i-Wireless PrepaidKroger Prepaid Cell PhoneSearch This Site:
Update 2i-Wireless prepaid cell phones are available at Kroger supermarkets throughout the US. Each phone costs between $20 and $100. You get 400 minutes free upon activation, which is a good deal. If you get the $20 phone, that works out to 5 cents per minute. Earlier, the phones used to cost at least $50 and come with 500 anytime minutes of airtime to use within the first three months.
Update 1I received an anonymous feedback that pointed out that you get 20 free minutes for every $100 you spend at Kroger (and other participating stores). Thanks!Note: Don't confuse i-Wireless with iwireless. The latter is a T-Mobile affiliate based in the Midwest and is not primarily a prepaid cell phone provider and has nothing to do with the former. Okay, so let's find out if you can actually use it. i-Wireless CoverageCoverage is provided by Sprint - that's pretty good.Coverage MapYou can check out your local coverage map via your zip code.Basically you get back the nearest slice of map they have. So for the Chapel Hill, NC area, I'm instead shown the Raleigh, NC map as below:
Phonesi-Wireless Phones range from the LG Rumor for $100 to the Sanyo Katana LX for $49.99 at the top end down to the LG VI 150 and LG 150 phones for just $20. Since you get 400 minutes of airtime when you activate the phone, these cheaper phones are essentially free. You used to even (currently) get a . . .Rebate (expired)There used to be $20 Kroger Gift card rebate which dropped the effective price of the phone even further. This has now been replaced by the $20 of airtime for buying $100 of stuff at Kroger, etc.LG Rumor 99.99 The LG Rumor is the most expensive handset available for this plan. It's main attraction is the qwerty keyboard for texting and would be the one to get if you opt for the i-Wireless texting add-on which allows unlimited messages for a fee.Sanyo 2700 $59.99Another qwerty phone but with a vertically oriented keyboard. The price is a bargain.Sanyo Katana LX $49.99 The Sanyo Katana LX which costs $49.99 is quite an attractive camera phone with its reflective surface and high-quality speaker phone. The second external LCD tells you the date, time, battery- and signal-strength. If you plan to keep using i-Wireless beyond the initial three month period, then you could get this. This was available in-store and is also available online.Motorola W385 (no longer available online) The Motorola W385 cost $99.99 as well and also features Bluetooth capability and VGA camera. This is available online and possibly in store.Samsung M300 (replace by M330 online) The Red Samsung M300 also offers Bluetooth and VGA Camera for $89.99. A smaller 500 entry phonebook aside, only looks really seem to differentiate this phone from the W385 and Katana LX. This phone has been replaced by the M330 online.LG 160 (no longer available online) With the LG 160 for $69.99, you lose the camera but keep the Bluetooth. That, plus a dedicated text messaging key.LG LX150 $29.99 The LG LX150 is still available for $29.99. Basic Bluetooth flip phone used to cost $50 - $60.LG VI150 $19.99This basic flip phone is the least expensive i-Wireless handset available.LG LX 145 (no longer available online) At $50, the LX 145 flip phone was the least expensive i-Wireless phone available. No Bluetooth or camera, but good enough for phone calls, right. With the rebate, you end up with a phone and 500 minutes for the equivalent of $30, a pretty good deal.
