Cell Phone Plans

How to Choose the Best Cell Phone Plans

Competition among wireless service providers is at an all-time high. Each company is trying to beat out the next by offering ever more minutes for less money. The trouble with deciphering most cell phone plans is that they require you to read the fine print very carefully. Too often there are hidden costs and restrictions that we may overlook before it's too late and we've signed the contract. Many contracts charge an exorbitant amount for early termination. It can seem like you need a law degree in order to understand all that fine print. A glossary might be a good place to start.

Wide Coverage

Each service provider has cell towers that communicate with the phones and allow calls to be made and received. It isn't uncommon to see multiple companies sharing towers for more expeditious call routing. The number and area of these towers are important to know about when you're considering which cell phone plans sound the best for your needs. The towers are usually hundreds of feet tall and are identifiable by their strange looking construction of antennae sticking out every which way. If you sign up for a plan without towers spread across the country, you will be liable for roaming charges anytime you place or receive a call outside their area. These charges can skyrocket from the normal few cents a minute to close to a dollar per minute for roaming. Luckily most plans let you know when you're about to roam out of your area giving you the option of completing the call or not.

Comparison Shopping

Obviously, it's difficult to choose the right one for you from among all those cell phone plans advertised through various media. One of the best solutions is to log on to the Internet where you can comparison shop. If you don't have the time or energy to visit each provider's website, there are a number of sites that compare plans, rates, and prices. One such site to consider is http://www.point.com/. Their service and other similar ones will go through the various plan tiers, look at contracts, and compare the phones themselves. Many states are considering legislation banning talking while driving. You will probably want to check into plans and phones offering hands-free features.