In today’s technology-based world, cell phones as a means of communication are a key item for everyone. The phone, also called mobile phone and smart phone, is a communication tool that almost everyone owns one or more. When choosing a cell phone plan, there are a lot of different options to consider, and how to choose the best one is a key question for people when they take phone as a tool for small business.
A survey shows that some three-fourth of respondents go to bed with their phone nearby and won’t switch off it. The reason is that they are afraid they will miss some important messages. Cell phone indeed gives us safety, security and fast access to messages, and also changes the relationship between ourselves and other people, with the abundant surveys illustrating half of respondents use text messages to convey important information instead of face to face communication.
It is not simple when it comes to finding the best cell phone plans. In the past, most postpaid cell phone plans bound the user for two years in exchange for a reduced price for their phone. That situation is over for the most part. Instead you can buy mobile phone upfront or sign up for an installment plan that spreads the cost out over a year or more. Getting a smart phone on an installment plan sometimes means that you can only pay a few dollars per month, but for the newest and hottest phones, it means you will have a larger bill. Also, while these installment plans are not in the contract term used in the past, and if you stop service before the phone is paid off, you need to make a lump sum payment to cover the installment.
Some network companies now offer some shared plans that include unlimited talk, text and data for every line, and capped plans that include a data pool which can be shared by all devices on your account. If comparing the two plans, you can find that unlimited plans often will slow data speeds when you exceed a certain amount of data usage per billing period, while capped plans will let you continue to have data usage at greatly reduced speeds after you exceed the cap instead of automatically charge for the extra data. Shared data plans will also set a line access charge for each device, including smart phones, basic phones, tablets, mobile hotspots and so on.
Postpaid cell phone plans vs. Prepared cell phone plans
The distinctions between traditional postpaid cell phone plans and prepaid ones may have been blurred. But there are still some differences that could make one or another the better choice. Postpaid plans typically require a high credit rating. If you are just starting to build your credit history, or if your credit is shaky, you may need to make a prepaid plan to get service. But it is not bad news. Prepaid plans are sometimes cheaper than postpaid plans with equal service terms. While most postpaid plan users now increasingly choose shared-data plans, individual lines are easily available on prepaid plans, and also can save a few dollars. If all you want is talk and text, prepaid will be your most cost-effective option. However, postpaid plans have some powerful advantages as well. While some carriers will activate most phones, including flagship phones, and some reserve the hottest devices for postpaid customers. Also, carriers will sometimes offer high data speeds for prepaid users. Some carriers reserve, limit or charge extra for some features, device tethering to their prepaid customers as well.
Posted on March 24, 2023