Need good used GSM cell phone source

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StihlHead

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Hey, I am looking for a GSM phone for using with Puretalk. I do not use my Verizon phone enough to justify the high monthly costs. I am looking at getting an unlocked Samsung A847 Rugby II rugged phone or similar with Bluetooth. Anyone have a good source for these? Ebay seems to only have off shore creepy types of sellers. The local used phone shops here seem to be just as creepy.
 
No particular reason, other than that they have a $10 a month plan and they run off of AT&T's network which has the best coverage in this area. Ting runs on Sprint (bad coverage here) and Straight Talk is thorough WallyWorld, where I intentionally do not shop. Their web site crashes on me as well for some reason.

I have read bad reviews about every service out there. I have Verizon now but the cell phone is dying and its an expensive monthly plan. I hardly use my cell phone any more and just want a basic plan for a phone, I do not text much or use much data.
 
Try amazon .com I got a Nokia phone for $30.00 just a phone, no camera or any other bells and whistles
 
No particular reason, other than that they have a $10 a month plan and they run off of AT&T's network which has the best coverage in this area. Ting runs on Sprint (bad coverage here) and Straight Talk is thorough WallyWorld, where I intentionally do not shop. Their web site crashes on me as well for some reason.

I have read bad reviews about every service out there. I have Verizon now but the cell phone is dying and its an expensive monthly plan. I hardly use my cell phone any more and just want a basic plan for a phone, I do not text much or use much data.

Yes there are caveats with them all. I notice my son's Ting phone roams and seemed to switch to Verizon when we were visiting friends in Rockport. I thought he would be out of range but his signal strength matched our ATT phone. You are right, all cell phone companies stink in this country. They fleece you by double billing and charging for text which is essentially free for them. If you have the time, go to the library and read Jan 2012's issue of Consumer Reports where they did an in depth look at cell phone options. I'm still pondering my choices include Ting, Smart Talk, Net10 and have contacted ConsumerCellular. Have you checked out Tracfone yet?
 
Have you checked out Tracfone yet?

I looked at TracPhone and Net10, and all the other ones available at the big box stores. Both have similar plans but neither has a true basic rollover low end plan like Pure or Straight Talk. TracFone actually owns Net10. My brother has Net10 and he likes it. He had it before and then went with AT&T on some deal with a Droid. The Droid was complicated and always needed downloads and apps and service updates, and he was frustrated with it. Then AT&T wanted some insane charge because he owed them 29 cents for some fee that they tacked onto a bill. So he called them, they demanded the fee, and he told them off. They did not care. That seems to be rather typical. Verizon has been OK. I got it mainly for the coverage in the SF Bay Area and I kept it as they had the only good coverage when I moved to my ex's remote ranch in southern Oregon. That area was monopolized by T-Mobile and some other fly by night small wireless company. I could bring a phone in from another address there, but I could not buy another cell phone at that address. Verizon is good for phone service, but they ding me for extra fees for any data or texting, and the coverage here is really bad. 2 bars at best. It hops around from CDMA carrier to CDMA carrier when I travel. CDMA is good technology, but pretty much limited to Sprint and Verizon. GSM is more portable in the 'pay as you go' phone world. AT&T also has way better cell coverage here.

Its all a scam, but then look at the days when you had to lease a phone from PacBell, AT&T or one of the other Bell Telephone companies. Communications has always been a monopoly and at least cellular technology has broken free of that. I read that as of the first of this year, you cannot legally unlock a phone made in or after 2013, for copywrite law infringement. Talk about screw the customer, corporate profit at all costs crap.
 
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craigslist is the best place i think. i've bought a ton of phones off here 'last year models' for 50 bucks or so instead of the absurd 400+ price tags of non contract subsidizes. I'm running an SII now that i got for $100 after the screen broke on my s3. i down graded :p
 
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