GoPhone Wows Us

Over the last year or so, the AT&T GoPhone has been slowly working its way into our hearts by improving and becoming a very useful prepaid service. We pay for our own GoPhone service, so this isn't a review after using a phone that was supplied by AT&T. Instead of discussing each attribute, I'll just list them:

• While GoPhone is still limited to the AT&T network in the US, it's now available across a large part of the US after the Alltel acquisitions.



• Unlimited calling is now as low as $50 per month.



• PayGo rates are as low as .10 per minute.



• GoPhone roams in Mexico on the superior TelCel network at only .25 per minute.



• GoPhone now offers PayGo web access (for 'feature phones') at a reasonable price. What is reasonable? I can get weather reports and stock prices for as low as .01 each. Most web pages cost .10 each.



• GoPhone Refills can be found at significant discounts.

Downsides:

• Refills are still limited to 30 to 90 days. You need to spend $100 to get a year's refill unlike T-Mobile's $10 threshold.



• Downloads for certain PayGo features incur a charge, although that charge is usually just .01.



• On my newer Nokia, a call to 611 does not get you a person, it forces you around a downloaded service program that is unhelpful.

Our personal use of GoPhone starts with our frequent trips to Mexico and then works down the balance in the US for the months following. Our normal 'backup' phones still use T-Mobile Prepaid based on their low Refill requirements. But the GoPhone keeps getting better.

Ultimately our T-Mobile phones may become GoPhones (please let us keep our Gold Rewards!), but if AT&T can extend the expiration dates, we'll be immediate converts!