Need some guidance on getting a 2nd Page Plus phone for business

[PRW94]

I've posed this in other online venues, I'll toss it out here as well.

I have been a Page Plus customer since February and I think it's wonderful, absolutely no complaints and I've preached the Page Plus gospel at every opportunity. The situation that led me to get a Page Plus phone is that I had been using a corporate-provided phone (old LG flip-up dumb phone that's about to fall apart now), and paying $10 extra each month to be able to use it for personal calls/texting. However, my company was purchased by new owners and there was some uncertainty about whether the arrangement to pay the $10 extra for personal calls would continue, so I proactively discontinued that and signed on with Page Plus to have a personal phone. I bought a Kyocera Torino a $10 card to start off with, saw quickly that I'd like the phone and the service so at the first of March I bought a one-year, $80 card that I'm still using. I have used exactly $25 of that card so I'm on pace to have minutes carry over next March. I've not been overly careful in using my minutes, I just am not a massive cellphone user to start with and after working on a computer all day at my job, I'm not inclined to fool with data stuff on my phone on my own time, the only times I've ever launched the browser was by mistake. I talk and text and shoot and share an occasional photo, period, and I can wait until I get home to check my email.

However, the situation is about to change. My employer now is doing away with corporate-provided phones permanently, but will be paying a stipend for us to make our own arrangements. Those arrangements for me will be Page Plus' 1200 plan ... on a new phone with a different number. I know for convenience's sake I could use the stipend to upgrade things on my current phone, but quite frankly I've grown rather fond about having two separate phones ... one for business and another one for personal stuff (and I mean personal stuff only, nobody at work knows the number).

The thing is, I do not want to sink a mint into this second phone, so I'm looking at refurb or used (although Page Plus at its site has new Torinos at a good price, but that could cause headaches as to getting them mixed up, LOL!). I've looked at all the various guides, forums, etc., and I guess it's because while I'm not a Luddite technologically my cellphone experience is stuck in the dumb phone world, it's all kind of swirling around in my head.

So, I'm asking for advice on how to proceed here, as far as what phones I should look at, what questions I should ask up front and what I should try to avoid when, say, looking at eBay for instance, stuff like that.

What I want is something that (a.) has a Qwerty keyboard (I despise touchscreens, they aggravate my innate clumsiness); (b). has data capability (I might use that more for business, like checking my corporate email); (c.) will work with Page Plus; (d.) is reliable and (e.) won't cost me a mint, I'm not going into iPhone or high-end android territory pricewise because while the stipend will cover the talk/text/data, the upfront purchase of the phone's on my quarter and things are a bit tight at the moment (just bought a new car, and of course within a week of going into debt for that, one of the old cars conked out and I've got a date at the mechanic's on Tuesday to see what the "damage" is going to be).

Because I want data capability ... although I still primarily will use the phone for phone calls, texts and checking email and I might keep some music stored on it; I could care less about apps and things, am not into gaming or watching TV shows on 3-inch screens; will be streaming absolutely nothing ... I'm looking at getting a used or refurb smartphone. And basically, what I'm looking at right now is a first-generation A855 because I think it will at least put me into the pool, I could consider upgrading later, although from what I've read, this is very likely to end up fitting my needs, plus the prices are pretty much in line with new dumb phones. They basically are selling in my price range right now (less than $100 on eBay), because as noted a $200 or so phone just isn't happening right now.

My questions are (a.) how well does the A855 work with Page Plus and (b.) is there anything in particular I should ask of sellers or should be looking for on this particular model other than "is the EIN good?"

Also, I've read the guides here and elsewhere for optimizing data usage with Page Plus. Will they work with the A855 as given? Plus the one thing I'm having difficulty with is the idea of "rooting" a phone, could someone possibly explain that to me a little better? Thanks!

[trumptman]

Don't get a second phone. Instead if you have a smartphone you can use Google Voice which will give you a second number for free. It merely routes the calls and texts to your first number or uses data for texting if that is what you prefer.

[Marty913]

A great well-written description of what you want, and why you need it.

