Prepaid Cell Phones ? Are They Right For You

In today's world of communication technology, there's a lot out there to consider before investing in a cell phone plan. With a multitude of carriers offering scores of options, it isn't always easy to isolate the one package out of the many that would best suit your needs. Sometimes, the mainstream choices aren't available to folks who are inhibited by particular circumstances, such as poor credit or other types of financial constraints. In cases such as those, prepaid cell phones can be the proverbial lifesaver. You don't have to be financially restricted to consider a prepaid wireless plan, however. Many people choose to purchase this type of service in order to avoid contracts which would lock them into services for a designated amount of time and money.

As with anything else in this world, there are positives and negatives that are attached to the option of a "pay as you go" cell phone. Depending upon your needs, priorities and preferences, you may just find that the option of prepaid time is the best cell phone plan for you.

PROS

• Unlike cell phone packages that are more standardized, prepaid wireless plans don't require you to sign a contract.
• Since you're required to pay for the minutes that you use up-front, there's no monthly bill to work into your budget.
• For those who suffer from a poor credit history, there are a number of cell phone providers who offer a "no credit check" cell phone option.
• Often, you'll be able to find cell phone offers that don't require a deposit to be put down in order to obtain a phone and purchase minutes.
• If you have teens or younger children that will require a cell phone in order to stay in touch with you throughout the day, prepaid cell phones are a wonderful option, since there's no age requirement in order to purchase minutes. Parents simply buy the phone, and their kids can purchase the minutes that they need at most local convenience stores, department stores or pharmacies.
• Unlike most cell phone deals, there are no hidden fees that are tacked on by cell phone carriers who offer the prepaid option. Since everything is paid in advance, you save on taxes, as well as activation fees and termination fees. Basically, it's one price to buy the minutes, without the extra charges hanging over your head.

CONS

• When you purchase a specific amount of minutes for your phone, the device no longer works once the time has been used. In some cases, you'll have to apply for a new phone number if the minutes have been zeroed out or the time in which you have to use them has expired.
• If you should opt for a prepaid cell phone, then you can say "good-bye" to the idea of cheap long distance calling. The fact is that prepaid minutes average about twice as much in price as mainstream calling plans.
• While you may be able to find some cell phone specials for your prepaid unit, you're more inclined to find that you won't be entitled to many of the services that standard cell phone users enjoy. For instance, don't expect to have wireless web access or to be able to use your phone in analog areas. Even if you do have access to special services, you'll have to pay a lot more for them.
• The actual phones are typically much more expensive, since cell phone companies aren't as inclined to offer as many deals for the prepaid variety.
• If you have younger children that need to carry a cell phone, they'll need to learn how to activate a prepaid phone card, if the circumstances should call for that and an adult isn't present to assist them.

Prepaid Cell Phone Carriers

Depending upon your location, there are often several options for cell phone carriers that will provide prepaid phones and services. First, you'll need to decide which type of service that's best for you ? purchasing a phone through a carrier and then committing yourself to buying minutes from them within a designated time-frame or purchasing the type of cell phone that allows you to simply buy cards with a specific number of minutes whenever you need to add time to your phone. Here are a few to consider:

• Cingular Wireless ? Offering two options for prepaid cellular customers (Pay as You Go or Pick Your Plan), Cingular doesn't require a credit check, deposit or annual contract. Depending upon the plan you choose, you may receive unlimited calling to other Cingular customers, free night and weekend minutes or the ability to roll over unused minutes to the next month.
• TracFone ? After purchasing the phone, which is relatively inexpensive and can be bought at most local department stores or online, consumers can buy cards which offer a designated number of minutes (typically 40, 100, 200, etc.) to be used within a certain amount of time. Time can be added whenever you desire, which will then extend the expiration date to match the newest purchase. If the minutes go lower than 10 and you're near the expiration date ? or if the expiration date is met without purchasing extra minutes ? then you should expect to lose your phone number and have to re-activate service and have a new number assigned.
• Verizon ? This carrier offers both prepaid calling cards and prepaid personal accounts, giving a bit more in the way of options than some of their competitors. Customers can enjoy no monthly fees, universal fees, weekly surcharges or short-minute penalties, and minutes can be purchased online. Verizon also gives you the benefit of viewing your calling history online.

