If you want an alternative to the big carriers, you do have some options. Pre-paid carriers, MVNOs, and other companies that ride the same towers but have their own phones, customer service, and pricing plans can give you valuable choices. This week we want to know which ones you think are the best.


Last week we took a look at the five worst cellphone carriers, and as predicted, the ones that earned your ire were the biggest ones in the US. This week we want to flip it around—if you're in a love/hate relationship with a big carrier (or a hate/hate relationship), where can you go? Well, these pre-paid carriers and MVNOs (Mobile Virtual Network Operators) may use the same towers and infrastructure as the big names, but they almost universally offer better pricing, simpler plans, no contracts (and if they do, they're less crappy contracts), better customer service, and many even have cutting edge phones (or let you bring your own).

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The call for contenders is closed! We've tallied up your nominations, and now you can see which ones made the top five over in our Hive Five feature, the five best pre-paid cellphone carriers! Don't forget to cast your vote for the all-out winner!

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So, which ones do you think are worth spreading the word about?

Let's hear your vote in the discussions below! To cast your vote, follow these guidelines:

Follow this format for your vote, including the bold print. If you don't, it won't be counted: A PHOTO OR LOGO OF THE BEST PRE-PAID CARRIER

[preferably at 970x546] Vote: [BEST PRE-PAID CARRIER OR MVNO] Why: Explain why this particular pre-paid carrier or MVNO is the one to try. Make your case! Try to keep it to a single paragraph, maybe two. Maybe they have great pricing options. Maybe they have exceptional customer service or a stellar selection of phones. Whatever it is, sound off! Don't duplicate nominations! Instead, if someone's nominated your pick, star (recommend) it to give it a boost, and reply with your story instead. If someone's beaten you to the punch, please don't leave another comment with the same nomination. Just click the star to recommend it and bump up the number next to the star by one. We'll use the numbers next to those stars to tally the nominations and decide the top five, so it's important! Please don't leave non-entry, direct comments on this post. They'll just get pushed down. Save your stories for others' submissions so we get massive carrier-based threads going!


If you're not sure what we mean, just check out the nominations by our writers below. We'll give you a headstart, and they should all be in the proper format, so you can just follow our lead.

The Hive Five series asks readers to answer the most frequently asked question we get: "Which tool is best?" Each week we'll put out the call for the best tools, apps, or services, then report back on the weekend with the top five along with a chance for you to vote for the best. Only nominations made using the above format will be counted. To prevent tampering, nominations from first-time commenters may not be counted, and the final five will be based on your nominations and our picks for the best. For an example, check out last week's five worst cellphone carriers .


Have a suggestion for the Hive Five? Send us an email at tips+hivefive@lifehacker.com !

Image by warrenski .