Talking Straight Talk

Satisfaction!

2012-01-12T11:43:00.001-05:00

Tops in the survey among prepaid cell phone carriers was TracFone, which includes Straight Talk. According to the poll, TracFone had an 82 percent consumer satisfaction rating, while Straight Talk finished second in the survey with a 78 percent rating.

Read the whole story here!

More Android!

2011-08-18T15:37:00.005-04:00

Here's a longer video. Too long to be a commercial. Might be for in-store?

Android Coming Soon?

2011-08-18T15:32:00.002-04:00

Sure looks like it!

This video certainly appears to be genuine.

Great Presents

2011-05-20T17:26:00.005-04:00

It's the "other" holiday season; Mother's Day, Father's Day, graduations and for many, birthdays and anniversaries.

We recommend a very nice present to celebrate the occasion (or occasions), preferably a present of lasting value.

How about a Straight Talk phone?

There's a nice selection, with QWERTY keyboards, cameras, Bluetooth and more.

And there's no contract, so the savings add up every month. Besides, what kind of present is it if it requires the recipient to sign a contract?! Ugh!

Take a look at the latest Straight Talk offers here.

Great Networks = Great Coverage

2011-05-18T17:17:00.002-04:00

Why do you have to enter your zip code when you buy a Straight Talk phone online?

Simple.

The zip code thing is to figure out which phone will work best where you use it the most.

Aha!

Straight Talk uses the networks of Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile, so where ever you use your phone the most, you're assured of getting the best coverage and the strongest signal.

Now you know!

Click here to get Straight Talk.

Savings!

2011-05-10T15:36:00.007-04:00

I keep seeing these supposedly "great" deals for unlimited prepaid no-contract phones.

Then I read the mouse-print at the bottom of the ad; per-day charges, very few talk minutes; limited coverage; sub-par networks etc.

With Straight Talk, you can get unlimited talk, text, Web and 411 for $45 a month or 1,000 minutes, texts and 30MB data (about 350 Web pages) for only $30.

No per-day fees or hidden charges.

How much are you paying to use a cell phone?

Better question: How much will you save with Straight Talk?

You can click here to get Straight Talk.

International Long Distance

2011-04-28T17:15:00.001-04:00

Straight Talk Auto-Refill

2011-04-27T14:46:00.001-04:00

Get 'em before they're gone

2011-04-21T15:33:00.005-04:00

We don't claim to have any inside information or secret knowledge.

But we do know what we see.

If you watch the Straight Talk online store on the website you'll see there are still a few free refurbished phones offered. Not many. And some models are long gone. (Update: The only "free" phone right now is the LG220C.)

There are also a few that aren't "free" but cost an extra $10 or $20 plus the service card. But the Samsung T401G for $20 is not a bad deal at all!.

Bottom line: If you want to save or get a Straight Talk phone as a gift, don't delay!

No contract? No problem!

2011-04-14T14:20:00.005-04:00

A buddy of ours was raving about Straight Talk. We asked him if this was his first experience with a prepaid, no-contract phone.

He said that it was and that he'd NEVER sign a contract to use a phone again. "It's like waking up from a bad dream," he said. "What the hell was I thinking?"

Good question.

Why on earth do we think it's normal and natural to sign a two-year contract to use a phone, and sign another one later to get a new phone?

Like they say on the TV cop shows, "Who benefits?"

Not you.

The customer is tied to a company for an extended period of time. The "free" phone they got is paid for over time with higher charges, hidden fees and other costs.

Nothing free about it!

With Straight Talk, you buy your phone and add service every 30 days. You want to change phones or service plans, you just buy what you want. No strings attached.

How easy is that?

Very easy.

Who needs a contract? Not you -- or anyone.

You can click here to get Straight Talk.

Free phones!

2011-03-08T14:23:00.008-05:00

If you haven't noticed, Straight Talk has been giving away fee phones with the purchase of airtime.

We heard that this offer will be going away soon and might not come back. So, if you're interested, you better jump!

The phones are reconditioned and not the top of the line, but still... for $30 with their All You Need deal (1000 minutes, 1000 texts) or Unlimited deal, it's pretty awesome.

Here's one of the offers
.

Again, not the glitziest phone but for $30 or $45 and free shipping, why not?

You can click here if you wanna shop.

Straight Talk = Better Coverage

2011-03-04T14:14:00.005-05:00

Ever wonder why you have to enter your zip code when you buy a Straight Talk phone from their website?

