Comments on: Pay-Per-Use Versus Bundles: Really A Predictable Cost?

By: Marshalling Prepaid

Marshalling Prepaid — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 16:15:03 +0000

For those users traveling to the states or those with existing prepaid plans I have found a great service to get even more out of your prepaid phone. If you order your airtime through MobileREUP you will get extra airtime for free. No PINs or cards required and the funds are instantly added to your mobile account.

Check out their offers from specific US carriers

AT&T OR Cingular Go Phone
http://www.mobilereup.com/att

Verizon InPULSE phones
http://www.mobilereup.com/verizon

T-Mobile To Go
http://www.mobilereup.com/tmobile

The MobileREUP service also works with many other prepaid carriers.

By: PhoneBoy

PhoneBoy — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 09:07:44 +0000

Well that’s better than nothing. Still get overcharged if you don’t use 200 kroner worth of service, though.

By: Martin Schultz

Martin Schultz — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 17:34:41 +0000

A compromise thats the normal subscripton type in denmark. My plan says that I have to use minimum 200 danish kroner a month (around 38 USD), but I can spend them as I like. I find it better than the x number of minutes and x number of sms plans as I can pay for what I really want to use and not get locked into some preplanned use expectations.

By: A.T.

A.T. — Sun, 20 Jan 2008 19:20:40 +0000

flat rate per month is the only way out, everything else is rip off

By: PhoneBoy

PhoneBoy — Sat, 19 Jan 2008 07:46:02 +0000

@spg: the reason it “looks” like prepaid costs a fortune is because many Americans can’t or won’t do simple math. They understand $40/month (more like $46 a month after taxes and made-up fees), but can’t figure out 1000 minutes at $100 is $0.10 a minute.

@stefan: Finland used to have a rockin system, but I’ve heard the operators there are starting to pull U.S.-style rate plan/contract confusion. Hopefully the Finns tell the operators where to stuff it.

@dziny: Yeah, you can get unactivated prepaid SIMs on eBay surprisingly easily, and for surprisingly cheap.

By: dziny

dziny — Fri, 18 Jan 2008 23:56:12 +0000

Every time I come to US I use prepaid (new) T-mobile bought from ebay from about $10. Pretty good deal for 150 min. Thanks to asterisk forwarding I’m still reacheable at my usual numbers.

By: Stefan Constantinescu

Stefan Constantinescu — Fri, 18 Jan 2008 09:47:46 +0000

20 Euros here gets me through a month of usage. Free incoming calls and incoming SMS. Minutes are 7 cents a minute outbound, same thing with SMS. Data is 70 cents a megabyte BUT i can sent a text message to a special number and get unlimited data for a day for 2.90 euros a day or 6.90 for an unlimited week. they [Kolumbus] always runs a sale. i can usually buy 60 euros worth of credit for 40 euros. to top up i get a scratch off card with a number that i need to send via sms to another number. i’m happy as hell with what i have.

By: spg

spg — Fri, 18 Jan 2008 09:05:04 +0000

it may be a minor factor; but a factor none the less. all phones in most countries are GSM and until a few years ago were all unlocked(except in NA). prepaid cards in many countries are typically used with used (but cool high end) unlocked phones.

i also think that the very fact that there are per minute contract plans in other places that can be compared side by side with the prepaid that pre paid is so much more popular in places like europe. they do not have the mis perception that is so common in the USA that prepaid will cost them a fortune.

i can not tell you how many times i have been told by an american that they barely use there phone and they are looking for something less than the usual $39.99+taxes and fees. i mention pre paid; they react ‘i use my phone than that - it will cost me a fortune’ than we look at the phone bill and they realise they would pay less on prepaid. but you know what they a week later i see them with a new post paid phone. they had let the salesman at the store talk them into the ‘free’ phone with all the features they are never going to use.

i do think the popularity of brand name stores with corporate trained sales persons is also a big factor in how things have worked out over here. when you go to any city in Europe you find lots of mom and pop cell phone shops; these are the ones that tend to deal in prepaid. you find those types of shops here as well but only in the more poverty stricken neighborhoods; and when you do they are selling prepaid or local unlimited service plans to customers who know what to demand for.

spg

IT’S TIME TO EXAMINE OUR BILLS AND SWITCH TO PREPAID OR IF WE DO NOT TRAVEL AND LIVE IN A CITY WITH AN UNLIMITED LOCAL OPERATOR(METRO PCS OR CRICKET FOR $30/MONTH) TO MAKE THE SWITCH AND NEVER LOOK BACK. ENOUGH OF US DO IT AT&T VERIZON WILL START TO WAKE UP.

By: The Mobile Technology Weblog

The Mobile Technology Weblog — Fri, 18 Jan 2008 08:51:04 +0000

Pay Per Use Or Minute Bundles?…

When you're buying mobile phone service, there is generally two ways to go: (pre) pay for precisely what you (are going to) use, or buy a bundle of minutes per month, possibly on a contract basis-typically 2 years in the……