1. How much money do you keep in your account on an average before you
are compelled to top up?

I let my account go down to roughly $15 before I buy a new top up card.

2. Which phone do you use and why did you choose it?

I use the Audiovox 8500 and I chose it because it is a flip and small
and lightweight.

"Eric" <popsensation@webtv.net> wrote in message
news:21574-3F6B89E0-87@storefull-2334.public.lawson.webtv.net...
> 1. How much money do you keep in your account on an average before you
> are compelled to top up?

Although I will be dropping Virgin Mobile, I'll answer your questions. I
have T-Mobile postpaid for my primary phone, so my prepaid phones only get
topped up when the expiration date gets near.

> 2. Which phone do you use and why did you choose it?

On Virgin Mobile I activated the Audiovox 8500. IMO, it's a piece of junk.
Sound quality is way too tinny for my tastes -- I'm used to my Samsung S105
(which uses GSM) with rich and full sounds. Don't get me wrong though, it's
a nice phone. I'm just *very* picky on sound quality as I do spend a
considerable amount of time on the phone.

One thing that I have noticed is that with Voice quality, GSM always
seems to win out. Next comes TDMA. Depending on where you are in the
country determines whether CDMA or AMPS is better. I find that in North
Dakota, South Dakota, and Montana, AMPS has better voice quality, fewer
dropped calls, better coverage than does CDMA. I have noticed that on
most CDMA phone I have used, I can hear complete conversations of other
people (not loud, but very quite, and very clear). I also find that in
Bismarck, North Dakota, CDMA is much less reliable than AMPS. I find
that CDMA will have full signal, then a few minutes later it will have
no signal, then it switches to AMPS, then back to digital... Most of my
calls on CDMA switch to AMPS after about a minute or two. I don't mind,
since I can't force analog on my current phone, but the battery needs to
be charged much more often.

AD

xNokia_3390x wrote:
> "Eric" <popsensation@webtv.net> wrote in message
> news:21574-3F6B89E0-87@storefull-2334.public.lawson.webtv.net...
>
>>1. How much money do you keep in your account on an average before you
>>are compelled to top up?
>
>
> Although I will be dropping Virgin Mobile, I'll answer your questions. I
> have T-Mobile postpaid for my primary phone, so my prepaid phones only get
> topped up when the expiration date gets near.
>
>
>>2. Which phone do you use and why did you choose it?
>
>
> On Virgin Mobile I activated the Audiovox 8500. IMO, it's a piece of junk.
> Sound quality is way too tinny for my tastes -- I'm used to my Samsung S105
> (which uses GSM) with rich and full sounds. Don't get me wrong though, it's
> a nice phone. I'm just *very* picky on sound quality as I do spend a
> considerable amount of time on the phone.
>
>

<<On Virgin Mobile I activated the Audiovox 8500. IMO, it's a piece of
junk. Sound quality is way too tinny for my tastes -- I'm used to my
Samsung S105 (which uses GSM) with rich and full sounds. Don't get me
wrong though, it's a nice phone. I'm just *very* picky on sound quality
as I do spend a considerable amount of time on the phone. >>

What do you mean by tinny? Sorry, I am kind of new at this. Are you
referring to the speaker phone or just the regular receiver? Is there
anything about the 8500 that you did like?

Eric

"Eric" <popsensation@webtv.net> wrote in message
news:22854-3F6C683B-23@storefull-2333.public.lawson.webtv.net...
> What do you mean by tinny? Sorry, I am kind of new at this. Are you
> referring to the speaker phone or just the regular receiver? Is there
> anything about the 8500 that you did like?

The regular earpiece has seems like the bass is turned down to zero and the
treble is turned all the way up -- just seems as if it's not capable of
rendering richer, fuller sound. I liked the size of the 8500, and that's
about it. The original polyphonic Audiovox ringtones are EXCELLENT,
although stupid Virgin Mobile removed them so you buy some from them -- @ $2
each! To me, GSM always seems clearer -- especially when talking GSM-GSM or
GSM-landline. It all depends on the phone of course. I've had high-end
phones from T-Mobile, and lower end phones using the Verizon network, AT&T
network and now SprintPCS (VM). It could be very well that the low-end
phones I'm using are not performing well enough to make an accurate
comparison. I don't want to spend $$$ on an expensive phone because I only
keep my extra phones on prepaid.

Eric wrote:
> 1. How much money do you keep in your account on an average before you
> are compelled to top up?
>
============== FIVE BUCKS ============= then it tops up automatically

> 2. Which phone do you use and why did you choose it?

============= The 8500.... because it is small enough to keep in my
pocket (not yet comfortabile with wearing it on my belt)...
>

My wife and I have only had Virgin a few months and are NOT cell phone
fanatics...use them more for emergencies etc...DO not (or have not) used
voice mail or left messages etc...

So far we both have had to "top off" because of the 90 day limitations
but we never lost the air time credited during our 1st 90 day period..so
it looks like the cost works out to about $6.50 a month (individually)
to continue to have a cell phone handy in case we need it..

We are both retired and honestly are usually within 50 miles of each
other and as of yet have not had problems with connecting ...

For us...Virgin is just CHEAP insurance....

Bob Griffiths

>Eric wrote:
>> 1. How much money do you keep in your account on an average before you
>> are compelled to top up?
>> ==========================

Zero dollars unless you have an automated payment arrangement
with them. In that case, I don't know.

Jack

> 1. How much money do you keep in your account on an average before you
> are compelled to top up?

I use Virgin Mobile, ATT Wireless, and ecallplus (ECP) for everyone in
my family. VM and ECP are prepaids and had them for about 4 months
and so far I only had to purchase only required minimum after 90days
for each which is $20 for VM, and $10 for ECP thru www.pharosint.com.
They are all working out fine for our use. BTW, ATT I use is a
monthly plan w/ unlimitted nights/weekend and is carried by the most
talkative in my household and the phone is Seimens C56.

> 2. Which phone do you use and why did you choose it?
>

I carry Audiovox 8500 and I like it. It's tiny, hides in palm of my
hand. I believe it's currently the smallest prepay phone in the US
market. I also have Panasonic Allure with ECP which is carried by the
least talkative in my household. It uses ATT's TDMA network so it has
great coverage nationwide. Much better than VM coverage but since I
remain within major cities and corridors, my primary phone has been
the 8500.