"Straight Talk" phones and plans...

[AlexPKeaton]

Anyone have any experience with this? I know it's the dreaded WalMart, but it's my understanding that you buy the phone for whatever price, then you get unlimited text, calls and data for $45/mo using the Verizon and Sprint, or ATT and TMobile networks (depending on the phone you buy).

That sounds like a really, really good deal.

[PopeyeJones]

you don't have to use their phones for the prepaid plans.

I just got the new unlocked Nexus 4 off the Google Play store, and then bought the 30/MO pre-paid t-mobile plan through Walmart (unlimited web, text, and 100 talk minutes a month -- I don't talk on my phone that much and just use voice over IP when I do), and put in a t-mobile sim card and was good to go. I might switch up to one of those unlimited all the way plans though.

Historically the downside with the prepaid plans is that the phones suck, but with the Nexus 4, that's not a problem anymore.

(FWIW I really wanted a Note II, but to buy that unlocked and off contract would have been $650, whereas the Nexus 4 is $300-350 depending on which model you want -- I'm assuming Google is selling it at-cost or as a loss leader to get more people into the Android universe).

EDIT: Should also say that I just got them (for both my wife and I) up and running yesterday, so let me know if you want me to report back on the actual service after a couple days of playing on 'em.

[PsychoViking]

Do you ever need to roam? If so, you cannot do that with prepaid plans like ST.

Virgin Mobile and a bunch of others use Sprint, which doesn't have the best network if you are data-hungry but they are also cheaper.

How much do you use? There are other services that can be even cheaper if you are a light user.