My cellphone bill

[ArkiStan]

How is it that my monthly cell phone plan is advertized as $39.99 but my bill always ends up in the 60-dollar range? Provided I pay $5 for my text message package, I'm still paying over $15 in taxes....
:spock:

FYI, I hate talking on the phone so I NEVER use up all my minutes.

[uncledaddy]

Yes. Taxes, government fees, directory services.

My plans are both $99.99 with 5 additional phones at $9.99 ea.
Have two family text plans @ $30.00 ea., three Data plans @ $30.00 ea., and one GPS plan @ $9.99. My bill is over $450 per month.

[cheapie]

i HOPE some of that is business!

[Cheesypuff]

my plan is 39.99/mo but my taxes are only ~$5 ish. i don't know what you're getting taxed on...

[uncledaddy]

i HOPE some of that is business!

Some. Mostly school, and a lot of personal entertainment. The data plans are for myself and the older teens, but I make em' work for it. I now do a lot of text messaging, not too much on the phone itself, and I just had to get the Telenav for the Blackberry, too cool. :D

[renovation]

My bill is over $450 per month. DAM mine with 3 lines and 1 blackberry package runs about $150 a month . wife and i have the sprint vision plan on are phones . daughter has the blackberry and she pays for that well wife handles the bill. daughters was told its her phone to pay for she in florida were in michigan .

[Prngr44]

I think I'd crap myself if my bill was over $100. I share a plan with my wife and I get a 20% off discount through work. After tax, title, license, etc. my bill's right at $60.

[mcs328]

I have the Sprint Sero plan. $30/month includes 450 minutes, unlimited after 7 or 8, unlimited data and I think text also. With tax my cell phone bill is $38.

[chrissy]

Some. Mostly school, and a lot of personal entertainment. The data plans are for myself and the older teens, but I make em' work for it. I now do a lot of text messaging, not too much on the phone itself, and I just had to get the Telenav for the Blackberry, too cool. :D


If you are not stuck on the voice, use Google maps. I like it better, but if you make a wrong turn, it will not re-adjust and it doesn't talk to you.

There are some other softwares out there too and there isn't a monthly fee.

With two curves and two other phones, ours run $210

[The Happy Squirrel]

I have 2 lines, one has unlimited data amd unlimited texting <$25> the two voice lines are $50 each so the base bill is $125 after taxes and everything it comes to like $160-$165

[bachviet]

4 lines (family plan); 1 line with cheap data plan ($5.99) and 1 line with msg. bundle ($4.99)

My monthly bill is roughly over $110.

[attgig]

$0. from work =)

[nate el bueno]

still leeching off the family plan!:woohoo:

That is definitely my favorite smiley face on the list. I will have to use it more often.

[WhiskeyPapa]

We have the Sprint Talk/Message Share plan with four phones.

$119.99 per month + about $18 tax.

[uncledaddy]

If you are not stuck on the voice, use Google maps. I like it better, but if you make a wrong turn, it will not re-adjust and it doesn't talk to you.

There are some other softwares out there too and there isn't a monthly fee.

With two curves and two other phones, ours run $210

Yeah, I should just drop the Nav. I usually mapquest my destinations before I leave, and I can't hear the Blackberry in the truck over Hannity or Savage anyway. ;) :D

[zippyjuan]

I am still getting by on a land line (wireless phone) which runs me rarely more than $50 a month- usually less. I don't use it that much. Guess that makes me old!

[chrissy]

Guess that makes me old!

That doesn't make you old, that makes you vintage! :kiss:

[mojo]

check with your employer to see if you can get a discount thru them. vz has a way of letting you plug in your work email to see if you're eligible for one, and will email you a link to apply it.

I agree with the google maps thing. why pay for a nav service if you can get google maps for free? if you have vz, you may need an external gps to connect, as some of the internal ones are agps and/or disabled.

[brainsmile]

5 phones with unlimited data and text
Nights and weekends start at 6pm
1600 minutes
after taxes comes to $92

[uncledaddy]

5 phones with unlimited data and text
Nights and weekends start at 6pm
1600 minutes
after taxes comes to $92

:gle: Unlimited data and text on all 5 and still under $100? How did you do that and with whom?

[ArkiStan]

for my 39.99 calling plan, here are the monthly taxes/charges I pay:

Verizon Wireless Surcharges and Other Charges & Credits $5.39
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Fed Universal Service Charge 1.52
Regulatory Charge .07
Administrative Charge .85
Gross Receipts Surchg 2.95

Taxes, Governmental Surcharges & Fees $5.86
----------------------------------------------------------------------
NY State E911 Fee 1.20
NY City 911 Surchg .30
NY State Sales Tax 2.08
New York City Sales Tax 2.08
NY Local McTd Sales Tax .20

Total Taxes & Surcharges $11.25


separate NY state and NY City sales taxes?..... :toxic:
And what are these "911" fees?

.

