Best phone/plan for hobbying

[jcooper]

Can some of you tell me:

What phone and carrier/plan do you use for your hobbying?

Where do you hide your hobby phone?

[inkspot]

Walmart has a T-Mobile phone for $29.00. Buy 1000 minutes for $100.00. The minutes last 1 year. The minutes roll over to the next year if you purchase additional minutes before they expire. When the battery wears out, purchasing a new phone and inserting the old chip is cheaper than buying a new battery.

[Bethanie]

Can some of you tell me:

What phone and carrier/plan do you use for your hobbying?

Where do you hide your hobby phone?

Please don't get a crappy "track phone" because text messages and voice messages do not go through like with real phones.

I myself after two bad experiences am not seeing anyone who has a crappy fake phone. Communication is important and without it, there is no soup for you. I do not have a big neon sign that says, "open" and I do not see guys with tin can phones that cant send or receive texts reliably.

"Paranoia will destroy ya. " Getting a special 'hobby phone" is really stupid, IMO. Providers don't care who you are, we see guys who are way more famous and important than you, lol, but when your communications regarding your requested appointment get delayed because you have a crappy track phone, we think you are maybe not easy to work with.

Besides, those phones are traceable too - the service carriers all have designated agents for subpoenas, FYI, in case some nutcase shoots up a school or something. All that getting one accomplishes is to make you look like you are hiding something, IMO.

[frankenthaler91]

There is more than "the man" to be worried about when talking phones. The SO can view your phone/text report online or looking at the phone, if you don't clear it's memory.

A single guy could get away with 1 phone. But then there is always the chance of calling a someone that turns out to be a nut case and calls you at all hours of the night.

A "hobby phone" can never be a bad idea.

The phone is even useful if you buy and sell other things on craigslist.

[frankenthaler91]

Buy the phone with cash. Buy minutes with cash. Register to a fake name and PO box. With a generic yahoo/hotmail account, you have a hobby email right?

Nearly untraceable. Yes they can track you down by getting IP addresses. And store video of the purchase, it the store keeps them that long. Even the phone GPS could give you away.

As for where to keep it. At work. Under the carpet in the trunk. In the back of the tool box in the garage? Wrapped in aluminum foil to defeat the GPS if you like.

[inkspot]

Please don't get a crappy "track phone" because text messages and voice messages do not go through like with real phones.

I myself after two bad experiences am not seeing anyone who has a crappy fake phone. Communication is important and without it, there is no soup for you. I do not have a big neon sign that says, "open" and I do not see guys with tin can phones that cant send or receive texts reliably.

"Paranoia will destroy ya. " Getting a special 'hobby phone" is really stupid, IMO. Providers don't care who you are, we see guys who are way more famous and important than you, lol, but when your communications regarding your requested appointment get delayed because you have a crappy track phone, we think you are maybe not easy to work with.

Besides, those phones are traceable too - the service carriers all have designated agents for subpoenas, FYI, in case some nutcase shoots up a school or something. All that getting one accomplishes is to make you look like you are hiding something, IMO.

Sounds like someone left you a lump of coal under your Christmas tree.

[Bethanie]

Sounds like someone left you a lump of coal under your Christmas tree.

No lump of coal, just an epiphany. "Hobbyists" are not necessarily the best clients. Sometimes yes and sometimes no. Some of the coolest guys are new to all this. Individual differences, every guy is different.

[Guest]

Note to self: next year track phones and card for minutes as stocking stuffer ... In addition to coal. I agree with Bethanie 110%. Any research that comes back fake or sketchy... doesn't get the time of day from me. Unless maybe it is mentioned in the initial communication.

[2Big]

blah, blah, blah.

Great advice from someone whose website brings up this:

http://www.sweetsexybethanie.com/cgi-sys/suspendedpage.cgi

[Guest Trefoil]

Buy the phone with cash. Buy minutes with cash. Register to a fake name and PO box. With a generic yahoo/hotmail account, you have a hobby email right?

Nearly untraceable. Yes they can track you down by getting IP addresses. And store video of the purchase, it the store keeps them that long. Even the phone GPS could give you away.

As for where to keep it. At work. Under the carpet in the trunk. In the back of the tool box in the garage? Wrapped in aluminum foil to defeat the GPS if you like.

This is incorrect. Using the phone gives away your location via cell phone tower data. Since you'll be using the phone at places you frequent often (home, work, etc.) you're not that difficult to catch should someone want to find you. The trick is not being popular enough for people to care.

Bethanie is also incorrect. Tracfones are fine for receiving voicemails and text messages if you actually set up those features. No one will be none the wiser that you're using one.

[frankenthaler91]

This is incorrect. Using the phone gives away your location via cell phone tower data. Since you'll be using the phone at places you frequent often (home, work, etc.) you're not that difficult to catch should someone want to find you. The trick is not being popular enough for people to care.

Bethanie is also incorrect. Tracfones are fine for receiving voicemails and text messages if you actually set up those features. No one will be none the wiser that you're using one.

As you posted in the "is there a lawyer in the house" thread, we have determined that the average hobbiest is not on the radar screen of LE.

