Cell Phone Plan Basics - Finding The Right Plan For You
By Daniel Swensen
Once you've made the leap into purchasing a cell phone, the question becomes, what plan to go for? Many carriers have a bewildering array of plans available, making the choice difficult. Pickling the right plan can be a bewildering experience, unless you know precisely what you need and what you're looking for. Here are a few pointers to get you started.
Prepaid Plans
If you're a very casual user who doesn't anticipate spending a lot of time on your cell phone, a prepaid plan might be a viable option for you. Also known as "pay as you go" plans, prepaid plans often feature a very basic entry-level phone and no service contract, allowing you to pay for your minutes up front.
While it's nice to have a cell phone plan that you're not locked into, prepaid plans are not for everyone. Many plans require you to periodically "recharge" the phone's minutes in order to keep them from expiring, possibly resulting in a needless expense. This varies by plan, so it will probably pay to do a little research in this area.
Also, the more you use a prepaid phone, the more the value diminishes in terms of cents-per-minute. If you find yourself using your cell phone for anything but emergencies, you may be better off just biting the bullet and upgrading to an individual plan .
Individual Plans
Individual plans vary wildly by carrier, but a few issues are generally key: value, coverage, and extras. The most elementary benchmark for an individual cellular plan is likely the number minutes you anticipate using per billing period. Many cell phone carriers make much ado about "overages," i.e. extra charges that apply once you've talked past your allotted minutes. Look for a cell phone carrier with a competitive plan that fits your needs in terms of talk time.
If you plan to travel a lot with your cell phone, you will almost certainly benefit from looking into what sort of coverage your carrier offers. The greatest plan in the world won't be of any help to you if you end up stranded somewhere where your cell phone carrier doesn't provide service. Roaming charge "sticker shock" can be quite a jarring experience.
Finally, consider splurging on some extras. Many cell phone carriers offer free phones with their plans, and if you have a use for wireless web, instant messaging, GPS, or some of the more advanced cell phone features, it's definitely worth your time to compare cell phone plans.
Family Plans
Individual plans, despite their variety, are often relatively simple. However, once family members (especially teenagers) get involved in the mix, things can turn complicated very quickly.
The key factors in picking a family cell phone plan are shared minutes and network calling. If possible, find a plan that will allow family members to call each other without using up minutes -- this will retain the usefulness of the cell phones as a means of communicating between family members, without using up a lot shared minutes.
Finally, don't be afraid to comparison shop when looking for a cell phone plan. Cell phone carriers are fiercely competitive, each vying to offer superior services to their customers. You might think you're attached to your carrier, but you may find a much more appealing offer from a competitor.
Daniel Swensen is a freelance writer who covers websites like Wirefly.
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