Bluetooth pay as you go (prepaid) phone?

Maybe there's a 3rd-party bluetooth plugin/attachment you can add.

 

You can buy an unlocked bluetooth enabled GSM phone and then use prepaid SIM chips from T-Mobile or Cingular.

Such phones are available from Telestial, Inc and Costco.

 

I'd like to clarify IsrAmeriPrius' post, if you're not GSM savvy:

a SIM card clips into the back of a GSM phone and tells the phone what it's number is, what network to connect to, roaming agreements, etc.

you can slip your SIM card out of a phone and put it in any (Unlocked*) GSM phone that supports the right frequencies (In the USA it's 850MHz and 1900MHz, Europe it's 900MHz and 1800MHz, other continents sometimes use 800MHz, 2100MHz and 3600MHz.) from there it should be hiccup-free.

The only national GSM Providers I know of are T-mobile and Cingular. Cingular having the "bigger" network and better reception.

* Unlocked means that the place where you bought it (Cingular or T-Mobile) hasn't put some sort of programming that disallows off-network SIM cards to connect. Both T-Mobile and Cingular do this.


GOOD LUCK!!!

 

you can use pre pay on any phone... you can move to a prepay account from a regular account at verizon if you want to and are willing to pay any early termination fees that may apply

 

It also may be worth checking for pre-pay bluetooth phones at a mobile phone forum like http://www.howardforums.com

If nothing else, it may give you the cheapest way to get a phone that you can use with IsrAmeriPrius's post above.

 

Thrak please keep us updated as to your final choice. There is such spotty reception where I live and work (hills) that it is useless to have a 'regular' account, but would be nice to have a pay-as-you-go for trips.

 

How about the Motorola V330 on the T-Mobile To Go plan:

http://www.t-mobile.com/prepaid/starterkits.asp

My Prius won't be ready for a while (just put the order in over the weekend), and I HATE cell phones, but my wife has been nagging me to get one so she can nag me anytime/anyplace/anywhere . If the Motorola V330 is compatible with the Prius, then I can easily see myself signing up for this service as I'd have little need for anything apart from a pre-paid service.

Peace!

 

Hmm, might go that route once my pager contract expires.

$100 for 1000 minutes good for a year, that'll probably last me a good long while. At least until I get addicted to it anyway.

 

You want to make sure whether the pay as you go plan is using the bandwith that allows you to use the GSM phones.

I am also on a pay as you go plan (the AT&T Free2Go) plan, which allows you to pay in as little as $10 per quarter.

However, that plan uses the older bandwith, so I was not able to move my plan to any phone that uses the SIM card. They offered to switch me over to the other pay as you go plan, but that plan is minimally $29.99 per month. This other pre-pay plan does use the new bandwith, which will support the bluetooth phones.

 

actually according to company published stats, Sprint would have the largest coverage area (i had Sprint and that is definitely not true in my area) with 291 million (Verizon 289) (Cingular 279). but as we all know coverage isnt as important as the quality of that coverage.

 

verizon revamped their family share plans on americas choice last weekend, you might want to recheck their prices

 

T-Mobile now has a 'Web Special Offer' on a Bluetooth Motorola V195 for $39.99 - including a $25 (130 min) refill card.

I just bought one and have the following comments....

• The phone pairs easily with my 2006 Prius and my wife's 2005 Lexus.
• It it will only transfer one phonebook entry to the car at a time and the names become reversed in the car's phonebook. (John Doe becomes Doe John) It is much, much easier to just manually enter the names into the car's phonebook.
• Minute 'refills', even the @$10 one, are good for 90 days. So conceivably, with this deal ($39.99) + three, $10 renewals ($30 total) you can get prepaid cell phone service for a year.
• Mine arrived two days after I ordered it.

Here are the links to the offer and refill details.

http://www.t-mobile.com/shop/phones/prepaid.aspx

http://www.t-mobile.com/shop/phones...d&device=16e03278-c4ec-4193-a7f8-ac59788a12de

Cheers

Mark

 

I use a prepaid from Alltel. Motorola Razor, works great. Check website.