Go phone general Questions

[Grimreaper11]

Hi, I have not yet gotten a go-phone, but I have some questions first.

I am interested in the 25$ plan. Are there any hidden fees or anything besides the 25$?

If i purchased a refurbished phone, are they in good condition?

Can you buy refill cards at the store, or only online?

Can you buy a sim card and bring your old phone and use it as a go-phone?

Any other good or bad things worth mentioning?

[StoneKy]

[quote]

Hi, I have not yet gotten a go-phone, but I have some questions first.

I am interested in the 25$ plan. Are there any hidden fees or anything besides the 25$?

If i purchased a refurbished phone, are they in good condition?

Can you buy refill cards at the store, or only online?

Can you buy a sim card and bring your old phone and use it as a go-phone?

Any other good or bad things worth mentioning?[/quote]

I have the ZTE Avail Go Phone with the $25.00 monthly plan.

Other than sales tax there are no more fees.

Refurb should have a warranty

Cards can be bought both at stores and online or use your cc to refill thru ATT

Sim Card and other phone, I think it depends on which phone

Love my phone, plan and service. Came from an iPhone

[Grimreaper11]

thanks for replying.

Do you feel like you still get most of the features from the ZTE avial, even though you don't get internet on the 25$ plan.? I know it's an android, are you still getting the full experience or most of it, or does it feel like you are really restricted? Did you buy your phone online or in the store? Are they cheaper online? Are you able to upload more than 25$ per month?

Like can you buy a 100$ card, upload it, and it will last for 4 months? thanks

[Grimreaper11]

and wait, this phone comes with wifi. Does that mean you don't need a data plan to use the internet? Can you still access the android market on wifi or do you need a plan for that?

[StoneKy]

Don't feel restricted at all.

Bought it at Walmart for $129.00.  They are the same online from what I have found.

I don't think you can purchase a card that will last more than a month however if you need more time you can purchase an unlimited (talk/text) card for $50.00 per month. But for me the $25.00 per month plan works fine for me (250 minutes & unlimited text) if I were to go over 250 min. it's .10 cents per minute.

Yes the wifi works great and I can access the Android Market (Google Play / silly name) Also Amazon App Store.  NO Data Plan needed!!

[Grimreaper11]

Can you have a weather widget and what not just using wifi? Can you watch videos online? So you can download games, apps, and other stuff on the android market on wifi? And How is the voice-to-text? Can it interpret larger sentences like: "tell roger to meet me at the riverside cafe after he gets done with work", or can it only take simple commands, like "how are you doing"?

[Grimreaper11]

And also, how does adding refill cards work? I don't know if you know how tracfone works, but You just went to the prepaid menu on the phone, then "add airtime" then you typed in the code then you were updated. Is it like that, or do you have to have an online account to upload the pin to redeem the card?

[StoneKy]

Yes Yes and Yes but of course only when connected to wifi. Unless you pay extra for a data plan. I haven't tried the voice to text.

[hnzw_rui]

How is "how are you doing" considered a simple instruction? That's one silly question that's better suited for Siri. As for the earlier, last I tried, Android couldn't interpret something like that. However, you could use voice commands to send a text message or email and then use dictation to write the message/email. Refill, *888* + pin number + # then press send.

[StoneKy]

You do not have to use / buy a card you can do it either online with your cc or call (free) 611. You can have ATT to auto charge your cc/debit card monthly, or if you register a cc/debit card they will send you a text and pay (this is my prefered method) just by replying 25 + last four #'s of your cc that's on file.

[ilikewireless ACE - Professor]

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Grimreaper11 wrote:

And also, how does adding refill cards work? I don't know if you know how tracfone works, but You just went to the prepaid menu on the phone, then "add airtime" then you typed in the code then you were updated. Is it like that, or do you have to have an online account to upload the pin to redeem the card?

---

Yes. You can buy refill cards. Refill cards have PIN numbers that you can enter into the phone or online.

Refill cards will expire in  x days from the time of activation, not  x days from your current expiration date.  This is one aspect where AT&T differs from Tracfone. For a $25 refill card, x = 90.

[Grimreaper11]

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hnzw_rui wrote:
How is "how are you doing" considered a simple instruction? That's one silly question that's better suited for Siri. As for the earlier, last I tried, Android couldn't interpret something like that. However, you could use voice commands to send a text message or email and then use dictation to write the message/email. Refill, *888* + pin number + # then press send.

---

when I said A simple command like  "how are you doing" I was talking about speach to text....

[Grimreaper11]

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ilikewireless wrote:

Yes. You can buy refill cards. Refill cards have PIN numbers that you can enter into the phone or online.

