Friday, September 16, 2011

New Prepaid Skirmishes

This past week saw several moves that made Prepaid wireless even more desirable. AT&T was first by making their AT&T GoPhone more competitive with a $25 monthly plan. The new plan includes 250 Voice minutes and Unlimited Text (SMS) for 30 days. Their $50 plan, which comes with Unlimited Talk and Text, will still be available. In addition, AT&T will offer an international calling package for Prepaid and has expanded GoPhone roaming to Canada. GoPhone is already one of our preferred choices for roaming calls in Mexico. AT&T's new plan will be available this Sunday (9/18).

Then Verizon Wireless announced a new Prepaid plan at $50 that includes Unlimited Talk, Text and Web. Unlimited Web is confined to "feature" phones, Unlimited data for Smart phones is an additional $30. You can add Email for $7 and Verizon offers 4 phones for this new plan. Verizon offers this plan now.

Boost Mobile reacted by saying their $50 Unlimited plan is better because it includes Smart phones, but their new Android phones will incur an additional $5 charge for these plans starting in October. But their 'reducing your price every 6 months' feature still applies.

MetroPCS claims their plans are better because they're cheaper. But one financial blogger claims Verizon's move puts MetroPCS into a better position to be acquired by Verizon, whether that was Verizon's intent or not. Metro's pricing power may be reduced when Verizon's price is similar. If AT&T can have T-Mobile, why can't Verizon have Metro PCS?

Additionally, a sharp-eyed reader alerted us to the fact that Straight Talk Unlimited now offers coverage from your choice of one of the Top 4 carriers, based on phone model, with their new Android phones operating on the Sprint network.

Now it's even more acceptable to Switch to Prepaid. However, look at all the other trends we're facing:


  • We're Switching from Postpaid to Prepaid

  • We're Going Totally Wireless

  • We may be losing 2 of the Top 5 carriers

  • Smart phone plan prices are increasing.

  • Unlimited data is going and data throttling is coming.
We have provided the best online deals for all of these carriers on our Moose Wireless shopping page, and don't forget when you switch to Prepaid, check out one of the only sources of Discount Prepaid Refills. It's a trend, don'tcha know.

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