed in totality ... does <a href="http://www.whatlimouk.com/limo-hire-london.htm" rel="nofollow">london limo</a> also does that.</p> agreed in totality … does london limo also does that.

]]> By: Alex http://gigaom.com/2008/12/04/5-reasons-to-consider-prepaid-phone-plans/#comment-916822 Alex Sun, 07 Dec 2008 19:35:59 +0000 http://gigaom.com/?p=30769#comment-916822 <p>@birdiehunter</p> <p>You should keep away from sharp objects. There's a reason this post has received a number of comments. Don't be a hater.</p> @birdiehunter

You should keep away from sharp objects. There’s a reason this post has received a number of comments. Don’t be a hater.

]]> By: Economy Slows, PrePaid Mobile Grows - GigaOM http://gigaom.com/2008/12/04/5-reasons-to-consider-prepaid-phone-plans/#comment-916814 Economy Slows, PrePaid Mobile Grows - GigaOM Sun, 07 Dec 2008 18:25:53 +0000 http://gigaom.com/?p=30769#comment-916814 <p>[...] Malik | Sunday, December 7, 2008 | 10:23 AM PT | 0 comments Last week, Stacey came up with five reasons to consider prepaid mobile phone calling plans, especially in these tough economic times. Some wondered why we wrote about that topic, and to them [...]</p> [...] Malik | Sunday, December 7, 2008 | 10:23 AM PT | 0 comments Last week, Stacey came up with five reasons to consider prepaid mobile phone calling plans, especially in these tough economic times. Some wondered why we wrote about that topic, and to them [...]

]]> By: PrepaidWirelessGuy http://gigaom.com/2008/12/04/5-reasons-to-consider-prepaid-phone-plans/#comment-916740 PrepaidWirelessGuy Sat, 06 Dec 2008 20:25:55 +0000 http://gigaom.com/?p=30769#comment-916740 <p>There are some prepaid providers that offer unlimited calling that's actually are nationwide so you don't have to worry about roaming fees. Also, as a rule of thumb, you CAN port your number from postpaid to prepaid, so losing your number shouldn't be an issue in "most" cases.</p> <p>I've compiled a list of the largest carriers and most common plans, including per minute, per day, monthly, and monthly unlimited plans. You can find it here: http://www.prepaid-wireless-guide.com/compare-prepaid-plans.html</p> There are some prepaid providers that offer unlimited calling that’s actually are nationwide so you don’t have to worry about roaming fees. Also, as a rule of thumb, you CAN port your number from postpaid to prepaid, so losing your number shouldn’t be an issue in “most” cases.

I’ve compiled a list of the largest carriers and most common plans, including per minute, per day, monthly, and monthly unlimited plans. You can find it here: http://www.prepaid-wireless-guide.com/compare-prepaid-plans.html

]]> By: birdiehunter http://gigaom.com/2008/12/04/5-reasons-to-consider-prepaid-phone-plans/#comment-916648 birdiehunter Sat, 06 Dec 2008 01:28:51 +0000 http://gigaom.com/?p=30769#comment-916648 <p>Om,</p> <p>This is a really really poor post and not only does it not deserve to be a featured post it should not be on the site at all. This kind of shoddy reporting without insight and value is making me long for the time when Om had more time to write and less running around raising money.</p> <p>This is not a comparison shopping site for cell phone plans. Stacey you really need to start writing stuff that makes more sense. I read you name and skip the article.</p> <p>Hope fully you will listen.</p> Om,

This is a really really poor post and not only does it not deserve to be a featured post it should not be on the site at all. This kind of shoddy reporting without insight and value is making me long for the time when Om had more time to write and less running around raising money.

This is not a comparison shopping site for cell phone plans. Stacey you really need to start writing stuff that makes more sense. I read you name and skip the article.

Hope fully you will listen.

