CELLULAR PHONES
∗ I want an iPhone, Blackberry or a Droid! I don’t have a social security number. Your option is...
Best Rate Plans. If you decide to do a Best Rate Plan, you will pay a $500 deposit (refundable after 1 year as long as
you pay your bill on time each month). You will sign either a one-year or two-year contract. Two-year contract will have
slightly better rates and you will pay less for the phone itself. You must go to one of the Cellular Retail shops (AT&T, TMOBILE, VERIZON) to purchase such plan/phones. AT&T is now offering a 10% discount to Duke international
students/scholars who sign up for Best Rate plan. For more information, contact: Stacey Graham at 919.793.8865 or
email: [email protected]
∗ I don’t care about a SMART Phone. I’ll take any phone. I don’t have a social security number. I don’t
want to pay a security deposit. Your option is...
Pre-Paid Service. Must have debit/credit card. Purchase phone at a local grocery store (or any cell phone store) and
pre-pay for minutes online or with a card. It may not be the cheapest option, but you can purchase and activate your
phone in a matter of minutes. If you are a big talker, we suggest signing up for the Best Rate Plans (see above) which
does require a $500 security deposit.
∗ How do I get to the Mobile or Cell Phone Store without a car?
Walk to a local grocery store or take the C-1 or C-2 bus to East Campus and walk up to the Northgate Mall and go to one
of the mobile phone stores listed below.
♦ AT&T Retail Store: 5348 McFarland Drive, Durham NC 27707, tel. 919.403.2590.
Fifteen minute taxi ride from West Campus. An authorized AT&T Agent is also outside Northgate Mall at #1720 Guess
Road, #14, Durham. Tel. 919.286.3434. www.attwireless.com
♦ Cricket Communications Retail Store: outside Northgate Mall, #1720 Guess Road, Durham tel. 919.388.6380.
$45/month phone & unlimited international texting. Northgate Mall is about a 10-minute walk up Watts Street from Duke
East Campus bus stop. www.mycricket.com
♦ Radio Shack (Electronics Store): Northgate Mall, #1058 West Club Boulevard, Durham tel. 919.286.3264.
Wide variety of telephones and plans. Recommended: AT&T or T-MOBILE. Will sell a prepaid kit through T-MOBILE to
unlock the SIM Card of your home country phone. Price: $19.99 plus tax. www.radioshack.com
www.getwirelessfreedom.com
♦ Verizon Retail Store: Northgate Mall, #1058 West Club Boulevard, Durham tel. 919.286.1900.
OR #1815 North Pointe Drive, Durham NC tel. 919.477.1269 www.verizonwireless.com
Local Grocery Stores with Pre-Paid Cell Phones
Food Lion
TracFone; AT&T Go Phone; Net 10 Phone
www.TracFone.com
www.att.com/gophone
www.NET10.com
Kroger
i Wireless Phone
www.iwirelesshome.com
Dollar General
800 Broad Street, across from East Campus
At&T Go Phone, NET10, TracFone
www.att.com/gophone
www.NET10.com
www.TracFone.com
International House/Div of Student Affairs
Target
AT&T Go Phone; Virgin Mobile; Verizon Inpulse
www.att.com/gophone
www.virginmobileusa.com
www.verizonwireless.com/_prepay/
Walmart
AT&T Go Phone, Verizon Inpulse; TracFone
www.att.com/gophone
www.verizonwireless.com/_prepay/
ww.TracFone.com
Kmart
AT&T Go Phone; Virgin Mobile; TracFone
www.att.com/gophone
www.virginmobileusa.com
www.TracFone.com
lmg/May 2011
Handouts/Mobile Phone
Most of the local grocery stores (Kroger, Food Lion) have cell phones and calling cards located in the front of the store.
Harris Teeter does not have cell phones. Super stores (Walmart, Target, Kmart) have cell phones and calling cards
located in the Electronics Section of the store.
The most popular cell phone companies in this area continue to be Verizon, AT&T and T-MOBILE.
TERMS AND ADVICE FOR CELL PHONES
Incoming Calls
In the US cell phones are charged both for receiving and for making calls. Please be aware that incoming calls are
deducted from either your “free minutes” (contract phones) or your prepaid account.
Using Prepaid Phone Cards with your Cell Phone
Please note that phone service charges in the US are very different than those in most other countries! We strongly
discourage you from using prepaid phone cards (such as those bought at grocery and drug stores) to make lengthy calls
from your cell phone unless you do so at times when your service contract allows you to have unlimited minutes (usually
nights and weekends).
Prepaid Phones
Compared to phones with contract plans, prepaid accounts often have significantly more expensive rates. Some
companies’ charge a flat fee simply for placing each call (up to 25 cents per call), and then charges 10 cents (or more!) for
each minute the call lasts. Daytime calls are more expensive than evening ones and may cost 35 cents per minute or
more. Money deposited in a prepaid account also expires if it is not used in a specific period of time, which can be as
short as a month.
Contract Phones
TOLL-FREE CALLS WILL STILL BE DEDUCTED FROM YOUR ALLOTTED MINUTES PER MONTH AND YOU WILL BE
CHARGED PER MINUTE FOR ALL TIME BEYOND WHAT YOU ARE ALLOWED. Some students have unexpectedly
received bills of more than $500 because they were not aware of this and used many more minutes than they were
allowed.
If you have any concerns about cost-efficient cell phone usage, please contact your service provider, or I-House. You will
not be able to dispute charges because you did not understand how charges would be applied.
GSM/SIM Technology
If you already have a GSM mobile with a SIM card you can consider joining a GSM network. That would be either TMOBILE OR AT&T. Please note that AT&T mobiles are locked against switching SIM cards when you return to your
home country, but many websites offer unlocking services for less than $50. HUTCH connections are also not reliable in
Durham. Some students have found that even if you have an account that will work on these networks, it is worthwhile to
at least look at Verizon and other local providers.
Trial Periods & Breach of Contract
If you are unsure of which network to choose, it is possible to ask for a trial month to test a service provider. Please be
advised that there is a breach of contract fee of at least $175 should you change service providers in the middle of a
contract.
International House/Div of Student Affairs
lmg/May 2011
Handouts/Mobile Phone