Source: Tom's Guide US | Keywords: walmart, straight, talk, verizon, plan | Themes: Smartphones, Business
Wal-Mart to use Verizon for cell phone network.
Signing up for a mobile phone contract is often a commitment that can last years. Sure, there's always pay-as-you-go plans, but you never get the same sort of service as those offered for prepaid, contractual agreements.
Enter Wal-Mart, the American fixture to providing goods to the everyman. Wal-Mart has announced that it will be offering its own wireless plans, completely contract-free, called Straight Talk.
Straight Talk will launch at 3,200 Walmart stores nationwide starting October 18, 2009 with two prepaid plans at $30 and $45 a month.
* Straight Talk “All You Need” 30-day Plan that includes the following for only $30 a month:
o 1,000 minutes, 1,000 texts and 30MB of mobile web access
o Nationwide coverage
o 411 Information calls at no extra charge
* Straight Talk’s Unlimited 30-day Plan that includes the following for $45 a month:
o Unlimited minutes, unlimited text and unlimited mobile web access
o Nationwide coverage
o Unlimited 411 Information calls at no extra charge
According to Nielsen Mobile Bill Panel data, the average U.S. adult spends $78 on his or her cell phone bill to receive 1000 minutes a month.
"It has been very encouraging to see the excitement and response to the Straight Talk pilot in 234 stores that began last summer at Walmart,” said Greg Hall, vice president of Media Services, Walmart U.S. “In light of the savings customers continue to need, we have worked very quickly to extend this offering to all of our Walmart customers nationwide, and just before the holidays.”
While we're excited by a $45 plan that offers unlimited minutes, texts, and web access, the selection of phones are rather unexciting: from the entry-level LG 220 flip phone at $39.98, to the LG Slider 290 at $79.98 to the Samsung 451 QWERTY keyboard phone at $99.88.
Unfortunately, Straight Talk does not support GSM phones, so forget migrating your unlocked iPhone over to Wal-Mart. On the flip side, Straight Talk runs off of Verizon's network, meaning that if you get good coverage on that CDMA network, you'll get good service with Wal-Mart.
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Why "Straight Talk"? Are they trying to say other plans are "Gay"? I fold my hand to them.
I hope I can use my Verizon phone with the plan.
Sounds like a pretty decient deal, if their coverage is good they might be on to something...all they need is to get badass phones and they are set.
45 dollars for all that!? god I hate canadian plans
El_Capitan 10/15/2009 7:04 PM
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Why "Straight Talk"? Are they trying to say other plans are "Gay"? I fold my hand to them.
I would say that other plans are.
Uh-oh. Looks like the phone giants will have to start charging humane prices now. No more gouging the masses with this kind of competition.
Okay, so the phones aren't great, but these prices are pretty nice compared to what Sprint was offering last year. Same plan for $100 per month and a 2 year contract. Ouch.
"Hello. Welcome to Wal-Mart. Get your sh*t and get out!"
Straight talk sounds straight up my alley.
F_ck the gay ass plans from carriers WalMart brings the price down like always.
WALMART, BRING AN IPHONE WITH YOU AND BILD EXTRA DOORS TO YOUR WAREHOUSE
AND I AM SURE YOU WILL BE HAPPY
Boost Mobile has a similar unlimited deal for $50/mth. Other pre-paid companies are coming up with unlimited plans as well. It's certainly a refreshing trend. Now they just need to let you use any compatible phone you want instead of limiting you to their mediocre selection.
I hope I can use my Verizon phone with the plan.
WALMART, BRING AN IPHONE WITH YOU AND BILD EXTRA DOORS TO YOUR WAREHOUSEAND I AM SURE YOU WILL BE HAPPY
Even though the Walmart cell phone service uses Verizon's network it is NOT Verizon branded cell phone service. The two are completely separate. In other words this is not the same as the relationship between Boost Mobile and Sprint Nextel.
As for the iPhone, there will never, ever be a CDMA version since Verizon will never allow the phone on their network. Simply put, if you want an iPhone you have to have AT&T service. Thankfully Apple has FINALLY prevented jailbreaking. People should not be allowed to use phones from one carrier on a different carrier's network since this can cause major headaches on the carrier's network.
Even though the Walmart cell phone service uses Verizon's network it is NOT Verizon branded cell phone service. The two are completely separate. In other words this is not the same as the relationship between Boost Mobile and Sprint Nextel.As for the iPhone, there will never, ever be a CDMA version since Verizon will never allow the phone on their network. Simply put, if you want an iPhone you have to have AT&T service. Thankfully Apple has FINALLY prevented jailbreaking. People should not be allowed to use phones from one carrier on a different carrier's network since this can cause major headaches on the carrier's network.
You are not in any place to tell someone how, when, or where to use their phones. Chances are Apple will get tired of screwing with AT&T's crap network and offer a CDMA and GSM phone. Hell, they might even offer a PCS(CDMA) phone for Sprint, if they are offered a better deal.
As far as "jailbreaking"...I will do whatever I wish with the phone I purchase. iPhone owners are paying hundreds and hundreds of dollars to own the damned phone and they have the right to do with it as they please. If I want to submerge it in water, dip it in concrete, light it on fire, or blow the phone up, I am within my legal right to do so.
