Whenever you are considering buying a cell phone it is always a good idea to read reviews and find out what others are saying about wireless carriers, their plans, level of customer service and the phones they carry. There are just too many options these days to go into this kind of purchase without some knowledge and feedback.

Straight Talk Wireless is a wireless service partnered with Wal-Mart. Along the same lines as Wal-Mart, Straight Talk offers an alternate wireless service at consumer-friendly prices. But how do they compare to wireless providers like Verizon and AT&T?

The following is an in-depth review of Straight Talk Wireless, focusing on the items that consumers care about the most.

Key Features and Strengths:

Straight Talk is like any other cell phone service with the exception that it is prepaid and there are no contracts. Like their competitors, they offer the standard features of voicemail, call waiting, caller ID, texting, data downloads, long distance and international services.

For the consumer who prefers not to be locked into an annual or biannual contract, Straight Talk offers a greater amount of flexibility at a very comparable price.

Our Score: 5/5

Ease-of-Use:

Straight Talk wireless phones are as easy to use as 1-2-3.

1) Pick out your phone by either going to Wal-Mart and picking one up or by ordering one online at www.straighttalk.com. With the large variety in phones you are sure to find one that meets your needs.
2) Decide if you are going to keep your current wireless phone number or if you want a new number.
3) Choose a plan and add it to your account either online or over the phone.

For some individuals it may be easier to go into a wireless store, choose your phone and have someone else set up your plan and then bill you for monthly fees as well as keep you in a contract for years at a time. However, this is a great option and very easy to do if you don’t mind setting things up yourself. Not to mention the fact that Straight Talk has fabulous nationwide single-rate coverage and there are no roaming charges anywhere in the US.

Our Score: 4/5

Service Plan Pricing:

The Straight Talk program has several prepaid options to fit each individual’s needs. You can pay for a set amount of minutes that can be used during a 30-day period or you can prepay for unlimited services for one month, three months, 6 months or an entire year. The following is a summary of the Straight Talk plans offered:

The "All You Need" Straight Talk Plan for $30 for 30 days includes:
•1000 minutes nationwide
•1000 texts and picture messages nationwide
•30 MB of mobile web access
•Unlimited 411 calls

Unlimited Straight Talk for $45 for 30 days includes:
•Unlimited minutes nationwide
•Unlimited text and picture messages nationwide
•Unlimited data
•Unlimited 411 calls
Unlimited Straight Talk for $125.99 is the same as the Unlimited Straight Talk for $45 except this plan valid for 90 days.

Unlimited Straight Talk for $249.99 is the same as the Unlimited Straight Talk for $45 except this plan valid for 180 days.

Unlimited Straight Talk for $499 is the same as the Unlimited Straight Talk for $45 except this plan valid for 365 days.

Although international calling time is not included in any specific plan, it can be purchased in addition to your regular plan.

If you are already spending more than $25 per month on your prepaid wireless phone it would be a smart idea to switch to Straight Talk. Unlike the 150 to 300 minutes you may be getting with your current provider, for just $30 you get 1000 minutes, 1000 texts and mobile web access. I don’t know of any other prepaid wireless providers that provides this much for this little amount.

There is one drawback to their service plans that should be noted: you cannot stack your phone cards. If you add a phone card to your account it will automatically delete the prior one. Meaning if you had $10 left on your 30 day card and there were still 15 days left on your card and you decide to add a new $30/30day card, you will not have $40 and 45 days, you will only have $30 and 30 days. However there is a solution -- buy the additional card but keep it in your wallet until your previous 30 days or $30 is used up. Not the most convenient solution but still a cost-effective option.

Our Score: 4/5


Customer Service Support:

Unfortunately this is where Straight Talk is falling a little short. Although they make it extremely easy to contact customer service via telephone, email, mail or chat, the competency on the other end is less than stellar. The biggest complaint by consumers is that there is a lack of common sense and it would appear that the call center is located outside of the United States making communication a bit challenging.


Our Score: 3.5/5:

Available Phones:

There are a range of Samsung, Motorola and LG phones available for Straight Talk Prepaid Wireless. Whether you want a simple flip phone, a full QWERTY keyboard or a stylish slider phone, you will find one that will fit your needs. However if absolutely need a smart-phone such as a Blackberry, iPhone, or Android, you are not going to find these phones available for your use with a Straight Talk promo code

Our Score: 4/5

Summary:

Although customer service is below par the positives to Straight Talk far outweigh the negatives. With multiple service plans and a variety of phones to choose from, Straight Talk wireless is a great alternative to the traditional wireless services that lock you into a contract.