Any suggestions for "burner" phones? (devices, reliability, Walmart)
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I don't normally use a cell phone, but I've been thinking it might be handy to have something to toss in a suitcase when I'm traveling. I'm hoping it would be something that might sit unused for months or years, but that I could grab in a pinch. They don't expire, do they? I gather they're called burner phones, but really just pre-paid, I think.
Are there any particular recommended brands, for durability, reliability, or simplicity?
Look around on Amazon, Newegg, Best Buy for cheap phones.
I used to have one, and am now considering getting one as a back up phone.
I didn't buy a smartphone, hopefully you can find a generic, no frills phone.
I also did 'pay as you go', not prepaid service. Now I only see 'pay every month' plans, or 'pay 3,6, 12 months in advance' plans. It's not the same thing.
What I did was plunk down $35-50, and only had to put more $ on it when the $ amount was used up. To 'keep' the service, I just had to make 1 call per month, not pay every month. The service was through Boost. Don't know if they still offer that type of thing. Would be nice.
No idea if that is still possible, but that, to me, is a true 'burner' phone.
In one of the Jason Bourne movies, he walked up to a phone seller, bought a phone with cash, opened it, and started calling someone. Now that was a burner phone, something I have not been able to buy. I have been using Tracfone's annual pre-paid phones for about six years now. Any phone I use has to be registered with them and activated on their website and thus leaves a trail of digital clues that I own the phone. No such thing as a "burner" phone for me.
"Burner" phones aren't really a thing anymore in the US. You can still find them in many other countries.
Just go to Walmart and ask for a Prepaid phone. No there are no 'recommended' brands.
Just buy what the sales person tells you, load some minutes and don't forget to at least charge the thing every 30 days.
Right, I don't really want to pay in advance for calendar time (I assume that's what's meant by "annual") because it might sit there unused for ages.
Peregrine, when you say they're not a "thing," do you just mean that most people prefer other kinds of phones, or that manufacturer are phasing them out because they're not profitable, or what?
Thanks for mentioning that about charging. That's exactly the kind of thing I'd forget.
You can buy a pre-paid sim card from any carrier. Buy an unlocked phone of your choice, pop in sim card. Theres your "burner". From there, you can either call in to add minutes/data or buy a new one w/ a new number, depending on what you're trying to accomplish.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Peregrine
"Burner" phones aren't really a thing anymore in the US.
I don't normally use a cell phone, but I've been thinking it might be handy to have something to toss in a suitcase when I'm traveling. I'm hoping it would be something that might sit unused for months or years, but that I could grab in a pinch. They don't expire, do they? I gather they're called burner phones, but really just pre-paid, I think.
Are there any particular recommended brands, for durability, reliability, or simplicity?
Consumer Cellular has plans and phones that may suit you. Not a "burner" but something that you don't have to use unless you need it. Minutes carry over, low price on the plans, that type of thing. I don't have personal experience with them but I see them advertised on TV. $11 down and $2 a month. Can you handle that?
A burner phone, to me, is something that is untraceable by LE. None of the suggested methods can work like that.
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