Best "Dumbphone"?

I have a Pantech Impact that I have had for about 3 years now. I only use it for calls, texts, the alarm clock, and the notepad function. I will sometimes use the photo/video function, but I usually carry a small camera with me. I haven't really had any complaints about it other than the touchpad on the front being finicky when I try to hang up calls. For $30, it's been worth it.

Food for thought... (although I did get a slightly intelligent phone) you can buy an AT&T "go phone" and still use it with your plan by simply putting your existing sim card in instead of activating the one that comes with it. There tend to be less expensive, "dumb phone" options that are still kind of nice in the gophone category and they don't require you to renew your contract.

I don't have a particular phone to recommend, but it sounds like what you want is a "texting phone" they usually have the look and feel of a smartphone, QWERTY keyboard and all that, but don't push email, facebook, etc.

HTH
T.

I just went through the exact same process. I couldn't find anything I wanted to replace my husband's "dumb" phone with through Verizon. All the phones that didn't cost $80 or more (the free upgrade---a choice of about 5 phones) all had HORRID reviews as far as reliability, keysize being too small for texting, problems all over the place.

I ended up getting myself an iphone and giving my husband my old phone (hand-me-down, lol). It is an LG EnV 3, and it has been a GREAT phone. It has a sideways flip with a QWERTY keyboard that is easy to use. The functions are very simple to understand (text mssgs, pictures, etc). The picture quality is pretty good, but no flash.
I don't think anyone still sells them, but maybe you could find a used one. Mine is 3 years old (at least) and I've never had a problem with it. My mom actually has the exact same phone, and she is still using hers with no problems, too. A friend from church gave her teen son HER hand-me-down one so he could use it (instead of giving him a smartphone). It wasn't his first phone, either... and when I spoke to him at a Christmas party a few weeks ago he said he was really happy with it "good little phone" I think were his exact words. Senior in high school.

I've also dropped it a few times and it is fine. The screen outside is not glass, I'm not sure about the inside one. I kinda miss it. But husband didn't want a smartphone at all. (I even got him one, but ended up taking it back, because he said "it would be wasted on me. I have NO interest whatsoever.")

ETA: oops... just pulled it up at Amazon and apparently it doesn't work with AT&T. :( Sorry.

yeeeup i do.. thought i was the only one.. cant afford the data plan so i didnt see why i should pay a zillion dollars for a fone.. i have att and with my upgrade my phone only cost 40$.. its the pantech persuit II its got a keyboard that slides down and if u keep the keyboard closed u can use the touch screen.. i love it ... i feel like i at least have a cool phone now even thought i dont have one of those crazy new fancy ones

just thought id add that if u do eventually decide you do want internet, youcan, it is capable.. the first day i had mine i was messing around on it and getting used to the touchscreen since iv never had one before.. well i hit the facebook app it has on it by accident and i thought for sure nothign would happen since i dont pay for a data plan.. well i was wrong, it signed me right on facebook.. i signed right off though .. i ended up with like 2cents charged to my bill lol woops

and it does have a screen lock thankfully.. i dont have a case i just throw it in my purse so if i didnt have a lock god knows what id be doing with that touch screen without even knowing it

I like my Samsung dumbphone ... I too REFUSE to give in to the smart phone craze and will have serious issues when my plan style is phased out - I know it's coming. It is a simple flip phone, that allows for photos, text messages/picture messages, phone calls, bluetooth capable and that's about all I need/want. I do not know what phones AT&T carries, but Samsung is a solid brand that has never let me down.

I so hear you. I have Sprint and needed to get a new phone this summer. They had exactly 2 dumb phones in the store that had qwerty keyboards. One was a touch screen, with a slide out keyboard. Hated it! I tried that one for a few days. I don't know how they don't drive people crazy. You have to wake up the phone with the slider, then call up the number pad, and once you place the call the number pad goes away, so good luck if you have to use the number pad during the phone call.

I took the phone back a few days later and told them I wanted the other qwery phone. I told them I didn't want a touch screen. They all thought I was nuts, but I was determined. My phone is fine. It makes phone calls easily, the qwerty keyboard works just fine. It has real buttons!!! I like my Barnes and Noble Nook, so I can do touch screens just fine, but I don't want my phone to be that difficult to use.

My contract with Sprint will take me to the summer of 2014, so I don't have to be concerned about this yet. But I'm pretty sure it will be either smart phone or no qwerty by then. My dad was concerned when I told him about the selection. He just wants to be able to make a phone call. I told him I thought his type of basic phone (no qwerty) would be around for a long time. No offense Dad, but you're not the only senior citizen out there who doesn't need a smart phone.