Here's why.

Straight Talk sells GSM and CDMA phones. The GSM phones use T-Mobile and AT&T's networks. The CDMA phones use Verizon.

In some places, one network is better than the others.

When you enter your zip, the best phones for your area are shown.

That's why the coverage with Straight Talk is so great.

Three networks. That's the reason.

News: Congrats to TracFone!

2011-02-10T11:26:00.001-05:00

Congrats to our pals at TracFone!

According to FierceWireless.com: "TracFone netted a whopping 1.1 million new subscribers in the fourth quarter of 2010, finishing the period with a total of 17.7 million subscribers.TracFone's net adds put it in the same league as some of the nation's Tier 1 wireless carriers. For example, Verizon Wireless, the nation's largest wireless carrier, recorded 955,000 total net customer additions in the fourth quarter, ending the period with 102.2 million 'total wireless connections.'"

You can read the whole story here.

Straight Talk's new Nokia Smart Phones!

2010-11-16T11:03:00.004-05:00

NOKIA E71 Includes a 30 Day Service Plan card to get you started which provides: Unlimited Talk & Unlimited Text Nationwide, Unlimited Data and Unlimited Calls to 411.

Full QWERTY Keyboard
IM Instant Messaging
Multiple Email Accounts
Multi-Tasking
Free Voice-guided Navigation
3.2 Megapixel Camera and Video Recorder
4GB microSD Card Included
Music Player (cable not included)
Mobile Web Services
Bluetooth® Wireless Technology
Download Apps from Nokia Ovi Store
LCD Color Display
WiFi Enabled
FM Radio
Hands-free Speaker
Voice Dialing, Voice Commands
Voice Recorder
Voicemail and Call Waiting
Caller/Picture/Ringtone ID
Key Pad Lock and Alarm Clock
Battery Talk Time up to 10.5 hours
Standby Time up to 17 days
Includes Charger and Services Guide

Click here to get a great Smart Phone from Straight Talk.

NOKIA 6790 Includes a 30 Day Service Plan card to get you started which provides: Unlimited Talk & Unlimited Text Nationwide, Unlimited Data and Unlimited Calls to 411.

Slider QWERTY Keyboard
IM Instant Messaging
Multiple Email Accounts
Multi-Tasking
Free Voice-guided Navigation
2.0 Megapixel Camera and Video Recorder
4GB microSD Card Included
Music Player (cable not included)
Mobile Web Services
Bluetooth® Wireless Technology
Download Apps from Nokia Ovi Store
LCD Color Display
FM Radio
Hands-free Speaker
Voice Dialing, Voice Commands
Voice Recorder
Voicemail and Call Waiting
Caller/Picture/Ringtone ID
Key Pad Lock and Alarm Clock
Battery Talk Time up to 4.7 hours
Standby Time up to 16 days
Includes Charger and Services Guide

Click here to get these great Smart Phones.

You're covered!

2010-08-31T16:42:00.003-04:00

If you haven't looked at the Straight Talk website lately, check it out! New phones have been added to the line-up.

Without getting overly technical, the earlier models... the ones that ended in "C" .... were and are great! Most of the country was covered and Straight Talk customers raved about the signal.

But there were a few places that Straight Talk didn't cover. But now, with the introduction of phones that end in "G" Straight talk coverage has been extended.

You can take a look at the new Straight Talk phone line up by clicking here and entering your zip code.

Unlimited!

2010-06-18T17:14:00.002-04:00

No per-day charges, contracts or bills. Thirty days of UNLIMITED minutes and texts for $45 on one of America's best networks!

Get Straight Talk!

Save BIG money with Straight Talk

2010-06-16T15:25:00.003-04:00

If you talk and text a lot, Straight Talk's UNLIMITED plan is crazy-good! $45 for unlimited talk and texts every 30 days.

But if you don't need UNLIMITED, the ALL YOU NEED plan is also crazy-good. $30 for 1000 minutes and 1000 texts.

Either way, the savings are big. HUGE even!
Click here to save with Straight Talk.

Straight Talk at Walmart

2010-06-11T16:51:00.002-04:00

Check out the selection of Straight Talk phones and Airtime at Walmart and Walmart.com.

Best Network

2010-06-09T16:36:00.003-04:00

Can't say it officially, but everyone knows what network Straight Talk is on, right?