I think the 855 is a great choice for what you want it for although Android 2.2 (Froyo) is the best it can reasonable do. The Droid 2 (955/956) is a little more powerful and the price is around $100 so keep your eyes open for that. Either one will work great without modifications on PP. You realize that once you start down this road you are forever doomed to seek better & faster phones?

In an overly simplified definition, rooting is simply a matter of altering the "permissions tables" that allow certain beneficial apps to access parts of the operating system / firmware. Think of it as a combination of getting into the BIOS or revealing "hidden system files" in a Windows PC. Rooting allows for backing up the phone & the removal of unwanted "Crapola" from the phone among other things. Vendors would rather not have 3rd party apps in there because it creates support issues (plus they would rather not have some of their useless apps removed). It is not an absolute requirement but something you probably want to do. It is extremely easy to do with the two models above (basically a one-click thing).

[vey9]

I have one. As a general statement, I don't think that smart phones are as good at their core function (making and receiving calls) as a flip or bone phone. The reception, I think is better on a "real" phone and even something as mundane as answering a call can be tricky.

A whole keyboard of buttons on this phone and none of them can be pressed to answer an incoming call. Instead, the phone has to be unlocked first, then the answer button has to be pressed. This doesn't sound like much, but it can't be done safely while driving or riding a bicycle since it takes eye aversion and manual dexterity as well as two hands. And if your fingers are damp, the the touchscreen doesn't work very well at all, so unlocking won't work.

There are ways around this, such as using a shake to answer app or a headphone (corded or bluetooth), but a workaround shouldn't be necessary. It's all so clumsy.

Having a device that performs it's core function well, and excellent reception, isn't a very big deal if you like to use the phone to play Angry Birds most of the time, but for business use, it is vital.

[jgrobe]

So then Vey9, why is your phone listed as "Motorola Droid OG"?

[vey9]

So then Vey9, why is your phone listed as "Motorola Droid OG"?

Because that is what an A855 is.

[PRW94]

Thanks for input on this. The Google Voice thing intrigues me, but I'm leaning toward A855 option right now for economic reasons and for the fact that I have $55 of Page Plus time still on the Kyocera Torino (which is new) and which I don't want to lose because I've actually loved that little phone, it's great for what it is, a calling and texting phone. Plus I need the business option like right now, within a few weeks. I'm thinking maybe the A855 would be a "foot in the pool," so to speak, and I could reassess what I'm doing at some point down the road.

I actually thought my post (which was too long, sorry) might have come across as a bit snarky ("apps ... I don't need any stinking apps!") and I'm glad it wasn't taken that way. Seriously, my son has a tablet and does use it mostly for playing Angry Birds, so I know all about apps, I know I'd have to get one for Google Voice, and I'm not going to categorically say that I'd never do anything else, ever. I'm just never going to be one who's going to be a huge user of mobile devices.

I just need, for business, something that I can make calls on and send and receive text messages on, and it probably would be to my advantage to be able to check my email remotely for business reasons (one of the reasons I had the corporate cellphone to start with and why I'm still going to get a stipend to cover it is that I'm sort of on call all the time). And while I'm sure there may be some dumbphone options for doing that, the easiest option right now seems to be an Android phone.

[vey9]

I got my A855 (also known as a Motorola Droid) from Craig's List for $50. People are selling them as they get over 2 years old right now and the contract is up. I'm happy with it. I'm on the $12 plan. Technically, Page Plus says that I am not supposed to use it for business purposes, so you will never hear me say that I am. this is my second smart phone.

As I said before, it's a bit clumsy to answer a call, but other than that it's okay. For $50 it's worth a try.

[Extraordinary]

Not sure why PagePlus does not want business users, all other prepaid carriers don't care.

I suppose business users may make more calls, but still... minutes are given away everywhere like water now.

[aja8888]

I am doing the same thing as the OP.....getting a used phone for business that will serve as a phone, texting device, and have *some* data capability for my work e-mail account. My old 9000 Blackberry is falling apart and I really want to get off the AT&T contract. I just bought a Droid Pro for $60 off eBay and it is in mint condition. This week I will be porting over my number and signing on to PagePlus with the talk and text 1200 plan.

For a second personal phone (more of an emergency glove box phone), I have a prepaid tracphone which is just calls and text.

[chasham]

Brevity, focus, conciseness ;-)