Attention: TDR Forum Junkies 
I have tried most of the Big cell phone service providers and do not like them. For the past several years, I have used Net10 and had acceptable service for the money. It costs me $15 per month for my phone, service, and calls. I don't get chatty on the phone, and use it sparingly, so paying 10 cents per minute with never a bill reaching my mailbox works well for me.
I bought the same phones for my teenage sons. They get a $30 phone card every 60 days, which gives them 300 minutes and 60 days of service. If they waste their 300 minutes, they are just phoneless until the 60 days is up. They hate that sometimes, but it teaches responsible phone use. (Oh, btw: If Dad ever needs to contact them, they had BETTER have some minutes left!).
I readily acknowledge the tremendous value of mobile communications, but I absolutely detest people who spend all of their time on their phone/blackberry/texting/etc. My sons will NOT be allowed to do that while I have anything to say about it! So prepaid Net10 works very well.
EXCEPT right here at our home. I have traveled the nation with excellent service, and can walk either way down my road and have excellent service. But my house is in a true "Dead Zone" most of the time.
Even that is fine by me; I pay for a traditional landline and local calls are free and people who know me know they need to call that phone if I am at home or not answering my cell. The folks who don't know that, don't need to talk to me badly enough.
I hate texting and never bother to read or send text messages; after all, I pay my ISP for internet and email service if I want to send text. My phone is for talking. Sparingly.
I would, nonetheless, like to find one of those phones with a full keyboard for texting for my sons. They do like to text, and texting is even cheaper than talking on Net10.
My understanding is that I am not limited to the cheap few selections of phones that Net 10 offers and can instead buy an "unlocked" phone of my choice and just put my SIM card in it. But who makes what I want?
1> LOUD ringer!! I work around noisy, vibrating machinery and need a super-loud phone.
2> Super tough. Able to take a beating and come up working.
3> full texting keyboard
4> Outstanding reception
Other than those features, the fewer my phone has, the better. I have no use for games and apps cameras and all that other crap. A phone is a phone. Keep it simple, please.
Does anyone have any suggestions on what brand and model phone I might look for in an "unlocked" version to replace my current one or my sons' phones? I really don't need a texting keyboard, but I'm willing to buy them one.
I bought the same phones for my teenage sons. They get a $30 phone card every 60 days, which gives them 300 minutes and 60 days of service. If they waste their 300 minutes, they are just phoneless until the 60 days is up. They hate that sometimes, but it teaches responsible phone use. (Oh, btw: If Dad ever needs to contact them, they had BETTER have some minutes left!).
I readily acknowledge the tremendous value of mobile communications, but I absolutely detest people who spend all of their time on their phone/blackberry/texting/etc. My sons will NOT be allowed to do that while I have anything to say about it! So prepaid Net10 works very well.
EXCEPT right here at our home. I have traveled the nation with excellent service, and can walk either way down my road and have excellent service. But my house is in a true "Dead Zone" most of the time.
Even that is fine by me; I pay for a traditional landline and local calls are free and people who know me know they need to call that phone if I am at home or not answering my cell. The folks who don't know that, don't need to talk to me badly enough.
I hate texting and never bother to read or send text messages; after all, I pay my ISP for internet and email service if I want to send text. My phone is for talking. Sparingly.
I would, nonetheless, like to find one of those phones with a full keyboard for texting for my sons. They do like to text, and texting is even cheaper than talking on Net10.
My understanding is that I am not limited to the cheap few selections of phones that Net 10 offers and can instead buy an "unlocked" phone of my choice and just put my SIM card in it. But who makes what I want?
1> LOUD ringer!! I work around noisy, vibrating machinery and need a super-loud phone.
2> Super tough. Able to take a beating and come up working.
3> full texting keyboard
4> Outstanding reception
Other than those features, the fewer my phone has, the better. I have no use for games and apps cameras and all that other crap. A phone is a phone. Keep it simple, please.
Does anyone have any suggestions on what brand and model phone I might look for in an "unlocked" version to replace my current one or my sons' phones? I really don't need a texting keyboard, but I'm willing to buy them one.
