[dpham00]

For those on prepaid or PagePlus , you can now get high end phones. CarrierPigeon mentioned it in the Verizon Samsung Galaxy Note 3 forum but it isn't just for the note 3 and applies to a number of other smartphones as well. Pricing is more, the note 3 prepaid runs $22-$100 over the postpaid best buy retail price. Other devices are marked up as well, I think up to $150 over postpaid retail. Keep in mind that best buy retail already runs higher than Verizon retail.


No-Contract Phones : Verizon Wireless Prepaid - Best Buy




dpham00, Android Central Moderator
Sent from my Verizon Samsung Galaxy Note 3

[zedorda]

Too bad Verizon Prepaid doesn't offer any real value when compared to any of the T-Mobile no-contract post-paid service plans. Or I would still be a Verizon customer.

[Ry]

Do you actually get LTE access?

Posted via Android Central App (Moto X)

[zedorda]

Most definitely.

[Ry]

Most definitely.

..yeah. Not asking about T-Mobile.

Posted via Android Central App (Moto X)

[zedorda]

..yeah. Not asking about T-Mobile.

Posted via Android Central App (Moto X)

Well if you don't get LTE with Verizon prepaid it is just horrible then.

[Ry]

Well if you don't get LTE with Verizon prepaid it is just horrible then.

Currently Verizon prepaid lines don't get access to 4G LTE.

Posted via Android Central App (Moto X)

[dpham00]

Well if you don't get LTE with Verizon prepaid it is just horrible then.

The only benefit imo is if it works on pageplus and you are someone like my wife who uses very little minutes and data, but also wants Verizon's network. So PagePlus offers a $12 plan which would work for my wife. It doesn't offer very much, but enough and no reason for me to pay more than 3x as much just to get 4glte when her average usage is 5mb. She is on virtually all the time, or I will tether her on my unlimited hotspot plan. It would make sense for her if she wanted a single line. But she is in my family plan already.



dpham00, Android Central Moderator
Sent from my Verizon Samsung Galaxy Note 3

[zedorda]

The only benefit imo is if it works on pageplus and you are someone like my wife who uses very little minutes and data, but also wants Verizon's network. So PagePlus offers a $12 plan which would work for my wife. It doesn't offer very much, but enough and no reason for me to pay more than 3x as much just to get 4glte when her average usage is 5mb. She is on virtually all the time, or I will tether her on my unlimited hotspot plan. It would make sense for her if she wanted a single line. But she is in my family plan already.



dpham00, Android Central Moderator
Sent from my Verizon Samsung Galaxy Note 3

Again only way to make it worth it is by having the option to exploit an unlimited plan.

EDIT: Sorry I jumped the gun and assumed. I totally forgot they offer HotSpot as an addon for unlimited data. My bad.

[Paul627g]

And if he's using his unlimited Hotspot plan then exactly what is he doing wrong here?

I could see calling foul in some other situations but its his wife, on his family plan.

Sent from my HTCONE using AC Forums mobile app

[zedorda]

The only benefit imo is if it works on pageplus and you are someone like my wife who uses very little minutes and data, but also wants Verizon's network. So PagePlus offers a $12 plan which would work for my wife. It doesn't offer very much, but enough and no reason for me to pay more than 3x as much just to get 4glte when her average usage is 5mb. She is on virtually all the time, or I will tether her on my unlimited hotspot plan. It would make sense for her if she wanted a single line. But she is in my family plan already.



dpham00, Android Central Moderator
Sent from my Verizon Samsung Galaxy Note 3

To get back on point.

It really isn't fair to use an impossible option for new customers to validate value for current pre-paid plans. Having a unlimited plan already is an extreme requirement before pre-paid is viable.

My wife is similar, she almost never uses her Moto G but it still uses up 500mb with just basic sync. And no it shouldn't be a requirement to disable basic phone functions imo to make a plan work as a viable option either.

[dpham00]

Again only way to make it worth it is by having the option to exploit an unlimited plan.

EDIT: Sorry I jumped the gun and assumed. I totally forgot they offer HotSpot as an addon for unlimited data. My bad.

