Nothing symbolizes summer in America’s Finest City like the San Diego County Fair. It’s an annual tradition for people of all ages and while there are rides, concerts, games, special events and more, the food makes news. Fried food, that is.

I ate my very first fried Oreos and they tasted like donuts but better (and, I love donuts).

While there are rows and rows of vendors selling everything from turkey legs to fried Kool-Aid, thrill rides and carnival games, the Fair is also a place to learn about new products and services.

With a new Samsung smartphone loaded with AT&T GoPhone prepaid wireless service, I headed straight to their booth. They’re trying to get the word out about the benefits of no-contract wireless service because the last thing people need during summer is to worry about their bills and data overages.

Truth be told, I definitely understood that there is a market for this kind of service, but I wasn’t sure how it might work for my family.

I get it now.

I thought the charging stations set up outside the booth were quite a clever idea that I’ve been known to take advantage of.

To demonstrate that a phone with the GoPhone service has smartphone capabilities most people enjoy, they let guests play virtual reality games using goggles that control the phone through movement. It was high tech and fun.

Everyone who tried it could pick out a t-shirt color, size and then a design which was applied immediately. I thought this was cool.

Keep in mind that while AT&T offers a number of affordable phones that pair well with GoPhone, the prepaid service works with any unlocked phone. It’s a fit for parents of young kids and travelers (of which I am actually both).

11 Fair Reasons to GoPhone Prepaid Wireless

Let’s get a few things clear that even I had mistaken at first. GoPhone is AT&T’s no-contract pre-paid wireless service. It can work on any unlocked (out-of-contract) AT&T compatible phone, which means you can bring your own in or buy one at a reasonable price through AT&T.

1. GoPhone Uses AT&T Service

GoPhone wireless uses the same AT&T 4G LTE network that 300 million people use. I have AT&T and am quite happy with the coverage.

2. Rates Are Competitive

With unlimited talk, text nationwide and data usage with the first 3 GB at high speed (on the $45 monthly plan) it’s affordable to stay in touch. There is no commitment to keep the monthly plan active… only pay for months you need the phone.

3. It’s iPhone Compatible

If your iPhone is out of contract, you can unlock it and insert the GoPhone SIM card.

4. GoPhone Works on Tablets

For the times you need wireless service on a tablet, perhaps during travel, bring it into AT&T and they’ll insert a GoPhone SIM if the tablet is compatible with the AT&T network.

5. AT&T Sells Compatible Phones for Under $100

If you don’t have an unlocked phone, it can be really affordable to get the latest 4G LTE Android smartphones, including Samsung & LG. The Samsung I saw had a huge screen, too.

6. It’s Great for Clumsy Tweens & Teens

There’s a lot less guilt about dropping an inexpensive no-contract smartphone than it is to crack an in-contract iPhone.

7. It’s Great for Younger Kids

Younger kids who don’t need a full-time phone but might occasionally need a phone for emergencies would benefit from a wallet-easy set up like this. Keep a no-contract phone on-hand and load it with credits when necessary. I will use my phone for this purpose.

8. GoPhone Is Perfect for Visitors Who Don’t Want to Roam

Do you have family out of the country who occasionally need a phone in the U.S.? Buy a GoPhone SIM card and just add airtime when they’re here. You can actually use GoPhone in Canada and Mexico without roaming charges as long as half of your charges are in the U.S.

9. It’s Affordable Calling for People Who Travel in Mexico and Canada

For $60 per month, you get unlimited talk, text & data usage with 6GB of high-speed data, unlimited calling from the U.S. to Mexico & Canada as well as roaming in Mexico and Canada.

10. You Can Replace GoPhone with a Local SIM when Overseas

Pop the GoPhone SIM card out of your no-contract phone and add a local SIM card in. Travelers like me know that, in most cases, buying a local SIM card (though they generate a new local phone number) is the cheapest way to save money on calls within the country you’re visiting (Canada and Mexico often exceptions). If you’re using GoPhone, you can do this. People with phones on contracts can not.

11. Check Credit Usage Via an App

It’s easy to monitor your usage and account balance with the myATT app or by checking online.

Good to Know

Some drawbacks include that you can only roam in Canada and Mexico with GoPhone at this time (perhaps this is a good thing to prevent quick drainage of funds) and that your balance expires after 90 days, however, you can extend it by making a refill before the expiration date. My own $45 credit will expire in 90 days. As someone used to iOS, I actually didn’t have any problem setting up GoPhone on a Samsung and it’s been easy to use.

Are you ready to try AT&T GoPhone?