Choosing a Phone and Plan
Choosing a phone and rate plan might seem like a difficult task at first. However, it's really
quite easy by asking yourself a handful of questions:
Where will you be using your phone the most?
If you travel frequently (several times per month) and need to stay in touch with
friends &
family at home while you are away, then make sure the plan you choose has free
nationwide long distance included (most national calling plans that are $39.99 or higher
have this feature). If you travel a lot on business, you may want to get a phone
that has good email or text messaging support. PDA phones, Blackberry phones, etc
are good choices to stay productive while being mobile.
Do you want a camera phone?
Many phone models now include a built-in camera so you can take pictures in those rare moments
where you would never have been able to before. This is a great tool that you can use for
creative things like taking a snapshot of a product in a store that you want to remember to buy
for your loved one later after she/he gives you a subtle hint of interest! Or, capturing any sort
of image that might be useful as "proof" for the future (auto accidents, crimes in progress, etc).
On the flip side, some companies do not permit camera phones in their facilities. You may
want to check your employer's policy regarding this before getting a camera phone.
Will you be making calls during "peak" hours?
Most plans have higher per minute charges for calls made during peak
hours. "Peak" hours vary depending on the wireless carrier you choose.
Typically, peak ours are from 5 or 6AM to 9 PM, Monday through Friday.
If you make most of your calls during peak hours, you should buy a plan that
includes all the minutes you need. For example, if you can keep your average
weekday/peak calls to 30 minutes or less per day, then you should get a calling
plan that includes 600 anytime/peak minutes.
Who will you call most?
Most carriers offer free calling between subscribers (e.g., mobile to mobile or in-network calling).
So, if you have certain friends, associates, and family members that you call frequently, then
you may want to choose the carrier that they use to take advantage of free in-network calling.
If you make frequent calls to land-line phones (for work, business, personal, etc), then you
should get a plan that includes a lot of anytime/peak minutes. Though the monthly cost is higher,
you will save a lot of money doing this versus getting hit with high per-minute overage charges on
low monthly plans.