[Napoleon54]

still leeching off the family plan!:woohoo:

That is definitely my favorite smiley face on the list. I will have to use it more often.

:stupid:

I give my 'rents $10/month to cover the cost of the extra line. Makes no sense to get my own service. :shrug:

[brainsmile]

:gle: Unlimited data and text on all 5 and still under $100? How did you do that and with whom?


Sorry it's with Sprint. How? I kept asking for stuff :)

[uncledaddy]

Sorry it's with Sprint. How? I kept asking for stuff :)

Oh, I see. I actually like the coverage with AT&T, just that there is no family data plan, so that's where the bulk of my bill comes from. Maybe we get lucky and they add that in the future.





Yeah, and maybe pigs fly someday.

[Nija]

I can see now AT&T is raping me.

450 minutes, unlimited nights and weekends (nights @ 9): 39.99

unlimited data & text: 25

taxes: 15

My bill is usually around $90 and it's just me.

[cruelpupet]

I can see now AT&T is raping me.

450 minutes, unlimited nights and weekends (nights @ 9): 39.99

unlimited data & text: 25

taxes: 15

My bill is usually around $90 and it's just me.


That actually sounds more expensive then verizon.

Im also on a Sprint SERO plan, and if sprint has good service in your area, I suggest you switch.
1250min, N/W @ 7, 500 texts, unlimited pic mail, unlimited internet, free roaming, all in-network is free for $49.99
+ $5 international calling
+ $7 insurance
+ taxes
+ fees

Total $71

If i leave my job ill drop the insurance and int. calling and it'll go down to $55-59 (they pay my bill)

[mojo]

I can see now AT&T is raping me.

450 minutes, unlimited nights and weekends (nights @ 9): 39.99

unlimited data & text: 25

taxes: 15

My bill is usually around $90 and it's just me.vz in my area would be about the same. $15 for internet and then it sounds like $10 for unlimited text.

a data plan would be like $45 if you have like a blackberry or a moto q.

if you have a discount thru your employer, it should knock off like 10-15%

[Nija]

That actually sounds more expensive then verizon.

*snip*

My wife had Sprint for 3+ years and she was less than satisfied.


vz in my area would be about the same. $15 for internet and then it sounds like $10 for unlimited text.

a data plan would be like $45 if you have like a blackberry or a moto q.

if you have a discount thru your employer, it should knock off like 10-15%
I have a Blackberry. My wife currently has VZ and the reception is spotty in our top level apartment.

Although, VZW is coming in this week and installing their Fiber network. Need to see if I can save some money switching from TWC... for MOAR POWAH!

[cruelpupet]

My wife had Sprint for 3+ years and she was less than satisfied.



It all depends on the area in which you live. In NYC (considering all 5 boroughs) Sprint seems to be much better then AT&T, and just slightly behind verizon.

[mojo]

vz is good for reception. i never drop calls, except in one bastard place where everyone drops it. but in the middle of what's technically a park area, what are you gonna do?

vz is not good for nickel-diming you on stuff. they lock everything down so you have to pay for services that other providers allow you to have for free. like ringtones, which you can do workarounds for, but generally you have to pay for (except on PDAs). and they insist on you paying for GPS, unless you get a bluetooth external thing and use it with google maps...whereas on other providers you can just use google maps.

[attgig]

if anyone's on tmobile...

quick 10% off... for new and existing customers.
Go to Freelancersunion.org
Click on "Discounts"
Go down to "Life" and click on "T-Mobile"
Click on "More information"
Create an account and go from there.

[ArkiStan]

It all depends on the area in which you live. In NYC (considering all 5 boroughs) Sprint seems to be much better then AT&T, and just slightly behind verizon.

It even varied depending on the building. Some NYC friends seemed to be fine where they live with T-mobile, but in the building I was spending the most time in, it was the only network that got zero reception, when every other carrier got full bars. Overall, yes, verizon seems to be doing great since I switched over, but I'd always recommend asking others that share your building what service they have and seeing how their reception is. A cheaper service may do just as well.

[Napoleon54]

vz is not good for nickel-diming you on stuff. they lock everything down so you have to pay for services that other providers allow you to have for free. like ringtones, which you can do workarounds for, but generally you have to pay for (except on PDAs). and they insist on you paying for GPS, unless you get a bluetooth external thing and use it with google maps...whereas on other providers you can just use google maps.
Oh man, do they ever. Verizon sucks for that. Plus, half the functions on my phone don't work because Verizon has disabled them. Only explaination is that "we've decided not to support that feature". Examples: Bluetooth only works for handsfree headset, won't communicate with a computer or any other devices. Will only communicate via USB for the purposes of loading music onto the phone which you've purchased from the Verizon Store via their Windows Media Player pluggin. What this means is that the only way to get pictures off the phone is to email them to yourself, or remove the card and read it with another device. Can't back up contacts or calendar- if phone gets fried or lost, it's all gone. Verizon absolutely sucks.