Refill cards will expire in  x days from the time of activation, not  x days from your current expiration date.  This is one aspect where AT&T differs from Tracfone. For a $25 refill card, x = 90.

---

ww..ww...waaiitt.  A 25$ go phone refill card lasts 90 days? Are you sure You are talking about the same plan I am, because if you were, that would be sweet. I am talking about the 25$ unlimited text and 250 minutes plan...

[ilikewireless ACE - Professor]

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Grimreaper11 wrote:

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ilikewireless wrote:

Yes. You can buy refill cards. Refill cards have PIN numbers that you can enter into the phone or online.

Refill cards will expire in  x days from the time of activation, not  x days from your current expiration date.  This is one aspect where AT&T differs from Tracfone. For a $25 refill card, x = 90.

---

ww..ww...waaiitt.  A 25$ go phone refill card lasts 90 days? Are you sure You are talking about the same plan I am, because if you were, that would be sweet. I am talking about the 25$ unlimited text and 250 minutes plan...

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That post is a reply to your question about refill cards. You can accumulate up to $500 in your account and the 90 days extension is for the pool of money in your account. A $25 monthly plan can draw from your pool of money in your account. The instant you select the $25 monthly plan, $25 will be deducted from your account. A month later $25 will be deducted per the plan.  Your account expiration date can be extended when you enter the PIN number of a refill card. For a $25 refill card, the extension is 90 days from the day of activation of the refill card.

[hnzw_rui]

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Grimreaper11 wrote:

ww..ww...waaiitt.  A 25$ go phone refill card lasts 90 days? Are you sure You are talking about the same plan I am, because if you were, that would be sweet. I am talking about the 25$ unlimited text and 250 minutes plan...

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The refill cards themselves expire after 90 days. The $25/250 minutes+unlimited text plan expires after 30 days. What this basically means is if you load $25 to the account and sign-up for the $25/250 min plan and don't refill after, you'll get the following:

day 1-30:

$25 credit - $25 plan = $0 balance, 250 minutes + unlimited text

after 30 days:

$0 balance, can't make calls or send texts, SIM card still active, plan switches to pay as you go (probably the $0.10/min one)

after 150 days (90 day credit expiration + 60 day grace period):

SIM card gets deactivated and becomes unusable, you lose your number and need to buy a new SIM card if you want to get GoPhone service

Basic speech to text works fine. To get the equivalent of "tell roger to meet me at the riverside cafe after he gets done with work", you would do it in 2 parts:

1. Use the microphone to activate Voice Action and say "send text to Roger" or "email Roger"

2. Use the microphone on the keyboard to activate speech to text and say "Meet me at the riverside cafe after you get done with work".

[Grimreaper11]

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StoneKy wrote:

[quote]

Hi, I have not yet gotten a go-phone, but I have some questions first.

I am interested in the 25$ plan. Are there any hidden fees or anything besides the 25$?

If i purchased a refurbished phone, are they in good condition?

Can you buy refill cards at the store, or only online?

Can you buy a sim card and bring your old phone and use it as a go-phone?

Any other good or bad things worth mentioning?[/quote]

I have the ZTE Avail Go Phone with the $25.00 monthly plan.

Other than sales tax there are no more fees.

Refurb should have a warranty

Cards can be bought both at stores and online or use your cc to refill thru ATT

Sim Card and other phone, I think it depends on which phone

Love my phone, plan and service. Came from an iPhone

---

So you said you came from an iphone, does the avail feel like a step down from the iphone? Did you have the iphone 3?

[StoneKy]

No not at all. However the iPhone is a better built phone.  Actually the Avail looks and feels very similar to the iPhone.  Only problem with the Avail is the internal memory is way low so you must buy a SD card.

Yes I had the iPhone 3GS 32gb

[StoneKy]

Refilling is a breeze. Now you can refill your account in more ways than ever. And if you refill your account before the balance expires, any remaining balance will roll over to the new expiration date. A $100 refill has a one-year expiration date which gives you an entire year to use that money.
Online: Go now to refill by credit card, debit card or electronic check.
In-Store: Drop by one of our AT&Tstores or more than 200,000 authorized retail locations to buy a GoPhone Pay As You Go card.
By Phone: Simply call 611 on your wireless phone or 1-800-901-9878 to get your refill.
Dial *888*: Add funds from most refill cards right from your handset. Follow these four easy steps: 1: Dial *888* 2: Enter PIN on the card 3: Press # 4: Press Send. 

