Motorola Barrage No Contract Cell Phone And Casio GZ One Boulder No Contract Phone

by Lisa B
(Centre, AL USA)

I am getting very frustrated please help. This is the 2nd phone I have bought that is no contract verizon phones and it will not let me activate it on my prepaid account. I first bought a gz one boulder no contract and i called verizon they said it could not be put on prepaid, so I sent it back. About a week later, I called them after I had sent the phone back about something else and I asked about the Casio phone. The verizon rep I talked to said that whoever I talked to told me wrong that the gz one boulder COULD be put on prepaid. Well, I bought another phone a Motorola Barrage no contract phone and when it got here (I ordered on ebay and got a great deal) I called verizon and AGAIN THEY SAID IT CANNOT BE PUT ON PREPAY. I am so frustrated, I do not want to get rid of this Motorola Barrage because I got it really cheap and it's a good phone. Is there something i need to unlock or something? If somebody will please help me with this, I would greatly appreciate it. Also, the motorola barrage for verizon is very similar to the casio gz one boulder for verizon. Have mostly the same features.

Comments for Motorola Barrage No Contract Cell Phone And Casio GZ One Boulder No Contract Phone

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Oct 04, 2016
 Casio
by: Steve K.

Casio dose not have prepaid phones; only contract and month to month. Also, their brigadier looks like a smartphone, but its actually a basic cellphone. They gave the phone a military specs with touch screen, but gave it basic cell features. This is thru Verizon wireless.
Mar 14, 2013
 Verizon Prepaid Wireless Strategy
by: PrepaidWirelessGuy

There's no doubt that Verizon is not trying to be a prepaid industry leader. In fact, they're not trying to be competitive. Since the earlier posts below, Verizon has changed their prepaid plans dramatically, however, they're still behind the market in general, and they currently still don't allow smartphones on their $55 monthly plan. You have to buy up to their $60 or $70 plans to use a smartphone, and even then there's a limited selected of compatible smartphones.

Verizon's postpaid business is so strong that it doesn't want to risk turning those customers into less profitable prepaid customers; it really is that simple. However, at some point in the next five or so years, they'll need to get more serious about actually competing in the prepaid space.

For now, despite their network coverage and quality, it's hard for a no contract customer to justify going with Verizon.
Mar 14, 2013
 Verizon Prepaid
by: Buck

It seems Verizon wants prepaid (minute cards)
to be the bottom of the crapola type for that
use. And which they make more money on prepaid
cell usage than orthers. They have some pipsqueak
that makes the rules that in their minds they are
above everyone else.
Apr 07, 2011
 Month-to-Month vs. Prepaid Wireless
by: PrepaidWirelessGuy

You're correct in your description of month-by-month. But just remember that the month-by-month plans are the same as the postpaid plans. However, the prepaid wireless plans are NOT the same as the month-by-month/postpaid plans.


If Page Plus told you your phone will work on their network, it's worth a try. Many Verizon phones work on Page Plus. Typically it's when you start trying to activate smartphones where things start getting tricky (i.e. not working, or not functioning properly). Page Plus is definitely a good option worth considering!
Apr 06, 2011
 Question to your answer
by: Anonymous

On a month to month contract, well it is a prepaid right, you just post pay for a month of service, without having to have excellent credit. Is that correct? I even asked them about that and they said I couldn't do it. They just said the phone is not compatible. Also I emailed page plus and they said I could put the phone on their prepaid (which by the way is much cheaper than verizon) do you think that would work?

Thanks

Lisa
Apr 06, 2011
 Using Verizon Phones on Prepaid
by: PrepaidWirelessGuy

Wow, you're experience sounds very frustrating to say the least! I think the key here is that you need Verizon to give you clear, consistent feedback regarding which of their phones you can use on prepaid or no contract, and which you cannot.


I think one aspect that could be causing confusion is that "prepaid" and "no contract" are not the same thing when talking about the carriers that offer both postpaid and prepaid wireless plans. "Prepaid" offers different pricing and phones, although many of the postpaid phones CAN be used on prepaid plans.


On the contrary, "no contract" when talking about a postpaid carrier can mean that you're on a postpaid plan, however, if you bought a phone for full price (i.e. no subsidy), bought a used one on eBay, or if you've completed your contract with them, then "no contract" simply means "month-by-month". Any Verizon phone would work on a month-to-month plan.


The key point here is that both agents you talked to could have been correct. A phone could be usable on a month-by-month, no contract basis (any Verizon phone would work), while only specific phones are allowed to be activated on a prepaid wireless plan.


The price points, and the way you make payments (ex. topup cards vs. cash vs. credit cards) are different for month-by-month (postpaid plans off contract) vs. classic prepaid plans.


All that said, you may have clearly asked the agent about what phones work on prepaid wireless and received different responses. This would be due to poor customers service training/knowledge. The important thing is to make sure you get a consistent answer before buying a phone that you can't return. Their website contains a lot of good information regarding which phones work on which plans. If you find it listed there on a prepaid plan, you can rest assured that it will work.


If you're a new customer and can't seem to get a straight answer on the phone, you may be better off asking your question in a store, and getting the name of the employee who helps you so that you can go back and complain if they end up being wrong. However, if you buy a phone on eBay and it doesn't work, it's unlikely that they'll be able to help you anyway. If you buy a Verizon phone from them that turns out not to be compatible with prepaid, you can pressure them to accept a return.


Given that you now have the Barrage, your best bet is to go into a store and see what they can do to help you. From what I can tell from their website, it looks like the Barrage is available on a month-by-month plan but not a prepaid. Though that's not to say that it's not compatible on prepaid!

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