| Ten Holiday Tips for Choosing the Right Cell Phone Service
By Allan
Keiter
The
holiday season is traditionally
the most active period of the
year for consumers to shop
for cell phone service. Given
the many distractions during
this busy season, and the fact
that a contract for wireless
service will be with you long
after Santa has returned to
the North Pole, we've compiled
some tips to help you get the
best wireless service, for
the lowest cost each month.
1.
Buy from an independent retailer
--- not directly from the carrier
--- to save up to $200 or more
even before the first phone
call is made;
2. Take advantage
of the two week trial period
offered by most carriers ---
the coolest phone is little more
than a paperweight if it doesn't
work where and when needed;
3.
Pick a plan with 10% more airtime
than needed --- additional minute
charges of 40 cents can quickly
double a cell phone bill;
4. Choose
a family or shared plan for two
to five users --- the additional
lines are as little as $7.99
each and often allow unlimited
talk time between family members;
5. Consider a prepaid plan
for light users, or if no contract
is desired --- the rates have
become more competitive, and
emergency-only options can cost
under $10/month;
6. Avoid two-year
contracts --- they reduce consumer
options in the event of better
plan pricing or in wanting the 'latest
and greatest' phone
more frequently;
7. When
switching carriers, order new
service before canceling existing
service --- if you wish to transfer
your phone number between carriers;
8.
Choose the cell phone first,
then the rate plan, particularly
if looking for advanced features
--- there is wide variety in
phones, while plans are becoming
more similar across carriers;
9.
When considering various phone
offers, look both at the 'out-the-door' price
and the final price, after
rebates --- to avoid tying
up extra cash for several months;
10. In the spirit of the
season, consider donating your
old phones to a needy cause
--- or sell them for some extra
holiday cash.
Allan
Keiter is president of MyRatePlan.com.
Founded in 1999, MyRatePlan
offers unbiased content,
filters and calculators
to help consumers make
more informed decisions
about the products and
services they research
and buy online.
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