| Cell Phone Contracts In General | | | | cannot be availed of as in a 2-year period. |
| A cell phone contract is an agreement between | | | | Watch For Activation Fees In Cell Phone |
| the buyer and the wireless service provider. | | | | Contracts |
| Usually it is of 1 or 2 years of duration, during | | | | In a 2-year cell phone contract, the activation fee |
| which a consumer is legally bound to remain with | | | | and/or the phone may not be expensive. Huge |
| the wireless service provider. A pre-paid contract | | | | discounts on the phone may be availed. Special |
| does not need a contract term but then discounts | | | | promotions may be availed. However, the phone |
| are also not offered. Cell phone contracts specify | | | | is kept for a longer duration and hence, more |
| the service plan that the consumer has opted in | | | | money may be spent on repairing, insuring, or |
| for. | | | | replacing. The opportunity to buy a new phone |
| The Top Names In Cell Phone Contracts | | | | reduces, and thus may not be eligible to switch |
| Cingular and T-Mobile plans let the subscriber roam | | | | carriers. It is always advisable to read the fine |
| the world with the same phone for a fee. National | | | | print on the contract form. Expensive phones |
| plans give the facility of roaming within the nation, | | | | may also opt for phone replacement insurance |
| from state to state without any extra charges. | | | | plans; however, due to the costs of such plans, |
| Some carriers also include Canada in their | | | | few subscribe to these plans. |
| coverage areas besides the local area. Regional | | | | Pre Paid Gets Rid Of Cell Phone Contracts |
| plans are valid only for tri-state areas and they | | | | Pre-Paid or No Contract phones are not available |
| give more talk time and save money. How to | | | | with all cell phone companies. They are attractive |
| Simplify Billing for Your Household Family plans | | | | as they require no commitment, you can get |
| allow splitting minutes between two or more lines | | | | them even if you have bad credit, and there is no |
| thereby becoming a popular plan in households, | | | | penalty whatsoever for switching companies or |
| where cell phones are replacing landlines. | | | | stopping the use of your cell phone. However, call |
| Cell Phone Trials And Discounts | | | | charges may be more expensive, and no |
| Carriers generally give a trial period before | | | | promotional discounts etc., may be availed of. |
| enforcing the contract term. Almost all carriers | | | | Penalties Included In Cell Phone Contracts |
| give at least 14 days whereas Cingular gives 30 | | | | After the trial period of 14 or 30 days is over, |
| days of trial period. A 1-year cell phone contract | | | | when the phone is bought, the penalty for |
| has a shorter commitment period, which may | | | | breaking the contract can range from $150 to |
| prove to be beneficial if the phone needs repairs, | | | | $600, depending on where the phone was bought. |
| or is lost. In addition, since the period is short, one | | | | Before the contract finishes, if a new phone is to |
| may avail of new discounts that come up with | | | | be bought, then some companies give a customer |
| their new contract. After the term of 1-year | | | | loyalty discount, which in effect extends the |
| ends, the phone can be kept without any | | | | contract. This may prove to be expensive when |
| contract and no penalty is charged for not | | | | compared to buying a new phone with a good |
| renewing. However, in a 1-year contract, the | | | | discount. Cell phones generally last for 19 months |
| activation fee and/or the phone may not be | | | | and phone batteries for a year. |
| cheap. Certain discounts and promotional offers | | | | |