How To Compare Wirelsss Phone Plans

Wireless phones and plans are changing constantly. To find and compare the best combination of cost, quality, and capabality from wireless vendors available in your area:

  1. Know your usage patterns : you need to know how many minutes per month you talk, how many of those are at night or on the weekend and whether or not you need to be able to roam.
  2. Find a carrier that provide best service.
  3. Compare plans. Find a service plan that matches your needs with plans in your area
  4. Shop around for the best plan and phone deals

 

Why you chould compare service plans: coverage and rates

Two most important reasons people switch carriers are poor coverage and price. Reception is becoming even more important as more people make cell phones their only phones.

Wireless rates are changing constantly due to stiff competion. Experts agree that, if you haven't changed your plan in the last six months, you're probably paying too much. Wireless companies are constantly offering new plans and new deals. Often, these aren't widely publicized.

Like the airline industry cell phone service companies in stiff competition with each other, and if one suddenly offers a great deal, the others are likely to follow suit.

 

 

Know Your Usage Pattern

If you're swtiching from a current carrier, closely examine your phone habits over the past six to 12 months.

  • How much do you pay each month?
  • How many "anytime minutes" do you have?
  • How many weeknight, weekend and daytime minutes do you have?
  • Most importantly, how many do you actually use?

 

 

Which carries are best rated in your area

You need to find out which carrier has a good service reputation in the places where you expect to use your phone. J.D. Power and Associates and Consumer Reports rank all the major carriers in each region.

The surveys indicate that Verizon Wireless consistently won the most praise nationwide, with generally good service credited to the wireless company.

The recently merged AT&T and Cingular was rated lowest among the top four big cell-phone companies, with apparent problems in making the two systems compatible.

To see the survey results, go to service ratings page.

 

 

Questions to ask when you compare wireless plans

Consumers Union recommends the following 15 key questions to ask when shopping for wireless service:

  • Exactly when are night, weekend, peak, off-peak and "anytime" minutes?
  • Exactly where is "home," "region" and "nation"? Also check out the coverage maps
  • Who pays for incoming calls?
  • What is the price per minute if I exceed the limit on my plan?
  • How much are roaming charges?
  • Is long distance included?
  • What happens to unused minutes?
  • What happens to fractions of minutes?
  • Can I use my phone with another carrier?
  • What exactly are the “Additional Charges”?
  • Does this phone also work in the analog mode?
  • Can you give me an estimate of the taxes, fees and surcharges with typical usage of this phone?
  • Is there a "test drive" period? How long?

 

Comparison Shopping

Fo rcomparison shopping for service plans, go to comparison shopping page.

 

After your purchase, review your bills carefully, especially the first one to ensure you are charged as advertised.