| re as many different cell phone rates as there | | | | offering only 450 minutes for their individual plan |
| are cell phone providers; in fact, far more than | | | | at a rate of $39.99 per month. This plan includes |
| that, since each service provider offers a wide | | | | free weekend and nighttime calling, but |
| variety of service plans, each with differing cell | | | | mobile-to-mobile calling is billed normally. Verizon |
| phone rates. To make a comparison, you have to | | | | also charges for text messaging and minutes |
| evaluate your needs for a cell phone plan | | | | over your limit are charged at .45 per minute. |
| — how many minutes you’ll need, | | | | Alltel offers another individual plan with 900 |
| text messaging and so on. Depending where you | | | | anytime minutes for $59.99, with 10 people |
| live, not all providers may be an option for you, | | | | allowed in My Circle. Other details of the plan are |
| so take this into account as well. | | | | the same as their other individual plans. Sprint has |
| One of the most popular cellular service providers | | | | a 900 minute plan for $69.99 and T-Mobile offers |
| is Alltel, which is available in most regions. Alltel | | | | a 1000 minute plan for $59.99 — in the |
| offers the My Circle program, which gives you | | | | case of both of these plans, the details of the |
| free unlimited calling to any network. The rate for | | | | plans are the same aside from the higher anytime |
| an individual plan in one case was $49.99 per | | | | minutes. Verizon also has a 900 minute plan for |
| month, including 750 anytime minutes with .40 for | | | | $99.99, with additional minutes being charged at |
| minutes used over that limit. Unlimited night and | | | | .40/minute instead of .45. |
| weekend calling is included, as well as | | | | On the high end, Alltel has a plan featuring 6000 |
| mobile-to-mobile minutes. This plan included up to | | | | anytime minutes for $199.99 a month. In this plan, |
| five people. | | | | My Circle can be expanded to 20 people and |
| A similar plan from Sprint provides 700 anytime | | | | minutes over your limit are charged only .20 per |
| minutes for $69.99 per month. This plan includes | | | | minute. |
| unlimited direct connect nationwide along with | | | | Sprint has a 4000 minute plan for $199.99 a |
| unlimited weekend and nighttime calling. | | | | month. There is a .40 per minute charge for |
| Mobile-to-mobile is also included — minutes | | | | additional minutes; otherwise, it is the same as |
| over your monthly limit are charged at .45 per | | | | their other plans. |
| minute. | | | | T-Mobile’s 5000 minute plan costs $139.99 |
| The very popular cell phone service provider | | | | a month, with the rest of the plan being the |
| T-mobile offers a plan giving the customer 600 | | | | same as their lower end plans. |
| minutes for a monthly fee of $49.99. Unlimited | | | | Verizon has an unlimited plan, offering unlimited |
| mobile-to-mobile calling is offered along with | | | | calling anytime to anyone, so there are no extra |
| unlimited night and weekend calling. T-Mobile also | | | | charges for additional minutes. This plan also |
| has MyFaves unlimited minutes — this plan | | | | includes unlimited text messaging. |
| is much like Alltel’s My Circle plan, with | | | | A comparison of the rates above reveals that |
| unlimited minutes for calls to five people of your | | | | Alltel is probably the best choice for a regular |
| choosing. Minutes over and beyond those provided | | | | individual plan, but if you really need a lot of |
| for by your plan are charged at .20 per minute. | | | | minutes, Verizon may be the choice for you. |
| Verizon was the stingiest provider we looked at, | | | | |