Pre Paid Archive

  • Senators push for tracking of pre-paid cellphones

    Senators push for tracking of pre-paid cellphones

    Posted on May 27, 2010 | No Comments
    New York Senator Chuck Schumer has already taken aim at texting while driving, and it looks like he's now set his sights on pre-paid cellphones, which he says can also be dangerous -- when in the wrong hands, at least. To that end, he and Republican co-sponsor John Cornyn of Texas have introduced legislation that would give authorities the ability to identify the owners of pre-paid cellphones, which they say is long overdue "because for years, terrorists, drug kingpins and gang members have stayed one step ahead of the law by using prepaid phones that are hard to trace." That new tracking ability would also consequently place some new requirements on cellphone carriers and people buying the phones -- specifically, anyone buying a pre-paid cellphone would be required to present identification before buying a phone, and cellphone carriers would have to keep that information on file for 18 months after the phone has been deactivated. Of course, the legislation still has a ways to go before it becomes law, but Schumer says it at least has a good chance of winning support from the Obama administration. Head on past the break for the complete press release.

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    Senators push for tracking of pre-paid cellphones originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 27 May 2010 23:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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  • Sprint and Virgin Mobile announces Beyond Talk $25 prepaid plan, new prepaid brand

    Sprint and Virgin Mobile announces Beyond Talk $25 prepaid plan, new prepaid brand

    Posted on May 6, 2010 | No Comments
    Sprint Nextel, through its Virgin Mobile brand, has announced a pretty big shift in its business model by offering new prepaid plans that begin at a mind-blowing $25 a month. Starting on May 12, three new Beyond Talk plans will include unlimited messaging, email, data, and web, as well as 300 minutes ($25), 1,200 minutes ($40), or unlimited minutes ($60) of talk time. And that ain't all -- BlackBerry data service can be added for an additional $10. Of course, you'll be paying full price for your phone, but at least the selection is indeed better than the usual pre-paid fare, including the Blackberry Curve 8530 ($300) and LG Rumor Touch ($150). We don't know how the other carriers are going to respond, but this does prompt the question: would you put up with Sprint's handset selection for a plan this cheap? PR after the break.

    Update: The Wall Street Journal has it that Sprint is also fixing to launch an entirely new prepaid brand, and while it declined to share a name for the new branch, it did confess that it "will let customers pay upfront for cell service by the minute rather than signing up for a month at a time." As you may expect, it'll be aimed at "middle-aged Americans who only use cellphones occasionally to make calls," and it'll join Boost Mobile, Assurance Wireless and Virgin Mobile in Sprint's rapidly expanding stable of prepaid sub-brands. Is it difficult to tell these guys love the prepaid and can't quite figure out how to make ends meet on the postpaid side? Nah...

    Continue reading Sprint and Virgin Mobile announces Beyond Talk $25 prepaid plan, new prepaid brand

    Sprint and Virgin Mobile announces Beyond Talk $25 prepaid plan, new prepaid brand originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 06 May 2010 10:23:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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  • No-contract $30 / $45 Straight Talk wireless plans storm Walmart

    No-contract $30 / $45 Straight Talk wireless plans storm Walmart

    Posted on October 14, 2009 | 6 Comments

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    Remember when TracFone horrified the world with its Straight Talk phone selection back in July? Clearly the suits in Bentonville weren't so scared, as now Walmart is latching on to that very plan and claiming it as its own. In over 3,200 of the outfit's retail stores across America, consumers will be able to snag an admittedly pathetic cellie and a rather decent calling plan for just $30 a month. Three Hamiltons gets you 1,000 voice minutes, 1,000 texts and 30MB of mobile web access, not to mention nationwide coverage and free 411 calls. If that's not quite enough, a $45 per month option provides unlimited everything (voice / SMS / mobile web). Of course, the price of using an antediluvian LG 220, LG Slider 290 or Samsung 451 can't be measured in mere dollars, but hey, humiliation's only temporary -- right?

    No-contract $30 / $45 Straight Talk wireless plans storm Walmart originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Wed, 14 Oct 2009 13:16:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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