| In the U.S., the "normal" way to get cell phone | | | | advertising their prepaid plans because they make |
| service is to pick your preferred plan, sign a | | | | more money on the post-paid options. |
| two-year contract, and pay every month when | | | | In fact, many of the best prepaid cell phone |
| the bill comes. Consumers are often lured into | | | | options are offered by smaller companies that |
| contracts like this with the offer of a very cheap | | | | don't own any networks, but enter into contracts |
| or even free phone, as well as an attractive | | | | with those network owners to provide service. |
| monthly rate that fails to mention the additional | | | | These smaller companies are called MVNO's, for |
| taxes, fees, and surcharges that will be tacked | | | | "Mobile Virtual Network Operator," and though |
| onto each bill. | | | | they are lesser-known, provide some of the best |
| The consumer pays the same amount whether | | | | deals. |
| he uses all of his allotted minutes, or just a | | | | Finding the best prepaid cell phone plan for you, |
| handful. Exceed the number of minutes (or text | | | | though, can be tricky. The first key to getting a |
| messages) on your plan, though, and watch out: | | | | good fit is figuring out approximately how many |
| you'll be hit with a whopping bill that may charge | | | | minutes you'll use on average each month, and |
| you as much as $.40 per minute or $.20 per text | | | | how many text messages you'll send and receive. |
| message for each unit by which you exceed your | | | | Another question to consider is how many bells |
| limit. | | | | and whistles you want on your phone - prepaid |
| What's normal in the United States, though, is | | | | providers usually don't subsidize the cost of a |
| decidedly abnormal when compared to the rest of | | | | phone nearly as much as contract plans, so you'll |
| the world. Consumer-friendly pay-as-you-go phone | | | | have to share more of the cost burden of a nice |
| service is the standard in most other countries. | | | | phone, if you decide to go that route. |
| This type of service allows the consumer to pay | | | | Even after deciding on these two key factors, it |
| only for the minutes she uses, regardless of how | | | | can seem like an overwhelming task to find the |
| much that number might fluctuate each month. | | | | best prepaid cell phone for your needs. However, |
| This seems like a more sensible approach for | | | | if you look around the web you'll find some |
| many consumers, but the problem is that many | | | | valuable tools, such the website that is linked at |
| users are unaware that there are a wide variety | | | | the end of this article, to help you sort it all out, |
| of prepaid options available here in the U.S. Most | | | | and in the end you'll be a happier (and wealthier) |
| major carriers don't spend a lot of resources | | | | cell phone user because of it. |