Airtime Rates (updated)i-Wireless has a Basic Pay as You Go plan, and then several different monthly plansBasic Pay As You GoThere are two basic plans. If you rarely use the phone, you can avoid a monthly charge and pay 20 cents a minute instead. That's a little high but if your usage is low, it could be worth it. If you pay $5 a month your minutes will cost 10 cents each. You can refill your airtime online or buy refill cards in participating stores.Love to Talk PlansTheir "Love to Talk" plans start at $20 per month for 200 minutes. The Talk Plus plan costs $30 per month and adds unlimited nights and weekends. Finally you can pay $50 per month for unlimited talk anytime. Text message appear to cost 20 cents each under all these plans.Love to Text PlansUpdateAfter six months of being a customer they charge you 20 cents per picture message, even under the unlimited text plan (Thanks LaDonna).Their "Love to Text" plans also start at $20 per month for unlimited texting. Voice minutes cost an additional 10 cents per minute. I assume this means you'll be spending more that $20 per month. The Text Plus plan costs $40 per month and adds 200 voice minutes to the unlimited texting feature. Their unlimited talk and unlimited text plan costs $60 per month. They have it all laid out in a chart, but somehow I find it less confusing when described in words. International RatesYou can call internationally to almost any country. For example, calls to Mexico cost 15 cents per minute (except to certain cities like Guadalajara or Mexico City where the rate drops to 10 cents per minute.Earlier Plan DescriptionBasic PlanAfter the initial 10 cents per minute for the first 500 minutes during the first three months, your rate plan shifts back to a standard 25 cents per daytime minute and 10 cents per night and weekend minute. One good thing is that nights start at 6pm, which is much earlier than some other plans.Basic Text MessagingOutgoing text messages cost 10 cents, but incoming ones are free.10 Cent AnytimeFor an additional $4.99 a month you can reduce your daytime rate to 10 cents per minute as well.Is it worth it?For this to be worth your while, you need to use more than 33 daytime minutes per month. So if you make at least one one-minute daytime call each day, it's worth it to pay $4.99 a month to reduce your rate to ten cents a minute.Unlimited Nights and WeekendsFor $29.99 a month extra, you can have unlimited night and weekend calls rather than paying 10 cents per minute.Is it worth it?If you make more use more than 300 Night and Weekend minutes a month, then it is worth paying the $29.99 a month.Calling MexicoIt costs 25 cents a minute to call Mexico once you sign up. However all call within the US will then cost 15 cents per minute. If you don't sign up for the plan, calls to Mexico cost an additional 20 cents in addition to the 25 cent or 10 cent rate.Unlimited TextingFor an additional 19.99 per month you get unlimited texting.Is it worth it?If you send more than 200 text messages a month, or more than 3-4 per day, then it's worth it.Adding AirtimeYou can add airtime via: the web, paper refill cards, your i-Wireless phone, or even another phone.Refill CardsRefill cards come in denominations of $10, $20 and $50. The $10 card expires in just 30 days, but the other cards are good for 90 days. So you minimum expense would be at least $20 every 90 days, to keep your service active, which is comparable with Tracfone.You can manually activate the Refill cards online by entering their airtime pin code. Via Web or PhoneOnce you've created your account online and registered your phone, you can add minutes via the web or the phone.VoicemailYes, you have voicemail. Here, for reference, are the voicemail instructions cryptically place under "menu" in the Customer Care section of the i-Wireless website.InstructionsOnce you are in your voicemail, use the following numbers to navigate it:Main Menu-Press 1 to listen to your messages Then: Press 1 or 5 to play time/date stamp Press 3 to advance the recording 8 seconds Press 4 to replay the message from the beginning Press 7 to erase the message Press 9 to save the message Press 0 to get help Press # to skip the message Press * to return to the main menu You may also change your personal options with your i-wireless voicemail: Main menu-Press 3 to change personal options Then: Press 1 to change notification options Press 2 to change administrative options Passcode Skip on/off, press 1 Auto-Play on/off, press 2 Message Date/Time on/off, press 3 Change Passcode, press 4 Press 3 to change greetings Personal greetings, press 1 Main menu-Press 0 to hear all prompts Main menu-Press * to disconnect # What if I forget my voicemail password? In order to set up your new Voicemail greeting you will need your voicemail password. Keep in mind that they may not be the same number as your account passcode. Since your password is private, we won’t just give it out. But you can find it yourself by following these steps: 1. Press and hold the 1 key on your phone - this will call into the voicemail system. 2. If you have saved messages, you will need to press the "*" button (this takes you to the voicemail main menu), now go to step #4. 3. If you do not have any saved messages do not press "*" (this will hang up the call) just go to step #4. 4. Once at the voicemail main menu, press "3" for "personal options." 5. Next press "2" for "administrative options." 6. Then press "1" to turn your voicemail password option ON or OFF. This feature allows you to bypass entering your password when checking new messages. By turning this feature off, you'll have your password read to you - write it down! - If your password was OFF, then press "1" twice to turn it ON and OFF again. - If your password was ON then press "1" to turn it OFF. 7. Once again, when your password option is turned OFF, your voicemail password will be repeated to you. Write this down. This is what you'll need to order your voice greeting. 8. If you want, you can then turn your password back ON by pressing "2" again, then press "1". This will allow you to check your voicemail messages without entering the password in the future. EndThanks for reading this i-Wireless review.
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You can buy refills in denominations of $10, $20, and $50. After the first three months, however, the rate plan changes to a basic plan with separate daytime and night and weekend rates unless you pay a small monthly fee. There are a few attractive i-Wireless phones such as the Sanyo Katana available, but we're getting ahead of ourselves.
