Jim,
I'm hoping that others on this list will chime in with their opinions
and experiences. I may be considered an expert when it comes to iPhone
accessibility but, when it comes to choosing a phone carrier, I haven't
done much in the way of research.
First, this article from Wirecutter
<https://thewirecutter.com/reviews/best-wireless-carrier/>discusses the
pros and cons of various cell phone carriers.
There's a lot of information on this page and it may be a bit
overwhelming but try to process what you can.
I would definitely contact each of the carriers and see what plans are
being offered. One thing to consider is how much data a plan offers you.
Data doesn't count while you're actually using the phone as a phone to
make or receive calls. Rather, it's performing actions like checking
email, listening to a podcast or downloading a book. Certain tasks use
more data than other tasks, such as watching a video. Playing videos or
watching a TV program will consume a lot of data but checking your email
usually consumes very little. Most people with an Internet connection at
home have Wifi capability. In this case, consuming data using your Wifi
connection at home doesn't count against the amount of data you have
with your particular package. My wife and I are on a shared plan, with 6
gigabytes or, as it's often written, 6 GB of data to be used between us.
If I want to watch videos on Youtube or TV shows I perform these tasks
at home. Doing this means that I use Wifi data, which doesn't count as
it does not use my cellular data through my carrier. When I'm away from
home and not connected to Wifi I perform tasks which use very little or
even no data. As an example, when I'm on the train I might check my
email, read the news or access Twitter. These tasks consume some data
but not very much. Reading or listening a Kindle book or listening to an
audio book consumes no data at all, since the books are already
downloaded to my phone. Some carriers will claim to offer a plan
offering unlimited data, but a plan offering a limited amount will save
you money. You might be able to save money by joining a shared data plan
with a family member, as I do with my wife. If you're curious the
carrier I've been with for some time is Sprint. We signed up with them
because, at that time, they offered a much cheaper plan than what we
were paying for with Verizon. However, that particular plan has recently
expired and so it's likely that Sprint may not be the best option for
you. However, carriers may offer very attractive deals for new customers
and so Sprint may well offer something for a new customer which I
wouldn't qualify for. Still, it's worth contacting them, AT&T, T-Mobile
and Verizon to see what they can offer you. Remember that, while these
phones are very expensive, you can usually pay them off in monthly
installments of 1 or 2 years. You may have to do a bit of research to
truly get the best deal for your needs and, if this is all new to you,
it may seem very overwhelming and you may be tempted to conclude that
this is more drama than you want to go through. I would encourage you to
persevere, however, as the benefits of owning one of these devices far
outweigh the drama in acquiring them.
If you don't feel that you need an actual phone you could consider an
iPod Touch or an iPad. These devices, with a few exceptions, don't make
or receive phone calls. They don't use cellular data, meaning that
there's no monthly fee as there is with an iPhone. The devices are also
significantly cheaper than an iPhone. As an example, the most basic,
entry-level iPad is $329, with the iPod Touch a bit cheaper, though also
a lot smaller. With an iPod Touch or an iPad you have to buy the device
outright (in most cases) but, once you do, you use it connected to your
Wifi, with no monthly fee or concern about data. These devices run iOS,
the same operating system that's in the iPhone, with the same level of
accessibility. They just don't function as a phone. However, if you need
the capabilities of a cell phone then I would pursue the iPhone through
one of the carriers I've mentioned.
This response is anything but comprehensive, as there is so much I
probably haven't covered or said enough about but I wanted to highlight
the issue of data usage because I don't want to see a carrier trying to
hoist more data on you than you really need.
On 7/19/2018 11:51 AM, James A Saylor wrote:
I am currently researching the purchase of my first I Phone. My children are thrilled that their Father is finally attempting to enter the 21^st century. Any guidance as to a carrier such as AT&T, as well as any recommendation to an I Phone version would be appreciated. My hope is to take advantage of the latest aps and gps programs. To this end, I am considering the I Phone eight.
My thanks and appreciation for any and all comments.
Jim Saylor
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