logo

Prepaid Reviews

Red Pocket Mobile

Editor Rating
* * * *
Overview

Founded in 2006, Red Pocket Mobile is an MVNO of the AT&T national network. Instead of catering to a general consumer market, Red Pocket focuses on customers with family and friends in the Asia/Pacific region.

Pros: The lack of long distance charges to may international destinations is a plus, as is multi-language customer service.

Cons: There aren't many plan options, and the rates are slightly above average


Detailed Provider Information

Plans: Red Pocket Mobile offers pay-as-you-go service with three tiers of refill cards. The 10 dollar card provides 67 minutes, or 15 cents per minute. The 25 dollar card provides 166 minutes, also 15 cents per minute. The 50 dollar card comes with 400 minutes, or 12.5 cents per minute. Finally, the 100 dollar card provides 1,000 minutes, or 10 cents per minute.


Customer Service: Customer service can be reached by a website form or toll-free number, 24 hours a day. It is available in English, Spanish, Filipino, and the Mandarin and Cantonese dialects of Chinese.


Credit Check: None


Contract: None


Payment Options: Customers can pay for their Red Pocket phones and refill cards with credit/debit card and PayPal on the website, and with cash at retail outlets.


Text and Picture Messaging: Domestic and international text messages are 10 cents each, both to send and receive. Picture messaging is not available.


Data Plans: Red Pocket Mobile does not offer data plans at this time.


Downloadables: No downloadables are available at this time.


International Calling: Red Pocket Mobile offers calls to the US, Canada, China, South Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, and three cities in Mexico -- Mexico City, Monterrey, and Guadalajara -- for no additional charge to normal airtime rates. Low international rates are available to other countries as well.


Roaming Charges: Customers are free to roam on AT&T's primary national network.


Calling Features: Voicemail, caller ID, and call waiting are available.


Activation Fee: There is no fee to activate your Red Pocket Mobile phone.


Nationwide Long Distance: All long distance calls are billed as normail airtime.


411 Calls: Red Pocket Mobile charges only airtime for 411 calls.


Earliest Minute Expiration: The 10 dollar card expires in 30 days. The 25 dollar card expires in 90 days. the 50 dollar card expires in 180 days, and the 100 dollar card expires in one year.


911 Calls: Yes


Phones: Red Pocket Mobile currently offers three different phones on their website. While they look like older models, a couple of them are unlocked models, and a couple of them support both English and simplified Chinese characters for text messaging.


Some Available Cell Models:
MOTORAZR V3 unlocked (shown)
Motorola V197 unlocked
Motorola C139





Coverage Map:
View the Red Pocket Mobile coverage map (same as AT&T GoPhone).


Average User Rating:
4.5

2
Red Pocket Mobile

Red Pocket Mobile Red Pocket Mobile is by far the best mobile company I've found. 5
Michael 2009/11/08

Red Pocket Mobile is by far the best mobile company I've found. I live in the USA but call Canada constantly, and their rates are 10 cents per minute for calls from the USA to Canada.

They also allow me to dial directly from my cell phone to canada without any access numbers or other numbers, this is very important to me because I have 600 contacts in my phone and it would be very annoying if i had to first dial an access number, and then somehow remember the actual number i wanted to dial.

I've looked at many, many competitors, and the best rates ive found is 12 cents a minute, but at that rate, there is ALWAYS an access number to dial.


Red Pocket Mobile I got Red Pocket to call the Philippines, for which purpose they 4
Flyboy 2009/10/17

I got Red Pocket to call the Philippines, for which purpose they seem to have the lowest rates of any US mobile carrier. I used to use Virgin Mobile for this as they originally were the lowest (and before I knew Red Pocket existed), but their base rate kept creeping up and once Sprint bought them out, it was no longer cost-effective and I dumped them (they were not really competitive in the domestic market, either).
Ironically, at 10 cents per send/receive, texting on Red Pocket is half the cost of their parent network (AT&T) and probably lowest of any prepaid carrier or MVNO so far (this applies to both domestic and international text).
You can use any unlocked GSM phone on Red Pocket; it doesn't have to be limited to their offerings. While they may not make this clear on their website, you can buy just a sim from them for $25, which comes with $10 airtime, which is what I did and am able to use it in an unlocked mobile of my choice. (Call customer service to find out how to buy the sim).
I have had a problem dialing directly (011+country code+number) and called customer service regarding this matter. The nice girl told me what to do and although I followed her instructions to the letter, it did not work--fortunately, she told me about an alternative solution of an international direct dial number to use ("only if the first solution doesn't work"). I have to dial this number first, wait for the chime, dial the number I want to reach and then press #. So, I've had to use this method every time, as simply dialing the number directly still doesn't work. So far, so good; it's a bit of a hassle, and I hope there isn't going to be a problem with continued use of the IDD number (she made it sound like it was sort of a secret), but it's worked fine so far and call quality is superb (well, it *is* on AT&T).
Also noteworthy, their customer service is courteous and you actually get to quickly speak with a real live human being... during "business hours" (not 24/7 unfortunately).
The lack of round-the-clock live customer service and the fact that in my case at least, I have to use the IDD dial-through number with the added steps that entails, keeps me from giving them a full 5 stars, but they're still darn close. :) Probably the best prepaid mobile solution for calling Asia from the US that currently exists.


Add Your Own Review :
Note: When leaving a review, please be sure that your review explains why you like or dislike the service. Additionally, please be aware that we reserve the right to remove any comments that contain inappropriate or offensive language.
Name :
Rating :
Review :
E-mail : We respect your privacy
Insert text from picture :
 
November 20, 2009
Prepaid Reviews Canada
Featured Provider
AT&T Go Phone
Our Rating
* * * * */2
© 2004-2009 Prepaid Reviews.com - All Rights Reserved
No information on this site may be copied or republished in any
medium without express written consent.

Prepaidreviews.com is an independent telecommunications company.
All trademarks, logos and brand names shown on this website are the sole property of
their respective companies and are not owned by PrepaidReviews.com.