I still have a "dumbphone"! :) I have a Samsung Smooth and have had it for 2 1/2 years. I'm like you. I REFUSE to pay the extra data charge, so until there just isn't a "dumbphone" option, I'll keep getting one. I think at this point, all phones out there come with basically the same "extras" in terms of calendar, alarm clock, etc. The only thing that my phone has that my husband's doesn't is a camera, but I don't actually use it anyway. Unfortunately, I'm 99% sure this phone has been discontinued. I went to go buy an extra charger for it over Thanksgiving and they literally just had ONE in a dark corner in the storage area behind the counters. I've had good luck with all of the Samsungs we've ever had, though.

I use an LG Xenon with ATT and have for a few years now. I like it well enough. Love the slide out keyboard. I also don't have a use for a phone data plan. I bought it for texting but downgraded away from that as well to save money. So it's as phone as phone can be.

Well my phone is ancient. Its a Nokia. To text, I have to hit the button up to 4 times depending on what letter or number I want. I can't afford to have a smart phone. I don't need the internet or email at my fingertips. Eventually, one day, I will probably have a smart phone, just not now.

i just got the samsung bright side. it has a side out key board....have to have that. no internet. still gettting use to it since i haven't had even a week yet.

I LOVE LOVE LOVE my LG Octane (and my husband has an LG-NV3 that is 4+ years old that he likes but uses only the text and phone features). We have service through Verizon. They are both phones that flip open lengthwise and have a fairly large keyboard, decent camera (3.2 MP), MP3 player, calender, alarms, etc. I have a 16 GB MicroSD card in mine with ALL the music I ripped from all of our CD's (several hundred CD's) so I always have my music with me. I type every appointment and "to do" thing into the calender which allows you to set alarms 0 - 60 minutes before the event. Very very sturdy and good phone, I dropped it many a time and it still works well after several years. If this one dies I will be buying another LG Octane from Amazon (right now they have new ones for $113 but the prices change all the time).
The only negative is that these older phones use the 2.5mm headphone jack and all the new phones use the current standard 3.5mm headphone jack. But I bought a plug converter from Amazon that allows me to plug in standard 3.5mm plug into it PLUS it has an auto-answer button so that if I am listening to music and the phone rings it switches to the phone call, and when I hang up the music come back on.
Phone:http://www.amazon.com/Verizon-LG-Octane-Contract-Camera/d...
LG Phone plug converter with answer button: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001P4OADS/ref=oh_detail...

I was just at a junction where I needed to change carriers. I was interested in having a smartphone but refused to pay the extra for the data plan. Then I found what ridiculous amount all of the companies wanted for JUST talk and text.

In the end we ended up trying out Straighttalk. They are a prepaid plan that is only sold at Walmart or online. Straighttalk operates off of either the Verizon, Sprint, T-Mobile, or AT&T network. I was told that it was dependent upon which company supported your particular phone. I wanted to switch to the AT&T network so I asked customer service to give me a list of phones supported by them and then purchased one of their phones.

There is a wide range of phones and price points to choose from. Dependent on the carrier there are very few dumbphones. The good news is that unlimited talk, text, and data is $45 a month. You pay an additional $1 EMS (911) fee but otherwise there are no fees and taxes. (If you can find a dumbphone that service is only $30 a month.)

I was very skeptical and worried about trying Straighttalk but figured I had nothing to lose since it is a month to month plan. I completed my "trial" month at the end of December and renewed my service for January.

My only issue was when I loaded a new phone card for January it did not register (It worked fine on my husband's.) but I did not realize it until my phone deactivated. I called customer service and they got it taken care of no questions asked.

Now that I am growing more confident in my decision, I will more than likely do an auto-refill where they automatically charge me and refill after my 30 days expires each month. That way I will never have to worry about buying cards to reload it.

I was very skeptical before making the leap, but I heard all good things and can say that my experience has been good as well.

To know:

You don't have to sign up for ANY data. Keep that turned off... And you have a smart-hermit-phone.

I have us Cellular and a Samsung Flip Phone, I got it on either '08 or '09. I love this phone, it is also an MP3 player but I don't use it for that, just to make and receive calls. I don't like texting, so no extra keyboard. It does have a really good camera I use that once in a while. I'm not sure if the phone is still available but it is a really nice phone.

This phone has been dropped a few times, once last winter during a snowstorm. I found it by shoveling a path in my driveway. It was under about 4 inches of snow, wet and cold. I picked it up, dried it off with my gloves and flipped it open and it worked like a charm.

I've got a LG Cosmos 2 with Verizon.
It's a pretty good basic phone.
I like the slide out keyboard for texting.