We cover every possible new prepaid handset, and after a while it becomes rote. IT seems like every phone features a 1.3 megapixel camera (or worse, VGA), Bluetooth, and maybe microSD expansion, but not much else. That pretty much describes the Motorola Quantico, which the company officially announced yesterday. Like the Morotola i335, the Quantico is built from chrome, glass, mesh, and rubber, and features military-spec 810F compliance, which means it can handle drops and spills. There’s no word on pricing or carriers, but because it’s an AWS phone we can expect a release through MetroPCS and possibly Cricket.

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Motorola announces Quantico, could be headed for MetroPCS

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Motorola announces Quantico, could be headed for MetroPCS

The CTIA I.T. & Entertainment conference is upon us, and from it we’re going to hear reports of new devices and services. Among them is Kempler & Strauss, which is producing unlocked, advanced handsets targeted at the prepaid space. Wireless Week takes a look at the operation. Pictured above is the Billionaire 7, a BlackBerry-like device with a full QWERTY keyboard and a touch screen. Next to is is the company’s take on a watch phone, something attempted in the past by many but successfully marketed by none. The device looks pretty loaded and pretty cheap. Details after the jump.

Not only does the device feature the vaunted QWERTY + touchscreen combo, but it’s a pretty powerful one. The processor clocks in at 624 MHz and can multitask. There is not just one camera, but two, one located on the front for video conferencing. Despite the advanced features, the Billionaire 7 figures to retail for just $299, without a contract.

Just a couple of issues with the device. First, it’s a quad-band GSM phone, meaning it can only run on AT&T or T-Mobile in the US. Neither company offers an attractive prepaid data option. The device will also run Windows Mobile, which, considering the price, seems an odd choice. Why not go with Android and save the licensing costs?

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New company brings unlocked, cheap phones to prepaid

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New company brings unlocked, cheap phones to prepaid

Above are two phones which have recently passed through the FCC, and which could be headed for prepaid. The more likely one is the Samsung on the right. Phone Scoop notes that it’s a GSM device with Bluetooth, FM radio, and a 1 megapixel camera. If that’s not headed for prepaid, I don’t know what is. Could be a T-Mobile release, though you can’t rule out AT&T GoPhone. The one on the left is definitely headed for T-Mobile, a Nokia model equipped with a 3G radio. This makes me think it’s set for postpaid, as does the 3.2 megapixel camera. Still, it’s a pretty basic phone, and could certainly be attractive on T-Mobile’s growing prepaid service. Look for announcements of these two devices in the weeks to come.

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Pair of phones outed by FCC, headed to prepaid?

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Pair of phones outed by FCC, headed to prepaid?

Thankfully, they might be on the way. Motorola, which is about to roll out its first Android-based phone, plans to target the low-end smartphone market. It won’t attempt to out iPhone the iPhone, nor become more of a business staple than the BlackBerry. Instead it will cater to the lower end market, and those handsets could be perfect for prepaid.

One of the biggest issues with prepaid smartphones is the price. Postpaid carriers subsidize handsets with two-year contracts, so the retail price of these devices is usually never realized. On prepaid, though, those subsidies are fare lower if they exist at all. By focusing on low-end smartphones, Motorola could create a product which would fit perfectly with the prepaid scheme.

It’s clear that they will make these handsets, and it’s clear that they could work on prepaid. But will they? Thankfully, we’ll have some time between now and then to reassess the prepaid sector. Something tells me, though, that low-end smartphones could be a good idea.

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Could low-end smartphones be prepaid’s answer?

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Could low-end smartphones be prepaid’s answer?

Above is one of four phones Samsung has added to its website. It’s the M2310, and as you can see it is a basic, basic clamshell. It offers little beyond a music player (with up to 8GB expandable memory) and a VGA camera. This makes me think that it could be slated for a prepaid release, if in fact it hits the U.S. shelves. If so, look for AT&T or T-Mobile, since they’re the GSM providers in America. Also making an appearance on the website, all of which are music phones: M2510, a slider with a 1.3 megapixel camera, the C5510, a slider with a 2 megapixel camera and up to 16GB expansion, and the S6700, with the same expandable memory but with a 3 megapixel camera. There’s absolutely no word on pricing or availability, but they’re headed somewhere in the not so distant future.

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Which of these phones will land on prepaid?

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Which of these phones will land on prepaid?

