Pay-as-you-go Data Plan?

[VTATHiker]

I have a smartphone (Nokia 5800) which I plan to bring on a southbound thru this year and I’d really like some form of pay-as-you-go data plan to upload journal entries and check e-mail. I’ve never had cellular service (always just used wi-fi and Skype for calling) and I’d like to avoid a contract if at all possible.

Does anyone have experience hiking with a non-contract data plan on the trail and if so, any recommendations for specific plans/providers to look at?

Thanks!

[BrianLe]

I think your Nokia phone is likely a GSM (not CDMA) phone, so you will inclined towards TMobile or AT&T. I suggest AT&T as having better backcountry coverage. Not as good as Verizon overall for the AT, but not bad either, particularly for the middle portion of the AT. Look at their 'GoPhone' plan.

I just put $100 on the voice part, and don't have to mess with renewing more than once a year, and then the minutes roll over. For data, put, I think, $25 on that, and then $5 every month just before the last one expires and the data rolls over. If you use wi-fi in town and don't go overboard out-of-town, I would guess that will work for you. I.e., upload photos when you have wi-fi, download apps when you have wi-fi, go to graphics intensive sites when you have wi-fi. Out of town you can get a weather report from a text-intensive site (postholer.com is one), upload just the text of journal entries if so inclined, read text-based emails. Over time you'll get a sense for how much data different things are costing you so you don't have to be so stingy.

Note that I can't guarantee you can use your specific phone on AT&T's gophone plan, but since you already own it, give them a call and see ...
Best of luck.

[VTATHiker]

This is great advice. I wasn't even sure if pay-as-go data was a possibility. I'll give AT&T a call.

Thank you!