straight talk does not deliver the verizon wireless performance. i purchased two of these phones and since then i have had numerous calls that can not be completed as dialed, or people get a message that my number has been disconnected, and very often, that they can't get through because the network is busy. I use this for work and can not afford to miss any calls. I had to go to verizon today and sign up for a two year contract and will drop straight talk tomorrow once the number is ported over. However, if straight talk can get they act together in the next month, i will switch back. but time will tell. It is very unreliable.

Note that although Clark states the Verizon infrastructure is used for Straight Talk, the coverage maps are quite different.

I called ST to ask about coverage in my area. Tech support department pulled up a VERIZON PREPAID map and told me i had excellent coverage. Then i asked about an obvious NO SERVICE area as shown on Straight talks map. (Lubbock TX) Again, she said "coverage is great in that area"
i asked her to pull up that map on her own site (she didn't have access to their own site)
Notice the coverage map is VERY different than Verizon's.
So, the technicians are telling customers they will have equal service area to Verizon prepaid, when their own coverage map shows way less. Something is fishy. She talked to her supervisor twice because she wasn't aware of this.
they "escalated" it to corporate.

this is the wort freaking co ever do not buy this product! they have ripped me off for pre paid minuted and the effing phone was never activiated

If you compare coverage area map on Verizon website and Straight Talk website - they are markedly different. Also please not Straight Talk Terms & Conditions:Straight Talk Service Plan and Service Cards are subject to change without notice. Additional charges for data downloads or content may apply. Straight Talk Services are provided at Straight Talk’s discretion. Some functions and features referenced in the manufacturer’s manual provided with your Straight Talk phone may not be available on your Straight Talk phone. Straight Talk may modify or cancel any Service or take corrective action at any time without prior notice and for any reason, including but not limited to your violation of this agreement. Straight Talk may change these Terms and Conditions of Service from time to time, so check the Straight Talk website at www.StraightTalk.com for the current version.

You will find Service Area Maps on our website, at www.StraightTalk.com/Coverage. These maps are for general informational purposes only. However, Straight Talk does not guarantee coverage or Service availability. Even within a coverage area, factors such as terrain, weather, structures, foliage, signal strength, traffic volumes, Service outages, network changes, technical limitations, and your equipment may interfere with actual Service, quality and availability.
Your Straight Talk phone will not roam. An indicator light on your phone may display the word “Roam,” “RM” or NO SERVICE on the screen while the phone is not in its home calling area.

after reading all the comments about poor customer service from straight talk I will stick with my phone plan from the big phone co. at least you have someone answer your questions that speak english

The locations where the phones are available is very limited. I went to their web site and none available where I live or plan to move to. Went to Walmart site none within 100 miles of either loacatin. If you buy one in another location or have shipped to local Walmart, can you get a local phone number?

It's possible (though it requires some technical skills) to get a cdma phone (eg any sprint, alltel, verizon, etc... phone) to use with Straight Talk. There's some info on howardforums.com concerning unlocking for straight talk.

Check it out at Straight Talk and then check out Verizon. ST does not use all of Verizons coverage area. Disappointing as I see it...

I have used Straight Talk for almost a month, and I still cannot access the Internet. Repeated calls to customer service have proved extremely frustrating as I first have to wait for a rep (usually about 10 minutes). When a representative answers the phone, I have a hard time understanding the person because English is not their first language. I'm told to perform the same steps on my phone repeatedly. When the steps don't work, they assure me that they are emailing my problem to a technician who will correct the problem within 48 hours. After going through this day after day, I still cannot access the Internet. There is no email address to contact Customer Service. As I was waiting for a customer representative about 20 minutes ago, I was cut off. When I called back, I was told that Straight Talk was closed "FOR THE HOLIDAYS"! What holiday is July 27th?!! The website also just went down for maintenance. I have had so many problems with Straight Talk that I would advise other people to think twice before switching over. Maybe the company will be fine in a few months, but if you have a problem with the service now, you will receive very little support. To add insult to injury, Straight Talk also will NOT restore the minutes that customers spend on the phone seeking help through their own customer service department. Frustrating!

My biggest complaint about Straight Talk so far is the crappy coverage they give (check their service map). But Georgia is well covered, so that's all that matters. Used to be the same for Magic Jack. They didnt even have an area code for this entire state, and now they do, but the closest local number we could get is at the opposite end of the state. (WV)