Auto refill $100/yr on PAYG $0.25/min plan?

[IsLand_BoY]

I just activated a Samsung U360 for my uncle (EDIT) on VERIZON PREPAID. He's on some archaic $12.95/mo plan now with some other carrier, which he's had for 10+ years, and I don't think it includes any minutes. He's been wanting to cancel it but he said knows once he does, his car won't start or there will be a storm and he'll need a cell phone.

So, I told him about the $100/yr. I was going to put him on TracFone because it's cheaper but I think it's best if he can just go to his nearby Verizon store for help. He hardly uses it so the cost per minute doesn't matter anyway. He's very interested in dropping his cell bill to $100/yr.

My question is, I can setup auto refill to do $100 every 365 days right? I did a test run by adding my own credit card, and it said I could add up to $250 whenever my balance drops below $5 or 2 days before my expiration date. That to me means that if I set that to $100, it will refill every 363 days, correct?

I won't even be porting his old number. He said he leaves it off and doesn't remember the number to his cell phone anyway

Thanks!

[StevenA]

I think you're in the wrong thread. This is for Verizon prepaid. I can tell you that, with Verizon, there is no automatic payment with the $100 prepaid. Verizon will send you a text message a few days before your expiration date. You need to then either call them or go to a Verizon store to add an additional $100. There doesn't seem to be any way to do the $100 payments over their website. I asked a rep when I was in the store a few weeks ago, and he said that $100 payments cannot be made over the web. Even without automatic payments it's still a good deal if you don't use your phone a lot. You only need to remember to pay once a year (unless you use more than $100 of minutes), and unused minutes rollover as long as you make your payment before the expiration date.

[IsLand_BoY]

I updated my original post for clarity. I wouldn't be posting in the Verizon prepaid forum about a Verizon prepaid specific phone if I didn't mean to

Have you actually tried yourself? As I stated in my original post, it is very easy to add a credit card and you can put any amount from $0-250 and make it apply a payment when you have $5 or 2 days left before your expiration date. That to me qualifies as an "automatic payment" with the $100 1yr expiration.

I'll find out soon enough. I'm also looking into other cheaper alternatives. I'd like him to have Verizon but our area is well covered by all carriers so that's not a big deal.

[Frontierjustice]

1. I'll find out soon enough. I'm also looking into other cheaper alternatives. 2. I'd like him to have Verizon but our area is well covered by all carriers so that's not a big deal.

1. I hope you'll tell us the results of this experiment.
2. My choice would be to manage the account myself ... and look for a post-paid Verizon phone for him.

The cheapest deals are Virgin Mobile - 365 days for $60 and Page Plus - 365 days for $80. VM often gives away phones to "new accounts."
Regards, FJ

[IsLand_BoY]

1. I hope you'll tell us the results of this experiment.
2. My choice would be to manage the account myself ... and look for a post-paid Verizon phone for him.

The cheapest deals are Virgin Mobile - 365 days for $60 and Page Plus - 365 days for $80. VM often gives away phones to "new accounts."
Regards, FJ

I ended up putting him on Virgin Mobile. He wanted something with auto-refill, so that ruled out anything that would require yearly intervention with a 1yr card. The per minute rate @ $0.20/min is high but he said the $15/75min he'll get with each VM auto refill is already way more than he'll use even in an entire year.

He's pretty happy. I still don't know which company he's currently with for $12.95/mo on his old cell phone, but he said he'll be cancelling it shortly.