Slashdot Mirror
Where In the US Can You Get Just a Cell Phone?
arakon writes "I am looking around for a cell phone for my technically challenged mother and all she wants is just a phone, and yet there seem to be no carriers in the US that carry a plain cell phone with good reception and battery life. All of them bundle cameras, PDAs, MP3 players, and a kitchen sink with a battery life of 2 hours, all for the low price of $350 or more... Having looked around, the Motorola F3 is exactly what she wants but it doesn't seem to be available in the US. If we order it online will it work on US carriers? Are there any comparable products out there with a similar feature set and price range available for US networks?"
Honestly your best bet is probably to purchase a used GSM phone from eBay. There are quite a few of them out there, so you'll have choices. One that was very popular and manufactured for a while (or that uses a battery that's still in production) would definitely be the best.
Then just take it and get a basic plan at T-Mobile or Cingular (AT&T). Pop in the SIM and go.
What you want isn't a brand-new, basic phone like the Motorola one; what you want is a phone from about three or four years ago. It'll be a lot cheaper, too -- and if something happens to it, no problem, just get a new one.
"Ladies and gentlemen, my killbot features Lotus Notes and a machine gun. It is the finest available."
Or did you just want to get a post on slashdot? I went to verizonwireless.com and found multiple "just cell phone" phones. The LG VX3400, Verizon Wireless PN-300, Nokia 2366i, and more. That took all of 2 minutes, dont you think you could have done the same thing?
Just get a cheapo phone with a contract from some provider, and tell your mom if she sees something she doesn't understand on the screen then just tap the red (power) button 2 or 3 times until she gets back to the main menu. Speaking from personal experience, it may be a little easier to do that than to limit yourself to phones that are tougher to find.
$40 a month, plus the taxes and fees... so your cheap and easy plan costs $45 per month for a retired person just to have an emergency phone.
That is spoken, truly like a man who does not pay the bills. No offense.
The other suggestions are to buy a pay-as-you-go phone which costs $12/month. Explain why your methods is better. Seriously.
Yes it does. They make more money this way. Why give the consumer what he wants if you can squeeze more money out of him by only selling expensive stuff? A mobile phone is a bare necessity for most people nowadays, so they will pay for it whatever the cost.
-- Cheers!