Best Reviewed
Prepaid Cell Phone Plans
- Prepaid cell phone plan with advanced phones Virgin Mobile Beyond Talk *Est. $25
- Best prepaid phone plan for occasional use T-Mobile Prepaid *Est. $10
- Prepaid phone plan with international calling TracFone *Est. $10
- Best as an emergency phone T-Mobile Prepaid (annual plan) *Est. $100
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Verizon Wireless INpulse Pay As You Go
- Excellent call quality
- Uses Verizon Wireless' top-notch network
- Plans are expensive
- Limited plan options
February 2009. We found the most reliable reviews of Verizon Wireless INPulse in two major national surveys, one conducted by J.D. Power and Associates and the other by PC Magazine. Consumer Reports also covers prepaid carriers in its cell-service ratings. PrepaidReviews.com rounds out these survey results with an overview of the INpulse plan, including comments from dozens of users who give Verizon INpulse a 2.5 stars out of five. About.com also offers a helpful comparison between Verizon and Virgin Mobile.
Reviews say that Verizon Wireless INpulse has the best prepaid wireless call quality. However, its prepaid plans can be expensive. Verizon's Core plan charges prepaid subscribers a 99-cent access fee on days when calls are made. There are also usage fees of 10 cents per minute including nights and weekends. Other Verizon prepaid wireless plans have a higher daily access fee but allow unlimited calls at night or on weekends. If you are looking for cheaper prepaid wireless plans, reviews suggest you look at Virgin Mobile (*est. $20 for 200 min. and up) or T-Mobile To Go (*est. $10 for 30 min. and up).
Our Sources
In J.D. Power and Associates' annual survey of more than 3,000 prepaid wireless users, Verizon Wireless ranks second to last in overall customer satisfaction out of nine companies.
Review: 2008 Wireless Prepaid Customer Satisfaction Study, Editors of J.D. Power and Associates, July 24, 2008
Verizon Wireless INpulse ranks fourth overall out of six carriers in this annual survey of nearly 20,000 prepaid wireless users. Respondents give the service the top rating for coverage and call quality outside of the home area. However, it ranks last for fees and plan options.
Review: The Best (and Worst) Tech Support in America: Cellular Services, Eric Griffith, July 29, 2008
3. ConsumerReports.orgDetails/Subscribe
Consumer Reports polls about 52,000 magazine subscribers in 23 metro areas, asking them to rate their cell service for call quality, handling of calls and complaints, and billing problems. Results are grouped according to urban areas, including New York City, Dallas, Atlanta, Chicago and Miami. This is a good resource to see how prepaid wireless plans from major providers stack up in specific areas.
Review: Best Cell Phone Service, Editors of Consumer Reports, Jan. 2009
Editors give Verizon's prepaid wireless plans four out of five stars in their ranking of more than 25 prepaid phone plans. The dozens of users posting comments give Verizon low-to-average ratings.
Review: Verizon Prepaid Wireless Cellular Service, Editors of PrepaidReviews.com
5. About.com
Adam Fendelman, About.com's guide to cell phones, provides an overview to choosing the best service based upon your needs, covering prepaid and monthly billed plans. One helpful article is an analysis of prepaid versus monthly contract plans that also compares Verizon Wireless and Virgin Mobile, ranking the latter as the better option. (Note: ConsumerSearch is owned by About.com, but the two don't share an editorial affiliation.)
Review: Prepaid Cell Phones: Analysis of Pay as You Go Vs. Monthly Contract Plans, Adam Fendelman, Jan. 26, 2009
Prepaid Cell Phone Plans Runners Up:
3 picks including: J.D. Power & Associates, MSNBC…
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