Straight Talk adds Android Phone

Straight Talk, a no-contract provider available both online and at Wal-Mart stores, has introduced its first Android smartphone, the Samsung Galaxy Precedent.  Now consumers can take advantage of Straight Talk’s incredibly low $45 price for unlimited voice, text and mobile web

 on a phone where the data component is actually meaningful.

Why is this a big deal?    Until now, Straight Talk’s $45 unlimited plan looked very attractive against the cost of similar plans for the major carriers.   However, their phone selection left much to be desired.   Now, with the addition of the Android phone, customers get a complete mobile experience, including access to hundreds of thousands of Apps, for a fraction of the cost of similar service on other carriers.

How much do I save?   Unlimited talk, text and data with a smartphone ranges from $80 on T-Mobile up to $120 on Verizon.  This is a savings of up to $1,800 on a two-year contract.   Even better, no contract is required.

What about service quality?  Straight Talk buys airtime and uses the network of the major carriers (Sprint for this phone).   Service quality/coverage will be roughly the same as if you were a Sprint subscriber.

About the Samsung Galaxy Precedent:   This Android 2.2 device features a 3.2 inch touch screen, 2 megapixel camera with video capture and playback, Bluetooth, GPS and high speed data via 3G and Wi-Fi.   Battery life is up to 6 hours, with standby up to 9 days.   The Galaxy Precedent is M4/T4 hearing aid compatible, the highest ranking.   In addition, the phone lets you have 5 home screens and supports microSD memory cards of up to 32GB:  a 2GB card is included with purchase.

To buy Straight Talk:   You can buy online, or at Wal-Mart stores.    You can keep your existing phone number in most cases.