TextNow_Wireless

     TextNow Wireless is an inexpensive hybrid mobile phone carrier. With them you can get a monthly service plan for as little as $18.99 a month and a smartphone for as little as $13.99. You can get one of these monthly plans and a phone without signing any kind of contract. You can setup everything directly with them online at www.textnow.com. I have tested their wireless service using their least expensive monthly plan and their least expensive Smartphone.
     Photo 1 shows you the different plans they have and photo 2 shows their Motorola Moto G smartphone which is the least expensive phone they sell. Their phones range in price from $13.99 to $249.99 and all of them are sold without a service contract. Some are new and others are refurbushed and all come with a one year limited guarantee.You should go online to their website to see what special incentives they might be running to get you to try their service. Once you select a plan, even though you don’t sign a contract, the monthly cost of your plan will not change and you can stop the service whenever you want without penalties.
     Under certain conditions you can transfer your cellular phone number from your current carrier. Also if you happen to be a Sprint customer you probably can switch your current Smartphone from Sprint to TextNow. It is my understanding that you can’t use an AT&T or Verizon phone on the TextNow cellular network. The specifics on how to transfer phone numbers and Sprint phones is best handled directly by talking to a TextNow representative.
     The TextNow hybrid cellular service handles as many of your calls, texts, and Internet access using available Wi-Fi streaming. When Wi-Fi isn’t possible it handles these same services using the Sprint Cellular Network. They even have an app that will let you make phone calls and send texts using any Wi-Fi connected device you own.
     The best thing about TextNow is they never charge overage fees regardless of how much time your smartphone is running on the Sprint Network. This sounds great but it does come with some significant limitations. If you look at photo 1 again you will notice that the difference between the different plans is the amount of 4G LTE you get with the plan. Once you use up this high speed allotment the upload and download speed of your phone drops to 2G. I never noticed this drop in speed when texting or calling but using the Internet for online shopping at this speed can be painful. Remember everything works at top speeds at all times when you are running on Wi-Fi.

Review of the Motorola Moto G Smartphone (See photo 2)
     Before getting into specifics I just want to point out that this is a great phone for anyone who needs to purchase a very inexpensive smartphone. The Motorola Moto G phone starts quickly and I really liked its live wallpaper feature. You have many choices and I tested bubbles, leaves in water, and multi color lights. The phone lets you organize your apps by separating them into different categories and you can treat a contact like an app by creating a direct link to them on your home screen. I did this with friends that I am constantly calling and messaging.
     The Phone has a 4.5" Touch Screen and a 5 megapixel camera. The photos that I shot were poor in quality when compared to the same kinds of photos shot using my iPhone. You can however switch the camera between front and rear facing and you need front facing to take selfies and do video chatting on OOVOO or Skype. When using this smartphone as a phone I found it was hard to hear the person I was talking to unless I turned on the speaker phone function. The most significant Motorola Moto G problem that I encountered was when the screen froze and the fastest way to solve this problem was to restart the phone.
     In conclusion I Have to say if money is no object and you can afford a limited or unlimited data phone from one of the major cellular networks then Text Now service is not for you. If you are a teenager using your own money to pay for your cellphone you can’t beat these prices. Before switching to TextNow it is important for you to check online Sprint's coverage in your local area. In my NYC metropolitan test area Sprint has a strong signal and this might not be the case where you live. If you go with the TextNow cellular service text me at 310.307.0896 and grade them from 1 to 5 stars. I will aggregate and anonymously share your rating in review updates.