Yes, I am paying for the unlimited hotspot feature, it is $30 before discount, in addition to the $30 for unlimited data before discount.

Also, just to add some background information, my wife is usually at wifi wherever she goes, but my home internet is bad. I had Verizon DSL and that was bad, switched to TWC and it was better but slowly, it is getting bad too. During off peak, i get the rated 15/1 that I pay for. During peak, sometimes I get sub 1mbps, and can't even stream youtube without buffering. So then I decided to pay for the unlimited hotspot, so that my family can use internet and smoothly stream videos.

Also, Verizon exploited users by FORCING them to get the unlimited data plan back in 2008 for smartphones. Before then, you can get a smartphone on tiered or pay as you go (no data cost if you used no data). My guess is that Verizon made a calculated measure that they would make more money by FORCING everyone go to unlimited data. BTW, they knew that LTE was coming up since they bought the 700mhz spectrum in 2007. So to me, Verizon has no right complaining about people who use a lot of data, since they forced this plan on a lot of people, myself included. They lose on people like me, but they must have gained overall, otherwise, Verizon won't offer it. That was one of the reasons why I didn't get a smartphone until the Thunderbolt came out - I didn't want to , and still don't want to pay $30 data per line for 5 lines of service. I would love to get my parents iPhones, but I don't want to pay $30 per line for data when I know that they are usually at home and use virtually no data and only use their phones very sparingly anyway.


Am I using my plan to the max? Yes, but clearly within the boundries of my plan.



dpham00, Android Central Moderator
Sent from my Verizon Samsung Galaxy Note 3

[dpham00]

To get back on point.

It really isn't fair to use an impossible option for new customers to validate value for current pre-paid plans. Having a unlimited plan already is an extreme requirement before pre-paid is viable.

My wife is similar, she almost never uses her Moto G but it still uses up 500mb with just basic sync. And no it shouldn't be a requirement to disable basic phone functions imo to make a plan work as a viable option either.

Some people use very little data and minutes or use wifi almost all the time. Even without unlimited data, if I had reliable home internet, then I wouldn't need to pay $30 for unlimited hotspot. I realize that this caters to a small percentage of people, however, the savings can be quite substantial going with pageplus, if it suits your needs. I was considering moving my parents to pageplus, but really, there would be no savings once I factor in the subsidies - I pay $10 per each of their dumb phone lines, and get at least $20 back in subsidies.

As for whether or not it is worth it, that is up to you. But say that you are on the $50 single plan. You would be paying $1900 over 2 years. Assuming very light usage, you could pay half that much and get the same Note 3.

I realize that this doesn't work out for a lot of people, but for those that it works, the savings is quite substantial, if they are willing to do it.

dpham00, Android Central Moderator
Sent from my Verizon Samsung Galaxy Note 3

[Ry]

Back to the real topic.

Can you use these devices on Verizon prepaid and get access to Verizon's LTE network?

Can you use these devices on Page Plus and get access to Verizon's LTE network?

[dpham00]

Back to the real topic.

Can you use these devices on Verizon prepaid and get access to Verizon's LTE network?

Can you use these devices on Page Plus and get access to Verizon's LTE network?

The prepaid Note 3 is the Exynos octa core which isn't lte capable to my understanding.

Otherwise they would have just sold the s800 postpaid version.

What's weird is that the s3 mini lists 4GLTE capability, but I think that this is wrong info on best buys part.

dpham00, Android Central Moderator
Sent from my Verizon Samsung Galaxy Note 3

[Ry]

The prepaid Note 3 is the Exynos octa core which isn't lte capable to my understanding.

Otherwise they would have just sold the s800 postpaid version.

What's weird is that the s3 mini lists 4GLTE capability, but I think that this is wrong info on best buys part.

dpham00, Android Central Moderator
Sent from my Verizon Samsung Galaxy Note 3

In addition, the prepaid listings for the Moto X, GS3, G2, and DROID RAZR all mention 4G LTE.

[dpham00]

In addition, the prepaid listings for the Moto X, GS3, G2, and DROID RAZR all mention 4G LTE.

