Straight talk or not... Switching from verizon

[redeye_joe]

Hi, All. I am new to this forum, and I need help before I make a decision. I am long term customer with verizon and feel like I have been over-paying for years. The main reason I have stayed with them is they let me keep my original agreement of unlimited data because that was my original contract. I just spoke to them about upgrading to the Samsung S4 and they informed me that unless I buy the equipment outright I can not keep the unlimited data. This quite frankly this this is BS. I am not happy. I have paid bill as high as $700 and $1000 per month in the past with them due to roaming bs. My bill on a normal month was around $350 because of multiple line that were not in use, and now I have it down to like $200, but still feeling ripped. I am considering moving over to Straight talk. I have heard such a mixed bunch of reviews. Can anyone save me hours of searching the forums and wondering which reviews to believe and cut the through all the bs and tell me if the pay per month carriers are worth the cheaper price, or should I try to keep what I have and just try to purchase a phone off craigslist ect. I like the idea of going with a smaller company that doesnt have you by the balls with contracts ect, but dont want to have constant problems. I live in colorado and have att, verizon, and most other carriers in the area.
So basically my question is Straight talk or some other pay per month carrier? Oh, I am no longer under contract with Verizon, that is why I feel like it is time to switch if I am going to.
Galaxy S4 phone work with Straight talk? or just keep my verizon unlimited and buy my own phone? Will I be able to take my number with me to Straight talk?

thanks for any help.

 

[tagumcity]

I have four VZW unlimited accounts which costs about $220/mo (700 min & data). If I go with TMO the cost is about $130/mo. VZW has very consistent quality of service and good coverage in the rural areas. But I miss the boot-loader unlocked phones offered through Google. With wifi being available I can run Voip applications with my GV #, and if I really want to tighten consumption expenses, I could switch back and forth between a TMO prepaid talk and a TMO talk, text, data (you can skip about two months before you would lose the TMO #). Of course I'm expressing my own usage pattern. Last week I helped a co-worker port his long term # to GV and activate a TMO prepaid 1000 minutes good for 1 year. So when he is on wifi the GV # is functional and he has the TMO 1000 minutes available always. So his phone cost is about $7.50/mo. Again, it depends on a user's usage pattern. The Voip is not perfect, but its passable, and with the suggested savings, its something to consider.

 

[kyoo]

That sounds about right for VZW.. Used to have unlimited 30/mo data but decided to switch carriers for this phone. Not sure that the GE S4 will work with straight talk though?

 

[anon(301129)]

I just got back home from Vacation in the USA and I used Straight Talk on my N4. I worked really good in GA however it was a bit spotty in TX.