It's on America's best network and the coverage is amazing. Boost? Not so much. Virgin Mobile? Please.

Here's the coverage map. See for yourself!

Play your cards right!

2010-06-08T16:44:00.003-04:00

Yeah, it's not a money-saver but if time IS money, maybe it is!

Buying UNLIMITED Straight Talk airtime in 3 or 6 month chunks -- even a year's worth -- is pretty cool.

Take a look yourself, here!

Message from Straight Talk

2010-05-06T11:21:00.000-04:00

Dear Straight Talkers;

We apologize for our recent technical issues. The network outage was addressed and service has been restored.

Due to the high volume of calls during this time, support staff may not have been able to respond as quickly as we would have preferred. We apologize and are taking steps to ensure that resources are in place to handle any and all customer issues.

Though we do not wish to minimize the seriousness of this problem, the outage affected a small percentage of Straight Talk users attempting activation and replenishment of service. Most Straight Talk customers were not affected by this issue.

We value our customers and continue to work with our partners to ensure that Straight Talk activation, replenishment and support meet their needs – today and always.

Thank you for your patience and understanding.

Great new Service Cards!

2010-04-08T11:20:00.003-04:00

Now you can have the convenience of purchasing UNLIMITED Straight Talk service for 3 months, 6 months or even a full year at a time!

It's one less thing to worry about and keep track of, so you'll save time by choosing and buying your plan up front.

Click here to purchase now

Good coverage!

2010-04-07T12:22:00.004-04:00

There are a number of blogs that review phones. Many are quite good. Some, not so much.

We recognize the time and attention the good ones devote to evaluating phones, plans and accessories.

Here's one of the better ones, with terrific coverage of Straight Talk, in particular, SaveOnPrepaidPhones.com

Buy now online: Samsung R355C

2010-03-25T11:41:00.004-04:00

Grab it now! The new sleek, slick and very user-friendly Samsung R355C QWERTY phone from Straight Talk.

Fits great in your hand for easy texting and data use. Slips comfortably in your pocket, purse or laptop bag -- ready to go when you are.

It's a keeper!

Check these features:

* Full QWERTY Keyboard
* Mobile Web Access
* 1.3 Megapixel Camera
* MP3 Player (cable and microSD card not included)
* Bluetooth® Wireless Technology
* Text and Picture Messaging
* Downloadable ringtones and graphics
* Hearing Aid Compatible (HAC) Rating: M4/T3
* LCD Color Display- 2.2" TFT
* Hands-Free Speaker
* Voice Mail, Call Waiting, Caller ID
* Voice Dialing, Voice Commands
* Auto Redial
* Vibration Alert
* Key Pad Lock and Alarm Clock
* Phonebook with up to 1,000 entries
* Battery Talk Time up to 5.5 hours
* Standby Time up to 16.67 days
* Includes Charger and Services Guide
Click here to purchase

New Samsung R355C

2010-03-24T12:13:00.004-04:00

Starting to appear at Walmart retail stores. Available online NOW.

Cool qwerty keyboard phone!

User review of Straight Talk

2010-03-12T12:00:00.000-05:00

Check out Paul's review of Straight Talk, here.

Is Straight Talk right for you?

2010-03-10T17:24:00.003-05:00

Interesting comparison of Straight Talk, NET10 and TracFone here.

The bottom line is that if you use your phone to talk and text a lot, Straight Talk rocks!

Straight Talk on the road

2010-02-18T09:55:00.002-05:00

Interesting comparison of Straight Talk to prepaid and contract cell phone services.

ALL YOU NEED or UNLIMITED?

2010-02-16T10:56:00.006-05:00

Which Straight Talk option is best for you?

ALL YOU NEED gives you 1000 Minutes, 1000 Texts, 30MB of Mobile Web Acces and calls to 411 at no charge.

UNLIMITED is Unlimited Minutes, Unlimited Texts, Unlimited Mobile Web Access and Unlimited Calls to 411.

Most people use significantly less than ALL YOU NEED but it's nice to have peace of mind knowing that you have MORE than you need.

Some months, you know in advance that you'll be talking, texting and on the Web a lot. Other times, maybe not so much.

With Straight Talk, that's not an issue. You can switch between ALL YOU NEED and UNLIMITED from one month to the next as your needs change.

No problem! It's Straight Talk.

Click here to get started with Straight Talk.

