Last week, new budget carrier PrepaYd Wireless [sic] announced a number of super-cheap cellphone plans that will leave you wondering why you pay so much to the major carriers.
While $35 and $40 plans are available, the plan that seems to make the most sense is the $45-a-month “Ultimate” package, which provides unlimited SMS and MMS messaging, unlimited talk and unlimited data. Seeing as PrepaYd Wireless uses Sprint’s 3G network, the coverage isn’t too bad, either — at least as long as you live near a major metropolitan area.
Of course, the downside — there’s always a downside — is the choice of phones, which is pretty slim pickin’s. Smartphone options (that you might actually want) start at $75 for the LG Optimus S. The LG Rumor Touch will cost you $100, and the Samsung Replenish is $150. At the top of the heap is the Windows Phone 7-based HTC Arrive, which will run you $400.
This is just the latest budget carrier to offer deals that make the regular carriers look like greedy thieves. Simple Mobile offers a similar plan to PrepaYd’s Ultimate plan, but for $5 less a month, and also offers “4G” (HSPA+) speeds for $60 a month. Republic Wireless also offers “unlimited” everything for a mere $19. But this service has some issues still (the company says it’s still in beta), since it uses both standard wireless signals, as well as Wi-Fi for calls, text and data.
Regardless, it’s nice to see some alternatives out there that won’t break the bank. If any of you sign up for PrepaYd’s service, let us know what you think of it in the comments.
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