I can install anything I want on the device, and I can alter the software already on the device. If you cannot deal with that, then I suggest that you quit being a little bitch "fanboy".
WalMart is great. I love how they shake up the market with deals for us.
About time, hope contracts go the way of the dinosaur, if so prices will fall much faster.
I pay verizon 45 a month per phone for no data and 900 minutes. Thank you wal-mart.
Hell yeah!!! I'm sure that they'll get more phones, but that is unbeatable. Kind of like what Virgin Mobile is doing, selling Sprint cellular service for half of what Sprint was selling it for, prepaid with no contract. Smart people were ditching Sprint for Virgin, plus Sprint has the most god-awful, annoying and harassing customer service in the industry, whereas Virgin has some of the best.
I pay verizon 45 a month per phone for no data and 900 minutes. Thank you wal-mart.
Verizon just lost their ass on this one. As soon as this goes gold, I'm switching. I've been out of contract for a little over a year now, but if I can get unlimited everything much cheaper than I'm currently getting barely anything, I'm jumping head first.
\/erizon seriously needs to get their $hit togeather. they suck. terribly. I wish it were companies with pricing plans similar to re\/ol and the ability to use ANY phone that were the rule rather than a locked down DRM ridden crap-network like \/erizon. The only good thing \/erizon e\/er did was fios...
Sweet guess its finnnaly time for me to get a cell phone...Im 20 years old and have never had my own cell by choice..Mainly because I never had the luxery of my parents paying for my phone as a teenager so time I got a Job I didnt want to waist money on a cell phone when it could go twards games weed or PC parts.Looks like that 45 dollar plan fits my needs.
This will be the first time I have ever shopped at Wal-Mart. My Verizon contract just happens to up for renewal ...
Now lets hope they don't cripple their phone like Verizon
As for the iPhone, there will never, ever be a CDMA version since Verizon will never allow the phone on their network.
Ahhhh, but they do. It's just they are only sold in Japan.
This is going to be huge I think. Because nobody could push something to as many consumers and get as much penetration as Walmart. What do you think the chance is that they're going to be losing money on the service? Maybe they'll be trying to make a profit of the periphery purchases. And if it's half as big as I think it's gonna be the big boys are gonna have to respond to avoid bleeding out to much.
Unlimit voice and text with 20MB data for 39.99 month for those of you dont need 411 or alot of data. I got this service from pagepluscellular.com which also using Verizon Network
Hmm...
My brother just got a prepaid phone, and bought a $50 Sprint card... more than enough for him...
The first company who has a plan like this and phones people actually might want... you spell that w-i-n.
Love it. Hope phones and services are good. I need new contract too. I'll have to contact my younger brother who works for Wallmart in thier HQ in Bentonville Arkansas. He's one of thier Database/IT Tech guy there and should know alot more. I'll post any info if I can, unless its a confidentiality issue.
This is what you call a "Stimulus package"!!
Wallmart "Stimulus" > Bar rock Osama "Stimulus"
I wish Verizon had better coverage in my area... I get full bars with a Sprint networked phone at my house (I use Trumpet mobile which uses Sprint) and since I only use the phone occasionally, I spend about $20 every other month for $.10/min and usually don't even use that many minutes. However, when I had Verizon, I was lucky to get a bar and never lucky enough to be able to make a call. My house is a bit in the country, but obviously not that far out if Sprint can give me crystal clear service.
I just found out about Kajeet as well (who runs on the Sprint network), which aims at the teenaged market. My son wants a full keyboard phone for texting for his birthday, since he texts more than he uses voice. Kajeet offers full keyboard phones, plus unlimited texts and 150 voice minutes per month for $19.99. Pretty damn good deal if you have a kid who uses less than 100 minutes of voice per month, yet texts like it's going out of style. lol
Eliminating the 2 year contracts and hefty cancellation fees seems like a good idea. My own 2 year contract expired 4 years ago. I've been on a month to month plan ever since and Sprint has not raised my monthly fee yet.
Nice, I'll take the $30 plan. I use about on average 200 or less minutes a month(And thats including inside minutes). I have to pay for web, and text's, and it costs me $45 right now(because I use neither). With this I'll get everything else plus I can grab the occasional text now and then.
CDMA phones or any phones that don't use SIM chips = FAIL!
More Wrong information. Walmart has nothing to do with Straight Talk. All walmart does is sell them. http://saveonprepaidphones.com/Str [...] Cell_Phone
Unfortunately this is just another TracFone system. I've been with TracFone for at least 9 years and until recently was very happy with the equipment and service. I 'upgraded' three months ago and for 2 months I was strung along and lied to. I'm afraid that TracFone is no longer the company it was when I first used their service. I was promised 30 compensatory minutes for all the trouble they put me through and still haven't seen them. Just another lie, probably. I still have over 700 minutes and am paid through the middle of next April. Unless they show me some serious contrition and a lot better service, when I either run out of minutes, or time I'm dropping the service and at least 2 of the 3 people I brought with me will be quitting too.