Straight Talk For Valentine's Day

2010-02-10T16:38:00.004-05:00

The folks at Healthy Financial Habits strike again!

Check out their Valentine's Day gift suggestion!

Are you looking for a unique gift for your boyfriend this valentines day. Stay in touch with your valentine with a prepaid phone from straight talk wireless. With this gift, you will be able to talk for hours using one of America’s best networks at a price that anyone can afford.

Click here to read the whole post.

Straight Talk For Valentine's Day!

2010-02-02T16:39:00.004-05:00

What a great way to show your loved ones that you want to keep in touch! Talk and text and never worry about a bill: $45 a month for unlimited minutes, texts and Mobile Web Access.

It's love, UNLIMITED!

Click here, baby!

Straight Talk endorsed by Healthy Financial Habits

2010-01-25T16:09:00.002-05:00

"I am an advocate of the prepaid Straight Talk phone after realizing how much money I have been throwing away each month to my service provider. I was able to get the same coverage with more text messages, minutes, data use, and free 411 calls for about $25 less per month than what I was paying my previous provider."

Read more here.

Text messaging on Straight Talk's Samsung Finesse

2010-01-18T17:50:00.000-05:00

LG290c Review

2010-01-15T10:45:00.003-05:00

A user-created review video. Not bad, though he does call it "smart talk" at one point. No biggie, tho, since he really likes the phone and recommends it.

Straight Talk Samsung Finesse R810C Review

2010-01-12T16:24:00.000-05:00

More info here!

Samsung R451C Review

2010-01-12T16:14:00.001-05:00

More info here!

Straight Talk in the news

2009-12-30T17:45:00.003-05:00

Keep up with the talk on Straight Talk. It's an easy way to see what the media is reporting on our favorite money-saving prepaid cell phone, here.

NEW Straight Talk's Samsung Finesse R810C

2009-12-08T10:59:00.012-05:00

It's slim and sexy. You'll have a hard time keeping your hands off it!

The new Samsung Finesse R810C from Straight Talk is a full-featured smartphone with a touchscreen, widgets, a 2.0 megapixel camera and camcorder, and more.

Along with Straight Talk's $45 Unlimited or $30 All You Need plan, you'll have a great phone at a great price. Top off every 30 days or refill automatically, and that's it. Talk, text and surf the Web in style -- for less.

Doing business on the go? Do it with Finesse!

Click here to purchase the new Straight Talk Samsung Finesse R810C.

Straight Talk's LG290C

2009-12-07T17:01:00.003-05:00

It's a slick slider phone with a 1.3 Megapixel Camera, Bluetooth, Text and Picture Messaging, Mobile Web and more.

With Straight Talk's amazing coverage and incredible low cost, it's an awesome way to stay connected for less.

For more info or to get started with Straight Talk, click here.

Why You May Want to Switch Your Cell Phone Plan

2009-11-19T14:13:00.006-05:00

NewsChannel 7: "You could go (with) Verizon and pay $125 a month for unlimited calling and texting, or you could go with Straight Talk and get the same coverage and plan for $45."

Click here to read the full article.

"Significant savings!"

2009-11-18T00:01:00.000-05:00

"I love the reception... and the price!"

2009-11-17T00:01:00.001-05:00

"Better network!"

2009-11-16T00:01:00.002-05:00

No ridiculous roaming charges

2009-11-15T00:01:00.000-05:00

"Can't be beat!"

2009-11-14T00:01:00.000-05:00

"Highly recommend it!"

2009-11-13T15:44:00.001-05:00

Straight Talk = Straight-Forward Savings

2009-11-13T00:01:00.000-05:00

From The Check Out Blog, by Walmart Associates:

"One major expense for our customers is their monthly wireless phone bill. To help address this expense Walmart worked with TracFone, the largest prepaid company in

America

, to test a new service called Straight Talk. We initially tested the Straight Talk program during this summer in roughly 200 stores. The customer reaction was immediate. In fact, the response was so overwhelming that we will be launching this new program nationwide."

Click here to read more.

No complaints!

2009-11-12T16:40:00.001-05:00

"Save $45-$50 a month with Straight Talk!"

2009-11-12T00:01:00.001-05:00

"I really do like the service!"

2009-11-11T00:01:00.001-05:00

LG290C

2009-11-10T14:29:00.007-05:00

Have you seen the new Straight Talk LG290C?

