Why so hard to get a good cell phone with bad credit?

You may have been mistaken. Most home phone carriers like ATT and Verizon Communications do require good credit or a deposit. A home phone deposit is actually 2 times the price of a cell phone deposit because the FCC says for emergency purposes, they cannot shut your phone off for 3 months of not paying the bill...meaning you can go 3 months or more without paying your bill...and all the company can say is "please pay your bill". This is the same thing with a cell phone, if you don't pay for up to 3 months...they cannot shut you off. They can call, harrass, and anything else...but they cannot shut you off. They will or can take away features like Text Messaging, Data, etc...just like homephone providers would cut off collect call accept, 4-1-1, and long distance, etc. Also, if you are lucky enough to go with a company like Verizon Wireless that offers credit amnesty (no this does not mean they forgive you about having bad credit) but if you pay your bill on time each month for 12 months, they will give you your deposit back with 3% interest. Watch out...many carriers do not offer credit amnesty.

***This is a response to the person that answered about the "ruin your credit even more". Cellular carriers are forbid to ever contact the national credit department about you not paying the bill, if they give you your deposit back after a year...they then report to them and say that you are a good payer. Also, if you mess up your cellular credit history, this will only effect you getting another cell phone with a different company or with a home phone carrier...not with like Capital One.

I think it is because you have to sign a contract. With a contract, you are " commited" to that certain company and plan for X so many months. Your credit shows how you have stayed commited to other companies by paying your bills in a timely fashion. I have pretty bad credit, actually it's terrible and I have a contract with AT&T with no deposit, so I guess maybe it depends on the company.

they want to make sure they can get their money if u dont pay them and they shut off ur phone and send ur bill to collection have had 2 different carriers sent to collections they keep ur deposit as to pay some of the bill that u have run up. and as for NICK who " works for verizon" verizon will shut off ur cell phone after a month of not paying I know i have had mine shut off a couple times for not paying on time or forgetting to call and make payment arragements. they have even cut it off for 81 freakin cents.....go figure..crazy stuff.

Home phones and cell phones r different I cant remember me ever having to pay a deposit on a home phone. but u can call all u want local on a home phone but a cell phone u can call just about anywhere and run up a huge bill because of minutes. But it all depends on credit just like buying most things these days. or even rent apartments/houses they want deposits just to cover anything if u should wreak the place.

They do not think you'll pay your bill so they need some collateral. That way if you never decided to pay your balance, they will at least have your deposit and be able to ruin your credit even more.

I don't even know. go with T-Mobile, they have a plan called Flex Plan, everyone is approved ! or you can go with Metro PCS if it's available in your state.