T-Mobile Prepaid $100 Refill Card

Rating:
Summary: T-mobile phone cards
Review: IT is an excellent way to control phone expenses. It is user friendly.

Rating:
Summary: Amazon needs to update its description
Review: The description and reviews of this item are old and I'm assuming they apply to previous T-Mobile prepaid plans. I just bought a phone and $100 card and it gave me 665 minutes, which works out to 15 cents a minute. Each refill is supposed to expire in 90 days, but my expiration date got set to an entire year from the date I refilled. I don't know why but I'm not complaining. Also, the description talks about different "home coverage area" and "long distance" rates, but that doesn't exist anymore. There is only one rate now and it applies no matter where you call, as long as it's in their nationwide coverage area.

One confusing thing that isn't explained at all anywhere I've seen is how the dollars get refilled. A $100 card adds 665 minutes to your account, but it doesn't add $100 to your account - it actually adds much more ($266 in my case). The reason they do this is because they charge 40 cents per minute of phone usage. So they add (665 minutes x 40 cents = $266) to your account when you refill with a $100 card. I know I got scared when I read some small print in the phone packaging that said calls cost from 30 to 50 cents per minute, but that's not really true. It's just a weird billing system. They apply more money to your account than you paid for and then deduct it faster as you use the phone - but it all works out to the 15, 20 or 25 cents a minute (depending on which refill card denomination you buy) like is described in their advertising.

I haven't had my phone long so I'm not sure what the best strategy for refilling will be, but I'm thinking:
Buy the $100 card when you run low on minutes, and
Buy the $25 card when you have lots of minutes but are nearing your expiration date (just to keep the phone active).

Also, I've noticed the cards are sold everywhere at different prices so it pays to shop around. For example Amazon's price is the price you pay (no tax/shipping charges), whereas local stores sell them a little cheaper than face value, but after tax they end up costing more.

Rating:
Summary: Great Prepaid Card
Review: This prepaid phone card is great. I get 500 minutes for 100.00. What a great deal. Thank you T-Moblie and Amazon[.com]