I'm waiting for the shoe to drop "Oh, we looked at it and voicemail can't be free any longer and you really HAVE to sign a long term deal and ..." Sigh.

And there are such things as locked phones for CDMA (basically what that means is they will only bind with one carriers setup), the reason people think that there are no unlocked phones is because most CDMA carriers will only activate their own equipment, and most stuff they sell is locked, and since they control the backend they can be restrictive. Not that it matters as this is Tracfone and they insist that you use their phones even on GSM where true unlocked phones.

Also I should note that There are many different levels of Verizon network, and that you may not get exactly the same level of coverage with this as a post paid verizon customer (mostly a few quasi roaming towers)

@LeChiffre: My friend has had this plan for months, and loves it. The phone choices are lacking but you get what you pay for I guess.

@Julius Seizure. (the CANUCK one):
Actually, Virgin Mobile is owned 100% by Bell, no leasing or reselling involved. Each of the big three cell companies in Canada has one or more discount brands; Bell has Virgin and Solo, Rogers has Fido, Telus has Koodo.

@moore850:

It's on Verizon.

@speedwell, avatar of snark:

No, you're not the target market - you don't use your phone very much (I'd guess about 100 minutes a month?). For example, the average MetroPCS customer uses about 1,500 minutes and over 1,000 texts per month.

@mianne:

Exactly.

@Airjoe: I could hardly believe it when I read, "$30 package that includes 1000 minutes". I have a T-Mobile pre-paid and I get a 1000 minutes for $100. It's a great deal for me because I can milk my minutes for up to six months,,,sometimes. but $30? I am changing as soon as it gets to my area. Will have to see what the "fine print" says though.

@segfault: wait till next year and buy a verizon iphone.

If I wasn't in a contract with my current carrier, I'd certainly consider this option. They use Verizon's network so the coverage is great. Can't beat the price.

So, when they say $30 a month is it actually $30 a month or is it $30 before taxes are added? I hate that. You could have a $30 service but after tax it could end up over $40.

Also, to settle the roaming discussion, according to the ToS the phones just won't do it.

1. Unlike Net10 and TracFone, StraightTalk minutes and service days do not accumulate. With N10 and TF, if you buy a 1000-minute/30-day card and only use 10 minutes, you keep those 990 minutes so long as you refill before the 30 days are up. With ST, your balance resets with each refill.

2. As you'd expect, about half the ToS is "reasons we can use to cancel your service," specifically: "We further reserve the right to take measures to protect the Carrier's networks and other users from harm, compromised capacity or degradation in performance. These measures may impact your Service, and we reserve the right to deny, modify or terminate Service, with or without notice, to anyone we believe is using data services in a manner that adversely impacts the Carrier's network." [Also, for whatever reason: International texting is automatically disabled, but if you ATTEMPT to send one they can cancel your service. Okay!]

3. No guarantees can be made about the availability of data services, and they reserve the right to yank data completely.

4. "If the Straight Talk Mobile Web Services are unavailable, and you have opened your browser, you will be deducted Kilobyte usage, even though you will not be able to view the Mobile Web." I can't even begin to imagine how that works. What exactly would you be downloading that they could charge you for if the service is unavailable?

5. The phones flat-out won't roam.

6. "Applicable taxes and fees may be added in certain areas. These are fees, charges, or surcharges imposed by law or by Straight Talk to recover costs of complying with regulations and E911 laws." Realistically, though, this is ass-covering just in case - you can't exactly attach fees to a $20 card that's being picked up at a store.

@supercereal: Supercereal, thanks for the wiki link. I had no idea there are over 180 wireless providers in the USA. Now I just need a link showing who covers where, in particular Ohio coverage.

Even the "About Us" page says

Straight Talk is a service of TracFone Wireless Inc.

And again completely fails to mention Walmart whatsoever. Not even "exclusively sold at Walmart" or "developed in cooperation with Walmart". Even the trademark for StraightTalk is listed as property of TracFone.

My gut tells me that TracFone developed it, piloted it in Walmart stores, and now is letting Walmart call it "exclusive" for some back-end deal on...something. I'm not sure what TracFone gets out of letting Walmart call it "ours" in a press release. Traditional cell provider-retailer relationships would seem to be more beneficial as I have to believe that Walmart is taking a bigger cut of profits in exchange for pushing the service.

I just don't see how else you have an entire website that fails to mention Walmart if Walmart truly controls this service. Even assuming the site hasn't been updated since the pilot, the pilot was...drumroll...also a Walmart "exclusive". So there should have been branding there already. There's not.

I just reread the press release. Reading what seems to be extremely careful wording to give the impression that Walmart owns it but not actually stating it (I don't believe they actually do, not even a joint-venture or partnership), I think this is a TracFone product and service that simply happens to have an exclusive retail partner.

30 dollars a month. Huh. I pay about 30 dollars every three months to top off my prepaid account, with an unlocked phone I like. Per minute, it's more, yeah, but I haven't heard anything yet about the Wal-Mart deal that attracts me. I guess I'm just not their target audience. Wake me up when cell service hits 30 a month, unlimited calls and data, inclusive of "fees and charges", GSM, and usable with my phone that I'm used to.

A good majority of folks with one of the four major national carriers would find it easy to not see a distinction here, since the vast majority of plans they offer today do not have a home coverage area in the traditional (read: 80s/90s) sense. In contrast they nearly universally offer nationwide calling and roaming with no additional per-minute fees. That said, many of the regional carriers and even some of the lessor nationals have limited home coverage areas.

If it piggybacks off Verizon, you can't use a GSM phone with it. Verizon is CDMA.

USF fees aren't paid to the government? Wow, you should tell Verizon, they could save themselves millions.

Slimy, sleazy, and altogether wrong.

Couple questions for anyone who may know:

- Anywhere Verizon has coverage, this service has coverage?
- Do unlocked phones work on this service?

As much as I hate Wal-mart, we are getting jacked on our Tmobile service. $60 a month for two phones with minimal minutes, no data, and 400 texts per phone a month..

@mommiest: I'd call them taxes disguised as fees and funds.

Although in the case of Verizon that might be fun to watch. "Can you hear me now? Good."

[www.straighttalk.com]

That's also what Walmart says in their press release, so I would assume the page you linked to is out of date. (Or will be starting October 18th.)

Not sure about StraightTalk or Net10.

Roaming has nothing to do with location. Roaming is when you use are with Cell company A and have to use Cell company B's network because your company doesn't have service where you are.

Example: If you are in a rural area and your Verizon phone has to get on Sprint or Alltel to make a call, that's roaming.

StraightTalk uses Verizon for service but StraightTalk does NOT offer roaming on Sprint or anyone else. They decided not to offer that feature.

You get service anywhere Verizon has service. But you cannot roam on Sprint or MetroPCS or Alltel.

If those surcharges and taxes piss you off (and they should), contact your Senator.

Straight Talk is an exclusive Walmart service developed with TracFone Wireless, Inc. TracFone Wireless currently sells TracFone and NET10 prepaid wireless phones and airtime at Walmart stores and online at www.walmart.com.

i would read some complaint boards about tracfone & straight talk before buying into this. that should set your expectations for service.

on the bright side, walmart has one of the most liberal return policies in the land, so if you have issues, they'll most likely take it back. good luck getting the same service somewhere else.

or atleast mine. sure beats the $129 price tag for that at AT&T. or is it $149?

or is that MetroPCS?

There's no talk of roaming, so I'm assuming its not included. Anyone confirm/deny?

That whole statement is incorrect. TracFone is making its previously limited (by location) unlimited service that it distributes through WalMart into a nationwide service. It piggybacks off of Verizon.