No Frills/Cheap Verizon Phone for Mom w/Good Reception

Y

Yourasssmells.

New member
Hi,

I'm looking for a replacement Verizon phone for my Mom. She lost her ancient Audiovox and is currently using my old LG VX4500 that gets terrible reception (at least compared with my new Motorola V325). We are in Massachusetts. Here are the main criteria:

1) Good Reception

2) Relatively Inexpensive (she was told by Verizon that they can give her a free new phone but would not be able to "grandfather in" her old $20.00 per month rate if they do that). I guess I'd have to buy it somewhere other than Verizon.

3) Tri-Mode Phone (she sometimes goes up north into NH/Maine on hikes)

4) GPS capability - would be nice if they could locate the phone if she called 911.

5) The simpler the better (ease of use). She doesn't surf the web and doesn't send text messages... just needs an address book and the ability to make calls.

I appreciate any opinions. Right now I'm leaning towards getting her a V325 like mine, but something cheaper with equivalent reception would be better. Thanks!
 
There are plenty that will be similiar, but one having equivalent reception REALLY narrows it down to about 1..

I tested a whole bunch the other day by going to the debug screen at Circuit City right before they closed. V325 beat out the E815 slightly, which slightly beat the Chocolate, which slightly beat the VX-8300.

The rest I wouldn't even consider.

The V325 was pulling -79 to -82 dbm. The E815 was about 1 dbm worse. The Chocolate was about -82 to -84, and the VX-8300 was about -84 to -86.

The rest were high 80s or low 90s.

That V325 is a serious performer. I'd stick with it. Just threw in my Chocolate after it called 6 people by accident and got this, it is a TON better.
 
Oh, I forgot, the RAZR was about the same as the Chocolate. I wasn't shopping for that one, so I forgot to mention it. I also didn't test the Nokias because I didn't know how, other than that one made by Pantech that you can Menu+0 on. It did poorly. Normally the two Nokia bar phones do really good.
 
Thanks to both of you for responding. I certainly like my V325 so I think I might go with that. I'll just have to find somewhere (eBay?) where I can get a reasonable price -- my mom doesn't want to get a new plan (so no discount at Verizon store she was told).

I am somewhat wary of getting a phone on eBay but maybe if I can check the ESN number prior to bidding it should be ok. Perhaps I can also find some older discontinued model there that also got good reception and is tri-mode, etc...but is priced lower.

Thanks again!
 
Motorola V710 is another choice. A little buggy in some versions, but you might find it cheaper. I actually have one that I keep around as a backup. I think that they go pretty cheap.

Also, check out the Nokia 3589i, it is known the get great reception and you can probably find one cheap.
 
Thanks! That Nokia sounds like exactly what she needs/wants (simple to use, no frills/gadgets, good reception). Her old Audiovox was not a flip phone and she prefers that style over the flip phones. I will look on eBay.

I should never have given her my old VX4500. Maybe it is just me but that phone really doesn't seem to have good reception at all.
 
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