AT&T GoPhone

February 2009. AT&T GoPhone receives below-average ratings in customer surveys by J.D. Power and Associates and PC Magazine. Among the nine carriers rated by J.D. Power and Associates, AT&T ranks last in overall satisfaction, with low scores for call quality, account management, activation and customer service. Likewise, the nearly 20,000 readers polled by PC Magazine rank AT&T next to last, with only Sprint/Nextel receiving lower scores. Editors at PrepaidReviews.com, on the other hand, highly recommend AT&T GoPhone, giving it a 4.5-star rating. They like that AT&T GoPhone has extensive national coverage and a good choice of handsets. The Pay As You Go Unlimited Talk plan charges 10 cents per minute and a $1 access charge on days when you make calls, but it includes nationwide long distance, unlimited mobile-to-mobile minutes and rollover minutes. For anyone wanting a phone only for emergencies, AT&T GoPhone has a plan that skips the access fee but charges 25 cents for all minutes. Comparable low-use plans -- such as the T-Mobile To Go Annual Plan and one of Net10's -- charge 10 cents a minute, and the minutes are good for a year.

Large user surveys are the most comprehensive and reliable way to assess prepaid cellular service. J.D. Power and Associates, PC Magazine and Consumer Reports conduct large scale surveys about prepaid wireless plans, evaluating key factors like call quality, plan options and cost, headset selection and customer service. We also consulted editor reviews and customer postings at PrepaidReviews.com.