Good cheap hobby phone virgin?

colt's Avatar
  • colt
  • 09-21-2012, 12:29 PM
Time to get hobby phone with good internet no bill just pay as u go.

Virgin looks good at 35 a month. Could use advice from u experts.

Thanks colt.
Capt. Howdy's Avatar
Get a good smart phone that you like. Use google voice,it's ridiculous to use multiple phones,instead of multiple numbers!
I have Google Voice and it's a pain in the ass. I'm looking into getting a hobby phone. My Google Voice drops calls, crashes, and doesn't even notify me when someone is calling. Doesn't even let me answer either. I was looking into Cricket. Although that's all I have experience with.
Capt. Howdy's Avatar
Are you using a jail broken phone? They are known to cause glitches with google voice. I had a throw away Virgin Mobile phone before,it was inexpensive,just lots of girls like text,and it didn't have full keyboard,took 10 min to text a sentence.
Squarenot's Avatar
I have a Virgin mobile phone made by Kyocera and have used it as a hobby phone for several years. It's a flip phone. I think I bought it with cash at WalMart and use pre-paid gas-up cards using cash whenever they send me a message to re-up.

My phone is an older model and the texting feature is a pain in the ass to use. Also, the voice mail goes to someone's private telephone. I've never tried to correct that and don't use the voice mail feature.

A problem with Virgin is that I only use the phone for hobby and over time have gassed it up and now have over $500 credit on it. I should simply get a more modern phone for texting use as many of the providers like to text.

Otherwise, it has been a very good phone. I've become like Pavlov's dog. When it rings, I smile and get a boner thinking it's a provider. Love that sound.
Are you using a jail broken phone? They are known to cause glitches with google voice. I had a throw away Virgin Mobile phone before,it was inexpensive,just lots of girls like text,and it didn't have full keyboard,took 10 min to text a sentence. Originally Posted by Capt. Howdy
Nope I'm using my Samsung Galaxy S3.
colt's Avatar
  • colt
  • 09-21-2012, 02:32 PM
I was more concerned about how good the signal is local. Nothing like being in parkin lot waiting on room number and no signal! For sure android smart phone for those quick hunts when u get the nc ns$ timobile also interesting. I only have co phone now playing dangerous.
I have Google Voice and it's a pain in the ass. I'm looking into getting a hobby phone. My Google Voice drops calls, crashes, and doesn't even notify me when someone is calling. Doesn't even let me answer either. I was looking into Cricket. Although that's all I have experience with. Originally Posted by Malaya
I've had the same problems with google voice. Straight Talk from walmart is about $45/mth for unlimited talk/text/web. No contract. You can also just purchase a SIM card and use your own phone. I think for a lesser internet plan and 1k mins it's only $30/month.
Capt. Howdy's Avatar
I have a friend that has straight talk with a iPhone 4, and I have issues getting text through some times, have to call him and he turns power off,and the problem resolves. So if you do a lot of texting that's an issue that can arise.
Tried Google voice..it will show up on your bill if you have to worry about your bill being seen...
I have an iPhone and use the Pinger app. I have zero problems with it. It lets you talk and text. All you need is a generic email address to activate it. They have this service for other phones, but it's text only. Did I mention that you can text for free?
Your Ebony Dream's Avatar
Verizon has cheap flip phones at Walmart for $15. It also includes $10 airtime.

Also Att has cheap prepaid phones and they have I believe a $2 daily unlimited plan, and you only use airtime on the days you make calls or text off the phone, so unless you you use the phone everyday $15 airtime would late you a week

Hope this helps ....
It seems like your biggest problem is going to be finding something "with good internet". If you just want talk & text.... there are tons of options out there.
colt's Avatar
  • colt
  • 09-21-2012, 08:53 PM
It seems like your biggest problem is going to be finding something "with good internet". If you just want talk & text.... there are tons of options out there. Originally Posted by atxdream
I think you are spot on. T-mobile had a phone for $9.00 then you add a $100 air card and you got 1000 minutes for a year. But I want to pull up your beautiful picture at the stop light on they way to your incall. Then maybe I'm just a little off the trail and need the gps or google maps to find you, darn I forgot to add your number to the phone, got to get to PM's on eccie to find it etc.

I'm gonna need 4g so they are not honking when the light turns green. $149.00 for a good 4g smart phone and $30 per month, well its worth it, 100 min month no much talking to do, just text, email and call for room #, $50 gets unlimted babbling.

I might have to cut back on the tips, no can't do that no Tea with lunch.
Texting is a huge problem with a cheap 10 button phone. I went to Google voice. I had problems a couple of times but it usually works pretty well.
If I was single I would add a phone for hobby but since i have a SO its easy for me to cover my trail fairly well with GV you can just log out and delete the texts and phone numbers. I add the contacts on the web page not on my phone contact list. I do not receive paper bills and SO has no access to my web login. If you have a hobby phone you run the risk of your SO finding the phone. That would be a bad thing.