[dwiel]

I have a virign mobile plan here in the US: $25/month

  no contract
  300 minutes
  unlimited texts
  5GB/month of data(it gets slower but not stopped or overcharge after that)

I use my phone mostly to coordinate hanging out, any long conversations happen at home where I have wifi and calls can be routed through gchat or skype on a laptop.

I'm not sure why its not more popular. Oh and I can tether.

NOTE: just checked and it looks like the plan is advertised as $35/mo now

[pacemkr]

Coverage seems to be the biggest problem/non-problem with Virgin. I had to dump AT&T after two iPhones, because the service turned to shit. I am on Verizon right now and coverage has been great. Prices, not so much (still less than AT&T!) Do you know which underlying network Virgin use? Surely they don't put up their own towers.

[bokonist]

They use Sprint's network, the coverage has been pretty good for me, I haven't been anywhere where I expected service and haven't got it.

[cooperadymas]

They use Sprint's towers. You don't get roaming with Virgin. I find the coverage is great in my area and the few areas I travel to throughout the year.

If you are on the road a lot, you might run into problems.

[dwiel]

yeah they use sprint without roaming. When I first signed up I considered also getting a prepaid verizon phone for the times when I am far out of town or otherwise in poor/no coverage areas, but its never been a problem so I've never gotten around to it.