> My tracfone minutes don't expire, I have to add at least 60 minutes
> every 90 days to keep it active, which costs $21.49 with tax and takes
> about 3 minutes online to do, but as long as I do the minutes don't expire.

In a similar vein, I have a Virgin cellphone. The plan is pay-as-you go, and I have it set to "top up" as they put it every 90 days. Every three months, the company bills my credit card $15, and I pay eighteen cents a minute for incoming and outgoing calls.

Since it's done automatically, I don't have to go online, and I can more minutes if I need them right from the phone. So if all internet access is down, I still can have a useable phone (so long as my credit card is still good :->).

By topping up every 90 days, my unused minutes roll over and don't expire. I'm confused on the tax issue, as their Web site says taxes and surcharges don't apply to the plan I'm using, which I have some doubts about.

Virgin phone has live agents that I've asked questions and gotten help from. It costs to call them from the cell phone, but it's free if I call from my landline on their 800 number.

Fifteen bucks a quarter is the cheapest I've seen. If anyone has alternatives, I'd appreciate hearing about them.

EDIT: I should add that by cheapest, I mean actually out of pocket ($15/mo), not per minute. I don't use all my minutes, and my goal is to have a cell phone that works for the lowest out of pocket cost over a year.