Resistance is futile. I gotta get a cell phone.

[chaska]

Wow, I'm a real Ludite, huh? Yeah, that's right, I've never had a cell phone. Actually, I quite hate all phones, especially cell phones. But now I have to have one (don't ask).

Please hip me to the how tos. I want it - number one - CHEAP. I'm not gonna pay a lot for this muffler, uh, phone.

I really feel like a dumbass, but I almost never use any kind of phone, I'm totally ignorant on this subject.

What else do I need to know?

[CottonBear]

1. Try a prepaid Verizon phone.

You pay as you go. Plus, you don't have to worry about roaming, although it will cost more to call from some areas than others. The cards with minutes are good for from 30-60 days. Just buy as much time as you can use before expiration. Flip phones are easier to break than non-flip. I've broken off two flip parts. Oops!

edit: I've had Verizon and the service has good coverage. You can buy a pretty cheap phone that's offered with the prepaid plan. There's no one or two year contract.

[Sannum]

2. Prepaid Virgin Mobile Phone

You can get the cards everywhere, and it is very reasonably priced. You can have a phone ready to go for about 50 bucks. You can even get them at 7/11, Target or Walgreens.

[chaska]

4. Ouch! I was thinking more like $20. God, I'm so Stone Age.

[Shananigans]

3. Prepaid is WAY too expensive if you are planning on using it daily!

I suggest going with either T-mobile (better deals) or Sprint (better service). Both their websites should have their rate plans and perks that come with it. Good luck!

[chaska]

6. Upfront cost is an issue. Unemployed. That's why I need it, to get calls..

for interviews. Major broke here.

[trof]

5. Sorry, it's too late.

If you haven't had one since you were 12 you'll never figure it out.
And the icons and buttons are too small to see without a microscope.
I have sat down with the owner's manual and I STILL can't figure out how to read my voicemail.
I can fly a Boeing 747 from New York to Tokyo and I still can't figure out all the stuff on my cellphone.
That just ain't right.
<end of geezer rant>

[chaska]

7. Shit! I knew it!

Damn! This always happens to me.

[Karenina]

17. BWHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!

YOU GEEZER! SHIT! MY KEYBOARD!!!

[flamingyouth]

19. I'm sorry, but this has to be the funniest thing I've read on DU:

I can fly a Boeing 747 from New York to Tokyo and I still can't figure out all the stuff on my cellphone.
That just ain't right.

Don't feel bad, I can't fly the 747 either. ;)

[Piperay]

8. Cingular sucks

they used to be AT&T and they weren't to great then but since they were taken over the service has gotten bad, reception is poor...anyway for me it is. :-(

[chaska]

16. cingular has a booth in a local walmart.

What? I don't shop there. I go there quite literally for the exercise. It's the best place in the area to walk. Our society is so user friendly (sarcasm off).

[chaska]

9. So this is all I need to know on the subject?

Wow, it really is simple, idnit?

[cags]

10. I'm 30 and just got one this year

Moved away from everyone I knew, and needed to be able to have my kids reach me at anytime.

Anyway

I got a free picture phone, 1000 minutes that rollover every month, no long distance or roaming charges, for $39.95 a month from Cingular. If you go to the websites you can probably get online deals that you can't get in the stores.

[LeftyMom]

11. Ask people in your area

They'll know what carrier has decent coverage and a reasonable package where you live. Nokia and Samsung make nice handests in my experience, but you should pick your carrier first and then pick out an handset.

In CA you have (I think) 14 days to back out of the contract if you aren't happy with the service. Check to make sure it works in the places you travel to frequently during that time. :)

[Zomby Woof]

12. You want mine?

I am giving mine up. It wasn't that many years ago I went without one. I figure people can still get hold of me the old-fashioned way: email. :D

[chaska]

13. Sure, lob it my way...

Hey Zombie, did you buy some musical instrument literature on ebay Sunday? If not, somebody's using your name.

[Zomby Woof]

14. That wasn't me

But truth be told, because this is a Zappa-oriented name, there are ZW's all over the net, and I should have thought of that before I registered at DU all those years ago.

This is still the only message board I post on, so any other ZW you see is someone else. :-)

[chaska]

15. Okay, so that's two things I'm ignint of: cellphones and Zappa trivia.

[Karenina]

18. Mine just died.

I HATE THEM. My yung'un had been in possession of it until he ran up a whopper bill. I confiscated it and hid it in my skate. I HATE THEM.
Then I realized I'd better charge it. Had to re-enter date and time, it accepted the code then DIED! I DON'T CARE. I HATE THEM! :D