It's a very stylish slider phone, perfect if you're always on the go and want a reliable, fun, full-featured phone.

Plus, it's got a 1.3 Megapixel camera, Bluetooth®, Mobile Web Access and more.

Here's the list of features:

Mobile Web Services
Stylish Slider Phone Design
1.3 Megapixel Camera
Bluetooth® Wireless Technology
Downloadable Ringtones and Graphics
Hands-free Speaker
Hearing Aid Compatible (HAC) Rating: M3/T3
MMS Picture Messaging
Voicemail and Call Waiting
Key Pad Lock and Alarm Clock
Phone Book with up to 1000 Entries
Battery Talk Time up to 3 hours
Standby Time up to 7.5 days
Color Screen
Text Messaging
Vibration Alert
Auto Redial
Voice Recorder
Voice Commands
Voice Dialing
33 Polyphonic Ringtones
Calculator
Includes Charger and Services Guide

Buy it at Walmart or online here.

"I love it!"

2009-11-10T10:38:00.003-05:00

How to get started with Straight Talk

2009-11-03T15:15:00.001-05:00

It's easy!

If you have a Walmart store nearby, stop in, chose your phone, decide which 30-Day Service Plan you want -- Unlimited or All You Need -- and you're ready to rock!

If you want to order online, it's just as easy.

Just go here to get started. This is what you'll see.

You'll be asked for your zip code (or the zip code where the phone will be used the most), to confirm coverage.

After you do that, you'll wind up here...

...where you'll chose your phone and 30-Day Service Plan.

You can get started for as little as $59.99 with an LG100C and a 30-Day All You Need Plan, with 1,000 minutes, 1,000 texts plus 30MB of Mobile Web Access. Free shipping, too!

It's an easy way to get started, and the phone is yours to keep. After 30 days, simply purchase another 30-day plan. That's it.

The tipping point

2009-10-21T14:00:00.000-04:00

Gary Kim: "Wal-Mart's new “Straight Talk” prepaid service, offered at the $30 and $45 levels, could end up being the “tipping point for millions of consumers who are already considering moving away from expensive contract-based cell phone service,” says Allen Hepner, New Millennium Research executive director.

Hepner believes that the $30 plan (with 1,000 minutes, 1,000 texts per month, mobile Web access and no-extra cost 411 calls, with no contract and no penalties) and the $45 plan (unlimited calling, texting, mobile Web and 411) that Wal-Mart now offers under the “Straight Talk” brand are going to get serious attention."

Click here to read more.

Straight Talk is "the 'invisible hand' at work"....

2009-10-21T12:00:00.002-04:00

... bringing you the lowest cell phone prices in history," according to Dr. Mark J. Perry, a professor of economics and finance in the School of Management at the University of Michigan.

Click here to read his blog post.

Straight Talk means "new competition for U.S. wireless providers"

2009-10-21T09:00:00.000-04:00

Bloomberg.com: "Walmart could grab sales from competitors by expanding the availability of low-priced plans, even as wireless growth slows, said Michael Nelson, an analyst at Soleil/Nelson Alpha Research. Walmart is entering the fastest-growing part of the almost saturated U.S. mobile-phone market, he said.

'Walmart has a history of being, in many cases, a category killer,' New York-based Nelson said in a telephone interview. “I would expect the increasing proportion of new wireless sales to be sold through the big box retailers and indirect dealers versus traditional, company-owned stores."

Click here to read the full story.

No contracts with Straight Talk!

2009-10-21T06:00:00.001-04:00

"What about contracts? Nope, you won’t find any contracts with Straight Talk."

Click here to read more.

"New Walmart cell phone plans are designed to say the consumer nearly 500 dollars a year."

2009-10-21T00:01:00.000-04:00

Huliq News: "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.

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.

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."

Click here to read the full article.

Straight Talk In The News

2009-10-20T14:02:00.004-04:00

"Wal-Mart is set to launch a national no-contract cell phone program for consumers who don't want to be tied down to a carrier for years'-long contracts.

The Bentonville, Ark.-based retailer has reached an agreement with Straight Talk, a service of TracFone Wireless, the Miami-based subsidiary of America Movil, owned by Mexican billionaire Carlos Slim.

Wal-Mart's entry into the no-contract world could serve as a 'tipping point for millions of consumers who are already considering moving away from expensive contract-based cell phone service,' said New Millennium Research Council Executive Director Allen Hepner, in a statement..."

