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Newly Crunchy
by 
Brandy Nelson

Cricket vs. Straight Talk: Both Claim to be the Most Affordable, Only One Can Have the Title

4/12/2012

24 Comments

 
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As cell phone subscription is growing more and more expensive, together with being more and more necessary, more and more subscribers are searching for more affordable solutions. Given this case, more and more network carriers are also claiming to offer the most affordable plans in the market. This can be both good and bad for the consumers.

On one hand, it can be beneficial in the sense that competition will get stricter and it will stretch what the providers will be willing to offer in order to get ahead of the competition. This can mean lower subscription rates, cheaper cash outs, beneficial perks (like Rollover minutes) and other fancy features like Android Muve support or better phone selection. One of the most noticeable progresses that are brought about by competition in terms of affordable offers is the unlimited GSM and data plans.

On the other hand, it can be disadvantageous in the part of the consumer as multiple claims of being the most affordable network can mislead people into believing mere advertisements. In an environment full of contradicting interests and statements, we must be wary of ads and be able to make observations of our own.

Two of the networks that claim to have the most affordable smart phone offers are Straight Talk and Cricket. Straight Talk is a sub-product of Tracfone which is based in Miami, Florida. Cricket, on the other hand, is based on San Diego California, has arrived three years later than Tracfone but has established its roots earlier than Straight Talk. Both of these network carriers are young compared to AT&T, Verizon, and Sprint. However, both are bold enough to flaunt their below-fifty-dollar unlimited plan offers and declare themselves as the most affordable network.

To settle the score between the two, we will be comparing those using categories that directly affect a subscriber's satisfaction. These criteria are the network's unique features, the phone selection that it offers, its signal coverage, the after sales support that it provide, and how affordable it is given what it has to offer.

Cricket - The network from San Diego CA offers unlimited text talk, text, and data for as low as $45. If you want to go roaming, you can still enjoy these features by simply adding $20. The cheap phones and affordable international plans make Cricket also ideal as a roaming phone subscriber. These available plans, however, are limited to basic phones. If you want to go for a smart phone, then you will have to pay for rates that are above $50.

Aside from the said feature above, Cricket also supports Android Muve, which is a big plus if you are a music or a video lover. However, this is only limited to some Android phones.

Straight Talk - Like Cricket, Straight talk is proud of its very affordable unlimited plans. Their unlimited talk time, text messaging and data are all available in a single package that only costs $40. Unlike Cricket, this rate is fixed for all Straight Talk phones thus you are sure that this plan is available as long as you are using a Straight Talk phone.

Comparison - Both offer very affordable plans just as they advertise. However, we will be giving this category to Cricket as it has more than affordable plans. It also has unlimited music and video download support on selected Android devices.

PHONE SELECTION
Cricket - Cricket offers a decent phone selection. Though limited in number, their phones are some of the best that you will find in the prepaid market such as the Huawei Mercury. Although it lacks famous phones like the iPhone or the Galaxy Note, it never backs down in terms of function.

Straight Talk - In terms of quantity, it is a little ahead of Cricket. However, when it comes to quality, it can only offer low end smart phones at best and most of the phones in its inventory are basic phones.

Comparison - If we compare the phones between the two networks, Straight Talk cannot compare with Cricket in terms of sheer functionality. Because of this, Cricket is one step ahead of Straight Talk.

COVERAGE
The coverage criterion is simple enough. Who covers the most area in the country? The larger the percentage, the better the chances that you will have a clear signal. In this matter, Straight Talk clearly has the upper hand as it covers 99% of the United States as opposed to Cricket that only covers 97%. However, the difference is minuscule and this could be ignored unless your area is in the unlikely 2% difference.

AFTER SALES SUPPORT
The area of customer service or after sales support is hard to judge as we cannot form valid generalizations easily. However, based on feedback that we have read on the forums, both networks have the same level of customer service. There are very few cases of very angry subscribers as both networks are prepaid. This means that there is less room for heated discussions about overages and wrong monthly bill computations. You pay and you get the service, things are often fair and square when it comes to prepaid subscription.

AFFORDABILITY
Cricket - If you are after unlimited features, Cricket has a rate of $45. This only gets higher if you will go roaming or will be subscribing for more sophisticated smart phones which can easily cost $55 or more if you will be including the Android Muve support.

Straight Talk - In terms of unlimited talk, text, and data, Straight Talk offers the most affordable rates among all the networks in the United States; $40. This is $5 cheaper than what Cricket has to offer.

Comparison - If we are going to be strict about it, Straight Talk is the most affordable network with a $5 advantage, add the fact that there are more Straight Talk promo codes than Cricket's then Straight Talk has the advantage. However, if we will be including functionality in the equation, Cricket is more versatile as it offers options on getting a smart phone and Muve functionality. However, if we level the battlefield on basic to low end Smart Phones, I would have to give it to Straight Talk.




24 Comments
Jenna
4/12/2012 12:56:57 am

I'd go for straight talk. It's been reliable for me ever since. Thanks for the information.

Reply
Eric
6/3/2012 03:44:37 am

This was so helpful , thank you so much

Reply
Tea_NC
6/10/2012 05:05:15 am

Thanks, this was very helpful as I am considering dumping my long term relationship/contract with AT&T and going for a more affordable and abundant contract free pre paid service provider. Your analysis rocks, it's the best I've found on the net thus far!!!

Reply
carol
7/6/2012 09:40:38 pm

thanks for the article....you should update it that straight talk now offers a byod (bring your own device) n you can use it almost any device I use it with samsung galaxy note and also a samsung galaxy s 3...0 problems with at&t towers great speeds & ervice and no interruptions... love it, best bargain I ever had!

