StraightTalk has officially launched its first GSM Android phone in the ZTE Merit, which is its own version of the Avail currently available on AT&T. The Avail is an entry-level Android phone featuring the following specifications:
Operating System: Android Gingerbread
Processor: 600 mhz
Screen size: 3.5 inches
Resolution: 320 x 480 HVGA
USB: Micro USB
Size: 4.5 x 2.4 x 0.5
Battery: 16 days standby/5.5 hours talk time
Weight 4.1 (ounces)
Camera: 5 Megapixels
Preinstalled 2 GB microSD card with purchase
Pricing for the Merit is set at $99.99 with the phone being available with either the $45 national unlimited plan or the newer $60 unlimited plan with unlimited international calling.
This marks the first AT&T powered GSM Android phone for the virtual operator, as previous Android smartphones have been powered by Sprint and more recently, Verizon. Straight Talk previously planned to bring out its first GSM Android smartphone with the LG Optimus 2X along with an expanded deal with T-Mobile earlier this year, but the deal collapsed in early March at the last minute due to disagreements on rates and support, as T-Mobile’s current agreement with the provider only involves feature phones with minimal support for data access.
Update 05-22-12: Not long after this post went live yesterday, StraightTalk raised the price of the Merit by $30 to $129.99 without warning. When contacted directly for a response, StraightTalk representatives cited an “internal error” as the cause for the initial listing, as the phone retails for $129.99 in Walmart locations.
I went to the Straight Talk website to purchase the ZTE MERIT for $99.99 and they are now selling it for $129.99.What happened?
I too read all the advertisement for the ZTE Merit for $99.99 through Straigt Talk and then went to the site to buy it and it is $129.99. I then called Straight Talk to find out what was going on and kept getting the run around like I was an idiot or something. They said there are no ads for $99.99. I told them to go to ztemerit.com or some of the other sites you get when you google the name and see for yourself. They of course said it is what it says $129.99 and offer no other explanation. when I asked for a supervisor, they said they were the highest ranked person I could speak too, I doubt it.
If you changed your price and don’t want to sell it for $99.99, np, straight talk, but fessup and pull the ads for that. Don’t bait and switch, that’s against the law.
You need to match the advertised price, that’s business or pull the ads.
I just received an email from Straight Talk and they acknowledged the price change from $99.99 to $129.99 and wouldn’t say why. Only that it was beyond the Agent’s knowledge. So I guess we are out of luck. If we still want to buy it, we will have to pay an extra $30. Bad timing on our part.
What I find strange is that this phone hasn’t been on their website very long and they raised the price by $30. The Samsung Galaxy Proclaim another one of their new phones is still the same price. The customer service rep. on the Straight Talk website that I was having a chat with said I should buy it now because it may go up again. I wonder if that is true or was she using a scare tactic to get me to buy the phone.
they told me why when i called and talked to a representative and then finally a superior and was on the phone fighting with them for over 30 mins the rep told me and i quote ” there was a high demand for it and so they raised the price” his name was ray…..i said so u screw everyone else so u can make more money …even though the sale price was maked $99.99 for the day of May 21, 2012……i hungup that when the superior in which they call upper management …kept giving me the same run around……unfortunately even though they are major idoits for trying to screw their faithful longtime customers i did purchase the other phone thats retails for $179.99… But i am not happy they are screwing everyone…instead of trying to keep being a company thats on track to being #1 in the country….Good job straighttalk….if it isnt for my long fingernails and friends that love to text i wouldnt have wasted my money on your phone that yexting as u speak,…Have a good day and i hope u all can sleep at night knowing u screw people for a living when they are being faithful customers that likes to upgrade every now and again….
Sorry i meant to say The phone that texts as u speak….we check the website everyday for deals and that phone was on sale for 2 days…thats it..we have 6 straighttalk users in this household…so i am sure they are growing in size everyday but with this action of price changing..their company may decrease…i guess i am stupid to have purchased another phone but i hate change…good luck to all others
I emailed Straight Talk this morning asking them why they changed the price on the ZTE Merit, a phone they just added to their website, by $30 from $99.99 to $129.99. This was their response. The price of this phone is $129.99 and it was not changed. Can you believe that? That is a bald faced lie. I told them to check out this website and others that say Straight Talk was selling the ZTE Merit for $99.99 and is now selling it for $129.99. I saw it myself on their website and I went back to buy the phone and that is when I noticed the price had changed. They made it sound like was making it up. I am through with them. There are too many other prepaids out there.
Can anyone tell me the difference between a gsm and a cdma phone? What are the advantages and disadvantages of each? I am trying to decide which phone and network is best for me. Sprint doesn’t work in the 37129 area where I live. I don’t get any service bars with Sprint.
THIS COMPANY SHOULD BE SUED!!!!!!! MY BOSS ORDERED THE ZTE MERIT ON MONDAY FOR 99.99 OFF THEIR WEBSITE WITH FREE INTERNET SHIPPING NO PHONE ARRIVED ON TUESDAY CHECKED CREDIT CARD NO CHARGE THIS IS AFTER THE AGENT VERIFIED THE SALE ON MONDAY. CALLED STRAIGHT TALK THEY DENIED ANY SUCH ORDER EVER WAS MADE . I CALLED KAREN CALDERON THEIR SUPPOSEDLY HONEST BBB REPRESENTATIVE AT THEIR CORPORATE OFFICE 305 715 6500 AND SHE EMAILED THIS IS HER REPLY I have researched all our systems using Jeff’s credit card number and found no records for Monday’s transaction. Perhaps the phone was not purchased directly through http://www.straightttalk.com and unfortunately if you still want this phone, you will need to purchase it at regular price; which is $129.99. Please let me know if I can assist you with anything else. THIS IS ILLEGAL!!!!!!!!
Arthur, you are so right. Straight Talk should be sued. They are going to continue their illegal, dishonest practices until someone has the courage to stand up and show them they cannot continue to get away with treating their customers this way. Thanks for Karen Calderone’s phone number. I am going to give her a call tomorrow and let her know how I feel about everything that has gone on. Everyone who has read your comment should take note of Karen’s phone number and flood their office with calls letting them know how you feel. I am going to call the Better Business Bureau and also the Federal Communication Commission and see if anything can be done.
Would all of you please grow up. Accept the fact they got pricing wrong we are all human and make mistakes. And don’t act so surprised thats big business and we all let them do that by purchasing products to fund them. allowing them to get away with it. Deal with it.
IF THIS IS THE FIRST PROBLEM WITH STRAIGHT TALK, JUST WAIT. THEY ARE THE WORST CELL SERVICE EVER. THEY NOW REFUSE TO SELL ME ANYTHING BECAUSE I BOUGHT SEVERAL PHONES FOR FRIENDS. I THOUGHT THEY WOULD LIKE THE SALES. THEY STOPPED ME FROM BUYING ANYTHING FROM THEM AND EVEN STOPPED MY AUTOPAY. I WENT TO THE BBB AND EVERYTHING ELSE WITH NO HELP. EVEN THOUGH IT IS NOT LEGAL TO REFUSE TO SELL TO ANYONE, THEY DO IT. THEY SUCK
ATT GoPhone sells the Avail (same phone) for $129.99. However, they also sell a refurbished Avail for $89.99.
Does anyone know how to change the date and time on the messages mine is reading 6pm Dec. 31, 1969 but when I go to date and time under settings it reads the right date and time! Please help thanks
I’m having the same exact problem. All of my incoming texts have a date that says Dec. 31, 1969. How can I fix this?
i have this date problem as well please help