Click here to read the full article.

GoMo News:Straight Talk is "a pretty damn good deal."

2009-10-15T11:47:00.003-04:00

GoMo News is very impressed with Straight Talk:

"I think this is a pretty damn good deal. You can walk out of a Walmart with a brand new device and 1,000 mins talk and text in your pocket for $65. I went phone shopping in San Francisco less than two weeks ago, and the cheapest I could get the same deal for $120 from T-Mobile (check out that article here). So in terms of price, this is pretty good news for consumers.

I have to wonder what the consequences of this deal are, though. You have Walmart here, buying space on networks through an intermediary… and selling it on at cheaper than the networks sell it. Frankly I’m pretty surprised that this service got launched at all - just how much are networks willing to undercut themselves? Or it could be a case of Walmart being able to afford to pay the operators the difference from their own pocket, in order to attract subscribers. If so, to what end?

I’m pretty amused by the $45 dollar tariff as well - pipping Sprint by 5 bucks a month at the unlimited game is quite a little PR coup."

Even more Unlimited

2009-10-12T14:45:00.004-04:00

A great thing just got even better.

Straight Talk's game-changing Unlimited deal now has Unlimited minutes, messages, data -- anytime and nationwide. Plus, calls to 411 at no additional charge.

Deal!

Click to get started.

How To Get Out Of Your Cell Phone Contract For Free

2009-09-17T14:13:00.003-04:00

From Howcast, via Lifehacker and Consumerist.

(So you can get a Straight Talk phone instead.)

The Best Customer Service

2009-09-16T12:01:00.012-04:00

Straight Talk is easy to use. It's straight. No nonsense.

You choose your phone, buy your 30-day plan and you're ready to talk and text.

Occasionally you may need some help. (Don't we all?)

That's where customer service comes in.

How is Straight Talk's customer service?

The best!

J.D. Power and Associates, the leading consumer research company, in its 2009 Wireless Prepaid Customer Satisfaction Study, placed Net10 and TracFone at the top.

Straight Talk's customer service is handled by the same team.

Don't you want your customer service issues handled by the best in the business?

That's Straight Talk.

Click here to get started.

Limits on Unlimited

2009-09-14T14:48:00.009-04:00

There's been a proliferation of so-called "unlimited" plans lately, following the game-changing announcement of Straight Talk.

Competition is fine. First, it puts power in the hands of the users who can choose what's best for themselves on their own.

Having choices is good. It also forces each provider to make sure its offerings measure up against its competitors'. It's another win for users.

But when competitors don't match up favorably with others, what do they do?

Cheat. Hide. Lie. Confuse people. Bury extra charges, penalties, overages and limitations in the fine print.

Why?

Some alleged "unlimited" plans include per-day fees and other sneaky things. Their coverage is spotty and inadequate. Or their retail stores are in unsavory and exotic locations.

Straight Talk is different. It runs on Verizon, America's most reliable network. Second, it's available nationally at some local Walmarts and online here.

No hidden charges, per-day fees or any of that stuff. What you see is what you get.

What do you get?

There are two plans. All You Need is $30 for 30 days with 1,000 nationwide anytime minutes, 1,000 texts and 30MB of data (around 350 web pages). You buy airtime and it's good for 30 days. When you run out, you buy more.

The second plan, Unlimited, is $45 for 30 days of unlimited talk and text (and 30MB of data).

Simple. No hidden fees. No nonsense.

You can check out the plans and phones here.

Just make sure that when you're looking at other plans that claim to be unlimited, they really are.

Without all the bad stuff!

2009-09-09T00:01:00.000-04:00

Unlimited!

2009-09-08T00:01:00.000-04:00

The Secret Origin of Straight Talk!

2009-09-04T00:01:00.001-04:00

Straight Talk rocks Atlanta

2009-09-03T10:58:00.004-04:00

Atlanta is one of the test markets for Straight Talk's retail roll out.
Pali Capital Telecom Analyst Walter Piecyk traveled there to evaluate the success of the service and its reception at retail. He was pretty impressed.

Here's the video of his comments.

Run the numbers

2009-08-25T00:01:00.003-04:00

According to the most recent studies, Americans are overpaying for their phone plans.

No surprise there. You might expect, however, that most people pay extra for calls not included in their cell plans.

While it's certainly true of some, surprisingly, a new study says the average wireless consumer uses around 760 minutes and sends over 400 text messages a month. The same study showed that the average monthly cell phone bill is about $50.

