Archive for July, 2009
Will Tracfone’s Straight Talk Unlimited Prepaid Service Kill the Competition
Posted by admin in tracfone straight talk unlimited plan on July 16, 2009
Tracfone recently released an unlimited prepaid wireless plan under the name Straight Talk. The $45 monthly rate that Tracfone plans to charge, as well as its use of the strong Verizon network to provide nationwide coverage has other industry leaders worried.
Or at least it should. It is not exactly clear where the Tracfone Straight Talk Unlimited plan will go, but it is here for now. Things could change in its agreement with Verizon, it may not catch on, or the terms of the plan could change. For now though, it’s looking like Tracfone may have heated up a price war that may have really kicked off when Boost Mobile unveiled its Monthly Unlimited plan for $50.
Boost Mobile has however historically been hampered by its network coverage and there were some issues early on with text messaging. There were always questions as to whether or not Boost could support the likely spike in subscribers. Tracfone theoretically should have no problems with this considering it is backed by the strength of the Verizon network.
Details of the Straight Talk prepaid Unlimited plans from Tracfone.
This is quite an aggressive move by Tracfone, and not only targets other lower-end prepaid cell phone providers like Boost and MetroPCS, but also takes a swipe at people who may be looking to make the switch to prepaid from a contract based plan with one of the big four industry leaders.
Prepaid has experienced a big surge since the end of last year. It seems that many people are beginning to see that prepaid wireless service can be a very good way to save money. What’s more, with prepaid you don’t have to sign a contract and bind yourself to your cell phone provider, you never have to pay any kind of termination fees, and you have more control over the minutes you buy and use with a prepaid plan like those offered by Tracfone.
Tracfone is one of the top “cheap” or value providers in the prepaid arena–and it’s clear why the company has amassed 12 million subscribers in the United States. Tracfone really does provide value, and the company is clearly looking ahead with this new plan. The Straight Talk Unlimited plan provides Unlimited Nationwide and anytime minutes and texts for 30 days. The price is $45, a really good deal for unlimited cell phone usage. This might be the best prepaid wireless deal out there.
There is another lower Straight Talk plan that costs $30. With this plan, you receive 1,000 minutes of talk time plus 1,000 text or multimedia messages and 30 MB of data. This offer looks even more competitive than the one that costs fifteen dollars more. Both of the plans are valid for 30 days after the purchase and you can set up an auto refill to automatically renew at the end of the cycle to avoid service interruption.
It is conceivable that this type of plan could become very mainstream. If the Straight Talk plans can grow and become successful for Tracfone in tandem with Verizon, then this could be an omen of things to come. In other words, this could be a game-changer.
You might also be interested in Net10 prepaid phones. Net10 is another company owned by TracFone that has ridiculously low rates.
Learn more at www.net10.com
Find the best deals on Straight Talk phones and plans at Wal-Mart.com
Tracfone $45 Unlimited Prepaid Plan
Tracfone a few days ago released a $45 unlimited prepaid plan. Straight Talk is the Mobile Virtual Network Operator’s new brand, which offers no-contract prepaid service.
So what do you get for $45?
You get 30 MB of data. This plan has been upgraded to include unlimited data usage, which means subscribers have unlimited web browsing. This feature alone puts the Straight Talk Unlimited plan at the top of my list in terms of value provided to customers.
You also get unlimited calling and text messaging.
Another added bonus is that this plan runs on Verizon’s network, the strongest in the country, which means fewer dropped calls and better nationwide coverage. Don’t tell your friends who pay more for Verizon contract plans–they might be jealous of you.
With the cheaper $30 plan , prepaid wireless customers get 1,000 anytime minutes and 1,000 text or multimedia messages and 30 MB of data.
The new Tracfone $45 plan looks amazing and is sure to compete with the Boost Mobile Unlimited Monthly cell phone plan released earlier this year. That plan costs $50 and has many of the same “unlimited” features as the new one from Tracfone and has helped Boost solidify its place in the prepaid cell phone market.
Learn more about Straight Talk Wireless and its industry leading plan. This is a very good option for those looking to save on their phone bills and not have to sacrifice talk time or service.
This is clearly a very aggressive move by Tracfone. Things in the prepaid market are getting heated, which can be very good for consumers looking to save money.
It is unclear whether or not this plan will be profitable for Tracfone, which is important to think about because if it isn’t, then it may not last. But the prepaid wireless company seems to be quite lean and will around 12 million subscribers, they are doing quite well. What this unlimited plan may do for Tracfone is gain it an even larger pool of subscribers. This should have Boost Mobile, Metro PCS, Virgin Mobile, and even the big four wireless service providers worried.
Tracfone is making a move not only into the existing prepaid market, but also into the cell phone market at large. This may be an offer that entices people to make the switch. It would not be a surprise if this is the coup that Tracfone Wireless pulls. The company is already seen as a value provider of prepaid services in the U.S.
If you’re looking for a way to save money on your cell phone bill, the new Tracfone Straight Talk Unlimited plan for $45 may be an option worth looking into.
What is clear is that Tracfone means business with Straight Talk and they want to own the prepaid market. The “unlimited” type of plan has not been very prevalent in the prepaid sector of the wireless industry, so this is sort of like uncharted waters. There is a need for affordable prepaid cell phones, and Tracfone is looking to fill that need.
The WSJ goes into more detail on how this reignites fears of a potential wireless pricewar. Tracfone’s new offer “stuns” the industry (FierceWireless).
Tracfone is known for its frequent offers that help keep a few extra coins in their pockets. Double Minutes for Life is one of these things as is the current Motorola w370 offer. Also, see my list of where to find Tracfone promotional codes. These can be redeemed for additional free minutes with a purchase of talk time.
Follow me on Twitter:@prepaidphoneguy
AT&T Donates Prepaid Phone Cards to Soldiers Overseas – You Can Help Too!
Posted by admin in cell phones for soliders on July 2, 2009
Big ups to AT&T for donating $150,000 worth of free prepaid phone cards to soldiers stationed overseas. Each prepaid phone card is loaded with 20 minutes of free talk time for soldiers to use to stay in contact with friends and family back home.
AT&T Wireless is working with the USO to give out the 20,000 prepaid cards to soldiers in time for the independence holiday on July 4.
You can help too! Donate your used cell phones and wireless accessories to your local AT&T store and some of the proceeds will go toward the Cell Phones for Soldiers program. You can also visit att.com/holidayconnect to download a free shipping mail you can use to send in your phone or accessories for the program.
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