Today there are more cell phone plans than ever. The most common question among consumers is, “How do I know which plan will meet my needs?” To make a decision, you need a free service that performs a cell phone service comparison.
Fortunately the Internet has an endless supply of reputable review sites that rate both phones and service providers. What you need to do first is take inventory of your needs and match them with a plan that fills those needs.
The first thing people look at is the price course. Some people choose to buy the phone and then subscribe to a mobile service later. Others prefer to get their phone free provided they sign a two-year contract with a particular provider. With so many providers and plans, you should keep a few things in mind before jumping in with a purchase:
1. What will you use the phone for? How many minutes will you need each month? You should have and accurate answer to that question before you go farther since this is the biggest aspect of the cost of any mobile service plan. If you go over the allowed minutes, you should expect to pay a lot more than if you simply signed on for more minutes to begin with. On the other hand you hate to pay for minutes that you will never use.
2. Who is the phone for? If you are looking for phones for the family, then look at the family plans as they can save you a lot of money. Family plans save money by not charging minutes if family members of the same plan call each other. All mobile service providers have similar plans, stay away from family plans that put restrictions on the time of day you can call each other.
3. Did you say free? More providers mean more choices. There are many providers that run special promotions that include a free phone. There are even online services that enable you to find these promotions by zip code.
4. What if there is a problem? This is no time to go with a fly-by-night company. Your best bet is to get a brand of phone that you’re familiar with along with a mobile service provider that is well known. Your phone will be of little use if it’s broke and you can get anyone to help. This brings me to the final tip when choosing a cell phone service
5. Insurance: For a few extra dollars a month you can have insurance for your cell phone. With insurance comes peace of mind knowing that you can have a replacement in case of theft or malfunction. I personally had a claim that was promptly taken care of after I dropped my phone on the pavement and it stopped working. The new phone arrived at my door within a couple of days without any extra charges. This one event more than paid for the purchase of another new phone.
In the end it’s all about being a smart shopper and consumer. Weigh your options and never make an impulsive purchase. Know what different service plans offer and find out which one fits your needs best.
There are many websites that do the hard work for you, like a cell phone service comparison for a family or rating a cell phone for the best battery life . Never take the word of the associate behind the desk that a particular phone is good, chances are they are simply getting a higher commission by pushing that product. With a little research online, you can ensure that your purchase will be a good one.