I can tell you from 1st hand experience that you can not call your cell carrier and ask the to tell you where your SO is. A friends husband died in a semi truck on the interstate. The cell company would not tell her where to have the HP look for him. HP wasn't to concerned because he is an adult and time had to pass for a missing persons report to be filed. He had enough in him to pull the truck off the road and put it in park before leaving us. So it looked like any other trucker taking a nap.

The point here is to minimize the risk of someone you don't want to know about your activities finding them out. And keeping a provider from calling you at 3am.

I would at a job where the employees can and are spied on. I know what pin-hole cameras can do. GPS units attached to vehicles. Cell phone monitors.

Nothing is a guarantee. The farther you distance yourself from a traceable phone the better you are.

http://www.acluvt.org/blog/2012/04/24/cell-companies-working-day-and-night-to-assist-law-enforcement/

If someone is overly paranoid, this lifestyle is not for you. Spend your time in the bar trying to get some.

[Guest Trefoil]

As you posted in the "is there a lawyer in the house" thread, we have determined that the average hobbiest is not on the radar screen of LE.

I can tell you from 1st hand experience that you can not call your cell carrier and ask the to tell you where your SO is. A friends husband died in a semi truck on the interstate. The cell company would not tell her where to have the HP look for him. HP wasn't to concerned because he is an adult and time had to pass for a missing persons report to be filed. He had enough in him to pull the truck off the road and put it in park before leaving us. So it looked like any other trucker taking a nap.

The point here is to minimize the risk of someone you don't want to know about your activities finding them out. And keeping a provider from calling you at 3am.

I would at a job where the employees can and are spied on. I know what pin-hole cameras can do. GPS units attached to vehicles. Cell phone monitors.

Nothing is a guarantee. The farther you distance yourself from a traceable phone the better you are.

http://www.acluvt.org/blog/2012/04/24/cell-companies-working-day-and-night-to-assist-law-enforcement/

If someone is overly paranoid, this lifestyle is not for you. Spend your time in the bar trying to get some.

Hear hear.

Avoiding the SO's notice is a formidable obstacle.

[jcooper]

Yea, the reason I am considering it is so my SO doesn't see my activity on our shared ATT bill!

Still interested in what other phones people use and what plans.

I am liking the 1000 min for $100 idea at this point.

[Guest Trefoil]

Yea, the reason I am considering it is so my SO doesn't see my activity on our shared ATT bill!

Still interested in what other phones people use and what plans.

I am liking the 1000 min for $100 idea at this point.

I like tracfone because you can activate service from the handset. No ip address data gets handed over. 800 min that last a year for $120 and you get double minutes on future airtime.

I don't know how tmobile's activation process works.

[Guest Trefoil]

No lump of coal, just an epiphany. "Hobbyists" are not necessarily the best clients. Sometimes yes and sometimes no. Some of the coolest guys are new to all this. Individual differences, every guy is different.

I'm convinced that ladies like newbies because they're impressionable and may not have the same performance standards as "hobbyists." All in all, it makes for an easier appointment. They're suckers. Same reason why strippers like drunk customers with big wallets.

Edited December 27, 2012 by Trefoil
Addl info

[Guest ezduzit]

Biggest reason to want a hobby phone is to avoid harassing calls from providers for whom you wrote a bad review and they decided to get even.

[Bethanie]

Helpful hint to guys who call providers - Here's how to camoflage your outgoing calls:

Open up the yellow pages to the automotive section. Call a bunch of car repair establishments in quick succession, in between your calls to providers. If your wife or anyone looks at your cellphone records and googles the numbers, they will get pretty bored after the first three or four numbers that show up as radiator repair shops or jiffy lubes. This was shared with me by a very nice guy who has been doing this for years, he says.

As far as providers calling you - honestly, who has time for that? On our own time we are busy calling our girlfriends to talk about the new nail salon we just found, or calling customer service because the new attachment for our eroscillator fell apart after three days and they need to send us a new one ASAP. :-)

[loudiesel-6428]

As far as providers calling you - honestly, who has time for that? On our own time we are busy calling our girlfriends to talk about the new nail salon we just found, or calling customer service because the new attachment for our eroscillator fell apart after three days and they need to send us a new one ASAP. :-)

A+ I tend to agree Bethany,A cool professional ASP"s wont be calling you for any reason unless you meeting up with her.............my 2 centavos

[frankenthaler91]

Helpful hint to guys who call providers - Here's how to camoflage your outgoing calls:

Open up the yellow pages to the automotive section. Call a bunch of car repair establishments in quick succession, in between your calls to providers. If your wife or anyone looks at your cellphone records and googles the numbers, they will get pretty bored after the first three or four numbers that show up as radiator repair shops or jiffy lubes. This was shared with me by a very nice guy who has been doing this for years, he says.

As far as providers calling you - honestly, who has time for that? On our own time we are busy calling our girlfriends to talk about the new nail salon we just found, or calling customer service because the new attachment for our eroscillator fell apart after three days and they need to send us a new one ASAP. :-)

A SO on the hunt, or a hired PI will search every phone number in a log. That makes as much sense and you not seeing someone because they use a tracphone.