Are Prepaid Cell Phones the Best Option?

Whether or not to commit to a prepaid cell phone really depends upon your personal needs and preferences. If you don't want to be locked into an iron-clad contract, have a credit check performed, provide a security deposit or pay a set monthly fee, then you may just want to stick with a prepaid cell phone. If, on the other hand, you want the security of no expiration dates, the ability to use as many minutes as you need without constantly purchasing new cards or specials such as free night/weekend minutes, then a standard cell phone plan is probably more in line with what you're looking for, after all.

About the Author

Samantha Goode is a freelance technology writer who loves to provide tips to consumers shopping for prepaid cellular phones, cell phone deals and cell phone carriers.

---

Americans Catching on to Wireless Text Messaging

Once considered a teenage fad, text messaging popularity in the... Read More

The Cell Phone Store

Effectively everybody wants the hottest and best cheap cell phones... Read More

Protective Accessories For Your Cell Phone

Like most electronic devices, cell phones are remarkably fragile. Your... Read More

Cell Phones - The New Media

Every day, there are more new uses for the classic... Read More

The Telephone ? A Brief History

During the 1870's, two well known inventors both independently designed... Read More

Letting Go of 3G - A Viable Alternative for Asian Carriers

Most Asian cellular carriers mulling over 3G have chalked out... Read More

Mobile Devices Security

As this security solution is not such a great idea,... Read More

Don?t Get Caught Out by the Mobile Phone Matrix Scams

Please read the article and leave a comment with your... Read More

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... Read More

Camera Cell Phone Picture

Camera cell phone picture - recent development.Camera cell phone picture... Read More

Camera Cell Phone Samsung

Camera cell phone by Samsung ? description.Samsung manufacture a large... Read More

Review of Bluetooth Wireless Headsets

Bluetooth headsets make up one of the fastest wireless markets... Read More

Buying a New Business Phone System

Buying a new business phone system is one of the... Read More

Prepaid Cell Phone Plans ? Are They For You?

Most Americans have cell phone plans with contracts that call... Read More

Cellular Phone Services & Bill Payment Services: The New Wave For Merchant Retailers

PREPAID CELLULAR TIMEPrepaid Cellular Are A Smart Choice!There are huge... Read More

The 5 Best Cell Phones on the Market

There are literally hundreds of cell phones out there made... Read More

Why Your Business Should Consider SMS

As an organisation, the use of SMS might seem too... Read More

The Benefits of Digital

Analogue is the process of taking an audio or video... Read More

Cell Phone Cameras

A lot of myths exist regarding as to whether the... Read More

4 Dazzling Midrange Cell Phones

Your next cell phone can be a stripped down model... Read More

Camera Cell Phone Sprint

Camera cell phone by Sprint ? offer with a service... Read More

Prepaid Calling Cards and Terrorism: Where Did All The ?Chatter? Go?

Does that necessarily mean that there are no terrorist communications... Read More

Renegotiating a Cell Tower Lease- Can It Be Done?

While cell towers actually started being built in the late... Read More

Cell Phone Batteries, Money Saving Tips

It's hard to imagine what the world did before the... Read More

Spider-man 3 on Your Cellphone Anyone?

The titanic developments in new technology have radically changed the... Read More

Take Care of Your Cell Phone Battery. Your Life May Depend on It

You probably don't even think about it but do you... Read More

Mobile Commerce: An Expectation for the Mobile Users In Pakistan

Mobile commerce is electronic commerce over wireless devices. Mobile commerce... Read More

Taking Care of Your Cell Phone Batteries

Picking a new cell phone model and pricing plan is... Read More

DECT - A Brief Explanation and How We Could Benefit From It

DECT stands for Digital Enhanced Cordless Telecommunications. Unlike analogue cordless... Read More

Getting the Most of Your Cell Phone Batteries

Are you planning on buying a new phone in the... Read More

Recent Cell Phone Advancements

Cell phones have come a long way since the early... Read More

Lets Talk

In the eyes of a teenage girl cellular phones are... Read More

Prepaid Cellular Phone

Reasons why someone would purchase a prepaid cellular phone.Prepaid cellular... Read More