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We Know: All About Prepaid Cell Phones
How does a prepaid phone work?
Most phones only work with one cell phone provider. After you purchase the phone, you usually pay an activation fee,
then you can purchase prepaid phone time. Some providers require that you purchase a phone card from them. Some cards
have more minutes than others and are priced accordingly. Other providers allow you to purchase time using the phone
itself, or order and pay for minutes online. Typically, the more minutes you purchase, the cheaper they are.
The Advantages of Prepaid Cell Phones
There are several advantages to prepaid cell phones including:
- Because you're prepaying, you won't be surprised with a big phone bill at the end of the billing period.
- If you don't use a cell phone very often, or want one only for emergencies, a prepaid cell phone can cost less over
time than ordinary cell phones that come with monthly minimum charges for cell time that you may not even use.
- You don't have to sign or commit to a long-term contract.
- Prepaid cell phones are a great way for parents to limit their children's cell time.
- A credit check isn't necessary when purchasing prepaid cell phone time.
The Disadvantages of Prepaid Cell Phones
There are a number of disadvantages to prepaid cell phones including:
- Prepaid cell phones can cost more than ordinary cell phones.
- Even though you've prepaid, the minutes you purchased will usually expire after a period of time if you don't use them.
Find out the expiry period before commiting to a cell phone carrier or buying minutes. After you've had the phone awhile,
you'll have a better idea of how many minutes you actually need in every month.
- Prepaid plans usually cost more than other plans, so if you think you'll be using the phone a lot, you should consider
a regular calling plan instead. Compare price plans to be certain.
- Some prepaid cell phones are very basic and may not offer services such as text messaging or video.
Prepaid Cell Phone Models
Cell phone companies are constantly offering new models and calling plans. Here are several
models that are enjoying a lot of popularity:
- Samsung x495 TMO to Go Prepaid Phone: Uses T-Mobile's prepaid cell phone service. Sells for around $80.
- Motorola V190 Prepaid GoPhone: Uses Cingular's prepaid cell phone service. Sells for around $56.
- Nokia 6010 TMO to Go Prepaid Phone: Uses T-Mobile's prepaid cell phone service. Sells for around $68.
- Motorola V60iT Prepaid Phone: Uses TracFone's prepaid cell phone service. Sells for around $60
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