[Bethanie]

A SO on the hunt, or a hired PI will search every phone number in log. That makes as much sense and you not seeing someone because they use a tracphone.

That sounds too obsessive and too much drama. An SO with that much discretionary income and time on her hands may be best dealt with by obtaining a good attorney.

Tracphones suck because I can't hear someone's heart through their voice, everyone sounds flat and high-pitched like they are testicularly challenged lol. And, the voicemail/texting really doesn't work, at least not from my end, I swear. It's a giant pain in the butt and it creeps me out.

Plus, how would you explain it if the "SO on the hunt" or the "hired pi" found your tracphone? I think some of you guys are way overcomplicating everything. Try the car thing, it makes sense, and it's free.

[Nusa]

Helpful hint to guys who call providers - Here's how to camoflage your outgoing calls:

Open up the yellow pages to the automotive section. Call a bunch of car repair establishments in quick succession, in between your calls to providers. If your wife or anyone looks at your cellphone records and googles the numbers, they will get pretty bored after the first three or four numbers that show up as radiator repair shops or jiffy lubes. This was shared with me by a very nice guy who has been doing this for years, he says.

As far as providers calling you - honestly, who has time for that? On our own time we are busy calling our girlfriends to talk about the new nail salon we just found, or calling customer service because the new attachment for our eroscillator fell apart after three days and they need to send us a new one ASAP. :-)

I had a provider who was trying to raise money and had started cold calling me at random times looking for appointments. I had to ask her to stop calling and start ignoring her calls. I had another provider, who was trying to be nice, text me a provocative picture at a very bad time causing me some trouble. These days, my situation has changed such that a random call or text won't be a problem anymore.

[fancydarling]

I really like the phone plan through Kroger. They have a kiosk in store, I never have had to use my name to set it up. All I had to do was buy the phone at customer service, buy the minutes card, and use the phone to activate the minutes. Super easy!

[Guest boost21]

lol i think you are completely missing the point. I use a phone just for hobbying just in case the SO decides to do some snooping around. You see with a different phone you hide in your car. and if she happens to find it you can tell her it is one of your friends phone and that he has been looking for that all over, it worked for me . We could care less if you called us or messaged us if we didnt have someone that loves us at home, and we care enough to use some discretion. Hope you get a better understanding why we use hobby phones, and i dont think i ever got denied a appointment for using a prepaid phone. If it bothers you so much you should put that you dont see ppl with prepaid phone in you ads.

[Guest FLSTC]

For me the best plan is e-mail and PM's only. I gave up the phone long ago - just too much trouble. It's not been a problem but I always book well ahead. Also I typically tend to repeat with a circle of favorite ladies that trust my dependability, etc. That along with a P411 which has a number of respected lady's Ok's makes e-mail, PM's, etc work just fine for me.

[Shackleford]

Please don't get a crappy "track phone" because text messages and voice messages do not go through like with real phones.

I myself after two bad experiences am not seeing anyone who has a crappy fake phone.

What brand do you consider to be a "real phone"? Verizon, AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile? As an MVNO, TracFone utilizes all of those networks, so I guess you can't see anyone who uses those services either.

I really like the phone plan through Kroger. They have a kiosk in store, I never have had to use my name to set it up. All I had to do was buy the phone at customer service, buy the minutes card, and use the phone to activate the minutes. Super easy!

That is i-wireless, with network provided by Sprint. I hear good things, but haven't used it myself.

I like tracfone because you can activate service from the handset. No ip address data gets handed over. 800 min that last a year for $120 and you get double minutes on future airtime.

Also, a lot of their phones come with double or triple minutes for the life of the phone. Since you can generally get 60 mins (which becomes 120 or 180 minutes) and 90 days of service for $20, hobby phone costs $80/year. That is, unless you do a LOT of hobbying.

Biggest reason to want a hobby phone is to avoid harassing calls from providers for whom you wrote a bad review and they decided to get even.

Precisely. A big +1.

[bigpharmaboner]

Walmart has a T-Mobile phone for $29.00. Buy 1000 minutes for $100.00. The minutes last 1 year. The minutes roll over to the next year if you purchase additional minutes before they expire. When the battery wears out, purchasing a new phone and inserting the old chip is cheaper than buying a new battery.

This.

I am on year #3 and have spent about $140.

[Bethanie]

What brand do you consider to be a "real phone"?

Ones that function like real phones and provide sound quality like real phones.

Google shows tracphone have a special place on pissedconsumer.com. Looks like at least a few people who bought these things thought they didn't function like real phones or provide sound quality like real phones. Maybe it's not just me.

http://tracfone.pissedconsumer.com/

Also, a lot of their phones come with double or triple minutes for the life of the phone. Since you can generally get 60 mins (which becomes 120 or 180 minutes) and 90 days of service for $20, hobby phone costs $80/year. That is, unless you do a LOT of hobbying.

Sounds like a bargain. Sounds like you're a bargain hunter. Sounds like a plan! (thumbs up gesture).