Straight Talk has quite the a deal in store for Black Friday. Instead of discounting various handsets, they’ve discounted their popular $45 monthly unlimited service. During the promotion new customers can get unlimited talk, text, and web from Straight Talk for just $30 per month, for a full year. The deal runs from now through November 30th. There are certain restrictions, though, but as long as you’re OK with an older handset, you can take full advantage of this offer. The biggest restriction is on the handsets. The $30 offer is not compatible with the LG Optimus Q or any of Straight Talk’s Android handsets. In fact, it’s available with only three handsets: the flip LG 420G ($20), the slider LG 620G ($30), and the slider Samsung T401G ($40). The Samsung handset includes a full QWERTY keyboard. The other big restriction is network availability. Since the handsets are labeled with a G, that means they run on GSM networks. These specific handsets only run on the T-Mobile network, so only customers in T-Mobile markets are eligible for the promotion. Users also have to enroll in auto-refill within 25 days of activation. That will debit $30 per month for the first year. If a payment is missed, due to a declined payment method or other issue, the rate goes back up to the normal $45. While this promotion seems wonderful, the restrictions make it less attractive. None of the handsets is particularly suited for the mobile web, and so unlimited data will bring necessary limitations. Straight Talk does offer a normal $30 monthly plan, which provides 1,000 minutes and 1,000 messages, plus 30MB of mobile web. Users who want these handsets will likely be just as well off with the $30 plan. Only super heavy talkers and messagers will really benefit from having the unlimited plan for $30. Still, $15 off per month is a tough deal to pass up. If you’re OK with the handset selection and live in a T-Mobile market, you can head to Straight Talk’s website to take advantage of the $30 promotion. ]]>
Posted in Straight Talk
Looking for a good deal for my niece, and not being very in tune with the world of teens, would this be an appropriate deal for a 16 year old? I would probably go for the T401, being qwerty, but just wondered about the viability of the plan. I’m quite blown away by Tracfone still offering unlimited-most companies have moved towards tiered pricing.
It’s really a tough call, Janice. If you’re not getting her a smartphone, though, this is probably the next best thing.
@Joe thanks for the feedback. Not sure that a smart phone is really a trend I want to start, having 7 nieces and nephews nearing phone age! 🙂 As far as Straight Talk’s plan goes, would I be right in assuming teens text far more than use the web (I ask this, as you mentioned the phones aren’t ideal for mobile web)? If this is the case, surely a $30 unlimited talking and texting with occasional web prepaid plan would be better than paying the overages on a contract deal with a smartphone? Tis a tough call, because I don’t want to put her in the embarrassing situation of a dark ages phone, but I also have my reservations about unrestricted internet access and teens.
Thanks for an informative site!
T-Mobile Market? You’ve got it all wrong. Straight Talk is in the Verizon Market.
Derrick, Straight Talk runs on all four major providers.
I was a little weary about going the prepaid route. I thought that perhaps it was going to be inferior service. I was cpmpletely wrong – with Tracfone I have had incredible service, very few dropped calls and I have saved myself a fortune. I wonder why anyone would want to go the contract route instead of using a carrier like Tracfone