Auto-Refill:

Make refilling your phone hassle free with Auto-Refill. Sign up and get your balance replenished automatically. Plus, when you sign up and make two successful auto payments, you'll receive a $5 bonus!

Refill with just a text message. Text to Refill is the latest, easy way to add money to your account. Once you use a credit or debit card and authorize AT&Tto save the card information, you can Text to Refill, just like this: 1. Write a text message with the amount of the refill, followed by a space and the last four numbers of the card on file with AT&T 2. Text that to 7778 (It's a free text!)

For example, to add $25 with your card ending in 1234, text "25 1234" to 7778. Haven't used a credit or debit card yet? Go to att.com/mygophone and choose the option to refill with a credit or debit card payment. After you login, choose "Update My Profile" to enter your card info, then save it. Now you're ready to Text to Refill! Keeping up with your account online is a cinch. View account history, check your balance and add funds. Check it all now. Even see your balance by calling *777# from your wireless phone.

[Grimreaper11]

do you know If calling to that number on your cell to add minutes, If it deducts minutes or if it is free?

[ilikewireless ACE - Professor]

It's free.

[soxroushketeer]

Their 30 days is as short as 27 sometimes, you can't always put money on it online unless you send it to yourself as a present. If you buy phones from other than ATT you could have issues with sending and receiving pics, and they usaully can't help you. I had to look up codes and play with my phones. It can be cheap, but you get what you pay for.

[Grimreaper11]

Question.

At the store, There are no specific cards for the different plans, just different amounts to upload. When you call the number or type in the *888* or whatever it is, and type in your number, are you asked what plan you are on, or how does that work?

[ilikewireless ACE - Professor]

Yes. The cards do two things: fill up your gophone with money and extend the expiration date. The plan you choose and the feature package you buy, will withdraw the proper amount of money from the refills that you applied.

Typically, you choose a plan and a feature package like data when you activate the phone.

[Grimreaper11]

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soxroushketeer wrote:

Their 30 days is as short as 27 sometimes, you can't always put money on it online unless you send it to yourself as a present. If you buy phones from other than ATT you could have issues with sending and receiving pics, and they usaully can't help you. I had to look up codes and play with my phones. It can be cheap, but you get what you pay for.

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What do you mean, If you buy phones from other than ATT? Do you mean just buying a go phone from a different store, like walmart, or do you mean bringing a phone to ATT with a sim card, or what?

[Grimreaper11]

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ilikewireless wrote:

Yes. The cards do two things: fill up your gophone with money and extend the expiration date. The plan you choose and the feature package you buy, will withdraw the proper amount of money from the refills that you applied.

Typically, you choose a plan and a feature package like data when you activate the phone.

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When you activate your phone, Do you choose which plan you want, and then you are sort of locked to that plan, Or do they just ask you what plan you want when you add a refill card?

[ilikewireless ACE - Professor]

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Grimreaper11 wrote:

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ilikewireless wrote:

Yes. The cards do two things: fill up your gophone with money and extend the expiration date. The plan you choose and the feature package you buy, will withdraw the proper amount of money from the refills that you applied.

Typically, you choose a plan and a feature package like data when you activate the phone.

---

When you activate your phone, Do you choose which plan you want, and then you are sort of locked to that plan, Or do they just ask you what plan you want when you add a refill card?

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When I activated my phone I got to pick a plan. I  am not locked to the plan. I can change plan at any time. Since I'm still on the 10c per minute plan, I refill only when the account expires or when the money in the account runs out, whichever comes first. My data will run out in 3 days. At that time, I will decide if I want data. If I wanted data, I'd have to switch to either the $25/month plan or the $50/month unlimited plan - the two plans that can have data package as an add-on.

[Grimreaper11]

quick question. If I choose the 25$ a month plan with no data, I can't accidentally use data somehow and be charged for it, can I? Because I don't want to accidentally press somthing and be charged for it.

[ilikewireless ACE - Professor]

With a smartphone, you can't accidentally use data.

You can turn on data before you use AT&T Mobile Care app. This free data app will start up when you dial 611 to refill or to get the status of your account if your account is active.

[Grimreaper11]

When you dial 611 or whatever it is to add a card or check balance, Does that use any minutes? ( I will be on the 250  minutes + unlimited texting plan)

[ilikewireless ACE - Professor]

611 calls are free if you follow their voice prompts and enter the card number and your phone number yourself.

If you yourself choose to talk to an AT&T customer service agent by dialing 611, there is a $5.00 service charge to do a refill.
If you go to a store to buy a refill, they will likely do the refill for free while you wait. It may depend on their willingness.