Cricket Wireless

[K Frame]

Anyone have it?

Had it?

Good, bad, indifferent?

I'm getting so sick of Verizon it's not even funny.

I like the services that Verizon has provided, but the price keeps going up and up with no appreciate in the quality or quantity of service. I'm on a pretty basic minimum plan with discounts through my employer, as well as discounts I negotiated, and my monthly is still $85.

Without those discounts, for basic cell service and 2 Gig of data a month I'd be paying WELL in excess of $100.

The kicker was today. They sent me notification of change in the discounts that I get through my employer.

They provided a link to the changed agreement, and if that didn't work, they provided "bread crumb" directions.

The link took me to someplace that wasn't even remotely related to what they said it was, and not a single goddamned one of the bread crumbs was anywhere on my dashboard. Not one. When they can't even get their own links/interface correct, it's time to get the hell out of dodge.

Oh, and the new "discounts" through my employer with the updated agreement? If I'm reading it correctly, my monthly fee is about to go up.

So, Cricket. What's your experience?

[wmenorr67]

My experience is dated.  At the time I had it you couldn't travel with it, only use in your geographical area.  Also every month it seemed like there was extra taxes and fees that couldn't ever be explained.  The billing was never consistent.

Moved to Cingular which in turn was bought out/absorbed by AT&T.

[K Frame]

Cricket is now apparently owned by AT&T and uses their network, so hopefully that should make it more reliable.

[roo_ster]

All cell phone network providers suck, some just suck less.

I found Sprint to have the following nice practice:  If you sign up with them for XYZ services for $ABC/month, they will provide  XYZ services for $ABC/month indefinitely until you change up your contract.  Even after the "contract" passes its expiration date.

[Ben]

No input on Cricket, but I've been going through this "switch provider" thing the last couple of months because my Verizon contract just ended this month and  I was looking at bringing my costs down. Right now I have a smartphone with 1gig and a 4G modem with 4gig data only and am paying $115/mo.

Based on input from Rev, I'm actually going to the local Verizon store today or tomorrow to have them run some numbers for me on prepaid. A prepaid smartphone plan with 2gig data is $45/mo and includes tethering. Because of the tethering, I was looking at going to the 5gig phone plan at $60/mo and dropping my modem.

I'm just concerned about any potential hidden fees, so am going in to talk to someone in person and actually have real numbers to look at.

I'll report back after I go in. One of the reasons I'm looking at sticking with Verizon on prepaid (if it does drop my costs) is simply the good coverage for where I go.

[K Frame]

Hidden fees...

Oh hell yea...

Your nice $45 a month plan can end up costing you $90 with Verizon because of all of the goddamned fees that are add ons.

OK, maybe not that bad, but frustrating.

[zxcvbob]

I've been using Virgin Mobile wireless for many years.  Was paying $20 every 3 months on their old pay-as-you-go plan (not offered anymore), and never using up the whole $20 worth so it just accumulated in the account.  But eventually I needed (wanted) a smart phone and had to switch plans for that.  Now I'm paying $35 a month for data and unlimited voice and text.  For the first few months I didn't pay anything at all, just used up my account balance.  If I go over the limit on data, which I never have, they don't charge extra they just throttle it.

The only thing I don't like about the service is there's no coverage in NE Alabama, so I can't use the phone when we visit MIL.  Wife's Verizon phone works just fine there.  Also I wish I could tether a computer to it occasionally w/o paying extra; I think that's $5 per day (I might could get it for free by jailbreaking the phone)

[Scout26]

I'm on Verizon.  For $45 a month (plus stupid Illinois taxes) it ends up being $54.59 a month.  For that I get unlimited call and text, and 250megabytes of date (of which I average about 30mb used per month, I suck up lots of free wi-fi).

Since my ex- is being a bitch to my son he wants to comes over to my plan, which after checking with Verizon would raise my $45 to $70 a month (Plus stupid Illlinois taxes) so figure $80-$85 a month.  I didn't get pricing on three lines/phones.

Plus they have the best coverage of anyone.  Especially some of the places we go hunting.

I did get a flyer from AMAC (AARP for us right-wingers) offering Club Cellular.  (Which uses Verizon's Network)  They are going to 4g at the end of the month, so I'll call them in early September and see what they offer.  When I talked to them at the beginning of the month, she told that price for 3 lines/phones (unlimited call and text, 2 gig data) would be around $75 a month before taxes.  If that's the case I will probably go with them.

[Ben]

Okay, just got back from the Verizon store. I'm actually quite pleased. It looks like they're moving away from the subsidized phone / two year contract thing, offering more reasonable plans, and apparently making up for it by pushing unsubsidized phones (which I didn't get -  I kept my S5).

After going over plans with the rep, for various reasons, including my half-assed consulting thing with uncle sugar,  I chose for now to keep the modem as well as the phone and went for a shared plan (the "new Verizon plan").

