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The vast array of cell phone service plans seems rather astounding: prepaid plans, local plans, regional plans, nationwide plans, and who knows how many other variations on these themes? Just about the only thing that all of the different cell phone service plans seem to share is that they are carefully crafted to make it nearly impossible for you to do an accurate comparison between different plans.
Several large companies provide cell phone service throughout the country. From this, you might assume that it is easy to go to their web sites and get a listing of their servers' plans. You would be wrong to make this assumption. Rather, what you find is that the first question you are asked when you want to research service plans is your zip code. In other words, even though these are national companies, they typically don't offer the same plan to people in different areas. If you happen to live in a highly competitive market, you probably can get a much better deal on cell phone service than can someone who lives in a less competitive market.
Still, it's possible to make certain generalizations about the types of plans that might be available to you:
- Prepaid plans typically cost more per minute of air time than most other plans. Also, the minutes on prepaid plans typically expire after a certain amount of time. So, if you don't use them, you lose them.
- Some plans include hundreds or even thousands of off-peak minutes, but your definition of peak times may be considerably different than the one used by the cell phone company. It pays to check out this little detail before you get too enamored with a plan that only allows you to make cheap calls at times when you'll be waking anyone you call.
- It's important to understand exactly what the cell phone company means by in-network and out-of-network calling areas. Otherwise you may end up with a bill that is hugely inflated with roaming charges.
- Going over your allocated plan minutes can get to be very expensive. Generally, you simply lose any minutes you don't use, but you pay by the minute for extra time that you use.
- Many plans include long distance calling at no extra charge.
- In most cases any incoming calls are counted against your plan's air time. Thus you end up paying not only for calls that you make, but also calls that you receive.
- Cell phone companies typically try to lock you into a two-year service plan, but if you have very good credit they're sometimes willing to give you a one-year service plan contract. Remember, though, that there is almost always a very hefty early cancellation charge no matter how long the contract.
Because every major cell phone service provider requires your zip code before giving you a listing of the service plans they offer, it's really impossible to give you any usable advice about which plan might be best for you. Rather, it's probably best to simply give you a listing of the major national cell phone service providers so that you can check for yourself. The following list includes the most well-known national cell phone service providers at the time of this writing, but you should be aware that the industry is constantly evolving, companies are merging, and sometimes they even change their names. So, without further adieu, here are some places to begin your search:
In addition to these national cell phone service providers, you may well find smaller, local companies offering cell phone service. Obviously, you have to find them on your own.
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