In the year 2000, the United States hit 100,000,000 mobile phone subscribers. It took fifteen years to get this seven digit number, but a mere five years later, the United States hit 200,000,000, and the sharp increase of mobile penetration (number of phones to people) has not slowed.
It is expected that by 2012 we will have 100% mobile penetration in the U.S, or one phone per every person. With the average monthly bill just breaking $50, shouldn't we be trying to get the best deal out there? Here are 7 easy tips to finding the best service, for the best price
1.
Figure out how many minutes you are going to use a month
Before you look at plans, with all the distractions and shiny deals, make sure you know how many minutes you are going to use every month. Individually, the least you can get is 200, while in a family plan the minimum is 550. All carriers now have unlimited plans, for those heavy users.
2.
Figure out who you are going to be calling most
All carriers either have included, or the option to add, unlimited mobile to mobile calling. So if you girlfriend, mom, brother, teacher, or whoever you are going to be calling the most has the same carrier as you, you can downgrade plans (save $10 or $20) while adding on the mobile to mobile plan for only $5 or $6 more (remember, this is per month, so it adds up). If, like most Americans, you are going to be calling the same four of five people the most, try T-mobile's MyFaves. They give you unlimited calling to any 5 numbers (even landlines?
) and additional minutes to use to call anyone besides those 5 special people.
3.
See what carrier offers general plans that fit what you want
Every carrier has the basic, ordinary plan you can get. Check these out first. Even though they don't advertise it, they are often times the best deals. Try checking
here for a comparison of individual and family plans, their prices, and who to buy from. With regards to price, and what you need, make a list, 1 through 4, of which carrier suits your needs (price and minutes only). T-mobile usually has the cheapest plans, while Sprint has nights that start at 7, and AT&T has rollover minutes.
Example: You, your daughter, and your husband want a new family plan. You think you will use about 600-700 minutes a month, not including mobile to mobile. T-mobile offers 700 minutes a month, for $59.99, as does Verizon, ATT, and Sprint for $69.99 a month.
4.
Check out the specialty plans
If you have DVR, and missed all cell phone commercials for the last 3 years, this might come as a surprise to you, but all the big four carriers like to boast about their specialty plans. AT&T has rollover minutes, Sprint's nights start at 7:00 PM instead of 9:00 PM, T-mobile has MyFaves, and Verizon has....well Verizon has a gang (or gaggle) of techies following you everywhere you go, trying to illustrate their superior coverage. Now make another list, do you expect to be making the majority of your call to 5 people (T-mobile - teenagers, and adults, most business people spend the majority of their minutes on many different people), or the majority of your minutes between 7:00 PM and 9:00 PM (Sprint), or one month use few minutes, and the next use all of them, and more (ATT), or do you get lonely and need the Verizon gang around for company (I'm giving them unfair grief, they do have great coverage).
5.
Pick your top four plans
From the two lists you have made, pick four that seem like the best deals. Make sure you have two or three different carriers in this list, as one might not pull through with the coverage issue. Now, lets say you have T-mobile's regular $59.99 for 700 minutes/month plan selected. Make sure you check their coverage at your home, work, and anywhere else you spend time (links below). As long as you have 2-3 bars outside, it is worth it. The map for my house says I get 2-3 bars outside, yet inside I have two on one half of my house, and a full 5 bars on the other. This is why number 6 is so important. Now that you have you plan chosen....
Note on coverage:All of the big 4 (
Verizon,
Sprint,
AT&T,
T-mobile) have street-level coverage checks. You may not be able to get the cheapest carrier for you, if they don't provide good coverage at your house. Coverage maps are fairly accurate, but there is a hitch. They show outside coverage. Most of us know, that standing outside you will get better coverage, but the real test is what happens indoors, which brings me to number 6.
6.
Take your carrier for a test run!
So your down to two or three carriers, but are kind of iffy about the coverage for the cheapest one? Take it for a test run. You wouldn't buy a car without driving it, so why buy a phone without trying it? Each carrier will let you try out their service, and return the phone within 14 or 15 days (30 in California) if you are not satisfied. Be careful though, you will be charged for the phone if you break or damage it. So why not give it a try? The worst that can happen is your cheapest choice will provide sub-par coverage, and you will be able to return it without paying the nasty $200-$300 Early Termination Fee.
7.
Satisfied? Buy away! But be mindful...
So you
liked the coverage in your house, on the road, and at work? It wasn't five bars all the way, but hey, you only need 1 bar to make a call, and you definitely had more then that. At this point, all you really have to do is NOT return the phone, not too hard of a task. All the paperwork and details should have been worked out when you went in to signup for the plan, and told them you were just testing it for a week or two.
So you
didn't like the coverage? Return the phones, cancel the plan (within 2 weeks to avoid any ETF) and work your way down the list. You can always come back if you don't like the others.
Notes, Tips, and Warnings:
Contracts: If your planning on moving, are kind of iffy about your coverage, or don't like being committed, don't sign a 2 year contract. In the store, all the carriers will let you sign a 1 year contract. They will try to get you to sign up for two years, but just tell them that if you are satisfied after a year, you will renew it (or just stay on month-to-month to avoid ETF if you want to get out at any time). You will get charged slightly more for the phone that you get, but compared to a $200-$300 ETF, that is not too bad.
Customer Service: From the past 5-10 years, T-mobile has dominated Customer Service surveys. Recently, Verizon has caught up on some issues. Overall, Customer Service goes:
1. T-mobile
2. Verizon
3. AT&T
4. Sprint
Life changes, and so can your plan. The big four all allow you to change your plans at anytime, without signing on for 2 more years. If you sign up for the $59.99 T-mobile family plan for 700 minutes, but at the end of the month realize you owe $120 EXTRA for going 290 minutes over 700, call T-mobile Customer Care, and ask them to switch you to the 1000 minutes plan. Make sure you are polite and kind, and then ask them if they can backdate the 1000 minute plan to the beginning of the billing cycle. This way, instead of using 920/700 minutes this month, you will have used 920/1000 minutes, and be paying only $10 more for upgrading the plan. Then, the next month, feel free to drop back down to 700 minutes. Slick huh?
SIM cards: All GSM carriers have SIM cards. For those who don't know, a SIM card has your phone number and contacts saved on it. If you put your SIM card in any GSM phone, and someone calls you, the phone with your SIM card will ring. T-mobile and AT&T are both GSM carriers. So if your phone broke, and you needed a new one, but didn't want to dish out $200, you could run over to a T-mobile store, Target, or any other store that carries prepaid phones, and buy a $40 phone prepaid phone, put your SIM card in it, and there you go.
3rd party dealers: Some 3rd party dealers give you great deals, while others put selling you a phone and plan before telling you the truth. Be wary, but if you shop well, some may offer you good deals. Make sure you run to a actual store and verify the information before you buy.
With all that in mind, enjoy your cell phone! If you want more information on a certain aspect of buying phones, or the mobile industry, post in this thread and I will add it to the post.
Seven Steps to Finding the Best Cell Phone Deal 
I pretty sure a SIM will work cross carriers, but I'll defer to someone more knowledgeable. Just wanted to say hi!
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