|
|
| Mobile & Cell Phone Information |
|
|
|
|
Prepaid Cell Phone Plans ? Are They For You?
Most Americans have cell phone plans with contracts that call for a certain number of minutes per month. For example, your plan might include 450 minutes per month. If you go over that limit, you pay extra for the extra minutes. Use fewer than the 450 and, chances are, you lose the minutes you didn't use. An alternative to this kind of plan, that's becoming increasingly popular with some Americans is a prepaid plan, often called pay-as-you-go. In this type of plan, you pay in advance for a certain number of minutes, then use them at your own pace. The advantages to this is that there are no surcharges, and you never have to worry about going over an allotted number of minutes. The way these plans work is that you contact a service provider, and load minutes into your account. There is no contract and no big penalty if you drop out. You could talk 500 minutes one month, and 200 the next. You will find that with some of the cell phone service providers, your unused minutes expire at the end of the month in which you purchased them. However, with others, you can roll over your the unused minutes ? so long as you buy new minutes the next month. This concept makes good sense for a lot of people. For example, there are many Americans who carry a cell phone for use only in emergencies or for short calls home. So even those plans that offer 250 minutes don't make sense for them. There are also families who want to control how much time their kids spend on their cell phones. And if you're on a budget, a pay-as-you-go plan will save you money as there are never those weird surcharges that can run up a $39.95 plan to more than $50.00 a month. Most of the major carriers have new or expanded versions of prepaid plans. If you feel that one of these plans might make sense for you, contract several different companies for information as there are vast differences in pricing. For example, some carriers charge a flat fee per minute. In some cases the cost per minute goes down, the more minutes you buy. On the other hand, there are other companies that charge much less per minute, buy levy a daily rate regardless of use. Some of these plans allow roaming and some don't. Finally, unless you already have a handset that works with the pay-as-you-go plan you have chosen, you will probably pay more for the cell phone itself. This is because wireless companies heavily subsidize these phones, knowing that their customers will be locked into their service for 12 or even 24 months. The major downside to prepaid plans is that you will most likely pay more per minute. For example, the Cingular GoPhone plan costs $0.25 per minute. In comparison its Nation 450 with Rollover gives you 450 anytime minutes for about $0.08 per minute (plus 5,000 nights and weekend minutes and unlimited calls to toher Cingular subscribers). Of course, requires a two-year contract and any minutes over the 450 per month will be billed at a cost of $0.45 each. Monthly service plans are probably still the best bet for most people. But if you feel you are using your cell phone less than 300 minutes a month, or just prefer to not have a contract or a monthly bill, a prepaid plan just might be what the doctor ordered. For FREE help with debt and other financial issues, subscribe today to Douglas Hanna's free email newsletter "8 Simple Steps to Debt Relief" at http://www.all-in-one-info.com
|
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Local Search on Cell Phones will Derail Yellow Page Directory Usage Local Businesses have Been Slow to Capitalize on Search Engine Notice Mobile Phone Radiation - The Facts & How You Can Protect Yourself With This Simple Technique! Firstly, it's vital to point out that this short report is NOT one of my many tips or secrets related to saving an absolute fortune on your Mobile Phone expenses. It's about something even more serious and that is - your health and quality of life! Location Sensitivity - Cell Phone GPS This is basically a system to locate the handheld when making a call to 911. In the mid to late 1990's, many people got cell phones just for the emergency use of being able to call for help almost anywhere. The problem came up when statistics showed that almost 92% of all serious 911 calls, (where the person was just barely able to make the call), they either didn't know where they were or was unable to tell the 911 operator where they were, or they might not have been able to talk at all. This caused a big concern, 911 operators couldn't do anything but listen to the person on their cell phone as they pass away. The Location Sensitivity system still doesn't work if you are in an area that only has an analog signal. (Which is the older cellular system of the mid 1990's and earlier). Most metropolitan areas and all interstate freeways are covered by the newer digital service. It's just when you get out in the middle of no-where, you might end up with an analog signal. Most phones will display the letter "A" in the top right or left corner when using this system. Check your phone documentation, some phones don't even have this capability. Which means if you get into one of these areas, you can't make any type of call what-so-ever. Heres How Cell Phones Make Your Life Easier Cell phones, the prepaid ones, are the great way to stay within your budget restraints. You will either make an adjustment to how many minutes the prepaid cellular covers, or discipline yourself to use less minutes. Cell Phones Accessories - Get More... Accessories can complete an outfit, dress up something like a purse, a coat or shoes. Accessories can also add to the performance of something like a cell phone. Cell phones have almost as many accessories as Barbie does. Some accessories are practical, some are ornamental and some are just available. Camera Cell Phones -- More Uses Than You Could Have Imagined I was shopping in the large superstore with my five-year-old daughter, perfectly unaware that in the next few minutes I would be living