Wal-Mart's $45 Cell Phone Plan: Unlimited Minutes, Unlimited Text Messages, Unlimited Web Access
To help drive down no-contract wireless phone pricing for customers, Walmart will launch Straight Talk providing customers the following two options:
Straight Talk “All You Need” 30-day Plan that includes the following for only $30 a month:
1,000 minutes, 1,000 texts and 30MB of mobile web access
Nationwide coverage
411 Information calls at no extra charge
Straight Talk’s Unlimited 30-day Plan that includes the following for $45 a month:
Unlimited minutes, text and mobile web access
Nationwide coverage
Unlimited 411 Information calls at no extra charge
MP: The "invisible hand" at work, bringing you the lowest cell phone prices in history.
The average U.S. adult spends $78 per month to receive 1,000 minutes a month. By switching to the $30 Straight Talk plan, the average 1,000 minutes-per-month consumer could save more than $500 per year.
16 Comments:
not dissimilar from cricket and metropcs (mpcs appears to be booming in florida, and I've seen cricket here in dc--don't know how they're doing): they have home calling areas, though, and limited out-of-urban-area coverage.
not good for me, personally, but if you spend all of your time in one metro region, they're all golden options.
oh, and, consumers should be arrested for price gouging walmart...or maybe walmart should be arrested for dumping minutes?
further info here: Engadget post, particularly in the comments (the phones run on verizon towers, so they'll have great coverage--still not sure if you'll have a 'home calling' area)
How come this Corporation didn't get the Nobel Peace Prize?
The more customers that ride the Walmart network the less bandwidth is available. In particular data customers with a broadband modem will experience slow connections. Walmart does not own or operate a network. They can buy bulk chunks of bandwidth and resell at a pricing advantage.
Early on MCI bought bulk bandwidth from AT&T while they constructed a nationwide network. So many of MCI's calls actually rode the AT&T network.
As broadband wireless becomes more popular the throughput will decrease for all customers. AT&T Sprint Verizon have the best coverage and most bandwidth. Before you think Walmart is a pricing panacea decide if your application needs consistent bandwidth.
"The more customers that ride the Walmart network the less bandwidth is available."
Chuck, you win the Mr. Obvious award! I do believe this applies to just about any successful carrier. Gosh, I wonder if the wizards of Wal-Mart will be clever enough to solve that tricky problem?
Im still waiting for Wal-Mart to enter the automobile market. Just imagine if they started selling cars too. I would totally buy a "Great Value" SUV.
It didn't work for the used market:
http://www.theautochannel.com/news/2003/07/10/164634.html
Wal-mart does not need to worry about their network capacity becuase they do have a network.
The Straight Talk network is using the major carrier networks with plentuy of bandwith. Those guys at TracFone Wireless who support the ST program alway's seem to have it figured out. There must be some innovative leaders over there!!
I have been using Straight Talk now and I love it. The quality and the price are some of the best parts of it.
If one looks at the auto market there is a vast difference between new and used cars, you really need to examine a used car, while a new car needs less examination since their more uniform. For new cars the franchise laws by state would prevent Wal-Mart from getting involved in direct selling of cars, plus the dealer model requires large capital investment. Note that Sams Club (Wal-Marts membership store) does provide a buying service like AAA and Wal-Mart could move that to Wal-Mart stores if it wanted to.
I gave my husband Sraightalk for father's day and he loves it!! I started him off with the $30 plan for 1000 minutes. When they introduced the $45 plan I immediately switched him and got myself on it.Imagine! I'm paying for both unlimited plans what I used to pay just for my contract service - old news since I discovered prepaid. Go Tracfone. Keep making it affordable for us to have what other providers can't offer!!! And Walmart? what can I say...my one-stop shop.
The Straight Talk plans are great! They do operate on Verizon's network, which IMHO is still the best. But you have to agree they are the best when you take into consideration that you a) don't have to sign a contract, b) get true nationwide coverage, unlike with some regional carriers, and c) pay less than half what you would otherwise pay for your cell plan - whether you go for the 1000 minute plan or the unlimited.
Add to this the impressive distribution channel that is Wal-Mart and you get to tick all the boxes (price, quality, convenience, availability)
Hooray for Wal-mart. Personally, I think StraightTalk is the best deal out there. I'm a recent customer and so far, it's been great.
I have it and it's even better than I expected. I used to have Metro but they are useless unless you stay in town all the time.
I'm very happy with Straight Talk and am impressed with their coverage on Verizon.
To me, the $30 - 1,000 minutes, 1,000 texts deal is unbeatable. I travel a lot and have never had a problem.
When I had Metro POS, it worked fine in town but as soon as I got outside the city, fuhgeddaboutit!
You get what you pay for, or in the case of Straight Talk, MORE than you pay for!
Great post!
I have Straight Talk, which is just an amazing deal.
I was skeptical at first but everything good I'd heard about it is true.
No more crappy coverage from AT+T. The Verizon network is solid and I haven’t dropped a call yet.
I think $45 a month is fantastic and I got a very nice Samsung phone with a qwerty keyboard so texting and web surfing is easy too.
I’m saving hundreds of dollars a year now so it’s pretty awesome.
I'm not the only one who thinks so, either.
Here's another happy Straight Talk-er:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oI40Fqglgys
I had Verizon then switched to AT&T but the bills were CRAZY!.
When I heard about Straight Talk I couldn't believe it but got it from Walmart and have had it now for 2 months and it is just sick! I'd heard that it was on Verizon and the coverage is rock steady, so yeah!
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