[Villages Kahuna]

I still have both my cell phone as well as Mrs. Kahuna on the same Verizon Wireless cell phone family plan that we had up north. We have the same Illinois phone numbers too, a minor inconvenience. We have the same plan that we've had for many years, the monthly charges being 'grandfathered' as the plan is no longer available. We get 750 "national" minutes per month shared between both phones plus unlimited web-surfing and text messages within that same 750 minutes. Verizon has even made an exception and will issue us new '352' phone numbers and we can stay on the same grandfathered plan. Our cost for this, all taxes included, is about $63 a month.

I have been intrigued by the iPhone and I would have to switch to AT&T, of course. But the best deal I can find with AT&T is $60 a month plus taxes for 450 minutes on the iPhone and another $30 a month plus taxes for a plan with 200 minutes for my wife. They would be separate plans--AT&T doesn't have a 'family' plan unless you have two iPhones. I figure my monthly out-of-pocket including taxes would be somewhere in the range of $110-115. I could get a free phone for my wife, but I'd have to pay $200-300 for the iPhone.

I'm not so put off by having to buy the iPhone--it's a terrific device and well worth it. But I am a little taken aback by the fact that my monthly out-of-pocket cell phone bill for two lines/phones would almost double.

Does the all-in monthly cost of around $110-115 for two lines from AT&T, including unlimited internet and long distance, sound right?(Remember, AT&T bundles unlimited internet access, text messaging and e-mail along with unlimited long distance calling for this price. The other companies charge you ala carte for this stuff.)

Any of the currently available family plans from either Verizon or AT&T would be more expensive than my grandfathered plan from Verizon. And none would permit any use of the internet, if our phone(s) were capable. So if I simply wanted to stay "basic", sticking with my old Verizon plan is a no-brainer. But if I want to proceed to the 21st century and get an iPhone, it looks like $110-115 a month is the tariff.

Have I just been spoiled by the low rate that I've been enjoying--and could continue to enjoy--because I've been grandfathered into an old plan for so many years? What do you think?

[Rag Bagger]

Kahuna,

We have a similar plan from verizon but only one phone and only 350 minutes. But we get free minutes on weekends and week days after 9pm until 6 am. The good part is I was able to grandfather the Mobile office so I can use minutes or free minutes to do email and surf the web. This has been a big benefit for us as we have been first cruising sailors and then RVers. We have been gypsys for about nine years but yet we can still surf the web using the cell phone as a modem any where we can pick up a tower and that is almost everywhere.

We are buying in TV and want to keep this service. My question to you is who did you contact to get a 352 exchange. That would be better now that we have swallowed the anchor and put down roots in TV.

[Sidney Lanier]

Our cell phone is part of our son's family plan; he has a cell phone for business and insists that we old coots carry a phone with us when we travel. His plan is about $60/month plus $10 for our phone, plus a ton of taxes, bringing his total to about $90/month. Now, his plan was originally with Cellular One, which was bought out a while ago by AT&T. He's been on a month-to-month as his contract has long expired, and apparently they have to continue it until HE is ready to give it up.

Now he's selling the business and will no longer need a full-time cell phone, so we suggested that WE get our own contract and give HIM the second phone, that is, just the reverse of what we have now. (Once doing so, we would give up our land line in TV, as there'd be no reason to have both.) We spoke to AT&T sales, who said that the grandfathered plan would NOT continue, since essentially he's closing the account and we're opening a new one. After speaking with AT&T, I believe their new offering is better than his plan in that it's about the same (a few fewer minutes) BUT we would have rollover minutes, a major plus IMHO, which would more than make up for the small number of fewer minutes.

The suggestion of the AT&T supervisor we spoke to was, if not to sign up for a plan over the phone, to find the AT&T 'store' by TV and speak with them, something I'd prefer to do so that I'd have a literal place to start from, rather than dealing over the phone. I need to do more research; however, it appears that giving up the old plan would serve all of us better--my wife and I, and our son with the $10 phone, and all of us sharing minutes (and rollover minutes).

Does anyone know the nearest AT&T facility to TV? We'll be down in a couple of weeks and I'd like to speak to the folks there. Thanks!

P.S. I too would love an iPhone, especially having been an Apple/Mac person for decades; maybe that will come in time too....

[chuckinca]

My wife and 24 YO son are on the same Sprint family plan. He has internet and texting for an additional fee and she doesn't. It costs about $115 a month plus buying a newer phone for one party every two years.

It was originally 2000 shared anytime minutes (about 8 yrs ago) but has been reduced to about 800 which works OK.

[Talk Host]

I can't comment on the rate plan, but I can comment on the I-phone, as I recently purchased one. I switched from blackberry to i-phone about two months ago. It is a very nice computer with three expections for me.

You must charge it every day. (My Blackberry could go for a week without charge).
If you set it up to receive email, you must erase each email one at a time. The emails then go into trash, they then must be erased one at a time from trash. There is no bulk email erase. If you think this is not a big deal, wait until you have to start erasing emails after a day or two.

The user cannot replace the battery. You must send it back to the factory to have the battery replaced. (HUH) Yep, that's right.

Aside from these three, its a pretty nifty device.

[tankdvr1950]

I have Verizon and always have since my first cell phone.....although i have changed my plan a number of times.