Current plan is 4 gigs of shared data between the phone and modem, with unused data carried over every other month. No free tethering on the phone. No contract. $80/mo. This includes the $20/mo device charge for the smartphone and the $10/mo for the modem. My invoice says monthly total charges will be $82.68. I guess that can vary by state.

I verified (like ten times to the annoyance of the rep) that this is not a contract and that if I want next month, I can dump it and go to prepaid. Prepaid for the phone only (it wasn't cost effective to have prepaid on the phone AND modem) would be $45/mo for two gigs, plus if you autopay, you get an additional gig for free, so three gigs. Tethering is included for free (this just started in June). Total monthly cost would be ~$46.50/mo.

[MillCreek]

I have had Cricket for just over a year now.  I changed to Cricket since T-Mobile (using Sprint) had no service at my new house.  AT&T/Cricket does. I pay a flat rate of about $ 35/month including all fees and taxes.  I think that is unlimited talk, text and xx Gb of data per month.  I rarely use the data since I connect to the WiFi at home and at the office.   I have been happy with them.   I was happiest of all that I could bring my own phone, and was therefore able to use my existing Nexus 5 with Cricket.   In the greater Seattle/North Puget Sound area, I get good service with Cricket.

[MillCreek]

Ben, why don't you buy your own modem?  I have a Motorola modem/wireless gateway that worked better for me than the Comcast modem.  At $ 10 per month modem rental, I was saving money after the eighth month by turning in the Comcast unit and buying my own.

[Ben]

Ben, why don't you buy your own modem?  I have a Motorola modem/wireless gateway that worked better for me than the Comcast modem.  At $ 10 per month modem rental, I was saving money after the eighth month by turning in the Comcast unit and buying my own.

Different modem. It's one of these:



So I actually do own it. I use it on travel so I don't have to use an unsecure hotel wireless, and then also at home on my Cradlepoint router for when my WISP or the power goes out (or occasionally when I want to upload or download something big (ref: the consulting gig) at 25/25mbps vs 4/0.75mbps).

I'm just going back and forth between keeping the modem or using the phone as a hotspot. Phone is just as or more convenient in most instances, except for at the house. When i get WISP loss, keeping the modem plugged into the router gets me automatic failover. I don't have to do stuff like put the Roku, etc. on a different network for only a few hours and then switch everything back. It's all seamless through the Cradlepoint.

[K Frame]

I have had Cricket for just over a year now.  I changed to Cricket since T-Mobile (using Sprint) had no service at my new house.  AT&T/Cricket does. I pay a flat rate of about $ 35/month including all fees and taxes.  I think that is unlimited talk, text and xx Gb of data per month.  I rarely use the data since I connect to the WiFi at home and at the office.   I have been happy with them.   I was happiest of all that I could bring my own phone, and was therefore able to use my existing Nexus 5 with Cricket.   In the greater Seattle/North Puget Sound area, I get good service with Cricket.

that's exactly the kind of review I was looking for.

Unfortunately I'm not going to be able to bring my Verizon Samsung Galaxy 4 with me. I love that phone, but it's going on 3 years old now, so it is time to upgrade.

Cricket has a Galaxy Amp by Samsung that seems to get very good reviews.

[mtnbkr]

that's exactly the kind of review I was looking for.

Unfortunately I'm not going to be able to bring my Verizon Samsung Galaxy 4 with me. I love that phone, but it's going on 3 years old now, so it is time to upgrade.

Cricket has a Galaxy Amp by Samsung that seems to get very good reviews.

See if you can use an AT&T GoPhone since Cricket uses AT&T's network.  If so, there are lots of GoPhones out there for good prices.

Chris

[Calumus]

It all depends on how AT&T service is in your area. Where I am its on par with Verizon in most areas, and better in some. I've switched about a dozen clients over to Cricket in the past year. Cricket's 2.5gb plan is $20 a month cheaper the Verizon's 2gb plan, plus there aren't any overages or fees. What you see is what you pay. Data is limited to 8mb/sec; but I don't see that as a huge deal on a phone for most people. Even if you're streaming to a tv, you can run a 1080p feed easily on that. They also have some pretty good discounts on multiple lines with none of this shared data nonsense. They still offer an unlimited plan as well. When I need to tether, I just use PDANet. Its the only reason I jailbreak my iPhone. In my Android days I used its sister Foxfi. They both work perfectly, and I've never had an issue with my carrier.

Scout, if your son joins your plan, you are probably going to need to up your data plan. Even with extensive use of wi-fi, I can't imagine that 250mb is going to be enough for two people. Especially with one of them being a kid.

[Nick1911]

I love cricket.  I've been with them for well over a year.

