Prepaid services help

[Weederr33]

Ok so I want to switch from my contract on Verizon and get on a prepaid service so I can have a smartphone and not pay as much. I realize that my coverage won't be that great, and that the prices for phones are quite steep. I'd just like to get info on some of the big ones such as Virgin Mobile, AT&T GoPhone, Boost Mobile, Straight Talk, and a new one called Ting. What are your recommendations and thoughts?

[Kiehl]

Metro PCS is decent in southern California. Use google for your area to find out what network they piggy back off of.

[Weederr33]

I just checked, according to their coverage map it says I'm in the "extended home area."

[Melena]

Here's one thing to keep in mind with the prepaids. You have severe limits on your data downloads before they slow you down. T-Mobile for example you get 100mb of 4G Data, then after that you are at 2g speeds which is fucking slow as hell. If you don't do any streaming and minimal web surfing/facebook uploads you will probably be fine. But I know it's easy to blow past that cap. Wife and I have unlimited through AT&T and between the two of us we are about 3gb of data a month.

[jmc]

How is sprint in your area for coverage?

I only ask because Boost/Virgin piggyback off the sprint towers.

[Weederr33]

Sprint is good. Not as good as Verizon or AT&T of course. Are Boost and Virgin good? I've always been skeptical of them

[jinkazama]

being a sprint employee I can say that Boost is relatively good, its no metro but decent. I cant stand virgin tho.

[Weederr33]

What's wrong with Virgin?