Cell Phone Question (NRR)

bassie

Is there such a thing as "disposable" cell phones? Do they work like phone cards in that you put a certain amount of money on them and then return the phone to the company or add it to the landfill site?I don't have a cell and do not want one, but given the lack of (working) payphones, it might be a good way to go when traveling. Do I need some sort of plan? If I'm coming to the States, should I get it there or here in Toronto before I leave?Help a rotary phone type gal out!!Thank You.

billbradley

I wouldn't call it "disposable" but AT&T has a Go Phone (pay as you go) option.

http://www.wireless.att.com/cell-phone-service/go-phones/

Their current deal is only $20 for the phone after mail in rebate
http://www.wireless.att.com/cell-phone-s..._sku=sku1070056

DjArcadian

Check Virgin Mobile. They have (or had) a pay-as-you-go type deal. The caveat being that minutes usually expire after about 90 days so you have to keep uping it. I remember it being like $0.25 per minute for the first ten-minutes each day and then $0.10 for each additional minute. You would prepare like $20 or so. Not sure if they still offer it. Been years since I used it.

DjArcadian

If I'm coming to the States, should I get it there or here in Toronto before I leave?

Get it in the US. The Canadian ones won't work in the US.

bassie

Thanks so much! That helps a lot...so I can just walk into a Radio Shack type place and get one?

Aser

just ask your friends if they have an old unlocked gsm phone lying around. Then when you're in the States, all you need to do is buy a pay as you go sim card and fill it up w/ money. That way you won't have to pay roaming airtime like you would if you had gotten a Canadian sim card/phone #.