Prepaid plan for 64GB iPhone 6?
February 13, 2017 9:11 AM Subscribe
I'm currently with Verizon, but my contract is up this May, and this Wirecutter article has me convinced that a prepaid plan would be most cost-efficient given my usage. (I rarely talk, mostly use Signal for text messages, and consistently stay under 2GB of data usage.) The problem I'm running into is finding a prepaid carrier who accepts my device, a 64GB iPhone 6.
When I run a search on WhistleOut for plans that accept my device, I get zero results, but re-running the search supposing a 16GB iPhone 6 gives me 17 options. Thinking perhaps I was running into a limitation of WhistleOut's search, I went to a couple of providers' websites, ran the compatibility check, and they agree that my phone isn't eligible for their plans.
Do you know of a prepaid or pay-as-you-go plan which explicitly accepts my phone, or that says it doesn't but it'll work anyway? (I have a very hard time believing the 16GB and 64GB models are so different that one will work and the other won't.) Verizon has a $45/month SIM activation kit that says it works on a iPhone 6 (without differentiating between models), but I'd love to have more than one option.
When I run a search on WhistleOut for plans that accept my device, I get zero results, but re-running the search supposing a 16GB iPhone 6 gives me 17 options. Thinking perhaps I was running into a limitation of WhistleOut's search, I went to a couple of providers' websites, ran the compatibility check, and they agree that my phone isn't eligible for their plans.
Do you know of a prepaid or pay-as-you-go plan which explicitly accepts my phone, or that says it doesn't but it'll work anyway? (I have a very hard time believing the 16GB and 64GB models are so different that one will work and the other won't.) Verizon has a $45/month SIM activation kit that says it works on a iPhone 6 (without differentiating between models), but I'd love to have more than one option.
Best answer: Did you check Ting? That was my solution (different phone, though). It's pay-as-you-go. Also, what I've discovered with them is that if you call customer service a real person picks up, they speak English, and they're super helpful about stuff like this.
posted by BlahLaLa at 9:30 AM on February 13, 2017 [7 favorites]
posted by BlahLaLa at 9:30 AM on February 13, 2017 [7 favorites]
Best answer: There is no difference in the radios between the 16gb and 64gb models. There are several different radio versions, but your Verizon phone should work on AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon, and their MVNOs.
I used my 64gb iPhone 6 (A1549) on the $30 T-Mobile plan for a while, then switched to the $45 Verizon plan.
posted by bradf at 9:59 AM on February 13, 2017 [1 favorite]
I used my 64gb iPhone 6 (A1549) on the $30 T-Mobile plan for a while, then switched to the $45 Verizon plan.
posted by bradf at 9:59 AM on February 13, 2017 [1 favorite]
The answer is Ting.
posted by caek at 10:02 AM on February 13, 2017 [2 favorites]
posted by caek at 10:02 AM on February 13, 2017 [2 favorites]
Thirding Ting, it's pretty much exactly what you're looking for.
posted by Tamanna at 10:05 AM on February 13, 2017 [2 favorites]
posted by Tamanna at 10:05 AM on February 13, 2017 [2 favorites]
I use Net10 with an iPhone 5 and it works fine; there's no reason an iPhone 6 would not work as well.
posted by Nerd of the North at 10:05 AM on February 13, 2017
posted by Nerd of the North at 10:05 AM on February 13, 2017
I've used the $30 Walmart/T-mobile plan for several years and am happy with it.
posted by belladonna at 10:19 AM on February 13, 2017
posted by belladonna at 10:19 AM on February 13, 2017
Nthing Ting. $6 per line, and with your usage you'd probably easily stay under $30.
posted by AFABulous at 10:49 AM on February 13, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by AFABulous at 10:49 AM on February 13, 2017 [1 favorite]
Ting's CDMA network runs on Sprint's network and their GSM runs on T-Mobile. You might notice a degradation in service on either of those. I believe Tracphone, Net10, Straight Talk and Page Plus all resell Verizon service.
posted by cnc at 11:07 AM on February 13, 2017
posted by cnc at 11:07 AM on February 13, 2017
If you're staying on Verizon, all you have to do is call them before the end of the contract and tell them you want to switch onto a prepaid plan. You don't have to buy a new SIM or anything. I did this myself about a year and a half ago. I'm on that $45/mo. plan; it works fine.
(Verizon's prepaid offer is less barebones than something like Ting, so it's a question of what you'd prefer, but if you want a major carrier...)
posted by praemunire at 11:08 AM on February 13, 2017
(Verizon's prepaid offer is less barebones than something like Ting, so it's a question of what you'd prefer, but if you want a major carrier...)
posted by praemunire at 11:08 AM on February 13, 2017
Response by poster: Thanks to BlahLaLa and everybody who recommended Ting! I had assumed I needed to use the Verizon network, because I did not realize the radio in this model is compatible with both CDMA and GSM networks (thank you bradf for that nugget of gold) and so those plans were not coming up in the results.
I'll start with the T-Mobile plan zsazsa linked to for starters -- looks like it'll come in a few dollars cheaper -- but I'll keep Ting in my back pocket as another good option.
posted by zebra at 11:09 AM on February 13, 2017
I'll start with the T-Mobile plan zsazsa linked to for starters -- looks like it'll come in a few dollars cheaper -- but I'll keep Ting in my back pocket as another good option.
posted by zebra at 11:09 AM on February 13, 2017
Ting is great; also, Tello.
posted by erattacorrige at 12:09 PM on February 13, 2017
posted by erattacorrige at 12:09 PM on February 13, 2017
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posted by zsazsa at 9:26 AM on February 13, 2017 [4 favorites]