They relate the story of Brandi, a T-Mobile customer who broke her phone. She faced the same dilemma: take only a small subsidy on an expensive phone, or…well, she didn’t know what else to do. After reading some information online (perhaps on this very site), she bought a prepaid package at her local retailer. Smart girl, that Brandi. She just popped her old SIM into the new prepaid phone and voila! Working phone.

Unfortunately, this isn’t going to work with just any carrier. Because T-Mobile uses a SIM card, it works fine there. However, I had a similar experience with Verizon. After my phone vibrated off my nightstand and into a cup of water below, I was out of a phone. I stuck it in rice, which eventually worked, but in the interim I wanted to activate the Verizon prepaid phone I had sitting around. I tried online and it didn’t work. I then called customer service, where I was informed that in order to activate a prepaid phone on a postpaid line, the prepaid phone must have been in use for six months. In other words, they don’t want you buying a cheap, subsidized prepaid phone and not repaying it by buying minutes.

Still, for many carriers this is an option. T-Mobile for sure, as we’ve seen here, and I’d bet that it works with AT&T too. You might want to check with the other carriers to see if they have a policy regarding prepaid phones on postpaid accounts. You don’t want to be stuck with a phone you can’t activate.

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Prepaid phones can help postpaid customers

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Prepaid phones can help postpaid customers

Remember when we learned that ZTE and MetroPCS would team up for LTE phones? Yeah, this is not that. It’s just the ZTE C90, which just passed through the FCC. As you can see, it’s a full QWERTY model, which should make heavy text messagers happy. It also has microSD support for up to 2GB, GPS, 1.3 megapixel camera, media player, and Bluetooth. It runs on hte AWS spectrum, so figure this to be another for MetroPCS, the only place we’ve really seen ZTE phones in the U.S.

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New ZTE C90 passes through FCC

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New ZTE C90 passes through FCC

He talks a lot about Boost Mobile. They’re not exactly known for high-quality handsets, but they’re about to release the Motorola Stature i9. The phone looks cool, and I can say first hand that it is pretty freaking awesome. It features an external touchscreen with haptic feedback, and a screen big enough to watch YouTube-quality videos. A 3.1 megapixel camera helps boost the phone’s profile. It’s definitely the best offering from Boost, and it might be one of the best handsets available on any prepaid platform.

Also on the list of prepaid companies with quality phones is Virgin Mobile. We’ve seen a number of releases from them lately, including the soon-to-be-launched Kyocera X-tc. The Helio Ocean 2 is a nice option, though it’s more geared towards postpaid service. They also released the Virgin Mobile Shuttle last year, which was met with a positive reaction.

The handset trend isn’t just limited to these two carriers, though. AT&T recently started offering the Pantech Slate on their Go Phone service. We’re also awaiting a new Motorola offering for Cricket and MetroPCS. It won’t be as cool as the i9, though. Finally, there’s the rumor that MetroPCS will launch the BlackBerry Curve at the end of the month.

The phones are getting better and better for prepaid, and it couldn’t come at a better time. People’s interests are piqued. Might as well reel them in with some quality handset offerings.

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Prepaid getting better handset selection

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Prepaid getting better handset selection

See that? Yes, it looks just like almost every other Motorola phone to hit the market over the next few years. Yes, it’s the newest Motorola model to pass through the FCC. There’s no word on exactly which carrier will host it, but according to Electronista, it runs on the 1,700 MHz AWS band, the very same one used by rival carriers MetroPCS and Cricket wireless. So look for an announcement by either or both carriers in the coming weeks and months. While little is known about the handset, it looks unimpressive at first glance.

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New Motorola phone primed for Cricket and MetroPCS

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New Motorola phone primed for Cricket and MetroPCS

For the sake of not repeating information, you can check out this post on donating phones at Going Cellular. It looks at different types of recycling programs, including donations to charity and for soldiers overseas. Many times you can print a shipping label from the charity’s Website and just stick it in your mailbox. For others, though, you’ll have to find a drop-off location.

The most important part of recycling for charity is to ensure it isn’t a scam. It’s quite sad, in my opinion, that people have to go above and beyond in order to give things away to the proper outlets. Cell phones can be harvested for precious metals, so it’s especially important to watch out for scams. So make sure you do your research before dropping that phone in a box.

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Donate your old phone to charity

This post originated at PrepaidReviews.com - The number one resource for NET 10 Prepaid information on the web!

Donate your old phone to charity