aflanigan wrote: 

My two teens text constantly..

 Lazy8 wrote: 

The main reason we have daughter on a family plan is because it only cost $10 per month to add her, and she's not a text and internet phone fiend.  Son is still on prepaid and is starting to consider going to an itouch for internet access and sticking with a prepaid phone.

 Zep wrote: 
Yes, the family texting plan is an option, but I think the cost here is $30 per month.  On our most recent billing cycle our family in total had 46 messages (38 were mine).  At the exorbitant price of $0.20 per message they now charge, that's a cost of about $9, which doesn't even come close to the family package cost.  If my usage averaged in the 30 per month range I'd probably consider buying a bundle of 200 messages for $5, but that couldn't be shared among family members.

My ring tone (self made using audacity) is the Dr. Who theme (old school)

I added unlimited texts to my plan for me and my kids. We have A T& T. I did finally get a contact last week because the "no contact" was just as expensive for me, if not more expensive.

 aflanigan wrote:
I've kept the teenager on a prepaid phone despite his urgent whining and it's worked pretty well. He practically tests in his sleep, and with any kind of monthly plan he'd run up outrageous bills. As is he has to control his thumbs or he runs out of minutes and his phone stops working.

Prepaid phones around here run about $.1/min. For minimal use much cheaper than a monthly plan.

 BlueHeronDruid wrote: 

Hmm, maybe it does depend on your zip code.

I've looked into pay as you go phones, but maybe should look more closely.  They definitely have more up front cost compared to two year committment phones.

 buzz wrote: 

 aflanigan wrote: 
Interesting. hobbitt and I just upgraded our phones and he's happy to go with pay-as-you-go texting. I'm paying $5 month for 200 msgs. There's a menu of options for data plans, too. All of this with AT&T. We opted for the smaller data plans - and yes, while mandatory, we didn't have to choose the $20 option. I guess there are different marketing strategies in different parts of the country.

Interesting how different people can have very different experiences with the same wireless carriers.

 Manbird wrote: 
do you know how much trouble I get into if I pick the wrong jelly? you betcher sweet ass I'm makin that call.

 ScottFromWyoming wrote: 
I have all kinds of self-made ringtones — some Miles Davis or John Coltrane, for example.  Or the guy who says "Science!" in the Thomas Dolby song. 

And no, they charge for the tone, not for its use.

though I'm sure EEPC is working on that....

edit - And parts of "Riders on the Storm" which is currently playing.

 Zep wrote:
I agree but can't you just make your own anymore? Or do they charge every time you get a call or what?

 aflanigan wrote:
Evil Empire Phone Company.... The Devil Incarnate.

Can you simply find a slider phone on Amazon, Ebay, etc, that does not come with an associated carrier plan, and that can accept the SIM card in her current phone?  They won't sell for a penny, but they should work with the EEPC network.

If you're on a family plan, EEPC should have a family text plan for 20-30 a month for the entire plan, not for each phone.

Ring tones... honestly, a waste of money.  Here, let me burn this five-dollar bill....

Back to EEPC: As soon as my two-year sentence is up, I am dumping their sorry asses for Google.

I'm realizing that wireless service providers are very cagey at figuring out features that people find desirable and then figuring out ways to charge people extra for them.

Purchased ring tones is a commonly cited example.  For those who have AT&T as a service provider, they have added requirements for carrying data plans and/or texting plans (to the tune of $15-$20 per phone per month) to a lot of their more desirable phones.

I learned this because two members of my family are eligible for upgrades.  Daughter said she wanted a phone with a qwerty keyboard (either physical or touchscreen).  I quickly learned that there we no phones available through either AT&T's website or via amazon wireless that had this feature that did not require paying a premium in the form of a mandatory text/data plan.

It really stinks, because when I upgraded in 2009, I got a nice slider phone (Moto QA1) with a qwerty keyboard and lots of other features (not a smartphone with windows mobile, but just about everything else, including gps, bluetooth, camera, java, mobile email, etc.).  I didn't have to pay any premiums for the phone and got it for a penny via amazon wireless (with a two year re-up).  Daughter and wife were looking forward to doing the same thing this year.

Now some people ask, "why would you want a qwerty keyboard if you don't plan on paying for unlimited data/and or lots of texting?"  I don't text much, but when I do I much prefer the qwerty keyboard; I don't text nearly enough to justify paying $15 per month.  I'd much rather pay per message.  Same with internet access on the mobile phone; the infrequent amount I need to do it does not justify the $20 per month/$240 per year it would cost.  My daughter's not much of a text fiend either, and can't afford to pay the extra money.

Is this the case with other service providers (verizon, tmobile, cricket, virgin, etc.) as well? I know lots of you out there probably gladly pay $55-$150 per month for a single smartphone and can't imagine life without it.  When you have four phone users in your family, economizing starts looking very good.  We currently pay $80 per month for three phones plus the fourth family member uses a pay as you go tracphone.  I'm not eager to double or triple our monthly phone bill just so everyone can have a nifty phone with bells and whistles. 

 ScottFromWyoming wrote: 
So was I, but I let my irritation make me rant.

 callum wrote: 
I was just laughing about someone using the phone while driving to report someone using the phone while driving...

 ScottFromWyoming wrote: 
People don't often here, and its generally socially unacceptable.  Where I live it tends to be people in expensive 'big' cars - 'urban' 4x4s etc.  Its such a dangerous thing to do, makes me really really angry.  As do bikers without proper gear.

edit: its also illegal to ride without a helmet here

 callum wrote: 
Absolutely. Call the cops while you tail 'em. "Hey I'm on the 101 going north and I wanna report a guy using his cellphone in traffic!... um, wait."

 ScottFromWyoming wrote: 
You could take a photo on your phone?