Need to pick a prepaid phone...please take mercy on me...

R

rutgersfreak

New member
OK, I've searched through endless threads, visited countless websites, and I'm no closer than I was a week ago in finding a cell I can use with a prepaid wireless plan (I'm pretty much settled on Cingular's Pay as you Go)...

The options available on their website are:

Sony Ericsson T290a (Refurb) $29.99
Motorola V173 (Refurb) $29.99
Nokia 6030 (Refurb) $29.99
Nokia 6061 (Refurb) $39.99
Nokia 6010 $39.99
Samsung C207 $59.99
Sony Ericcson Z300a $59.99
Motorola RAZR V3 $249.99


Of these, there's no way I'm going to spend $250 on a cell phone...that's like insanity for my usage I'll be doing. I'm not averse to eBay, or buying off a website FS/FT, or from someone not Cingular...

...as I understand it, there come kind of SIM card or something that one can put in the phone and that's what makes it work...so who I buy the phone from really doesn't matter to me.

It'd be cool to get a camera phone and a phone that I could have my own ringtones...but I'm limited to spending in the neighborhood of $100 (since I'll be putting on $100 of prepaid time)...

Can anyone recommend me a phone that would fit this bill, or, a prepaid website or something?

The only really good phones I see being sold at reasonable prices are the ones with 2 year plans...$40 (cheapest plan after all the taxes) x 24 (months) = $960... no wonder they'll give you a free phone...

Any help or insight, I'd really appreciate it!

Chuck
 
Go on e-bay and get a cheap Motorola, probably one of the V500-series phones would do the trick. Then just get the prepaid service from Cingular or CellOne or T-Mobile seperately.
 
npaladin2000- Thanks for the reply!

I looked around more, and I guess my pricing really isn't too realistic for what I was looking for...

Out of these 3 phones (unless there are others I've overlooked?), does anyone know which would be best at reception, call clarity, and picture quality, in that order?

Motorola V635 - about $170 off eBay
Nokia 6102 - about $120 off eBay
Sony z520a - about $160 off eBay

I appreciate any help!!!

Chuck
 
Out of those 3 I only have experience with the V635. It's got good reception, call clarity is real good, but the volume maxes out a little low for some (seems to be a common Motorola problem these days). The the camera CAN be pretty good, but unless you're outdoors in some good sun you really have to set the mode manually to get a decent photo, because the auto mode doesn't work real well. Personally, I don't mind, and I like the phone quite a bit.
 
Walmart has the motorola v190 for $59.99,will come with a 3g sim card and $10.00 of airtime to get you started. The reception on this little phone has been great so far. It does not have a camera but Amazon.com sells the v235 that is just like it for around $100.00 and it has the camera on it.Both of these phones are for cingular pre-pay.
 
npaladin2000- Thanks for the feedback! I probably won't be using the camera a ton, but I'd like to know that the thing will work decently when I do use it...otherwise, what's the point in having one, ya know?

I'd not overly worried about the call volume as long as it's at least average...I don't plan in being in any really noisy places when using it...I'll mainly be on the train (pretty quiet actually), in my truck, or at home...so I should be good on that...

Cellgirl#1- Can you give me an idea of how small the v190 and v235 really are? I don't have huge hulking hands, but I am a man...smallish cell phones (at least the ones I've looked at so far) really don't fit well in my hand...

Thanks again for the replies, I do appreciate it!

Chuck
 
You may also want to consider phones like the Motorola V551, V600, etc. The SLVR L6 is also within range, and can be found at places for under $100.

Pritesh
 
V235 is 3.39oz. 3.40"x1.85"x0.96"
V190 is 3.46oz. 3.37"x1.81"x0.91"
If you want to compare these phones side by side, go to www.phonescoop.com . Both of these phones maybe to small for you, and if so the v551 or the v557 are also great phones that I have had in the past with more features on them.
 
siliconvalley78- I haven't seen much v551 stuff, I'll have to check that out...the V600 I think had a bunch of problems, didn't it?

The L6...I'll have to check that one out too...you got a place I can get a new one with like a year warranty with no plan for around $100?

Cellgirl#1- Yeah, I think the v190 and v235 are going to be just a little too small for me...I held a Nokia 6102 on Sunday, and it was too small I think...and using that link, it's basically the same size as the v190 and v235.

The v551/v557 and the v635 sound pretty nice though...

Thanks again for the replies!

Chuck

P.S. I'm actually looking at a 1 year or 2 year plan now...there's just so many decisions with all this stuff, it's crazy....
 
If you want a good phone, DO NOT go with a motorola. Motorola is cheap quality and alwasys will be. Go with the Sony Z520a, nice camera, own ringtones possible, and can also put games from internet on there. MOST user friendly software, and looks better than the motorola too. So, if you wanna nice phone that will last you a while go with sony ericsson, if you dont care, and want a **** phone, than go with the motorola.

My 2 Cents.
 
Mehtinks you let the MPx220 get to you. Incidentally, you can install J2ME apps from your PC to any regular Motorola phone through some nice 3rd party tools, as well as installing them from the Internet. It's also a cinch to install your own ringtones though a cheap USB charger cable (same one you have, BTW; Mototola uses a common connector) or though Bluetooth, since you ust plop them into the "audio" folder. The V500 and V600 phones are very high quality (can't speak for the other lines mind you). Moto's only major problem is a sometimes-laggy menu system.
 
Get a new battery, it might just be that. Those MPx220 aren't bad at all for a Microsoft-based device. True, it's a bit bulky, but the camera is one of the best 1MP ones around, even if the flash is useless. And I never could get mine to sync over Bluetooth. Then again, mine's unlocked.
 
This is a bunch of crap . I know a lot of people that had the Z520 and had to return it due to nothing but problems with it. As a matter of fact this is the same phone that cingular had to recall due to a software problem.(has since been fixed though) Do research on this phone before you buy it and you will see what I'm talking about. I have had alot of motorola phones in the past and present and have had no problems with them. And as for the Ericsson looking better then a motorola, that is a matter of opinion .
 
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