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AT&T Go Phone Prepaid Cellphone Plan Review
Last updated: January 19, 2022 by Rachael Hoffman
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Overview
AT&T, America's second largest wireless carrier, has maintained a high profile for its GoPhone prepaid service for many years. They offer a number of plans that can fit different consumers' needs and offer phone services at thousands of convenient nationwide locations, such as Walmart.
Pros: They have a wide selection of monthly plans that can serve the needs of heavy talkers and texters.
Cons: Smartphone choices are a little limited, and they are all pretty expensive.
Detailed Provider Information
Plans: AT&T Go phone has a wide range of options with both monthly unlimited plans for smartphones and basic phones as well as pay-as-you-go and international options. Unlimited plans for smartphones include unlimited voice and text messages and limited (or add-on only) data. These plans start at $25. Basic phone plans start t $2/day or $25/month with a range of limited and unlimited options. International minute add-ons and additional text/data packages are also available. Consumers can also pay per minute/text/MB as well.
Customer Service: AT&T GoPhone customer service can be reached via toll-free number seven days a week during limited hours. They also have a range of FAQ, video tutorials and troubleshooting resources on their site. You can also receive personalized help in-store. Read more about AT&T GoPhone Customer Service here.
Free Nights: Yes. Nights are 9 p.m. - 6 p.m.
Credit Check: None
Free Weekends: Yes. Weekends are 9 p.m. Friday - 6 a.m. Monday
Contract: None
Daily Access Fee: No
Payment Options: GoPhone offers nearly every payment option available. Minutes can be purchased on their website with a credit card, debit card, or electronic check, and autopay is available for stress-free refills. Credit/debit cards can be used to fund the account right from the phone (by dialing 611) or from a landline (via a toll free number). Minutes can also be purchased at AT&T stores. Refill cards are also available at dozens of retailers nationwide.
Text and Picture Messaging: Unlimited text messaging comes with all of the monthly and daily plans. Pay as you go customers can buy messaging packages. 200 texts will cost $4.99, 1000 messages for $9.99 or unlimited messaging for $19.99. Otherwise, pay as you go messaging rates are $0.20/text or picture message in the U.S. with messages to other countries costing $0.25/text.
Data Plans: AT&T GoPhone offers data and hotspot capabilities on almost all of their smartphone plans. Basic plans have limited data or pay per use packages available. Read more about AT&T GoPhone Data Plans.
Downloads: AT&T GoPhone offers downloads to all of their prepaid subscribers. Ringtones, wallpaper, games, and graphics begin at $0.99.
International Calling: AT&T offers unlimited text messaging to Mexico, Canada, and 100 other countries with most of their monthly plans. The plans that do not include free international texting generally cost $0.25/text to send and receive. For $5, users can purchase an International Long Distance Package which gives 250 minutes to call more than 60 different countries. They also offer a Mexico Plus Long Distance package to call Mexico and several other countries.
Text Messaging Available: Yes
Roaming Charges: AT&T offers its nationwide network to prepaid customers, so no roaming charges will be incurred with this service.
Shop Phones and Plans: Shop for AT&T prepaid phones
Text Messaging Charge For Incoming: Yes, but only with the pay-per-use services
Unlimited Text Messaging Plan Available: Yes
Activation Fee: None
Nationwide Long Distance: All calls made within AT&T's network are billed at the same rate. There are no extra long distance charges.
Unlimited Plan Available: Yes
411 Calls: Directory assistance is available for $1.99 per call, plus airtime.
Earliest Minute Expiration: GoPhone minutes have varying expiration dates depending on the amount of the card. Cards valued from $10 - $24 expire in 30 days, $25- $99 expire in 90 days and cards $100 or higher expire in 1 year. Whenever you purchase new minutes, the longest expiration date will apply to any existing minutes on the phone.
911 Calls: Yes
Phones: Phones for AT&T GoPhone plans begin at $11.99. AT&T offers many refurbished phones for a discount as well as many of the most popular phones today. There are nearly 30 different phones currently available, and more are always being added. AT&T also offers the option to bring your own compatible device. Standard Calling Features: All basic call features are included: caller ID, call waiting, 3 way calling, voicemail, and call forwarding.
Standard Calling Features: Voicemail, caller ID, call waiting.
Some Available Cell Models: Nokia Lumia 635, Samsung Galaxy Express, HTC Desire 610, iPhone 4s, AT&T Avail 2, AT&T Radiant and more
Coverage Map: AT&T GoPhone Coverage Map
Cheapest Phone Model: $11.99
Latest News: See the latest news about AT&T Prepaid
Activation Guide: AT&T Prepaid Activation Guide
Customer Service Contact: AT&T Prepaid Contact Information
Average Rating By Users
Most Recent Reviews
New phones
Got new phones and have no pin so don’t have service. Att hung up on me three times because I don’t have a PIN number. Have new phones I can’t use and att will not help!!!
Awful customer service
I give up on ATT pre-paid. Needed to cancel auto-pay on a lost phone and could not do it without canceling my credit card. When I finally got a human on the phone by calling a different ATT unit, I was told there are no humans for pre-paid customer service, just computers. Now they've suddenly decided not to accept my card, with no warning or explanation, and I can only re-up over the phone for an extra $5 a month.
Consumer Review
a t & t have the worst prepaid phone coverage! My cell phone randomly looses service. I don't realize I don't have service until I check my phone. It has lasted for hours at times. I now log these occurrences and will demand a credit for lost service periods.
Consumer Review
Solid service and good 3G data speeds, high reliability. You can compare prepaid plans at www.allprepaidplans.com
Consumer Review
I guess compared to Verizon's contract service, this is a downgrade, but compared to Tmobile's contract service, ATT's pay as you go plan is great. They actually answer service calls in the U.S., and the person answering was knowledgeable and took care of the problems.
Consumer Review
I WISH I WOULD HAVE NEVER EVER EVEN THOUGHT ABOUT LEAVING VERIZON FOR AT&T. THEY ARE NOTHING BUT LIARS. I HAD 6 DIFFERENT CUSTOMER SERVICE REPS TELL ME I WOULD HAVE WONDERFUL COVERGARE AND ONCE I LEFT MY HOUSE NOTHING AT ALL. I WAS TOLD IF I WAS NOT HAPPY I WOULD GET A FULL REFUND ON THE PHONE AS WELL AS THE PHONE CARD. ANOTHER LIE. ALL I CAN SAY IS SHAME ON AT&T AND THANKYOU VERIZON FOR LETTING ME GO BACK!!!!!!!!