Prepaid Smartphone

[gabe2390]

I own a samsung captivate from my AT@T contract but i don't want to renew my contract. I would much rather use one of the prepaid plans. Can i just put a go phone sim card in my captivate and go, or do i have to go to an AT@T store so they can do it? Is it even poosible to use a captivate on a prepaid AT@T plan? Thanks for all the help in advance.

[Wild Banchi ACE - Professor]

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gabe2390 wrote:

I own a samsung captivate from my AT@T contract but i don't want to renew my contract. I would much rather use one of the prepaid plans. Can i just put a go phone sim card in my captivate and go, or do i have to go to an AT@T store so they can do it? Is it even poosible to use a captivate on a prepaid AT@T plan? Thanks for all the help in advance.

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Yes, you can use your existing Captivate on a GoPhone plan. I, myself, am using a prepaid Captivate. The best part is, no data plan is required.

If you want to keep your same number, you'd have to go to an AT&T store and have them transfer everything over, including your phone number, to a GoPhone SIM card. If you do not want to keep your phone number, (which I don't see why you wouldn't) you can just purchase a GoPhone SIM card on your own and activate it yourself. You'd then get a new phone number with new activation.

Also, there should not be a charge for the new SIM if you decide to add money to your new account while your are still in the store.

[OnlytheShadowKn…]

Spoiler

Yes, you can use your existing Captivate on a GoPhone plan. I, myself, am using a prepaid Captivate. The best part is, no data plan is required.

 The first part is certainly true.

But, huh?  No data plan required for the Captivate?  A 3G, HSDPA droid?

I would guess that the network, upon detecting the Captivate's IMEI, would require the use of one-of-three data plans:  $5-mon/10MB (50cents/MB-mon), or $15-mon/100MB (15cents/MB-mon), or $25-mon/500MB (5cents/MB-mon).

[Wild Banchi ACE - Professor]

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OnlytheShadowKnows wrote:

Yes, you can use your existing Captivate on a GoPhone plan. I, myself, am using a prepaid Captivate. The best part is, no data plan is required.

 The first part is certainly true.

But, huh?  No data plan required for the Captivate?  A 3G, HSDPA droid?

I would guess that the network, upon detecting the Captivate's IMEI, would require the use of one-of-three data plans:  $5-mon/10MB (50cents/MB-mon), or $15-mon/100MB (15cents/MB-mon), or $25-mon/500MB (5cents/MB-mon).

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Nope, not required... Gotcha there. Prepaid smartphones do not require a mandatory data plan unlike postpaid smartphones. It's only if you would like to use data services would a prepaid smartphone data plan apply, but that's up to you if you want to use data or not.

[OnlytheShadowKn…]

Sorry, no cigar.

Of course, if you do not use data services (the EDGE 2G or UMTS 3G bands) then you don't need a data plan at all.  As a matter of fact, you can easily live with the unlimited voice+text+web services for 2G endpoints.

But I ask:

Why would you bother buying an expensive 3G/4G smartphone and not have data enabled for either web or (POP/SMTP) mail services?

For voice and texting (SMS) only?

Buy yourself something like a Blackberry Pearl with QWERTY keyboard for $20 in eBay, then, but that is just me.

[Wild Banchi ACE - Professor]

Who cares if some people like myself want a smartphone to use voice calling, text messaging, and Wi-Fi only? I don't need 3G data. I want my smartphone for its Wi-Fi capability, camera resolution, advanced features, games, apps, screen size, look, and a bunch of other things that I like to use my phone for.

There is NO data plan for prepaid smartphones. That's why I HAVE a prepaid smartphone. With a phone you like and a plan that can't be beat, I'd say it sure is one heck of a deal.

[Razr8]

Yeah, that's the beauty of prepaid, no data plan required for smartphones and the flexibility of no contract. With prepaid you pretty much call the shots with an inexpensive plan and the phone of your choosing.

[mindyourmanners]

I can access the Internet on my cheap $20.00 GoPhone with only the .10 cents a minute plan. What is deducted when I go online to read my email, for instance, and even send an email, is really inexpensive. It is cheaper to go to Gmail and send an email through my phone than it is to send a text for .20 cents. Since I don't use my phone all that much, it is a much better deal, with more freedom and security from mistakes on long, convoluted bills, than a "plan" offers me.

I text, IM, phone, and go online without a monthly data plan of any kind.

[needhelp61]

Hi,

I was reading your reply. And u seem to know what ur talking about. So maybe you can answer my question. It's the same as the topix but do I buy the prepaid phone for it sims card or can I get the sims card by it self only? And does it have to be a smartphone sims card? And once I get card all I have to do is buy airtime card Right?  Sorry! guess it's more than one question..Hope you will help me....  Thanks....

[needhelp61]

Hi,

I was reading your reply. And u seem to know what ur talking about. So maybe you can answer my question. It's the same as the topix but do I buy the prepaid phone for it sims card or can I get the sims card by it self only? And does it have to be a smartphone sims card? And once I get card all I have to do is buy airtime card Right? Sorry! guess it's more than one question..Hope you will help me.... Thanks....