Reply
Nate
8/12/2012 11:16:50 am

One thing about the phone selection, is that either carrier allows you to bring your own device. On cricket, I've run a Samsung Fascinate, Droid, Droid Eris. Now I'm moving to StraightTalk and running an Infuse 4g

I think data speeds for each carrier should be discussed as well. I have seen "4g" phones on ST getting 3-4Mbs and on cricket I can only get .5Mbs

Reply
Marie Jolliffe link
8/23/2012 03:47:40 am

I had been a Straight Talk user for several years. Last year I bought an Android phone. When I brought it home and tried to use it, I had no signal. I took the phone back. I was told that a Cricket android would work for me here. Guess what? It doesn't work either! I'm going back to Straight Talk with or without an android phone. It's all about the service and I need my service to be there when I need it.

Reply
Nate
8/23/2012 09:03:36 am

Was is a GSM phone (AT&T, T-Mobile, etc) or was it a CDMA phone (Sprint, Verizon, etc)?

Reply
Marie Jolliffe
9/11/2012 02:43:29 am

It was a CDMA-S which means that we don't have Sprint towers here in our area.

Nate
9/11/2012 02:49:30 am

They do have Android based GSM phones (The Infuse 4G is one example)

Vitaqueen
9/10/2012 01:44:09 am

Cricket does offer the latest iPhone.

Reply
Melissa
12/6/2012 10:37:45 pm

Thanks you help me alot with my choice

Reply
A. Aman
12/28/2012 12:36:54 pm

I like the Iphone price for the Cricket service. But I like the straighttalk plan because it has worked for me. What about if I cancel my straighttalk, buy the cricket Iphone/prepaid service for a couple of months and then switch to Straighttalk prepaid with the new iphone I purchased from cricket? Make sense?

Reply
Nate
12/28/2012 01:00:00 pm

You can't. The Cricket iPhone is CDMA, and while Sprint's network (the Straight Talk CDMA provider) is compatible, Sprint won't activate non-sprint phones on their network. The Cricket iPhone does have a SIM card slot, but it won't work with US SIM cards (AT&T, T-mobile), only international SIM cards.

Reply
Ij
9/9/2013 03:00:28 am

This was such a big help. Thanx

Reply
Ijeoma
9/9/2013 03:03:02 am

I want to go for straight talk but my brother is giving me his Iphone from at&t. Is there a way I can use straight talk with my brother's iphone?

Reply
Nate
9/9/2013 03:10:52 pm

Absolutely, you just have to get the AT&T compatible SIM card from Straight Talk. That's how my Infuse 4G works, then you don't have to worry about unlocking it from AT&T.

http://www.shopstraighttalk.com/bpdirect/straighttalk/Start.do?action=view&locale=en&market=GSM4&productFamily=simcards

Check which type of SIM card the iPhone uses. I think its the smaller one, but I could be wrong.

Reply
gino
12/11/2013 06:11:53 pm

I have cricket, the mice music phone. I love the unlimited music downloads. I sell straight talk phones 5 days a week and I can say that the service is nit that good. With cricki have to say if your account is empty, you can't even daily 611 to reach customer service. Many ppl have been buying straight talk 45$ cards n they are not Working. Cricket will soon be partners with at&t plus cricket has better phones. Mist straight talk phones are just barley making it to be called a smart phone. At work we call straight talk dumb phones. I think the logo on straight talk phones makes the phone look cheap, it reminds me of the old tracphones. The cricket phones are fast in speed and made for data users.

Reply
Nate
12/12/2013 04:23:00 am

Oh man, the misinformation in this post is atrocious. First off, if you're using a CDMA straight talk phone, they are partnering with spring (evidenced by their coverage maps), and Cricket is doing the same (again, look at their coverage maps compared to Sprint).

If you're using the GSM card, it's either through T-Mobile or AT&T. I use the AT&T SIM card through Straight Talk. I've been buying plan cards since I started using ST and haven't had one fail to go through.

Regarding the phones, since I am using the AT&T SIM, I can use any AT&T phone (like my Infuse 4G and my Galaxy S II Skyrocket)

Reply
Nate
12/12/2013 09:36:21 am

Edit: Sprint** Cricket is partnering with Sprint

mrsshepherd
6/22/2014 10:03:11 am

This was a good article but it did not address data reliability. My husband and i have had straight talk for 2 1/2 mos now and repeatedly, his, mine, or both of our internet services have gone out. Sometimes as often as several times a day. Its off obe minute on the next and calling the company rarely helps. WeThey grasp at straws and are difficult to understand. Also, i believe trac is a mexico originating or based company, not florida. We are considering going to cricket and would like to know how reliable their internet is

Reply
Samantha
6/25/2014 08:16:40 am

Ok so I am with Cricket now and they say that they have paired up with AT&T? So I could really use any AT&T based phone for either Cricket or ST?

Reply
Mike
2/7/2015 05:09:24 am

Yes Samantha provided they are UNLOCKED and you purchase a SIM card from your new carrier to fit your phone.

Reply
Mike
2/7/2015 05:05:58 am

Get this. I am currently with ATT on their $60 a month GoPhone pre-paid
plan. I called their customer service to ask the following question:

" I currently am on your GoPhone plan and am considering moving to StraightTalk or Cricket and would like to know from you why I should consider staying with ATT rather than switching to either StraightTalk or Cricket who use the ATT network and costs significantly less than ATT ? " He couldn't give me an answer and only defaulted by telling me what ATT offers. I told him they both offer the same thing. He said he wa not familiar with their plans and we ended our conversation.

Reply
Hopei
8/21/2015 09:52:51 am

I love straight talk great service

Reply

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