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Not too many repsonses to pre-paid cell phones here.

I think it is a generational thing. Either real young - where parents wish to limit the costs and time children are on cell phones.

And the "older" types - who just use a cell phone to actually make telephone calls.

But as the article states - this is all changing. Like myself - I don't like contracts. So I have had a Tracfone for many years. On my 3rd generation Tracfone. Motorola Flip Phone was first. Motorola V60i was my 2nd. And for the past few years an LG3280 Tracfone.

Since Tracfone jumped up to the US from South America - many others have entered the pre-paid arena - with all seeming to offer something in pre-paid.

The economy has some to do with this as many, sadly, lack employment - or some are worried about their current employment - and do not wish to enter into a 2 year contract.

Wallymart made a deal with Tracfone and came out with unlimited calls with a fixed price of around $50.00 per month - called Straight Talk. Straight Talk is only offered at Wallymart. And Net10 is owned by Tracfone.

But visit any big box store and there is a myriad of pre-paid plans offered by Verizon, T-Mobile, and a bunch of names I don't recognize.

Tracfone is not very good if you are in business. And Tracfone is not the cheapest. I only got Tracfone because it was the only one available at the time of initial purchase.

I have a friend who is in business and he has both a current iPhone (AT$T) and a Blackberry (Verizon) - as he has reception issues when he travels. The company pays all - everything. No bills are sent to him.

What was facinating - was our trip this June to the D-Day sights in France. We walked the D-Day beaches on June 6th 2010. With his iPhone - he could make calls to the US without any country code - just dial normally as if in US. And the iPhone had a GPS app for Europe - as we rented a car and drove from beach to beach and viewed the US Cemetary - the one seen in the movie - Saving Private Ryan. So technolgy is advancing rapidly with cell phones. But of course at a cost.

Pre-paid is good for those who just make telephone calls and do not want a contract. And again - may not be the least expensive way to go - depending on usage.

But these simple lower tech phones are changing. Some now offer web browsing, digital camera, etc. So it will be interesting how this all plays out.

Most of the 3rd world are all pre-paid - as most there do not have a credit card. So pre-paid is the only answer.

While I am not a user of pre-paid services for the aforementioned reasons, any effort to add choice and services can only be a good thing for consumers.

I upgraded to the LG Prime; $79.00 no tax, free shipping from Amazon, and it came with $50 of service to add to my existing total.

The phone is very advance for a prepaid type.

The non-subsidized cell markets around the world (mostly GSM) and ebay will make sure decent non-dumb handsets will appear (aftermarket) in North America.
And that might get us eventually what Google was trying with its N1: data/voice plans that are NOT by default implying you getting a handset from them at the same time...

I wouldn't be surprised if one day NA carriers are sued for price fixing.

One can dream, right...

Diogen.