I have a consultant business and currently have a plan that includes my phone and my wife's phone. The play includes 700 minutes per month (shared with my wife and I)....unlimited night & weekend calls, free long distance, unlimited internet access, unlimited email access, unlimited use of the Verizon GPS system (on the phone....great program), unlimited text & picture messages.....there may be more than i can't think of.....anyway.....total for my plan excluding fees & taxes is $119.00....my wife and i both have Verizon Voyager phones....kind of a close to the IPhone but does not have all the bells and whistles...but it works just fine

one more point....do some research on AT&T....my info tells me that they do not have the number of cell towers/coverage that Verizon has...yes....Verizon is probably a bit more expensive but i like the advantgage of being able to get a clear signal with very few dropped calls....no matter where i am

good luck

[Mintjulep]

We also have Verizon (which I love), and share 700 mins., no texting plan, and mobile web only on one phone for about $85 a month.
I called the Verizon store a couple of weeks ago about changing my # to a 352 #. They said if your address changes, you can change your # to the new exchange for free. I'll just take the phones in to the store.

Kahuna, have you checked out the new Verizon LG Dare phone?
It's the most comparable to an IPhone.
I have 2 friends who have em and Love em!
I really want one, but am not due for a new phone yet...

[carolynpage]

If you have a plan with another State, stay with it! The taxes in FL will kill you. I am sorry I got rid of my MA number.

[Villages Kahuna]

Thanks to those of you who have replied. Here's some updated information for all of us...

• I can stay with Verizon and get new 352 phone numbers while maintaining my old, cheap grandfathered plan.
  
• If I choose a Verizon phone that can access the internet, I can get unlimited access for $17.55 all-in, taxes included in addition to the $63 I pay for my grandfathered nationwide plan with 500 minutes shared between me and Mrs. Kahuna.
  
• The all-in taxes on cell phone charges in Florida are 17%.
  
• If I re-up with Verizon for 2 years, my wife would get a free new phone and I could get one of the new LG Dare models for $100.
  
• The rep in the Verizon store on 441 across from Home Depot is researching a question I had on the Dare. I wanted to make sure that I could wirelessly synchronize my Address Book and Calendar between the phone and my computer. He thinks the Dare will do this, but is checking for me. He knows that any of the PDA/Smartphones (Treo or Blackberry) will do this, but they aren't as good for accessing the internet plus their monthly fees are more expensive.

So the bottom line is that with your input, I'm beginning to edge away from the iPhone idea. It's a great device, but it has a lot more capability than I really want. (I'd never use it to take pictures--besides it has a lousy camera; same for video--it has none; I have an iPod, so I wouldn't use it for music or podcasts; it does synch with the computer beautifully, a key feature I like.)

So at this point it looks like I can get a new phone/device that will do what I want it to plus another new phone for my wife for $100 up front plus about $79 per month. That compares to $300 out of pocket plus about $118 per month for the iPhone for me and a new phone for the Mrs. Hey, a $40 a month savings is a nice dinner out.

That's the direction I leaning towards right now--with your input. I'll let you know how I finally wind up.

[Mintjulep]

Kahuna,

I used Bitpim (free software), to connect my computer to my phone.
My phone is an LG 8600, and I had to order a cable from ebay for $10 to connect em.
You may be able to send your files over by bluetooth with the newer phone if your computer has bluetooth. My computer does, but my phone wouldn't send all my files.
I've heard some of the newer Verizon phones are now allowing more file sending.

Bitpim synchronized my calender and everything on my phone tho.
And I was able to make my own FREE ringtones, and I could send em thru the cable.
But found it was quicker to make em with Bitpim, then just text em to my phone from my computer.

[Sidney Lanier]

Our area in the Mid-Hudson Valley is 'Verizon Territory'; however, we've noticed that everyone who swears by their Verizon service has to go out into the driveway for the phone to work! Our son took Cellular One years ago, which is now part of AT&T, because it was the only service that worked in his building (a commercial property in the heart of New Paltz Village). We've used it all over the country, most recently in Hawaii, and it works superbly. Go figure.... We're still trying to figure out how to do 'the big switchover' when our son sells his business and will find being on the family plan more than adequate for him. I also thank everyone who responded to VK, as I too am now inclined not to consider the iPhone....

[Sidney Lanier]

P.S. Does anyone know where the nearest AT&T stores are to TV?

[784caroline]

WE have Nextel and its works great in The Villages...esecially compared to Sprint. Just go to the SPrint web site and look at the coverage of the area in TV...practically the entire area is MAXED out. Family plan for 2 phones 700 anytime minutes free weekends and after 7pm is $70 total. Sidney....The phone also worked great in Maui Hawaii!!

[pili]

The nearest AT&T store is at 13751 Hy 441/27 (near Orange Blossom entrance). 430-2752.
I haven't been there but I just looked it up.

I also have AT&T wireless but I have a problem with poor connection inside the place we are renting. I hope is better at house we are building. I usually have to go outside to use the phone.

Pili

[SteveFromNY]

Originally Posted by Mintjulep

Kahuna, have you checked out the new Verizon LG Dare phone?
It's the most comparable to an IPhone.
I have 2 friends who have em and Love em!
I really want one, but am not due for a new phone yet...

I do not have an iPhone, but do have an iPod Touch - exactly the same user interface as an iPhone but without the the telephone capability. Very slick device!

My sister-in-law has the Dare from LG. I had the honor of setting up ring tones for her just this past weekend (why did I get stuck doing that?).

Point is: there is very little similarity between the two interfaces. The Touch is so much smoother than the Dare, and SOOOOOO much easier to use. I am not bashing the Dare, as it is better than many other phones put there - but an iPhone it's not!