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2torial #0410:
Learn2 Shop for a
Wireless Phone
 Choose a calling plan
Now that you know when, where and how much
you're going to use your phone, you're ready to
sign up for a plan. To get the best deals, you need
to commit to a contract that lasts anywhere between
three months and three years, so you need to think
carefully before signing on. Consider the
following:
Flexibility: If you're a first-time
wireless customer and unsure exactly how you'll be
using your phone, it's essential that your contract
allows you to switch calling plans before the
contract ends. Otherwise you may end up buying air
time you never use, or conversely, you could end up
paying exorbitant rates for time you didn't expect
to use.
Free roaming/long-distance plans: If your
lifestyle keeps you on the move, you may want to
consider a plan with no-roaming and/or
no-long-distance options. Let's say you live in San
Francisco and you travel to New York with your
phone. If you want to place a local call in New
York, you could end up paying long-distance charges
with a regular plan because your call technically
originates in San Francisco. This is called a
"roaming" charge, since you've roamed outside your
local area. And if you call New York from back in
San Francisco, a traditional wireless plan will
also levy a long distance charge. No-roaming,
no-long-distance plans cost more per minute, but
may end up saving you money since you can call to
and from any domestic locations at a standard rate.
Off-peak vs. peak minutes: While many
providers offer a single rate no matter when you
call, you may benefit from a plan that
differentiates between peak and off-peak minutes.
If you use your phone a lot during the evening and
weekends, take advantage of a dual-rate plan with a
lower off-peak rate.
Contract vs. prepaid: With most plans,
you commit to buy a certain amount of air time
every month over the course of months or even
years. But there's also the prepaid option, which
allows you to buy, say, 200 minutes, which
you can use at any time (within limits). Prepaid
plans give you more flexibility since you don't
have to use up all your minutes within a single
month. On the other hand, per-minute charges are
higher.
Dual-mode plans: It's increasingly
possible to get phones and phone plans that allow
you access to both digital and analog networks. The
phone itself may be more expensive, but you could
end up saving money--you can take advantage of
lower digital rates and still tap into the larger
analog network when necessary.
Termination fees: Be sure you know how
much you'll have to pay if you decide to get out of
a contract early. Some providers charge $100 or
more. Most plans will allow you to cancel service
without a termination fee if you do so within the
first month, so act quickly if you're unhappy.
When you've narrowed down your choices,
calculate the total cost of the varying phones and
phone plans over the course of an entire year,
rather than over a single month. You might find
that a plan with short-term bonuses (like a free
phone) could end up costing you more in the long
run.
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