Recommended inexpensive Android smartphones

[Ad1985]

Hi;

I'm looking for a cheap Android based smartphone to use for VOIP calls (Thank you Slinkwyde for the tip!).

I currently have a LG VX5400 flip phone which is just fine for me except the lack of WIFI calling so I mean it when I say I need no other features. It should work on the Verizon network (I use Page Plus Cellular)

What is the cheapest phone out there that will fit this purpose?

Thanks!

[vey9]

I can't help you. I've tried two smart phones with Skype along with my PC and the sound quality has been terrible two cans and a string is better. This has more to do with my connection, which the cable company insists is perfect than with my hardware.

Before you waste much time on this, try it with your PC. Don't believe the echo thingy -- spend $10 and try calling your friends on land lines and see what they say. Then, if it is okay, go to phone based skype and try that for a while.

[adam1991]

I don't know about cheapest, but twice I managed to find very slightly used Exhibit II for $100. Not only does Vonage Mobile work great on it for VoIP calling, FoxFi also works great on it for making it a 4G wifi hotspot.

[Slinkwyde]

Important: The phone must have a clean ESN and can't have ever been used on Verizon prepaid.

HTC Droid Eris (probably the cheapest)
HTC Droid Incredible
Motorola Droid X

The Eris is the oldest Verizon phone that meets the minimum requirements for GrooVe IP (for WiFi calling) and the Google Voice app (for voicemail and texting).

Some places to look: Craigslist, eBay, Cowboom (a Best Buy outlet), and Swappa. You could also ask friends, family, coworkers, etc. if they have an old Verizon Android phone they're not using. Email or Facebook might be good ways to ask a bunch of people in one step.

Porting a number to Google Voice costs $20 one time, but signing up with a new number is free. Porting your Page Plus number could cause you to lose your existing Page Plus Plus balance. Note that Google Voice is NOT a carrier; it's a virtual number you give to people that forwards to your "real" numbers. You'd still be using Page Plus. For more info, watch "What is Google Voice?" and "Number porting." I don't recommend Skype for this purpose since it's proprietary (limits your options) and costs a lot more when used with the traditional phone network.

[Ad1985]

Thanks again! Do you think I'll have issues if I forward an 800 number to a google voice number, which finally forwards to my page plus number? (right now my 800 number forwards to the page plus number). If this causes severe lag during the forwarding, I won't be able to do it, because missing a call loses me money.

Also, if porting my page plus number to Google voice means I'll lose my Verizon network connectivity, I wouldn't want to do that.

[Slinkwyde]

Also, if porting my page plus number to Google voice means I'll lose my Verizon network connectivity, I wouldn't want to do that.

No, you'd still have Verizon network connectivity. Google Voice isn't a carrier. If you ported, your current Page Plus number would become your Google Voice number. You would then activate your smartphone with a new number on Page Plus and add it as a forwarding phone on Google Voice.

As for the 800 number question, I don't know. Try asking in the Google Voice forum.