Contract or Pay As You Go? (Which Do You Go For?)

[MonsterLucha]

Hey, all!

I've had several mobiles, over the last 10 or so years. All have been PAYG.

Lots of my friends go for contract phones. But, for some reason. I like the thought that (with a PAYG phone) you own it.

Whereas, I've always felt that with contract. It seems like you're borrowing it.

I know that PAYG is the more expensive option. But, I've always liked having that sense of ownership.

Just wondering what's your take on it...

Contract or PAYG?

 

[Gekko]

plug in your own numbers -

----------------------------------------Prepaid--------------------------------Post Paid

Phone Cost Up Front------------------------- $650 ---------------------------------- $299
Monthly Service after all taxes/fees/discounts/subsidies---------- $60 --------------- $100
Months------------------------------------------------------24 -------------------------------24
Total Service Cost after 24 Months----------------- $1,440--------------------------- $2,400

Total Payout After 24 Months---------------------- $2,090 -------------------------$2,699

Difference after 24 Months ----------------------- $609

 

[mdk32014]

I do not do contracts as it ends up costing more plus the etf fees are crazy. I wi not sign another one. I now buy phones online.

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[zorak950]

I'm not into contracts, but I'm not against postpaid plans, though it's nice to know you can't be charged more than you've already given them on prepaid.

 

[DJantel Ware]

PAYG. For obvious reasons.

 

[treetopsranch]

Trac phone. Orig cost to own phone was $25.00. Pre-pay for minutes per month $9.00. I still have 500 minutes left from last year. Can you beat that?

 

[mdk32014]

I am with you on that one i hate contracts

 

[MinhJWaterman]

PAYG, i hate contracts.

 

[Crashdamage]

I've always been postpaid, but haven't been on-contract for many years. My wife and I both run our businesses from our phones, so the better customer support, roaming, network priority and conditional call forwarding are well worth the extra $10-20 a month we pay for 2 lines over what we could get going prepaid. Quality service is more important than a few dollars sometimes. That said, I would never use Verizon and pay their rip off prices. There's limits, too.

 

[Gekko]

I've always been postpaid, but haven't been on-contract for many years. My wife and I both run our businesses from our phones, so the better customer support, roaming, network priority and conditional call forwarding are well worth the extra $10-20 a month we pay for 2 lines over what we could get going prepaid. Quality service is more important than a few dollars sometimes. That said, I would never use Verizon and pay their rip off prices. There's limits, too.

check out A&T GoPhone. it's AT&T proper. it's is the same thing. it's not an MVNO, no proxy. same service/coverage/speeds/web, lower prices, lower taxes and fees. BYOD, no contracts. i love it.

New GoPhone Plans with Unlimited Text to Mexico, Canada, and over 100 Other Countries

 

[Crashdamage]

The same deal from T-Mobile is $10/mo cheaper for 2 lines. That's postpaid with all the advantages that includes and no contract. And where I am T-Mobile actually has better coverage and faster data speeds.

Pass.

Android since v1.0. Linux user since 2001.

 

[Gekko]

The same deal from T-Mobile is $10/mo cheaper for 2 lines. And where I am T-Mobile actually has better coverage and faster data speeds.

Pass.

Android since v1.0. Linux user since 2001.

AT&T gives you a $5 discount per line if you use Auto Pay so it looks like price is the same. As far as service - everyone in the free world but you agrees that AT&T beats T-Mob. but do what you want - the only thing that matters is that you're happy.

 

[Crashdamage]

Where I live, a lot of people would give you a convincing argument that T-Mobile service whips AT&T, particularly the data speeds. But coverage for providers varies depending on location quite a bit. T-Mobile is very popular around here.

Anyway, conditional call forwarding is an absolute must have for us. Go Phone, like almost all prepay services, does not have it so it's a no-Go Phone by default.

Android since v1.0. Linux user since 2001.

 

[Gekko]

Where I live, a lot of people would give you a convincing argument that T-Mobile service whips AT&T, particularly the data speeds. But coverage for providers varies depending on location quite a bit. T-Mobile is very popular around here.

Anyway, conditional call forwarding is an absolute must have for us. Go Phone, like almost all prepay services, does not have it so it's a no-Go Phone by default.

Android since v1.0. Linux user since 2001.

AT&T GoPhone supports Conditional Call Forwarding (CCF). i should know - i'm using it now for Google Voice "Lite" Voicemail on my Nexus 5. GoPhone is Prepaid but it's not an MVNO. don't confuse the two. it's AT&T proper - there is no proxy.

 

[Crashdamage]

Ahhh...so it does - my mistake. Thanks for catching that, I should know better than to assume stuff by now. But it's very unusual to have CCF included in a prepaid deal.

Still, switching wouldn't save any money, T-Mobile really does have very good service in our area, and we've been quite satisfied with them for over 17 years. I simply have no compelling reason to change.

Android since v1.0. Linux user since 2001.