Cell Phone Plans

Get the best plan for your cell phone use

Cell phone plans are becoming important to users — everyone wants a plan that fits their needs and allows them as much or as little talk time as they want. With the advent of smartphones like Blackberry and iPhone, people also want data plans that allow them to browse the Internet and send instant messages as well as talk wherever and whenever they want. Of course, these features must also come at a good price.

The cell phone companies have heard the people's cry, and now there are an almost overwhelming number of cell phone providers, plans and phones to choose from. Compare cell phone plans to find the one that best fits your needs.

There are two main types of cell phone plans. A prepaid cell phone plan allows you to pay a lump sum to buy a certain number of minutes. Once the minutes are used up, the plan lapses unless you "top up" by paying another lump sum or using a cell phone card. This plan is good for people who use their cell phone as an emergency or secondary phone when they're out and about. Prepaid plans don't include any extra features — if a user wants features like text messaging or voicemail, they must be added to the plan, which can get quite expensive and may seriously decrease the minutes available (as many of the add-ons are taken from the lump sum paid).

Contracted cell phone plans include many more features, but to get one, a user must sign a contract to pay a set monthly fee for anywhere from one to three years. Those with smartphones will likely require wireless cell phone plans, which include data, as well as sometimes international calling, text messaging, downloads, music and much more. Many people with a family choose a cell phone family plan, which allows several phones to share minutes for a low monthly cost. Calls between these cell phones are often free.

Features and Benefits

Benefits of a contract cell phone plan include:

• Allows users to choose the plan that best suits their needs
• Is cheaper than a prepaid plan per month and includes more features in the package price
• Often allows free calling between certain users (MyFive, cell phone family plans, etc.)
• Provides emergency numbers at low-cost or free

Top Choices

Top choices for cell phone providers include Alltel, T-Mobile, Sprint-Nextel, Verizon and others. The best cell phone plans are probably found at the bigger corporations, but do your research to find the best company for you.

Major Considerations

• What features do you need on your cell phone plan?
• What kind of phone do you have? If it's a smartphone, will you need a data plan?
• How often do you use your cell phone? Would a prepaid plan be better for you?
• How's your credit? Often, cell phone plans require contracts that cannot be signed without good credit or a hefty deposit.

Price Range

Cell phone plans can range in price from $20 a month up to $100 a month, depending on features and the type of plan on the phone. If features are added to the plan, the price can skyrocket even higher.

Summary

There are two different cell phone plan types: prepaid and contracted. Prepaid is a cheap cell phone plan option that allows the user to have a cell phone while giving them a simple, inexpensive plan. However, there are not a lot of features to this plan. Contracts offer more features, but can be harder to get if you have bad credit. Comparing plans is the best way to find out what's right for you.