Reply #30: One way around cell phone contracts is Straight Talk.

[Fuddnik]

I know, I know, it's a partnership between Walmart and Tracphone. I hate Walmart and don't do business with them, but this is worth it.

There's no contract. You buy your phone up front, and you can keep your number.

You get 1000 minutes, 1000 texts and 30 megabytes of data for $30 per month. Unlimited everything for $45 per month. Smart phones have to have the $45 service. They buy large blocks of time and bandwidth, at a discount from the major carriers. Regular phones are hooked into the Verizon network. So, you've got coverage anywhere. Different smartphones are plugged into the AT&T and Sprint networks.

And they offer decent phones at a reasonable price from around $20 for a basic phone w/a camera up to $100 for a Blackberry. I got a Samsung Android-operated touch screen, w/ all the bells and whistles including GPS for $149.

I've had a couple of there phones over the last couple of years, after first hearing about them on Denningers site. My Samsung operates on the Sprint network, which gets a little spotty coverage outside Metro areas. So before I went to my dad's in Boondocks SC a couple of weeks ago, I transfered my number and service over to one of my old phones that works on the Verizon network. Then switched it back when I got home. It's real simple, just go to their website, a couple of mouse clicks, and it's done. I t could take a couple of hours for the change, but one of the phones will be working all the time.

Screw those 2 year service agreements, packages and extra charges. The only thing you'll pay above the $30 or $45 is state sales tax.