$35 a month.  Total.  Includes unlimited voice, unlimited texts and 2gb of 4glte speed.  Go over on data?  You get 3g speeds, NOT a huge bill for additional data.

I accidentally dropped my phone in a parking lot and took out the screen.  I got another phone from cricket, online, for $12 bucks.  Shipped two day priority.  What kind of phone do you get for $12 shipped, with NO CONTRACT?  An android phone with a quad core proc, 1 gb of ram, GPS + GLONASS, Bluetooth, etc.  Not the latest, but a totally usable android device.

I'm sold.  Cricket rocks.

[Andiron]

I can't vouch for them,  but https://ting.com/ is supposed to be a "pay only for what you use" service.

[Ben]

I thought this might be of interest (especially "taxes and surcharges") regarding "fees and taxes" above whatever plan you have from whatever carrier. I got my confirmation letter this morning from yesterday's plan change, and this was the legalese:

Taxes & surcharges:
Monthly Regulatory Charge  ........................................... $0.21 per device
Monthly Administrative Charge  ...................................... $1.23 per device
Monthly Federal Universal Service Charge on interstate & international
telecom charges (varies quarterly based on FCC rate) ..... 17.9% per device
Note:
Federal Universal Service, Regulatory and Administrative Charges are Verizon Wireless charges, not taxes.  Taxes and Verizon Wireless surcharges
may add between 7% to 46% of your monthly bill.

[Marnoot]

I can't vouch for them,  but https://ting.com/ is supposed to be a "pay only for what you use" service.

We've had Ting for a couple years and have zero complaints; great customer service. Whether it's a good deal for you depends on your usage; you can use the calculator on their site to see what your average monthly cost would be. Ting resells Sprint and T-Mobile (they just call it their GSM network, but it's T-Mobile) networks, so you can use a phone for whichever gets you the best signal where you live.

[K Frame]

Everything I've looked at over the last few days tells me that Cricket can't be any worse than Verizon in the DC metro area.

In the areas where I travel the AT&T network seems to be very robust.

I can't remember if I'm still under contract with Verizon right now, but I don't think I am, so I think can switch whenever I want.

[French G.]

Tracfone for call and text, bought a $70 t- Mobile prepay smartphone and never activated the service, use it as camera and wi-fi device. Total phone cost is 5-10 bucks a month. Works for me no  cell coverage at home so I pay about ninety per month for home phone and DSL.

[Hawkmoon]

No input on Cricket, but I've been going through this "switch provider" thing the last couple of months because my Verizon contract just ended this month and  I was looking at bringing my costs down. Right now I have a smartphone with 1gig and a 4G modem with 4gig data only and am paying $115/mo.

Based on input from Rev, I'm actually going to the local Verizon store today or tomorrow to have them run some numbers for me on prepaid. A prepaid smartphone plan with 2gig data is $45/mo and includes tethering. Because of the tethering, I was looking at going to the 5gig phone plan at $60/mo and dropping my modem.

I'm just concerned about any potential hidden fees, so am going in to talk to someone in person and actually have real numbers to look at.

I'll report back after I go in. One of the reasons I'm looking at sticking with Verizon on prepaid (if it does drop my costs) is simply the good coverage for where I go.

I just saw this. Sorry if it's too late.

Be advised that not all "local Verizon stores" are, in fact, Verizon stores. Around here, most of the "Verizon" storefronts are actually independent resellers, and they DON"T offer or have access to the best deals that Verizon offers. I have a couple of those stores within about ten minutes of home. I've found that I get better service and better deals by driving half an hour north to an actual Verizon corporate store in a mall and dealing directly with Verizon.

[Ben]

I just saw this. Sorry if it's too late.

Be advised that not all "local Verizon stores" are, in fact, Verizon stores. Around here, most of the "Verizon" storefronts are actually independent resellers, and they DON"T offer or have access to the best deals that Verizon offers. I have a couple of those stores within about ten minutes of home. I've found that I get better service and better deals by driving half an hour north to an actual Verizon corporate store in a mall and dealing directly with Verizon.

I was at the actual Verizon store. The Verizon website actually lets you filter for that when looking for locations. Though I have heard people say they have gotten better deals by going to a reseller, such as Best Buy. I've never tried it, as I like dealing with the corporate store myself.

[Calumus]

I was at the actual Verizon store. The Verizon website actually lets you filter for that when looking for locations. Though I have heard people say they have gotten better deals by going to a reseller, such as Best Buy. I've never tried it, as I like dealing with the corporate store myself.

You can get better deals on the phones themselves through Best Buy and Amazon; but the plans they offer are standard.

[Battle Monkey of Zardoz]

Does Sprint still suck?  Had a phone with them over 10 years ago. As long as I was in a major city or on an interstate, service was great. Get out of city or more than 10 miles from the interstate, service was zero, an in none.