While it's commendable to pump extra money into the economy, as a consumer, it's usually a bad idea to overpay for anything.

With Straight Talk's All You Need plan, you're getting 1,000 nationwide anytime minutes, 1,000 texts and 30MB of data (about 350 web pages) for $30... which is 40% less than $50.

And if you're a frequent talker and mad texter, for another $15 you get Unlimited talk and text for 10% less than the $50 monthly average... only $45 every 30 days.

Really, in this day and age, there's no reason to overpay for your phone.

Just run the numbers and you'll see!

Unlimited! Or All You Need!

2009-08-21T10:15:00.000-04:00

The rumors and reports are true.

In addition to the original $30 ALL YOU NEED plan, Straight Talk now offers UNLIMITED.

Thirty days of unlimited anytime minutes and texts for $45.

No contract. No bills.

Simple!

Straight Talk.

The superior value of Straight Talk

2009-08-17T16:32:00.000-04:00

Recently, CTIA, the international association for the wireless telecommunications industry, representing carriers, manufacturers and wireless Internet providers, issued a response to a report on international phone usage.

They confirmed that Straight Talk is leading the way in providing superior value.

"(A) number of unlimited voice and text message plans have been introduced by U.S. wireless companies providing U.S. consumers with even greater value. For example, TracFone offers its 'Straight Talk' plan of unlimited minutes and text, nationwide, any time, for $45 a month."

It's official: Straight Talk is your best choice for saving money with unlimited nationwide anytime talk and text!

Average. Or above average?

2009-08-13T15:51:00.000-04:00

How much do you spend on your cellphone every month?

Do you know? If not, never mind. Here's a better question: how many minutes do you talk? How many texts do you send and receive?

According to the cellphone industry's trade group CTIA, the average minutes used per month is around 760 and the average number of texts is 400.

If you sign up for Straight Talk's $30 ALL YOU NEED plan with 1,000 nationwide anytime minutes and 1,000 texts, you're good!

If you're paying more than that... not so good!

But if your talking and texting are ABOVE average, throw in another 15 bucks and you get UNLIMITED nationwide anytime minutes and texts. $45 for 30 days of Unlimited nationwide anytime minutes and texts? Yes!

The cellphone industry group cites the “'Straight Talk plan of unlimited minutes and text, nationwide, any time, for $45 a month" for "providing U.S. consumers with even greater value."

For more into and links to purchase Straight Talk phones and airtime, click here.

This is not a test

2009-08-11T15:52:00.000-04:00

If you heard or read that the fantastic Straight Talk prepaid phone service is a test or a trial, I'd like to state unequivocally that it is not!

Anyone who says otherwise is full of... baloney!

The "trial" is a small issue regarding the use of the Verizon name in the Straight Talk packaging. It really has nothing to do with anything. It's just a business thing.

So if you're interested in getting a great deal on your phone service, listen to the Straight Talk -- not the baloney.

Genuine Straight Talk

2009-08-10T16:28:00.000-04:00

I was doing an online search on the term "straight talk" a few weeks ago and I came upon a bunch of stories about a new cell phone service called... "Straight Talk."

Imagine that!

I was trying to find the origin of the term and how it had been subverted by the media but this was far more interesting: a no-contract phone that offered 30 days of service for either $30 or $45 with 1,000 minutes of talk and 1,000 texts, or unlimited talk and text.

To have unlimited phone service for $45 a month seemed like a great deal to me but apparently the phone industry was freaking out over it, if you believed the online reports (like here, here and here.)

But my AT&T contract had just expired and I was thinking about dumping it for another company with better coverage. I just about freaked when I read that Straight Talk runs on Verizon's network! I asked around and my friends told me that they loved the Verizon coverage; no dropped calls, dead spots etc.

So when I dug into it a bit and saw the phones that Straight Talk offered, I was a little disappointed -- at first.

But when I thought about how I used my phone -- to talk and text and maybe check out a website here and there -- the Moto RAZR was more than fine! And the 30MB of included data was fine, too; it's the equivalent of 350 typical web pages, I learned. Works for me!

The only thing was that Straight talk was available in some "select" Walmart stores -- none near me. But that wasn't an obstacle. I ordered it online here and had it delivered to my local Wally Mart for pickup.

Easy!

I'll post a more later about what I think of it and how it works but so far so good!