NA — Cellular Prepaid

[JGoodish]

I began as a cellular customer back in the analog days with [the old] AT&T. Then I was with Verizon for several years, then back to AT&T after Verizon decided to jerk me around and then lie about it. Other than the loss of some rural coverage that I had with Verizon, I’ve been reasonably happy with AT&T, and especially happy that on the iPhone I can use both voice and data at the same time.

I’ve always been a post-paid customer. However, I now see that both VZW and AT&T are running “double the data” promotions on prepaid at the moment. I do not need “unlimited” data, but I do need full-speed hotspot capability for work, and tend to consume anywhere from 6-12 gigs of data per month. So I’m wondering about what I’d give up moving from postpaid to prepaid on these carriers (i.e. I think that on VZW you lose Visual Voicemail, for example, which I would prefer not to do). And I know that data is supposedly de-prioritized during periods of congestion, but I’m not sure what type of an impact that would have on my use. I don’t stream videos, but mostly use the phone for email/web, and the hotspot for similar plus remote demos (RDP, Citrix, etc.)

The other consideration is T-Mobile, which on their 700MHz deployment claims to have significantly better rural coverage, including in some areas where AT&T is missing. However, I’ve heard that the spectrum/bandwidth isn’t great in many of these areas, so though there may be a signal, it isn’t good for much.

What is the collective wisdom of those who have switch from postpaid to prepaid? Anything that I need to watch out for on any of the carriers? Thanks!

 

[asicer]

If you are dependent on it for work and use upwards of 12GB/month then I'd stick to an unlimited post-paid plan. You can get comp'ed for it and/or write it off, no? With prepaid, and especially with MVNOs, you generally have to deal with de-prioritization as you have already mentioned and usually lose some degree of roaming (international and/or domestic). And some have rules about hotspot usage. AT&T was one particular tightwad last time I checked.

BTW, T-mobile's band 71 is in the 600Mhz range. I don't have any band 71 phones so I haven't tested it out yet. But last I checked, they didn't have a whole lot of 600Mhz towers. You might want to confirm that they're around where you want to go.

 

[RJM62]

I currently have AT&T Prepaid. I don't get the "Text Messaging Backup and Sync" feature, which I couldn't care less about because I usually ignore text messages anyway. The postpaid plans can also include things like unlimited streaming, whatever content is available on DirectTV Now, a certain amount of data roaming, and a few other features that aren't especially important to me.

WiFi calling is supported on prepaid if the phone supports it, but you have to opt in. I opted in and then opted back out because it caused some sort of petty annoyance, the specific nature of which escapes me at the moment.

Coverage is okay as rural coverage goes. I have signal in most villages and along major highways. The roads that wind through the mountains, not so much. But I'm basically happy with it. It's pretty unusual for me to be without signal for more than ten miles or so.

I get 8GB of data / month with hotspot and one-month rollover. I rarely use it, but when I have, it worked fine. I pay $40.00 / month with auto-payl. (The postpaid unlimited plan is available with up to 15 GB / month of hotspot. I don't know about rollover.)

The best rural coverage I've had was on TMO with ATT roaming. TMO does tend to plant towers in odd places. But I've also found that when any of the big three plant a tower, the other two usually follow. Sparrow Fart is now served by all three, which is rather odd for a village with < 500 full-time residents.

Rich

 

[old_biker]

I am not a pilot yet, but have you looked at Straight Talk? They have 25G for $45 a month, I know they offer unlimited for a little more, I think $55? I been with for many years, only issue I have is.... When you buy phone, you may want to find area that is known for bad service, and get a phone to work there, that way it works majority of places. I check 2 cities, if phone works there, I'm good, but if get one rated for city I work in, it may be sporatic at home, or traveling, also I only use 2-4G a month, but I know will be going up, and I will be looking for a phone that offers a hot spot.

 

[JGoodish]

Thanks all.

The genesis of my question is really about obtaining slightly better rural coverage, though in my area it’s probably close to a tossup between VZW and ATT for rural coverage. In the case of VZW postpaid, it appears that my only option for unthrottled hotspot is the unlimited plan, which would be more expensive than where I’m at today, and I don’t have any need for unlimited data. That leaves the prepaid plans, though Verizon apparently doesn’t offer Visual VoiceMail on the prepaid plans, which would be an inconvenience. Perhaps they could “find” an unadvertised postpaid fixed-data plan with unthrottled hotspot if I call them or stop in to a store, though the last time I did either of those things they were fixated on getting me on an unlimited plan and selling me phones on installment—neither of which I am interested in.