Cell phone - Which option is better?

[Betty]

We bought a cheap, old style flip phone when we were there a few years ago. We top it up online a few times a year so all we need to do before we leave for Jamaica, is charge it up. We basically use it for taxis and dinner reservations.

[gregandkelly63]

I just checked with Verizon. They have three different international plans. 1) $100/month (screw that!) 2) $10/line per day used (better!) 3) Pay as you go. $1.79/min for calls. 50¢ sent SMS/50¢ MMS and 5¢ received SMS/25¢ MMS (I think we have a winner!)

Thanks for the replies. The pay as you go seems the best option for me since I wouldn't use the phone more than a half dozen times.

[ukran1ans]

I just checked with Verizon. They have three different international plans. 1) $100/month (screw that!) 2) $10/line per day used (better!) 3) Pay as you go. $1.79/min for calls. 50¢ sent SMS/50¢ MMS and 5¢ received SMS/25¢ MMS (I think we have a winner!)

Thanks for the replies. The pay as you go seems the best option for me since I wouldn't use the phone more than a half dozen times.

Since WS has great wifi, I go with the $10 a day plan with verizon (it only turns on if you turn the data on for your phone, so keeping it in airplane mode is best most of the time, with wifi on by itself). I tried the 'Pay as you go' plan before and I came home to a shocking bill (you don't realize how many texts you send, plus any 'robo texts' count against you or texts that other people send you). At least with the $10 plan, you get all the services you have at home and it only turns on if the cell tower senses that your data has been turned on (verizon will send you a text letting you know that you have 24 hours of service from that point on, for that $10). That way, you don't have to worry about how many calls or texts you get for that time period (you can then take of advantage of that time frame and text and surf away without any worries of additional costs).