tracfone

If you're trying to avoid a monthly data charge and are looking for an inexpensive monthly plan, TracFone's Samsung S390G is as good a place to start as any.

The QWERTY feature phone is a few steps up from a basic flip phone, but it won't incur that monthly data rate that piles up to many ducats spent on a smartphone.

In addition to the keyboard, which makes for easier texting, the S390G connects to Wi-Fi, a rather rare trait these days for a non-smartphone handset. In addition, you'll find e-mail, voice recognition, and a video … Read more

TracFone's Straight Talk service has added its second Android smartphone today, putting the LG Optimus Q on sale for $179.99.

The no-commitment price gives consumers an Android 2.3 Gingerbread handset with a 3.2-inch display and sliding QWERTY keyboard. Specifications are definitely on the low-end, however they are a slight step up from those of the Samsung Galaxy Precedent announced in August.

Additional details for the Optimus Q include a 3-megapixel camera, a 4GB MicroSD card, and support for Wi-Fi, GPS, Bluetooth, and 3G connectivity. Like the Galaxy Precedent, the LG smartphone can be paired only with Straight Talk's $45 monthly plan, which includes unlimited talk, text, data, e-mail, and Web.

I'm a big fan of no-commitment Android offerings, even if the hardware typically skews towards entry-level devices. Hopefully we'll get more midrange and high-end products in 2012 as players like Boost Mobile and MetroPCS continue to grow their Android rosters. … Read more

MetroPCS saw a slight decrease in its third-quarter profit as its customer growth slowed significantly.

The prepaid wireless provider reported today a profit of $69 million, or 19 cents, compared with a year-earlier profit of $77 million, or 22 cents a share. Revenue rose 18 percent to $1.21 billion.

The company was expected to earn 23 cents a share on revenue of $1.22 billion, according to an average forecast taken by Thomson Reuters.

MetroPCS was hit by a triple whammy this quarter. On the high end, national carriers such as AT&T and T-Mobile USA made more … Read more

The LG 500G is a simple messaging phone for TracFone. It has a standard candy bar design with a 2.2-inch color display and a full QWERTY keyboard.

Features include a 1.3-megapixel camera, Bluetooth, text and multimedia messaging, a 1,000-contact phone book, a speakerphone, a music player, and a personal organizer. It's priced at just $29.99 with TracFone's no-contract service.

The prepaid business, long an engine of growth for the wireless industry, is starting to sputter.

TracFone, MetroPCS, and Leap Wireless all reported disappointing second-quarter financial results. The period is typically weaker for the prepaid providers as the business takes a breather following two consecutive quarters of growth.

But their performance fell below even the lowered expectations placed on them, underscoring the pressures that the companies face with intense price competition and a still weak economic environment. Furthermore, some of the companies warned of a weaker third quarter, leading some to wonder if the prepaid business is poised for slower … Read more

The unlimited monthly plan wars continue to get hotter following a new service from TracFone. The Mobile Virtual Network Operator recently debuted StraightTalk, a prepaid, no-contract wireless brand that offers 30MB of data plus unlimited calling and messaging for $45 per month. Alternatively, you can get 1,000 anytime minutes and 1,000 text or multimedia messages for $30 per month.

Boost Mobile has offered a $50 per month plan that includes unlimited data since January, but StraightTalk now ties with MetroPCS for a calling and texting option. Yet, it is worth noting that Boost Mobile pays taxes while other … Read more