]]> By: benn nguyen http://gigaom.com/2008/12/04/5-reasons-to-consider-prepaid-phone-plans/#comment-916598 benn nguyen Fri, 05 Dec 2008 19:33:12 +0000 http://gigaom.com/?p=30769#comment-916598 <p>Just as an aside about making international calls with a prepaid service... I do this somewhat frequently by coupling the prepaid with a prepaid voip service.</p> <p>VOIP providers, for example - localphone.com, gives you a dozen or so local numbers that you can dial directly and will call out internationally.</p> <p>It does feel strange however, paying per minute on the prepaid, PLUS per minute on the voip call out. I use T-Mobile which is 10 cents a minute for domestic calls, add to it the voip charges of 1.9 cents a minute for the international call out, and I end up paying 12 cents a minute to call internationally.</p> <p>T-Mobile seems to be the cheapest (10 cents/minute) rate for my area, but that's not saying much.. it still a huge rip-off!</p> Just as an aside about making international calls with a prepaid service… I do this somewhat frequently by coupling the prepaid with a prepaid voip service.

VOIP providers, for example – localphone.com, gives you a dozen or so local numbers that you can dial directly and will call out internationally.

It does feel strange however, paying per minute on the prepaid, PLUS per minute on the voip call out. I use T-Mobile which is 10 cents a minute for domestic calls, add to it the voip charges of 1.9 cents a minute for the international call out, and I end up paying 12 cents a minute to call internationally.

T-Mobile seems to be the cheapest (10 cents/minute) rate for my area, but that’s not saying much.. it still a huge rip-off!

]]> By: Babar Bhatti http://gigaom.com/2008/12/04/5-reasons-to-consider-prepaid-phone-plans/#comment-916596 Babar Bhatti Fri, 05 Dec 2008 19:06:30 +0000 http://gigaom.com/?p=30769#comment-916596 <p>I moved my wife's account from Verizon postpaid to AT&T prepaid - kept the number and everything worked out very well. Once she realized that incoming calls were getting charged @0.25$ she lets certain calls go unanswered and then calls back using our unlimited calling plan for landline.</p> I moved my wife’s account from Verizon postpaid to AT&T prepaid – kept the number and everything worked out very well. Once she realized that incoming calls were getting charged @0.25$ she lets certain calls go unanswered and then calls back using our unlimited calling plan for landline.

]]> By: Eideard http://gigaom.com/2008/12/04/5-reasons-to-consider-prepaid-phone-plans/#comment-916556 Eideard Fri, 05 Dec 2008 13:35:49 +0000 http://gigaom.com/?p=30769#comment-916556 <p>Same as Valarie - our whole extended family uses indestructible little Samsungs we got from T-Mobile. Moving over to pre-paid with them was seamless.</p> Same as Valarie – our whole extended family uses indestructible little Samsungs we got from T-Mobile. Moving over to pre-paid with them was seamless.

]]> By: adam http://gigaom.com/2008/12/04/5-reasons-to-consider-prepaid-phone-plans/#comment-916538 adam Fri, 05 Dec 2008 11:10:45 +0000 http://gigaom.com/?p=30769#comment-916538 <p>Another vote for pre-pay: for those of us who ever speak to people outside our home country, the providers normally charge absurdly high international costs (same as their roaming costs) on a post-paid plan (PS: well done to the EU govt for smacking the carriers with anti-competitive legislation on the cartel they've got going with that...)</p> <p>e.g. on t-mobile at $50/month I would be charged hundreds of dollars a month just for a few hours of phone calls to/from US/Europe. Switch to pre-paid, and suddenly I get 2 hours of international calls for free if I spend $20 a month minimum. This appears to be pretty much the same with the other providers too.</p> Another vote for pre-pay: for those of us who ever speak to people outside our home country, the providers normally charge absurdly high international costs (same as their roaming costs) on a post-paid plan (PS: well done to the EU govt for smacking the carriers with anti-competitive legislation on the cartel they’ve got going with that…)

e.g. on t-mobile at $50/month I would be charged hundreds of dollars a month just for a few hours of phone calls to/from US/Europe. Switch to pre-paid, and suddenly I get 2 hours of international calls for free if I spend $20 a month minimum. This appears to be pretty much the same with the other providers too.

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