Information overload: The vast choices in cell phone providers

We thought we did a good job here at Prepaid Reviews of explaining how to choose a prepaid provider. And really, that information still stands true. Doing your research is the best (and we consider it the only) way to make sure you’re getting exactly what you’re looking for in a prepaid service — or any service, cell phone or other industry. There are so many options nowadays, though, that while the perfect plan for you may exist, it may not be easy to find. James S. Granelli, staff writer for the LA Times takes his crack at helping people decipher what will work best for them. We’ll admit that we were quite intimidated upon opening the article. It’s 11 pages long, and once you read the first page, you probably won’t think you can make it through another 10. However, only the first three pages comprise the article; detailed information about the Big Four providers and their plans encompass the bulk of the article. We’re going to pull some quotes that we feel portray the prepaid industry favorably when making a cell phone decision. While reading this, at times we thought Mr. Granelli was implying that prepaid might be the best way to go — especially for teens. We couldn’t agree more.

To avoid paying more than you should, you’ve got to be smart and prepared. After all, you will most likely be locked into a one- or two-year contract — mainly for discounts on handsets — and terminating that deal early will cost you $150 to $200 a line.

And remember, that early termination fee isn’t prorated — that is, whether you cancel your contract after one month or after 18, you’ll pay a flat termination fee. With prepaid, you never will.

Erik Melendez, a mechanic in Los Angeles, doesn’t usually leave Southern California and needs a cellphone only to make calls — but he’s often on the phone four hours a day. “An unlimited plan gives me peace of mind,” Melendez said. So he went with a prepaid plan from Boost Mobile, a youth-oriented subsidiary of Sprint, with unlimited talk time for $55 a month.

Hey, if you don’t travel much, you can find plenty of unlimited talk plans. Rare is it for a major carrier to provide such a service, even with a two-year contract.

Usually you can avoid contracts by paying full price for the handsets. You also can check out smaller regional companies, which often let you quit at any time, or prepaid plans.

Once again, couldn’t agree more. The whole article is definitely worth a read. [LA Times]]]>