For me, it's not just about switching cellphones, but that's all I could type in the title. I know people visiting DP are from all over the world, but I am in the US and have been trying to figure out the best way to save money by switching to another cellphone as part of my personal "entertainment and communication" consolidation plan. Below is my current setup that I am trying to consolidate. $73/month for land line and DSL at home, no long distance plan $50/month for cellphone, nationwide coverage, long distance, international calls $50/month for satellite TV, basic package $15-$20/month for Redbox or Blockbuster or by ordering satellite pay per view That's an estimated subtotal of $188 per month for entertainment and communication. Below is my proposed setup that would replace the items above. $0/month for Skype to Skype calls, chat, video, also getting an actual phone number for Skype out / Skype in minutes are pretty cheap $0/month for other IM like Yahoo, MSN, and AIM using trillian $0/month for streaming media TV shows from cbs.com, fox on demand, nbc.com, abc.com, hulu.com, youtube.com $0/month for other free media like local news station websites, including weather forecasts $0/month for incoming fax to email with efax.com $50-$75/month for laptop PCMCIA card, tell current cellphone provider T-Mobile to change voice plan from existing cellphone to their broadband card and data plan, or switch to something similar like Sprint, Verizon New subtotal estimated at $75/month if I am thinking about this the right way. I don't want to pay out so much money each month. It seems like the time is right to either get a smart phone, or just keep using my laptop by getting a broadband card. I can still do everything with headphones, microphones, video out from the laptop to TV, and home wireless to connect other computers and vmware to the Internet if necessary. What is your opinion? Does this should like a good consolidation plan? I really wanted feedback on how other people are saving money. And if you depend on everything with a single broadband card and data plan from your cellphone provider. Thanks!
It depends on what you use, what you need and what you want. Last year thinking along the same lineas as you, we: cut back to basic cable and kept the HS internet I converted to a $7.00 per month and 10 cent per minute cell phone (all the same features except minutes I wasn't using). We dropped netflix because we just don't watch much TV. Kept the landline but I sometimes wonder why. Habit I guess. If cable is not an option where you live and you like TV then your plan has to be different than ours.
Guess what I'm looking for is a way to keep using most of the same stuff, but cheaper by using technology. One thing I nearly considered was getting PSP 3000 and using it for Skype when I'm near free wifi hot spots, to replace my cellphone. But I didn't think that would cut it since I drive a lot and need more available access like a cellphone network. When I originally signed up for DSL the phone company told me I had to keep the landline, but a year or two later I found out a new law was passed that would allow DSL purchases without any landline at all. I just never went back and changed it because I use my assigned phone number for all kinds of things at the house. But with the duplication of my cellphone, and free services like IM and Skype, I think I'm ready to give up the familiar digits if I can save a few hundred dollars month after month. Right, I was going to connect the TV directly to video out on my laptop. Another blow for getting rid of satellite is the famous transition from analog TV to digital TV. I used my government coupon to get a discount on a digital converter box, and have been satisfied getting digital broadcasts for the network stations. It's free, so I might stay with that, dump pay television, and simply download other interesting content as I see fit.
That is the reason we can't switch to other voip without cellphone at present . But it is a trend we can leave the cellphone alone and use voip only .
I think, you must have a cellphone (at least prepaid) since you don't know when you may need it in an emergency. You cannot carry your laptop everywhere with you and even if you, how hectic it would be to switch it on, put on the headphone + mic and all the procedures. Also, when your laptop if off, how people will reach you. Apart from a cellphone, you can use the PCMCIA card for wireless internet access. But since you live in US, did you confirm if a Hi Fi connection is available in your area. If your laptop supports Hi Fi or wireless internet access, then you can go for that connection and it will save your money also. BTW, I hate to say but the speeds with wireless internet are not too good. Wired connections are always better.