AT&T Nokia Prepaid Cell Phone - Silver

AT&T Nokia Prepaid Cell Phone - Silver

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Features

* Pay-As-You-Go Cell Phone; with Calculator, calendar, Alarm Clock, Instant Messenger
* Open-Face Style
* Features: TTY/TDD Enabled for the Hearing Impaired, Speed Dial, 1-Touch Dialing, Conference Calling, 411 Access, Any-Key Answer Capability, Multimedia Messaging, Auto Redial, Internet Browser, E-Mail Capabilities
* Works with AT&T, Cingular
* Stores Up to 300 Names and Numbers
* Talk Up to 180-min. Before Recharging
* Up to 280 hours Standby Time
* 3 Hr. Recharging Time
* Memory Storage Capacity: 1.5MB
* Audio Features: Customizable Ringtones, Downloadable Ringtones, Alarm, Real Music, Polyphonic and Voice Ringtones
* Display Features: Back Light, Time, Signal Strength Indicator, Missed Call Indicator, Battery Level Indicator, Color LCD Display
* Modes: Vibrate, Silent Mode, Speaker Mode, Loud Mode
* Safety Features: 911 Assistance Speed Dial, PIN-Protected Phone Book, SOS Emergency Calling
* Includes Battery Charger, SIM Card, User Guide/Manual
* Refill Minutes at Target, by Phone or Online

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Reviews

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Simple, effective phone that does the job

I recently bought this because the cost of a long-term cell contract doesn't make sense for our minimal usage. I know someone well who has used the prepaid AT&T (former Cingular) GoPhone for five years and has no complaints with service or call quality.

The Nokia 2610 handset is simple to use, intuitive, and easy to configure to your liking (I did it all in under an hour.) The volume is fine. Though the handset lacks an external volume-control button, you can configure a navigation key to adjust volume easily without looking at the keypad while talking on the phone. The speakerphone works extremely well; I don't even need a headset or earpiece/mike to talk hands-free with great clarity. The reception in my area (metro DC) is excellent, even inside the house. The keypad is well-designed; the menu and navigation keys are easy to use without pressing adjacent keys. The pad locks automatically after ~ 30 seconds of idleness so you can't accidentally activate features while you're carrying the phone in your pocket. It unlocks easily with the MENU* combination.

Activating the phone via the Web and getting your new phone number is simple, too. If you have an active AT&T SIM card you can just insert it in the Nokia phone and use this handset if you want to retire an existing one and wait until your contract expires (though, of course, you wouldn't buy the prepaid minutes via this particular offer.)

One note... for this $35 Amazon offer you're paying $25 for the airtime card and $10 for the handset. The ten extra minutes airtime are free from AT&T if you buy $25 of mins (using the airtime card you're buying here) within a week of activating the handset. And that's true no matter where you buy the AT&T GoPhone, not just on Amazon. I mention this in case anyone thinks that he's buying $35 of airtime and getting a free handset. When I was shopping for the handset recently it was $20 at local retailers and AT&T stores.

I really don't have any complaints with the phone so far. Other users in online reviews complained about the video contrast making the display unreadable in the sun. This is certainly true in the default setting. However, I set the contrast to max and can read it in bright sun by tilting it a bit. It's not a big deal to me. In fact, all of the user complaints I read about in various reviews could have been avoided if the user simply took the time to run through the menus and configure the phone according to taste.

This phone is very good value, in my opinion, if you just want a simple phone for making calls and if call quality is more important than phone features such as a big screen for Web browsing or anticipatory recognition when typing text messages (I don't text at all.) The option value of being able to terminate the service at any time with no penalty (and almost nothing invested in the handset) is a great benefit.

I did a lot of research before choosing this handset and plan, looking at prepaid handsets and premium handsets tied to 2-yr contracts. The Nokia 2610 has been around for more than two years and gets good marks from many users as a durable, simple phone with high call quality. I've used it a great deal since I bought it. It's very easy to configure and a pleasure to use. I prefer it to nearly all the slide and flip phones I tested.

Four final warnings...

First, don't confuse this handset with the newer Nokia 2600. That one gets far poorer reviews than the older 2610. Reviews noted that the 2600 has a very slow menu interface, feels cheap and has a poor speakerphone. I tested a 2600 set at an AT&T store and agree with that assessment. The 2610 is a far better phone.

Second, once you set up your new AT&T prepaid GoPhone choose your rate plan carefully (two are available: either a flat $0.25/min OR $1.00 per day used + $0.10/min.) Once you activate the phone the fine print on the Web site under your user account info tells you that you may change from one plan to the other at any time. The first change is free; thereafter it may (which I assume means WILL) cost you at least $10 (if not more) to change again.

Third, note that the prepaid phones (whether on AT&T, Verizon or T-Mobile) have far spottier signal coverage than contract phones do. (This is yet another way they discourage users from buying prepaid service and try to lock us into long-term contracts.) Check the applicable coverage map that the provider offers, especially if you live in the middle sections of the U.S. where providers have huge coverage gaps in certain regions, to ensure you'll get an adequate signal for prepaid service where you'll use the phone.

Finally, the AT&T cellular business has a rather unfavorable customer service reputation according to recent reviews, such as the one in Consumer Reports last January. The convenient thing about the prepaid phones is that you can manage the account entirely online or automatically over the phone, recharging the account with money via credit card whenever you like. You never have to deal with a customer service rep. I haven't factored customer service into my review because I don't anticipate having to use it much. If it's really awful then I have little invested in the phone account and I can terminate my service easily. If, however, you require regular service attention you may want to consider the value of smooth interactions and look elsewhere.

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A Decent Spare Phone

I am no one to criticize cell phones, considering that I washed TWO in my jeans in three months I had JUST agreed with AT&T for another two years as well. I thought I was lost until my nephew told me about `Go Phones'. For this price, I get a phone that does just about everything my regular Nokia would do - except.

It is totally plastic and won't hold up well if dropped. Forget about texting; the keys are designed poorly and you can easily hit the wrong one. And (this is a big one) the removal of the back panel for the battery and SIM card drove me nuts It appears that the textured part of the phone should be the removal panel, but it is actually the entire half of the phone that gets removed. It took me twenty minutes to figure this out (but then, remember, I've washed two cell phones). Just press in the button on top and carefully unlock the entire back panel (it really is like half the phone). I read others had problems with this. The charger/headset cover is very flimsy and will probably break soon, but...

This is a temporary phone. It was very cheap. All I did was replace the SIM card from my old phone. It's not meant to be great, even though it has almost all the features an expensive Nokia would. You know what? If I manage to wash this sucker as well, I'll just go out and buy another. No worries.

BIG PLUS: With AT&T, after six months you can get a new free phone (tax is not included anymore) if you upgrade your service. They will extend you for another two years. Hey, don't we all have two years commitments anyway? Enjoy.

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