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Who Needs a Prepaid Phone?
It's hard to keep up with the cell phone market these days. New models hit store shelves seemingly every week, and carriers roll out new contract plans nearly as frequently. Maybe that's why the prepaid cell phone market is growing so rapidly.
Consumers are flocking toward no-contract, unlimited services. At least two prepaid carriers have seen their subscription rates double over the past year -- and now the big companies are rolling out their own prepaid options to retain their existing customers.
You generally won't have to have a credit card or leave deposits with these services, but you will have to buy your own phone, which can run anywhere from $30 to over $300, depending on the service you use and how many bells and whistles you want. In addition, most plans come with activation fees ranging anywhere from $15 to $35.
Prepaid's not for everyone, though. So how do you determine if it's a good fit? To help you figure it out, we've put together a list of the 10 types of situations where prepaid phones make sense. Click on 'Next' below to find out more.
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Comments
24
Subscribe to commentsDebbieOct 29th 2009 4:39PM
I've been working at a major retail store in the wireless department selling prepaid as well as postpaid (contract) cell phones for over 5 years now and its important to help the customer determine just what is best for them (as far as the different plans,the phones themselves and if they will get service in their area). The initial cost can be as low as $15 and as high as $150 for the phone and $10 to $100 for the airtime. Most of the carriers give you free airtime to start up with and that can range anywhere between $10 to $50 or 10 to 300 minutes, depending on the carrier. And most of the carriers have monthly plans which include unlimited calls, depending on which plan you choose. There are no activation fees on prepaids (at least non of the carriers we sell in our store do). And we sell all major carriers, AT&T,Verizon and T-mobile as well as Tracfone, Net10 and Virgin Mobile. Then there's the cost per minute and that can be as low as 10 cents per minute and as high as 33 cents per minute, again depending on which carrier you go with. There's alot of different options out there for everyone. And it doesn't matter if your a casual user or someone that will depend on their cell phone for business purposes. For most people this will be a long term investment so take the time to research the pros and cons of prepaid verses contract phones. There's alot of information out there via Internet, magazines, word of mouth or visiting the different carriers corporate stores. So utilize them before investing. And one more very important note before buying.. know the Terms of Service of each of the carriers as well as the stores return policies. They differ from store to store so ask the sales rep. It can be anywhere from 15 to 30 days for contract service and 15 to 90 days for prepaid phones. Depending on which state you live in.There's alot to be said when it comes to prepaid verses contracts. And it can be intimidating if your not sure about whats best for you. So do your homework before you make that investment.
AnnOct 29th 2009 5:08PM
I bought a tracphone and hate it. They charge minutes when you try to record your own phone message. They even charged ME minutes when they sent me a text message - one of their ads. I emailed the company and the reply was tough s**t. And if you ever try calling them directly on the phone - lots of luck. Advice: check how they use your minutes thoroughly before you buy
RobertOct 29th 2009 5:17PM
Prepaid is great unless you need a huge amount of minutes. I keep the amount in my account low. If they give me a problem... screw them and go somewhere else. They don't have any of my personal info so that's a plus also. Lose your phone? Oh well, your not going to be stuck with a $1,500.00 phone bill. I used to get paranoid when losing a phone in the past before I went prepaid. It makes it hard on your ex or who ever if they try and follow you. Just change phones and numbers every once in a while, it doesn't cost much to do, no personal info and it's easy. My phone from virgin was under $40.00, it has internet access, e-mail, camera, texting and everything I can think of. It may not be the coolest but they have them too if you want to waste the money. You can get extended warranty on your phone like I did on my first one. I had it for 2yrs, had a problem and got another for free. It lasted another 3yrs. I went from a $30 phone and upgraded to the $40 phone. I wouldn't have it any other way! Anybody know of another service provider that has really cheap minute deals?
j.misteleOct 31st 2009 8:55PM
i have the straight talk, and it is the best pre-pay i have ever owned