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Walmart begins cell phone plans: prepaid with no contracts
Huliq.com ^ | 10/22/09 | Armen Hareyan

Posted on 10/22/2009 12:34:38 PM PDT by Abathar

Walmart plans to extend its near-monopoly status on many things with new cell phone plans. It's Straight Talk cell phone plans will start at 30 dollars per month and will have no contracts coming with it.

Walmart cell phone plans will be exclusively available nationwide in its more than 3200 stores this Sunday. The new cell phone plans are very attractive and the giant retailer, that has already entered into other non-traditional areas of retailing, promises a harsh competition toward the other local and national wireless service providers.

The new Straight Talk cell phone plans from Wal-Mart will drive down the prices.

The company said yesterday that its $30 dollar monthly cell phone plan includes many goodies. It will have 1,000 minutes, 1,000 texts, 30MB of mobile Web access, nationwide coverage and 411 calls at no extra charge. For these types of services we are all paying an average of $78 dollars a month. The New Walmart cell phone plans are designed to say the consumer nearly 500 dollars a year.

Another plan that Walmart will provide is for $45 dollars.

The company says that its $45 dollar cell phone plan will give the consumer the following services. It will have unlimited services such as minutes, text and mobile web. The Walmart 45 dollar plan will also have a nationwide coverage and 411 Information calls at no extra charge.

The only one thing that was not understood about the Walmart's Straight Talk cell phone plans is the speed of the unlimited mobile web that the consumers will get. At this time we could not reach officials at Walmart to find that out.

These cheaper prices will take away the market share from the other major cell phone service providers. However, the consumer will gain from it. There is no reason one should be locked in an expensive cell phone service plan in the 21st century. In fact, I am looking forward to this new price drop in cell phone services and commend Walmart with this new bold step of Straight Talk cell phone plan.

Walmart says TracFone Wireless, Inc. has helped to develop its cell phone plan Straight Talk. It is an exclusive Walmart service.


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Computers/Internet; Society
KEYWORDS: walmart
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The $45 dollar plan is a pretty good deal, I wonder how long before ATT, Verizon, and Sprint will be forced to match this offer.
1 posted on 10/22/2009 12:34:38 PM PDT by Abathar
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To: Abathar

I wonder if they consulted John McCain on the name of the plan.


2 posted on 10/22/2009 12:37:59 PM PDT by wastedyears (Clyde Shelton is my hero.)
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To: wastedyears

Give me iWal-mart. Can’t be worse than AT&T.


3 posted on 10/22/2009 12:38:26 PM PDT by Callahan
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To: Abathar

All the other wireless providers have milked us for far too long. Costs have come down, yet they use predatory methods to make sure they find ways to increase your bill. There are many swmaller companies offering $50/month plans with unlimited minutes.


4 posted on 10/22/2009 12:40:13 PM PDT by umgud (I couldn't understand why the ball kept getting bigger......... then it hit me.)
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To: wastedyears

Hope it works out better for them than it did for John...


5 posted on 10/22/2009 12:40:26 PM PDT by Abathar (Proudly posting without reading the article carefully since 2004)
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To: Abathar

I’m once again trapped in a two-year contract...I hate being pushed around by my telephone...if I could keep my number it might be worth switching - I’ve thought about it.


6 posted on 10/22/2009 12:40:45 PM PDT by ElayneJ
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To: Abathar

Walmart begins cell phone plans — prepaid plans with no contracts ... (with crap phones). Let me use my quality smartphone on their network with their plan and then we’re getting somewhere.


7 posted on 10/22/2009 12:42:14 PM PDT by webschooner
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To: Abathar

I wonder how much taxes, federal “fees” (more taxes), access charges, ect. will add to the bill?


8 posted on 10/22/2009 12:43:28 PM PDT by TruthBeforeAll (To liberals if something is a complete and utter disaster, it's because there's not enough of it.)
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To: ElayneJ

I went with Net10 for that exact reason, no contract.

Strait $.10 a minute and I don’t use it often enough to worry about an expensive plan like most people have.


9 posted on 10/22/2009 12:43:37 PM PDT by Abathar (Proudly posting without reading the article carefully since 2004)
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To: Abathar

That $45 plan is almost worth paying the cancellation fee on my current plan. I wonder if it’s compatible with my unlocked blackjack II or if I have to buy a new phone. That would hold me back from switching.


10 posted on 10/22/2009 12:44:13 PM PDT by Domandred (Fdisk, format, and reinstall the entire .gov system. I am Jim Thompson.)
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To: Abathar

This is a good deal but for the time being my Tracfone is a better deal. Just be sure to get a good phone, however. The quality of the one I have is equal to a land based unit. Some of the later units are crap.


11 posted on 10/22/2009 12:44:44 PM PDT by RichardW
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To: Abathar

I have go phone, it is $27.09 for 3 months of service ( I don not use my phone much). My daughter adds unlimited text to her plan for $20 per month.


12 posted on 10/22/2009 12:45:21 PM PDT by ThisLittleLightofMine
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To: Abathar

Net 10 is tracphone, and I had a terrible experience when I “tried” this service. Never again.


13 posted on 10/22/2009 12:46:31 PM PDT by ThisLittleLightofMine
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To: Abathar

Unlimited minutes and mobile web , text for &45.00 is a great deal. The only concern is coverage dead spots , etc .


14 posted on 10/22/2009 12:46:39 PM PDT by Renegade (You go tell my buddies)
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To: Domandred

You might want to research this online. You should be able to do it.


15 posted on 10/22/2009 12:48:00 PM PDT by tired1 (When the Devil eats you there's only one way out.)
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To: Abathar

“Walmart plans to extend its near-monopoly status on many things”

I don’t get this at all. If they have a near-monopoly on anything, it’s in retail sales. That’s one monopoly, not many.

By the way, if this is monopoly, what’s wrong with monopolies?


16 posted on 10/22/2009 12:48:30 PM PDT by Tublecane
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To: Abathar
Hope it works out better for them than it did for John...

Indeed

17 posted on 10/22/2009 12:48:47 PM PDT by wastedyears (Clyde Shelton is my hero.)
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To: webschooner

The plan won’t be for everyone, but what it will do is force the other carriers to drop their prices to match all the soccer moms and teen kids who will switch to it, and that’s their bread and butter in the profit areas.


18 posted on 10/22/2009 12:48:52 PM PDT by Abathar (Proudly posting without reading the article carefully since 2004)
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To: Abathar
I like my $100/year prepaid plan through T-Mobile. It gets me 1000 minutes for the year which is plenty since I don't talk like a high school girl on the thing.

If I'm at work, I use the work phone.

If I'm home, I use the home phone.

If I'm between the two, I really don't need to waste my time jabbering with or texting my "BFF" about the days sports scores.

19 posted on 10/22/2009 12:48:52 PM PDT by ZGuy
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To: Abathar; a fool in paradise
The New Walmart cell phone plans are designed to say the consumer nearly 500 dollars a year

I want $500 cash on hand, not said!

20 posted on 10/22/2009 12:48:54 PM PDT by Revolting cat! (Let us prey!)
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