What carrier has the best txt msg plans?

June 23, 2006 1:13 PM

ATTN TXT-AHOLICS! What carrier has the best text messaging plan?

I am currently pimping 2 phones because I have my own personal phone with Sprint (no txt plan) and a spare phone from my gf's mom which is a Verizon phone (unlimited txt plan, this phone is only used to txt my gf). My contract with Sprint expires this winter and I don't necessarily want to continue with them. How can I pare my situation down to one phone?

Notes: Verizon is not local where I live. I could not get a local number with them, so they are out. (I can use the OTHER phone to txt because it has unlimited roaming, but it wouldn't work as a sole phone b/c of the no local number problem.)

Local carriers for me are Alltel, Sprint and Cingular. I need unlimited texting if at all possible, but I'll take the best I can get. Thanks for any info you can provide.

posted by CwgrlUp to technology (11 comments total)

I get unlimited txting for $15 a month through t-mobile. I snd/rcv about 1400 a month, so it's a no brainer for me.
posted by mattoly at 1:15 PM on June 23, 2006

Please, please, please note again, the only carriers I can use are ALLTEL, CINGULAR/AT&T, or SPRINT. Any other carrier would not provide me with a local number and would be of no use.
posted by CwgrlUp at 1:31 PM on June 23, 2006

If you know you only have three carriers available to you, why not go on each one's site and see for yourself what the plans are? Or better yet, call each one and ask. You can sometimes get a better deal on a plan by talking to a sales rep than you can on the site.
posted by boomchicka at 1:36 PM on June 23, 2006

Sprint's vision plan, for me at least, includes unlimited text messaging and is $15/mo. I signed up years ago, though, so as boomchicka suggests - just check the sites of those 3 carriers.
posted by twiggy at 1:40 PM on June 23, 2006

make sure to look up the provider’s definition of unlimited. it is not unheard of for them to attach a number to it, i have seen it defined as low as 1000 messages before.
posted by phil at 1:45 PM on June 23, 2006

To follow up on twiggy's comment, my Sprint vision package does not include free text messaging, though it does include free email.
posted by exogenous at 1:47 PM on June 23, 2006

I second Sprint's unlimited.

I also second the snarking by Slarty and danb.
posted by Brainy at 2:34 PM on June 23, 2006

I have checked the web sites. Sprint's doesn't even mention a price for txt msgs.
posted by CwgrlUp at 3:07 PM on June 23, 2006

[a few comments removed, take snarks to metatalk or elsewhere]
posted by jessamyn at 4:31 PM on June 23, 2006

Howard Forums has info on all cell phone companies and plans out there - I'd check them out too.

Also, it's pretty easy to get a phone number in whatever exchange you're looking to get, so I wouldn't rule out any other providers other than the ones you've listed because they're not local. When I had Sprint, I had a line from Connecticut and from Chicago, all while living in Chicago, with no problem. You could also port your current # out too if you wanted (most likely).
posted by cajo at 4:41 PM on June 23, 2006

I realize that this is not what you asked but some people might find it useful. If you are at a computer or have a free email plan on your phone then you can send email messages to (cellphonenumber)@teleflip.com

The advantage is that you don't have to know the carrier to automatically convert the email message to a text message on any North American carrier. Then they can simply reply to their text and you get an email response.

I use it to send texts to my friends on the east coast while I'm still at work but they are not at their computers.
posted by hokie409 at 10:08 PM on June 23, 2006