Cell Phone Service

Cell Phone Services are available through multiple providers. Before you get started in your search for new cellular phone service, we recommend you think about your needs. There is no reason for anyone to pay for services that they do not use. Below are some questions that we believe everyone should ask themselves before purchasing new cell phone service.

Are you ok signing a two year contract? With each of the major carriers in the United States, Verizon Wireless, Sprint, T-Mobile, and AT&T you have an option of signing a two year contract. In T-Mobile’s case, your contract is to pay off your phone on a month to month plan. Still, you have to pay this off. Each of the carriers offer prepaid plans also known as pay as you go plans. The major difference is you have to pay full price for a phone. Then you get your monthly service cheaper than the post paid service which requires a two year contract.

Do you send text messages? Anymore this might seem like a silly question, however not everyone likes texting. Some people want nothing to do with texting at all and contact their cell phone provider and ask them to block all text messages so they are not charged. If you don’t like texting, you will probably be best served with a pre paid plan since basic phones are inexpensive. This makes it easier for you to find a simple phone and avoid the two year contract. If you do want texting services, make sure you get a phone that is easier to text from. I prefer phones with either full Qwerty keyboards or with touch screen keyboards that make it easier to text.

Are you a heavy talker or is your phone for emergency use only? For many people their cell phone is their only phone as they have gotten rid of their home phone line. If this is the case, you need to make sure you find a plan that offers enough minutes to meet your monthly needs. If you are a really heavy talker, an unlimited cell phone plan might be needed. These are available from both the major cell phone service providers and from prepaid resellers like Virgin Mobile, Straight Talk, Boost, and many more. If you are looking for a phone for emergency use only, I would consider prepaid options. We buy my mother a Tracfone every year with 450 minutes she can use during the year for $100. This is only $8.33 per month. T-Mobile has a prepaid plan where you only get charged $1 per day that you use your phone. This could be a great option if you rarely use your phone as well.

What is more important, coverage or price? If you are searching for cheap cell phone plans you will find cheaper options, however, the coverage may not be as good depending on where you live. It might be that the value carriers like the resellers and Sprint and T-Mobile all work great where you live. If this is the case, you can save a lot of money. Or you might require better coverage. If this is the case you will have to pay more with Verizon Wireless or in some markets AT&T.

Do you need the Internet and email on your cell phone? Anymore people want to do just about everything from their phone. Find a nearby restaurant, or check your email while you are out and about. Some people want access to their Face book page from their phones. If you have a need or desire to use the Internet and do email from your phone you will need a data plan. If you are at home or in a place that has a secure wireless Internet connection, you may not need unlimited data. You can use your wireless Internet access instead of your data while in these places. For data users, there are great plans with a contract and great pay as you go cell phone services as well.

Is getting the latest and greatest cell phone technology important to you? If you want the hottest phones on the market like the Galaxy S phones or an iPhone, you will probably need to go with a major carrier like Verizon Wireless, Sprint, AT&T, or T-Mobile. Or if you want one of the other top Android or Windows mobile devices, signing a two year contract or T-Mobile’s payment plan could be a great way to go to get a discounted device. Secondary or reseller services typically don’t have the best phones right when they come out. Instead they normally offer phones one generation old or get the best phones after they have been on the major carriers.

Is a family plan right for me and my family? For many families getting a family shared cell phone plan is a smart option. Although it is not as automatic as it used to be. Again, it really depends on the needs of each user in the family. Still, I would say that for most families these options are cheaper unless they are doing a prepaid type plan. Do your homework and make sure this makes sense for your usage needs.

While there are other questions you may consider before purchasing cell phone services, we think these are at least a good place to start. We hope we have helped you as you plan your new or upgraded cell phone plan and phone purchase. Thank you for visiting our website.