Does anyone know what credit reports are pulled for cell phone service, and what credit scores do they require for the minimum payments. I have heard horror stories of $500.00 or more with poor credit.
Most service companies look at the FICO score, especially if they give you an answer right away - they can't be looking at anything but the FICO score. They know right away if you qualify based on whether you fall in the correct score range. When I got my first cell phone with ATT Wireless years ago I had sub-basement scores. Dear God, stay away from ATT Wireless' crappy service!!! I had to pay them a $200 deposit. A year later when it was time for me to renew - I refused to renew and I demanded my deposit back. Well after they subtracted what I owed for the current and upcoming bills, along with fees and taxes, I got back $79.00 3 months later Go with T Mobile. The service is great and you are not required to give them a deposit even if your credit is lousy.
I'm not sure of our scores at the time 4 months pre Cnet, but Cingular gave us 3 phones, no deposit. They pulled EQ. Our scores were in the low 500's 4 months later, but I'm pretty sure they were already there when we got the phone.
I agree on AT&T, they gave us such a run around that I was at the point of taking the cell phone, going to their corporate offices and sticking the phone up somebody's posterior part. T-Mobile is more than good. They gave us a cell phone when our scores were down in the basement, and let us use roaming. It was a blessing as we travel a lot to Europe where GSM is the main operating system. Their service seems to be cool too and we've never had any billing errors, which with AT&T was an every 3 months or so affair. PawMix
I've had no issues with AT&T in the 7 years I've been with them. They also now use GSM for their network in most locations and are aggresively expanding it. I find their coverage to be great. My advice however is to talk to people who live in your area and what service they use and how they like it. Coverage will be different depending on where you live. For example a couple of people on here posted that T-Mobile was good for them, but perhaps in your area, their coverage is crappy. Always inquire from actual users around you to see what works best and go with that.
Do you think that would be a good strategy for rebuilding credit. I am doing good in the process of cleaning up, and keeping current bills current. I see a lot of talk about credit cards to rebuild, but nothing else. What do you guys think about cell phones, or if there is anything else that would help?
I think it would depend on what you need in the mix to round out your types of credit. Is a cell phone account revolving or installment? peace, delilah
I got Verizon with a pretty poor score and a lot of older unpaid charge-offs. They pulled EX and my credit had to be run by a supervisor before it was approved, but it was approved! Verizon does not report to any CRA unless you are delinquent and the account goes into collections. Stay far away from Cingular. Their service and billing stinks on ice, and when my ex-wife tried to cancel (without ever being tied to contract) they sent this crazy collection agency after her for a $200 cancellation fee. They were insane, calling night and day and screaming obscenities into the phone.
Re: Re: Cell Phones -- Credit Requi Just my $.02, but the way I see it, is if you feel a strong need for a cell phone look into getting one. I wouldn't plan on using it as a credit rebuilding strategy, since many / most don't report. I'd rather apply for a gas card at one of the local gas stations, buy all your gas there, and pay it off every month. Here's my thought, thou. Some may disagree, and that's OK. If you feel you "need" a cell phone, and after looking around at a few places feel the deposit is way too much for the potential benefit, if you're not going to have the cell phone surgically attached to your ear, have you considered a prepaid? You can usually go in with $100 or less to have a phone with airtime. Actually http://www.trafone.com currently looks to have one for $25 with 60 minutes of airtime (factory reconditioned phone with time) I have a cell for myself, and one for my wife. Mine is through Tracfone, and my wife's is prepaid Cingular. As long as you stick with one of their cheaper phones, almost any of the prepaid through the national carriers will let you out around $100, and if your credit is looking nasty, you could have a $200-$500 deposit, THEN $30 a month for airtime. ChrisB
Re: Re: Cell Phones -- Credit Requi If you're looking to "rebuild your credit" with cell phones, don't bother. They don't report to CRA's unless you're delinquent. Yes, I know. Someone already said that.
You got verizon with experian and a nasty score. How nasty was it may I ask. I have a low score and may try verizon based on your response. see ya
I recently got approved for two phones with my middle 500 score. I got t-mobile at first, approved for one phone, no down, but they don't have a hub in Charlotte and I would eternally be roaming once i moved there...so I took it back. I went and applied for Cingular. Lo and behold I could get 3 phones if I wanted. So now I have a cingular phone. I don't think cell phones matter except for if you don't pay. DO NOT EVER go pre-paid. I did that first. I ended up paying about $90.00 a month just re-upping that service on Verizon...SOOO not worth it. I'd rather be under a contract and pay half than that.
I have sprint in Chicago. No problems. Was asked for deposit by T Mobile (VoiceStream) at the time, hate cingular never again, AT&T wanted deposit and so did Ameritech Wireless at the time. The only thing that Sprint did is require a $125 spending limit. OK by me bill is $49. month. Some people have problems with every carrier. Cingular more than any.
There is a credit bureau specific to the telecom industry called Lightbridge. It's not at all FICO driven, they use a completely different system. You can check them out here: [url]http://www.lightbridge.com/t...?phase=show&id=1024428400&tool_id=38&cat_id=1 No, having a cell phone won't help your credit. They only report to the bureaus if you're late. It's like a utility that way.
Why play around with regular cell phones when a Virgin Prepaid is just as good and as even better in some cases than a regualr cell phone. No credit check, no phone tied to your address,.... Sure it's a little pricey but prepaid cell phones are great. Just stay away from Tracphones they are crap.
Just got a Sprint cell phone 4900 and its wonderful and with a 600 score all they wanted was a 125 deposit that I get back in 12 mos. They checked my experian score. I have read alot of bad threads on Sprint but then again there has not been a cell phone company spared by anyone dragging it down for one thing or the other. The service is fine and for $45 per month with 500 minutes free and weekends free its perfect. happy customer of sprint
When I got Sprint I had a 490.....Approved with no deposit and a $125 spending limit. Fine with me I don't go above $50.00 Tac
How does the $125 spending limit work out of curiosity...they told me I got the $125 back in 12 months and they called it a deposit. Just find it odd that your spending limit is $125 as well. Hope thats not what I have but either way its fine. good luck