Yeah I see now. This is odd. I am not sure.

dpham00, Android Central Moderator
Sent from my Verizon Samsung Galaxy Note 3

[fofjjsr]

Why is someone comparing T-Mobile no contract post paid plans (which every major carrier has a version of now) to prepaid? Prepaid is never going to have the same options or access as post paid. Why? Well then why would anyone go with postpaid?

Accused Samsung and Verizon fanboy from my Verizon Galaxy S5

[fofjjsr]

Yeah I see now. This is odd. I am not sure.

dpham00, Android Central Moderator
Sent from my Verizon Samsung Galaxy Note 3

Odd, because prepaid has no 4G access. Last I knew you could even activate a 4G phone on a prepaid account because the 4G phones require 4G LTESIM cards to access the network, which prepaid also doesn't support.

Accused Samsung and Verizon fanboy from my Verizon Galaxy S5

[dpham00]

Odd, because prepaid has no 4G access. Last I knew you could even activate a 4G phone on a prepaid account because the 4G phones require 4G LTESIM cards to access the network, which prepaid also doesn't support.

Accused Samsung and Verizon fanboy from my Verizon Galaxy S5

Same here. Not really sure what is going on, if Verizon is allowing 4GLTE on prepaid.

dpham00, Android Central Moderator
Sent from my Verizon Samsung Galaxy Note 3

[fofjjsr]

So I made a few inquires. My Verizon resources know nothing about this, and showing them the link on Best Buys website they were dumb founded that some of those phone prices were $200 above full retail cost. They are not even sure how they are advertising it. Verizon itself isn't offering these phones on prepaid. I would be cautious with this myself.

Accused Samsung and Verizon fanboy from my Verizon Galaxy S5

[zedorda]

Why is someone comparing T-Mobile no contract post paid plans (which every major carrier has a version of now) to prepaid? Prepaid is never going to have the same options or access as post paid. Why? Well then why would anyone go with postpaid?

Accused Samsung and Verizon fanboy from my Verizon Galaxy S5

Because someone shopping pre-paid should also consider no-contract post-paid service since the pricing is in the same range sometimes cheaper but you get alot more for your money.

[CarrierPigeon]

Same here. Not really sure what is going on, if Verizon is allowing 4GLTE on prepaid.

dpham00, Android Central Moderator
Sent from my Verizon Samsung Galaxy Note 3

What' I'd like to know is how they activate these prepaid Note 3 phones... I assume it has the usual SIM card slot in the back... but since all Verizon SIM cards say "4G LTE" on them, it's kind of hilarious that the prepaid Note 3 can't access the 4G LTE network.

[japetty]

What' I'd like to know is how they activate these prepaid Note 3 phones... I assume it has the usual SIM card slot in the back... but since all Verizon SIM cards say "4G LTE" on them, it's kind of hilarious that the prepaid Note 3 can't access the 4G LTE network.

I would say they activate them just like any non 4G/lte phone they sell such as a flip phone and some of the older smart phones they sold such a the Motorola X and the X2. I just sold my old Motorola X a week back and the guy took it into the store got an account and activated it. He walked out of the store and called me to let me know. I later looked on my account online and it did show as VZW M2M call. He just needed a cheep phone that he thought was a cool phone which he could call, text, and web. He bought it from me for 35.00. Don't know what kind of plan he got but this pre paid would seem like it would fit his needs. Don't know if those calls would come to other VZW customers as M2M or not.

[fofjjsr]

I would say they activate them just like any non 4G/lte phone they sell such as a flip phone and some of the older smart phones they sold such a the Motorola X and the X2. I just sold my old Motorola X a week back and the guy took it into the store got an account and activated it. He walked out of the store and called me to let me know. I later looked on my account online and it did show as VZW M2M call. He just needed a cheep phone that he thought was a cool phone which he could call, text, and web. He bought it from me for 35.00. Don't know what kind of plan he got but this pre paid would seem like it would fit his needs. Don't know if those calls would come to other VZW customers as M2M or not.

I think the X and the X2 were 3G phones, I know the X was. Thus that is why they could be activated on a prepaid plan.