I feel like I must be the last person on earth who doesn't have a cell phone.  I'm a single mom, full-time student with a teenage son.  We're both out and about so much that I think it would be a good idea for us to each have a cell phone so that I can let him know if I'm running late or he can let me know if he wants to go somewhere. Not only don't I have a cell phone right now, I've never had a cell phone so this whole thing is new to me.  I'm trying to figure out what I want and what would work best for us.  I do not want to be locked into a contract.  I'll still have my landline; these phones will just be for emergencies and quick calls.  Occasionally we drive up to Vegas or down to Tucson but mostly we stay in populated areas so I don't foresee coverage being a problem (but then, being a cell phone newbie, maybe there's something about that I don't know!). I was thinking about going for AT&T's GoPhone with mMode and choosing the plan with 80 minutes/month.  I think that should do us fine (unless the teenager revels in his new found cell capacity and overdoes the minutes but we'll cross that bridge if we come to it).  I understand that the minutes don't roll over and that you could be charged twice in a month if you go over your minutes (or at least I think that's what all the fine print says). Wal-Mart's monthly ad came out the other day and they have an Alltel Prepaid Nokia 3585I phone (25 cents/minute) for $70. Can anyone give me some ideas as to whether or not one might be better over the other, or should I be looking at something else entirely? Also, if I get a GoPhone (which is a Nokia 3595) or the Alltell phone, would I be able to use those phones should I decide at some point in the future to go with a service like Sprint, Qwest, Verizon or something like that?  Or are those phones tied specifically to those plans?  I live in the Phoenix area - I don't know if that makes a difference or not in my considerations. Thanks for any and all help! Tiffany

Hi Tiffany,     As a single father of teenagers when I got my first cell phone, I can appreciate your needs and confusion. It is indeed difficult to sort out all the options, and you can bet any one of them will wind up costing a lot more than you think after all the fees and taxes are added in.     Given the very real possibility of your son over-using the convenience (a great temptation for any age), I suggest a pre-paid and rechargeable (via credit card from any telephone) option would be best for you to start with. Perhaps you can find one (not that I've seen any) that will allow you to convert to regular service later if you find it reliable enough. The per minute cost may be double for this, but at least you'd have control and, if you can avoid any long term contracts, you could switch more easily. (It is difficult to find a reasonable cost phone plus service without at least a year contract.)      I can't comment on the Phoenix area, and the location might make a big difference in the service you get from one company verses another. If no one from that area responds, you should definitely ask around to see what problems other people have before you decide. Don't be surprised if you hear a lot of complaints about customer service from users of any company. It varies widely from place to place.      Good luck. Marvin L. Zinn Reply to: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it Using Virtual Access Windows 2000 build 2600

wildwestcats < This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it wrote in message : Can anyone give me some ideas as to whether or not one might be better : over the other, or should I be looking at something else entirely? You might look at 'virgin Mobile http://www.virginmobileusa.com .  A basic but full-featured phone will run $59 shipped with $20 airtime included. You'll pay 25 cents for the first 10 minutes used in a day and 10 cents per minute after that. You must buy $20 in airtime every 90 days, but unused credits carry over.   Long distance and roaming are both included.  The phone uses the Spring PCS network which should be fine for Phoenix. I've just bought one for a light user and am extemely happy.

Thanks for any and all help! Tiffany You can check out my pre-paid comparison chart.  It's geared to New England, but the major cell providers are nationwide. http://markson.net/cell_prepaid_compare.htm $0.25/minute is the going rate for pre-paid. Alltel's Simple Freedom is a good choice. You are stuck with one of the two _base_ phones, but for what you want it for it will work fine. Don't count on taking your phone to a new provider later on.  You will usually get a free or almost-free phone if you sign up for a regular cell account later on.

: : Why is it that everyone wants to call it the Spring PCS network?  It's : *Sprint!*  And Virginmobile doesn't roam on *anything.*  It's Sprint's : network and if that's not available you have *no* service. Damn...you need to take a deep breath and chill a little. I mistyped and didn't want to post again to correct it. You knew what I meant...as did everyone else. But, just for you,  IT'S **SPRINT** dammit!!! Now go take your meds. BTW -  The SPRINT network is pretty wide, so you should have few problems.

Wal-Mart's monthly ad came out the other day and they have an Alltel Prepaid Nokia 3585I phone (25 cents/minute) for $70. Can anyone give me some ideas as to whether or not one might be better over the other, or should I be looking at something else entirely? Also, if I get a GoPhone (which is a Nokia 3595) or the Alltell phone, would I be able to use those phones should I decide at some point in the future to go with a service like Sprint, Qwest, Verizon or something like that?  Or are those phones tied specifically to those plans? Most phones are tied to their respective carriers.  If you change services, eBay them. Good luck!