• insomniac_lemon@lemmy.cafe
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    6 days ago

    Reminds me of old cell-phone service options. Free hours, rollover and prepay/pay-as-you-go/contractless etc.

    Not sure how pricing/value actually compares, but it does seem like if you want a phone now for emergencies you’re going to get fleeced (also required data package). Unless maybe you buy a flip-phone or something. A fiber provider in my area even still charges $40 for a land-line (no idea if it’s VoIP).

      • insomniac_lemon@lemmy.cafe
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        6 days ago

        wtf is up with telcos in wherever are you from?

        Oh you know, they are given free reign because 🇺🇸

        Internet pricing/speed isn’t great either.

        • A_Chilean_Cyborg@feddit.cl
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          6 days ago

          My country has some of the best internet in the world now that I think of it… just didn’t realize none of that was that common elsewere, here you can go to a corner store, as in they sell groceries, and buy a sim card for 1usd, then activate it, and put money on it with cash at that same grocery store, or pay fully online, not so long ago, you didn’t even needed an ID to activate those.

        • DeathByBigSad@sh.itjust.works
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          6 days ago

          Not sure how pricing/value actually compares, but it does seem like if you want a phone now for emergencies you’re going to get fleeced (also required data package).

          What? You need data make calls now?

          • insomniac_lemon@lemmy.cafe
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            5 days ago

            If you’re fine with buying and carrying around a flip-phone or something, no.

            If you want the inactive smartphone you already have in your pocket to receive calls yes, because it will not work with the non-data SIM card. Even if you have 0 interest in data. EDIT: SIM compatibility might be part of that too, like how dual SIM adds another layer of bought-the-wrong-thing.

            Similar to @jumping_redditor@sh.itjust.works. I am sure better plans exist here (like another user pointed out), but aside from device type it may depend on what store you’re at or just how much research you’re willing to do into if certain options are still good.