| Comparing Cell Phone Plans and Carriers | | | | only talks on the cell phone once a day, then a |
| So you are looking for a cell phone plan and | | | | 400 minute plan will be probably suite more for |
| carrier that is right for you but are not sure what | | | | you. If you are a heavy cell phone user or use |
| exactly what you need? Various factors apply | | | | your cell phone for business then you most likely |
| when sorting through the many carriers and plans | | | | want to go with a plan that has more than 1000 |
| Choosing the right Plan within the Carrier of your | | | | minutes. It's hard to know exactly how many |
| Choice | | | | minutes you may use if you have never owned a |
| Considerations in your quest to find the right plan | | | | cell phone. A good way to figure this out without |
| with your carrier also include options that the | | | | paying overages by mistakenly not choosing |
| carrier may provide. Options like free mobile to | | | | enough minutes is to think of how much you |
| mobile, near broadband downloads for music and | | | | would use your phone. The number of calls and |
| video and surfing the net, rollover, multimedia | | | | the length of the calls. Say you think you would |
| options, free nights and weekends, and more. And | | | | talk around 400-600 minutes a month, then you |
| what about minutes? You definitely need enough | | | | would benefit from choosing a plan that is over |
| minutes or your will end up paying overages | | | | the high end of your calling spectrum, like maybe |
| ranging from $0.25 to $0.45 a minute that you go | | | | a 900 minute plan with Cingular for example. It is |
| over your package minutes. | | | | always safer and cheaper to start with more |
| Mobile to Mobile | | | | minutes than you may need instead of paying |
| Free mobile to mobile is handled differently by | | | | high overages. Once you have your phone for a |
| each Carrier, so make sure you know what their | | | | few months and can better determine what your |
| options really are. This feature allows you to | | | | usage will be then maybe you can drop down to |
| make calls in your network for free. So incoming | | | | a lower minutes package that fits your calling |
| and outgoing calls within your Carrier is free, so if | | | | needs more if available. |
| you are a Cingular customer and you call another | | | | Individual and Family Plans |
| Cingular customer, your call does not take up any | | | | Just about any carrier out there offers family |
| of your package minutes. Cingular Wireless, | | | | plans as well as individual plans. If you have a |
| Verizon Wireless and T-Mobile offer mobile to | | | | family and more than one of you need a cell |
| mobile with their plans. T-Mobile also offer | | | | phone then a family plan. Family plans save you |
| myFaves which allows you to choose five | | | | alot of money combing all of your cell phones into |
| favorite callers, no matter what network they are | | | | one plans instead of having a different plans set |
| in, to call free without using up your package | | | | up for each individual phone. Each phone added to |
| minutes. | | | | your plan is usually around $9.99 that is added to |
| Internet Surfing, Text Messaging, and Streaming | | | | your monthly bill, which is alot better than having |
| Music or Videos | | | | a number of phones with the whole package plan |
| Multimedia package options are very popular. | | | | cost on each phone that is used. With a Family |
| These packages allow you unlimited text | | | | plan, everyone that is on the plan uses the bucket |
| messaging, internet surfing, and streaming of | | | | of minutes in the plan. So if you get a 700 minute |
| music and videos. Some Carriers offer all of these | | | | family plan, everyone on the plans uses those |
| options while some only offer few. Verizon has | | | | minutes. Each phone on the plan, also gets the |
| the VCAST, Cingular has 3G, and Sprint has the | | | | plans benefits, such as free nights and weekends, |
| Power Vision network. All of these allow you to | | | | and with most carriers let everyone on the plan |
| stream music and video to your cell phone, but | | | | call each other without using up the bucket of |
| some offer different coverage areas for these | | | | minutes. Options such as unlimited texting are only |
| features. | | | | applied to a single phone on the plan. So if you |
| Package Minutes with your Plan | | | | wanted that option on each phone that plan, you |
| How many minutes do I need? Choosing the right | | | | would have to pay for that option on each phone |
| package with the right amount of minutes for | | | | on your plan. |
| you calling needs is one of the most important if | | | | Make sure to research as much as possible |
| not the most important factor in your choice of | | | | before you make your choice. A little research |
| plans. If you are an occasional cell phone user that | | | | can save you alot of money. |