Cheapest Wireless Cell Phone Plans

Some plans offer unlimited minutes, while the cheapest cell phone plans offer 200 minutes or so. In addition to talk time, you should also check whether the operator provides unlimited text messaging, so that you can send SMSs to your friends and family. You will have to pay extra, if you want unlimited wireless data usage, which means you can surf the Internet as much as you want. Some operators offer handset insurance. For example, Sprint offers Total Equipment Protection, where you have to pay a monthly charge known as a premium. If you lose your cell phone or if it breaks, the operator will send you a replacement phone or get it repaired.

The coverage is another factor that is important. An operator's coverage can be local, regional or national. You can view a carrier's coverage by looking at its coverage map, which is available at the carrier's web site. You should get good coverage in the area where you live, and also in places where you travel to. If you go outside the coverage area, you will have to pay overages such as roaming charges and long-distance charges. These international calling rates are usually quite high, so you should try to avoid them.

You can either select a post-paid plan or a pre-paid plan. If you choose to go with post-paid, there will be a long-term contract, which may last for 1 or 2 years. With post-paid, you will receive a bill at the end of every month. You will also have to pay an early termination fee, if you leave your contract before it ends. If you go with a pre-paid, you buy minutes before actually using them by buying a mobile recharge card known as a SIM card. This is also known as 'pay as you go'.

When choosing an operator, you also need to select a cell phone. You can buy a simple phone that does only voice calls, or an advanced phone known as a smartphone. The iPhone is also popular nowadays, with its touch-screen interface. You can also upgrade your cell phone, when doing a contract extension with your carrier. Unlocked phones are cell phones that work with more than one carrier.

The best cell phone operators should experience few periodic outages. There should also be a small number of dropped calls, and the calls should be clear with little or no static. You can also a buy an amplifier to boost the signal in your building.

AT&T offers Rollover minutes, which means the minutes that you don't use in this month carry forward to the next month. Night minutes may be unlimited, which means talking between 9 PM and 6 AM is free. Weekend minutes are also unlimited, which means talking during Saturday and Sunday is free. Mobile-to-mobile minutes are also unlimited, which means you can talk to another person with the same carrier for free.

T-Mobile offers myFaves minutes, which means you can talk to five people of your choice for free. T-Mobile also offers Whenever minutes, which can be used at any time. Some carriers also offer unlimited in-calling minutes, which means you can talk on incoming calls for free. Sprint offers Music Premier to download songs, and TV Premier to watch shows and movies. Most cell phone operators also offer voicemail, call forwarding and conference calling.

Verizon offers the V Cast Video, which delivers video content to mobile phones. The VPak subscription offers ESPN and music clips. Verizon also offers the VZ Navigator, which uses GPS to determine your location and give directions to places including landmarks; and mobile email, which means you can send and receive emails on the go. Verizon's Push to Talk is a Walkie-Talkie radio feature available at the touch of a button, while Get It Now allows you to download applications such as games, ringtones and wallpapers.