through every parent's nightmare ? in an instant my child would disappear from my side. She had been looking through the little dresses right beside me and, when I called her to go try one on, she was no where to be found. I loudly called out her name, trying to keep the panic from my voice, as I frantically looked all around. We Have Compiled a List of Wireless Cell Phones General Cautions and Warnings For the most part, wireless cell phones are safe. And who could deny the convenience and freedom they have bought to our lives. Wireless cell phones bring our family and friends closer and allows us to do transact business more conveniently than ever. But, take note as we compiled a list of general cautions that you should be aware of. GPS Cell Phones Motivated by the events of 9/11 2001 and problems with 911 calls from cellular phones, the FCC requires that by the end of 2005 all cell phone carriers must be able to trace the location of cell phone calls to within a range of no more than 100 meters. Toll Free Virtual PBX Systems Level the Playing Field for Small Businesses Technology, some people fear it, some resist it, and others embrace it. As a small business owner, it could be the best thing that ever happened to your company. With the technology available today, small businesses are increasingly leveling the playing field between themselves and big companies. With toll free virtual PBX (Private Branch Exchange) telephone systems, small businesses are combining today's technology with traditional customer service to take their business to the next level. Negotiating a Cell Tower Lease: Getting Help A recent survey of the FCC's antenna structure registration database showed that in 2001 there were roughly 89,000 antenna sites registered with the FCC. Today, there are over 109,000 registered sites. It is important to note that most towers under 200' are not required to be registered, so there are significantly more towers in the US than this number suggests. Defeating Crime With Digital Camera Cell Phones The newest techno gadget, which is reshaping the way teenagers interact is the Digital Picture Camera 3G Cell Phone. As more and more people have these and as higher bandwidth and video compression technologies are introduced we will see a whole new realm of communication. As people communicate on cell phones with video and pictures we will see a decrease in crime. How Reliable are Cell Phones Cellular phones and pagers are part of the "now" generation, instant contact, anywhere at any time. People are looking for convenience, comfort and security. The question is how instantaneous and reliable is the contact? Overview of Cellular Phone Carriers How many times have you heard of people spending hundreds of dollars on the latest and greatest cell phone only to be disappointed by the bad signal? Dropping calls is another very annoying occurrence with cell phones. You need to look very carefully into the cell phone carrier that you wish to sign up with. You will be signing a contract usually for one year so make sure it's money well spent. Have Some Fun With Cell Phone Games You're never too old to have some fun. With the introduction of games as cellular accessories, you cell phone can now double as a personal gaming device. Senior Citizen Calling Tips The AARP, American Association of Retired Persons, ( http://www.aarp.org/ ) conducted a survey in 2000 entitled, "Consumer Understanding of pricing Practices and Savings Opportunities in Long Distance Telephone Industry." This report was an update of an earlier survey conducted in 1998. As the title implies, the survey examines the pricing issues surrounding long distance calling plans in the market and the public's awareness, with a particular focus on people over 50, of these types of savings plans. Only one-quarter of those interviewed 65 and older, looked for long distance calling plans that would save them money. More alarming was the fact that only a little more than 40% knew that the best rate was not the standard rate. To read the complete report, click here. ( http://research.aarp.org/consume/d17192_longdis.pdf ) Nokia Cellular Phone Nokia cellular phone ? description. Spider-man 3 on Your Cellphone Anyone? The titanic developments in new technology have radically changed the way we watch TV and movies at home. Gone are the days when the TV set was a box in the corner with a 20in screen and a tinny speaker. Now most of us prefer to watch movies and sports casts on a widescreen that's at least 28in from corner to corner. Safer Cell Phone Use For Drivers Cell phones are great for people on-the-go, but talking on your cellular phone while driving can be downright dangerous. The safest choice is to avoid using your phone while driving, but that's not always possible. Cellular accessories can help make it safer to use your cell phone in your vehicle. Protect Yourself From Cell Phone Radiation With cell phones quickly becoming an important part of our everyday lives, it's frightening to think that the radiation from cellular phones may cause health problems. Even though claims about the dangers of cell phones are unsubstantiated, that hasn't stopped various marketers from selling cellular accessories alleging to protect consumers from harmful radiation. Family Cell Phone Plans - Comparison Shopping To Help You Choose The Best Plan With the myriad of cell phone plans that are available through the various carriers today, it can be a bit of a challenge to muddle through it all, trying to find the best package for your family. Each has their own special set of perks that are offered, in order to entice potential customers to purchase a contract and commit themselves to a particular amount of time with the company. Although you'd be hard-pressed to find a carrier that locks you in for more than two years ? those days are gone ? you're still committing your patronage for a designated amount of time, and ? that being the case ? will have a bit of research to do before settling on a specific package. Where do you begin?
|
| home | site map |
| © 2005 |