Posts Tagged prepaid cell phone plans
Prepaid Cell Phone Plans: Should You Dive in?
Posted by admin in prepaid cell phone plans on October 26, 2009
You may have noticed that prepaid cell phone plans are getting better and better. In other words, wireless service providers are beginning to really take prepaid seriously and consider it an increasingly important part of their business. So should you go prepaid? Maybe you’re on the fence and haven’t quite figured out which plan is for you? Maybe you’re still worried that a pay as you go plan won’t work for your needs?
There are a few plans out there that may just fit the bill for you. But first, you should make sure that prepaid is something that will work for you.
Prepaid is for you if…
You want to cut your monthly bill.
You don’t care too much about having the trendiest, “app-iest” phone available. In other words, you’re okay with a “dumb phone” not a smart one.
You need flexibility in your plan.
Prepaid is NOT for you if…
You require a high-tech, up to the minute, trendy cell phone. Although some companies are starting to embrace higher end phones for prepaid plans, it is generally not the norm since the ultimate reason for pay as you go plans is to save money. An expensive phone misses the point.
You use a lot of features, apps, tools, and “live” online.
Your usage varies from month to month. This is true for some plans, but not unlimited prepaid plans like ones from Straight Talk or Boost Mobile.
Find the best deals on Straight Talk phones and plans at Wal-Mart.com
Prepaid Cell Phone Plans – Things to Watch Out For
Posted by admin in prepaid cell phone plans on August 25, 2009
If you are thinking about making a switch to a prepaid cell phone plan, then there are a few things you should be aware of. Prepaid plans save consumers money in general and are a good route to go for moderate phone users.
Here are some things you should pay attention to when selecting your prepaid plan.
1) Know if your monthly minutes expire or continue into the next month. If you don’t use all of your talk time in a given month, it is always a nice thing to be able to have the minutes carry over so you can use them the following month.
2) Know the prices of the phone handsets available on your chosen plan. Cell phones on prepaid wireless networks range from almost free to over $100. Make sure you can get a phone you will be okay using.
3) Look for Unlimited Prepaid plans. Some companies like MetroPCS and Tracfone have prepaid plans that let you use them for unlimited amounts of minutes and text messages. Some even have unlimited data usage, which is a huge plus for the data hounds out there. If you talk on your phone a lot or live on the internet, definitely look at this side of prepaid.
4) Be aware of any extra charges that may be easy to accrue. Make sure you know the ins and outs of your plan before you sign up for it. There may be added costs for features you think you are already getting. It is all about doing the research and being thorough.
5) Know your coverage areas. When you look at prepaid cell phone plans, make sure you will get strong coverage where you live.
Tracfone Straight Talk and Boost Mobile are two companies that have unlimited plan offers for prepaid wireless service. Cricket, another pay as you go provider, has some good options as well. Take these five points into consideration as you search for your new mobile plan.
A Look at Prepaid Cell Phone Plans
Posted by admin in prepaid cell phone plans on August 19, 2009
Prepaid cell phone plans truly do come in all shapes and sizes. The first thing you need to know when looking for a prepaid plan is what you want out of your cell phone.
Are you a heavy cell phone user? Do you send a lot of text messages? Do you surf the internet via your cell phone browser often? Do you need a Smartphone? If you need a smartphone, then you may not be interested in prepaid cell phone plans, even though there are a couple of companies that offer plans for the higher level handsets.
But if you fall into the other categories, you may be pleasantly surprised to know that there may be a prepaid cell phone plan for you. Prepaid plans have changed greatly over the past year. Changes in the marketplace and the faltering economy have shifted prepaid plans in the eyes of the consumer.
What once were considered plans only for people who have bad credit or are doing some sort of illegal activity, prepaid cell phone plans are now accepted by the everyday phone user.
The number of people who subscribe to contract based plans versus those who have prepaid is still hugely in favor of contract plans, but the tide is changing. People are now looking at the alternative to having a cell phone contract for two years or more, and that is prepaid.
Prepaid cell phone plans are characterized by the following elements.
1) No Contract.
2) Since there is no contract, there is no termination fee. If you want to move on to another cell phone company, all you have to do is walk away. You can probably sell your old phone on ebay if you like.
3) More Control. You decide how many minutes you want to purchase each and every month. Depending on your plan, you have a lot of latitude to decide how much talk time you purchase.
4) Save Money. With prepaid cell phone plans, you tend to save more money over contract based cell phone plans. You will avoid overage fees since you pay as you go for the minutes you use. In other words, when you run out of minutes, you can’t use your phone until you purchase more minutes. This is a good way to make sure you don’t spend too much on your cell phone bill.
With contract plans, you may go over your minutes without knowing it, and those additional minutes you use tend to be very expensive. Even if you don’t go over your minutes on a contract plan, you probably are paying for too many minutes, which is just as bad.
5) Pay as you Go. You pay as you go, so you have more control month in and month out. If you have children on prepaid cell phone plans, they will not be able to go over their allotted minutes without purchasing new ones. They will be on a set plan that you can control.
These are a few things to think about as you look at the prepaid cell phone plans available to you.
