14 months ago I bought a new cell phone but did not buy the additional inflated replacement insurance fees that would be added to my bill each month. Early this week, my 14 month old phone died on me and since no one repairs cell phones, I had to buy another phone.

Question: how long does a cell phone normally last you before you have to replace it? Does an expensive Apple phone last any longer than an Android? Do you pay for replacement insurance offered by your carrier?

I don't have the answers to your questions but I agree with you that they're not giving anything away with the monthly insurance. However I do have it and and used the insurance it recently when the glass broke on my screen.

How long do they last? They seem to be a lot more stable than PCs, which seem to start having problems at about 5 - 6 years. The only problem I've had with my android was a a battery overheating issue. My guess is 10 years lifespan.

I have as I-phone 8 and in good condition. I’m on my third battery and I use a MOPHE battery case that protects my phone. My previous phone was an I-phone 5 within the MOPHE battery case. I am hard on phones.

I have never seen the appeal of an expensive cell phone.

I have always gotten a brand name phone that was cheap enough so that I had no need for the insurance and I could simply replace it whenever necessary and without aggravation. The current Samsung android cost was about $250. Never paid a penny for insurance and will feel completely satisfied when I need to replace it with new one.

Never understood why some pay $1000 for cell phone that receives such heavy use and could be damaged even when careful with it. I don't want to be a prisoner of my cell phone where need for replacement bothers me. That also requires you to have backup of phone book and photos, etc so you can pick up where you left off.

Dino, the last time I was buying a new one they wanted to sell me one for $800...when I balked at that they said "oh you can just put it on a payment plan". I ended up buying a refurbished one for $300.

I pay $54 a month but I have cap of 2G data.

"oh you can just put it on a payment plan"

I had a tenant who had an Apple phone and her 3 teenage children all had Apple companion phones. All on a monthly payment plan,...$600.00/month with no pay-off or end date.

I pay $40/month Verizon Prepay M2M Unlimited talk and text - 2GB data. Reception is an issue because I live in the rural area.

But I do most of my business on a Land line and my PC.

Key is - FIT THE CELL PHONE TO THE NEED, Not the latest and greatest - some use their cell for everything I don't.

I have always bought my on phone, no insurance, none of the plan and phone stuff. Currently it is an iphone 5 I have had for the last few years. I take care of my phone - wife has an iphone SE no problems. I never buy the latest phone and Yes I do get the software IOS updates.

I have over 1300 business pics and 16 Audio Recordings of meetings on the phone. I have 64 GB Storage that works well for me. I think the iphone is more user friendly than than the Andriods.

And that is my 2 cents.

I get close to 10 years out of apple iPhone.

Roy, you can look on ebay. Usually find a good deal on one that is only couple years old. Or even new old models.

So many buy new phones just because there is a new model.

The old models already do twice as much as I need them to do.

I usually stay away from Apple brand tech. Dependable and maybe a little easier to use. But still over priced even considering that.

But I do use their cell phones. And do like the wireless charging stand. So can just sit it down on the stand and not mess with plugging in cables.

I have Xfinity mobile from Comcast using whatever phones were on special offer. You have to have Xfinity comcast internet to sign up for it.

Currently have 3 iphone SE 2020 and 2 android phones that were free when I ported in the old phone numbers. You have to stick with it for 2 years or they charge you for the phone(s)

No insurance, no bells, no whistles.

Rural service can be sucky but no worse than the service Verizon gives for a couple of hundred a month.

Unlimited text and voice with 10GB data shared between the 5 phones is $60 a month plus taxes. After taxes that's about $13 per phone!

The plan price is the same for 1 phone or many phones, that's why I just dragged all the phones onto the same plan.

I buy NOS ( New Old Stock ) from my pre-paid plan provider ( Total Wireless ). My new one is I phone SE 2020 ( Basically a mini I phone 11, I think ). Before that I bought a NOS I phone 5S that I used for years. I am personally not an I phone fan though because, as Vee, It does more then I need or use. I phones have to be charged more then Androids.

Unlimited talk, text and data at $30/M per line + tax and 911 fee. It uses Verizon towers.

I buy a screen protector ( but not this time as the screen in this phone is more "bullet proof"), however, I have never broken a screen and I take care of my phone. I also buy a protective case to wrap the phone in. Nothing too fancy or expensive or bulky. I carry my phone in tactical gear such as a Condor Phone Pouch. My phones last for years.

Apple phones are supported much longer than Android phones.

You can by used Iphones everywhere. I bought a used 6S for $150.00 a few years ago. Still supported.

Homer, I suggest you look at your data consumption per month. My guess is that it is less than 4GB. If so there is some serious savings to be had.

Current I'm using a "free" phone. Another words; my wife got a high end Samsung and i got a lower Samsung for "free " from Verizon. Prior to that, I was with AT&T. I would buy a 250-300 phone off Amazon (500+ & AT&T); break it around month 6 or 7. Repeat. Insurance plans wouldn't insure me any longer. Crack screen, screen would no longer recognize your finger, etc

iPhones are wonderful. I upgraded last year to used iPhone 11pro for the better camera, more memory and the water proof features. Prior I had a 6S that was getting slow. I pay around $85/mo for unlimited everything through Verizon.

Roy, I have Verizon with great coverage and pay $88 for 2 phones. I stay out of the Verizon store and only buy items from them over the phone. Too many stores lie and up sell their items.

Roy, I have Verizon with great coverage and pay $88 for 2 phones. I stay out of the Verizon store and only buy items from them over the phone. Too many stores lie and up sell their items.

Jim,

I have been with Verizon since 1997. My favorite phone is a Verizon/Kyocera flip phone that cost $250.00 and my monthly service bill is $33.00 every single month.

Our carrier is Verizon. I have had samsung notes now for about six years. Currently samsung note 20. I like the stylus. Hubs (contractor) has a kyocera shatterproof rugged smart phone. I use mine constantly at my regular 8-5 and when I go on call. I have an extra line and burner phone for the rental line. Lasts about 3 years before an upgrade.

My insurance on my phone is my protective case.

I buy a very expensive otter box and I had an IPhone 6 get run over by a small dump truck. The case was destroyed and the phone nearly dead, but it was alive enough to transfer the data over.