Very happy

mnew90 · ‎11-09-2011

I am very happy with AT&T right now. I like the 200 messages for $4.99 package, and my mother and I had great customer service when we had trouble with my phone; the conversation didn't take long at all. The only thing negative I have to say is that I pay a lot for long distance because my fiancee lives in Bangladesh. But, really, every provider has higher rates for international calls and texts, don't they?

hnzw_rui · ‎09-07-2011

Assuming you're not a heavy texter, hold on to that $4.99/200 msg plan. They've eliminated that and the $10/1000 msg plan from their options. Now you're left with just the $20/unlimited for individual or $30/unlimited for family. How much do you text your fiancee in Bangladesh? AT&T's GoPhone $50/unlimited plan actually includes unlimited text messaging to select countries. If you use your phone less than 25 days in a month, the $2/day PAYG plan also gives you unlimited int'l messaging. I think the per minute rate for int'l long distance is also lower on prepaid.

mnew90 · ‎11-09-2011

We also call each other, and I'm paying over $1 a minute. It's mostly the calls that I'm asking about since they are so expensive. The text messaging part is not as bad. It's a little higher than texting people who are in the US, but the difference between the calling rates for international calls and domestic calls are huge.

stufried · ‎09-18-2005

Do you have a smartphone? There are a number of third party solutions that can reduce your cost, but most work better with smartphones, either Android or iOS/

mnew90 · ‎11-09-2011

No, I do not have a smartphone, just a simple pay-as-you-go phone.

redpoint73 · ‎10-01-2007

You should be getting charged $0.80 to call a landline and $0.85 to call a mobile phone in Bangladesh if you have the World Connect plan (recurring $3.99/month fee). Otherwise it would be $3.49 landline and $3.54 mobile (without World Connect).

http://www.wireless.att.com/learn/international/long-distance/in-the-us.jsp?wtLinkName=Viewinternati...

mnew90 · ‎11-09-2011

It costs me around $1.19 a minute so I must have World Connect. That would be terrible if I had to pay over $3.00 a minute.

stufried · ‎09-18-2005

It won't help you with the text messages, but look at rebtel.com -- four cents a minute to landlines and mobiles. They assign you virtual US p[hone numbers that only your preapproved callers can call (it looks at inbound caller ID). Just store those names in your phone book and dial those numbers instead of the international ones. The connections are quick . You can send text messages to thieir virtual numbers at 2.2 cents a text, but I'm not sure that you are going get a threaded experience (e.g. the inbound message may go to one number and the outbound may be in a different place).

mnew90 · ‎11-09-2011

Thank you all for giving advice. I really appreciate it.

I guess the only way I'll be able to make cheap calls is to get a credit card or PayPal.

stufried · ‎09-18-2005

Remember that you can buy prepaid Mastercards and Visas at any drugstore. I hear that Walmart has the beest prepaid credit card, but I am not overly familiar with that market.