Choose a Carrier | Telecom Consumer Discussion Forums

You can find great deals on prepaid phones by taking advantage of clearance models, special coupons, and sales. But if you choose your preferred carrier and wait patiently for a good deal, you can often get a phone with the features you want at a good price. Popular prepaid carriers are: Boost Mobile, Cricket Wireless, MetroPCS, U.S. Cellular, and Virgin Mobile.

Virgin Mobile has the best deal for data consumers, with unlimited talk, messaging, and data for a mere $55 per month. They also offer deals on no-contract iPhones that make them an attractive choice for many consumers. But, Virgin Mobile doesn’t have signal coverage in all parts of the U.S., so be sure to check coverage areas before you buy.

Boost Mobile is one of the overall best-rated prepaid service providers. If you’re interested in saving money on your initial investment, they offer a good selection of pre-owned phones on their website. For your billing, you can pay by the day or the month. They offer a cool “shrinking payments” discount of $5 off your monthly service when you make regular payments for six months in a row. You can also save more if you set up automatic payments. Lastly, they offer a nice referral program that earns you $25 for every person you refer to the service.