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The Tracfone one year card at $95 or so for 150 minutes seems the easiest solution for the technically challenged or grand motherly. Many of stores are selling the phone for $50-60 on sale.

Try this too:

http://groups.msn.com/prepaidwireless

Jim

IMO, any of those options would be fairly reasonable ones. I think the most important thing to do would be regular "recurrent training" on the operation of the cell phone, a routine for making sure it's charged, etc. Those of us tethered to cell phones forget that for those who are not it's not as obvious how to use as we may think.

Virgin Mobile uses the Sprint network. A key factor would be whether there is good coverage in the areas your mother may travel.

Virgin phones are $70-80, with lots on eBay cheaper.

[This message has been edited by nyventurecapital (edited 02-23-2003).]

In addition to the prepaid route, you might consider getting her an 'add-a-phone' on your current account, if your carrier offers the facility. For $10 a month, she shares in your minutes. Since she isn't going to use it much, it means less worry and hassle for everyone. No worries if the prepaid authentication system dies (which does happen, meaning even though the system works she can't make a call since the switch can't verify that she has money in her account) or if someone forgot to top up the phone and it expired. It's a bit more expensive than Tracfone but the decreased hassle may be worth it.

I, my boyfriend, and 2 co-workers all use Verizon's prepay and like it. Virgin/Sprint's was not out when we got it, but the Verizon coverage worked the best for us. It is $30 every 60 days, so other options may be cheaper.

BillJ

Well, this is quite the adventure...

AT&T (my carrier) wants a flat 29.95 per month for an additional phone.

Virgin mobile wants a minimum of $20 every 90 days. If the phone isn't used and the $$ value in the account reaches a $150 limit, then no more money can be deposited in the account. If no more money is deposited in the account every 90 days, the phone is placed in inactive status and 60 days later the account is terminated and the funds are forfeit.

Oh, there is no way to have the $20 auto debited from your credit card - you must contact Virgin one way or another.

Use it or loose it, as they say

Boost Mobile has a similar situation: $20 every 90 days to $300. Once the $300 is used, no more money can be added to the account. If money isn't added every 90 days the phone is placed in inactive status and terminated 60 days later.

Boost gave me the rationale that is costs them to buy phone numbers from the FCC (?).

They have the setup they do to deliberately terminate low usage users in the hopes of recycling the phone to someone who will use it more frequently. I'm not sure I buy this.

Boost, also, will not automatically debit your credit card.

Off to check with the TracPhone folks...

Thanks for the help!

birdstrike