The Web has become nearly useless for product reviews. Advertising sites have pulled so many games with SEO that even Google is helpless (if not complicit) in making your first 300 hits nothing but crap.

I've used no-contract month-to-month billing (not a prepay, no contracts) phones before. When I needed a smartphone for business purposes I ended up with Verizon which has resulted in a phone I like but bills I do not. And I won't move to a current "smart phone" since they aren't anymore - they're all 'tainment phones.

I'm about to move again, and I'm considering a cheap option. I might not go with a rock bottom phone, since I like one that can accept μSD cards and be an MP3 player. Bluetooth is good since I have a stereo headset for that. Those are options now on pretty much anything but the cheapest phone though.


For the U.S. market have you looked at http://www.consumercellular.com/ yet?

They use AT&T's network, have darned cheap plans, and offer just a few phones from ultra-basic to low-end Android and even a senior-friendly phone or two. You can go with a cheap low-minutes plan and add a cheap text messaging/data rider on that. In theory you can get away with that for as low as $12.50/month. No contract.

I'm giving it some hard thought myself. I have no affiliation with them.