Eric Morgan asked:


Family cell phone plans can be as diverse as the different members in a family. There are so many benefits to choosing a family cell phone plan including -and maybe most importantly- diminished overall cost. To be considered a family plan at least two phone lines are required, with the option of adding more phones, starting at $9.99/per phone added. One popular cell phone provider for example, will allow up to 5 phones per plan with each additional line added costing $9.99.

The price for a family cell phone plan can be as varied as the plethora of companies offering them. It’s important to look at all the details of the plan and each company closely before signing a contract. It is possible to find one that best suits you and your needs, so don’t settle for the first one you find. Look for the details of each cell phone and provider that are tailor made for you. If there will only be two of you using the plan, it makes more sense to get a plan with minimal minutes. This is especially true if most of the calls will be made between the two phones, and you are confident no extra minutes will be accrued outside the allotment for your plan. Find a company that won’t try to sell extraneous features to you. Phone plans can be as basic or as elaborate as you need them to be. There is no reason to spend extra money on features that will never be used.

Most cell phone providers offer free mobile-to-mobile minutes, (or calls made within the network) so even if you choose a plan with minimal minutes, it won’t necessarily be cost prohibitive if most calls are made in network. For example, if a family has a plan with 5 phones and most of the minutes of the plan are used making calls between family members, find a plan that has free mobile-to-mobile minutes. This way every phone call made within the family network is essentially free, as no minutes will be deducted from the overall minutes of the plan.

The service provider ads overage fees onto your monthly bill if you or anyone in your family adds up enough talk time minutes to go over the maximum allotment of minutes for your plan. If a cell phone customer has a plan allowing 700 minutes/per month, and the customer uses 750 minutes, the additional 50 minutes are considered overage minutes. The charge for overage minutes varies from one cell phone provider to another. For example, the five providers below vary between $.40/minute to $.45/minute per additional minutes.

It’s important to get the right number of minutes for your family’s needs, as overage fees for a customer talking on the phone for an additional 50 minutes can cost up to an extra $22.50 per monthly bill. If you consider that a few teenagers could each very easily tack on several hours of overage minutes, it’s easy to see why it’s critical to find a plan with the right amount of minutes for your family. It’s a good idea to go into a cell phone contract knowing how many minutes you think you might use before you get locked in for the long term. If you aren’t sure how many minutes you think you’ll need, ask a representative from the cell phone company you are considering to help you. Someone who has helped a multitude of people find cell phone plans will likely be helpful in giving you a decent estimate on how many minutes you will need.

Every cell phone provider features several plans, some without extra features like text messaging and data packages and others where the monthly cell phone fee is all-inclusive. Data and text messaging fees very greatly, even within individual providers. With one popular cell phone provider data plans, or Internet access through your cell phone, starts at about $39.99/per month for a basic package and can go up to $89.99/per month. Text messaging with another provider ranges from $4.99/per month for 400 messages to $14.99/per month for unlimited messaging. If you don’t want to sign up for a text-messaging plan but think you might want to text occasionally, it’s possible to pay per text message. Texts can range from $.15/per message to $.25/per text for text only messages to $.25/per message for pictures and video messages.

If there is a possibility of a lot of text messaging in your future, or the future of anyone in your family plan, a package with unlimited messaging for a flat fee is probably your best option. Text messaging at up to $.25/per message can add up really fast and add a lot to your monthly cell phone bill.

Another very important aspect to buying a cell phone plan is determining the coverage area available with each cell phone provider. Some cell phone companies are more prevalent in specific regions of the country, and will provide better coverage for you if you stay within its outlined geographic region. If your primary cell phone will be used mostly for business and travel outside your home state, ensure the coverage area for your provider before the cell phone is used outside the area and roaming charges are applied. This is true for any of the cell phones under the same family plan.

Be sure to carefully study the available coverage maps before choosing a specific cell phone plan. It is your job as the consumer to be as well informed about your plan as possible; read the fine print concerning the coverage area and if any roaming charges will apply outside of said area. Most cell phone companies have a national network, with wide coverage, ensuring that your cell phone will work when you need it. However, what constitutes “national” coverage to you may not actually be national in the eyes of your cell phone provider. Some cell phone companies consider their regional calling areas to be “national” calling areas. If this is the case, it’s possible that phone calls you make, which you believe to be a part of your coverage area, are actually outside the region of the coverage plan for your cell phone provider. If this is the case, the phone calls made outside the coverage area are eligible for roaming charges, which can add considerable cost to your cell phone bill.

Roaming is a term used in the communications industry to describe what happens when cell phone coverage areas overlap. If a call is placed from your cell phone outside your providers’ coverage area it’s probable you will still be able to place the call, but it will likely be made through the network of a different provider. Cell phone companies contract with one another to ensure there are limited holes or dead spots in network availability. However, even though dropped calls, and a loss of a cell phone signal are a somewhat distant memory, roaming charges are not necessarily so. Although most cell phone providers offer “free”, or no roaming charges, as a part of national cell phone contracts, it’s still critical to determine the exact details of the coverage area before committing to an extended contract. This way there will be no surprises when the monthly cell phone bill arrives, and you have accrued charges by placing calls outside your network.

The vast array of options when choosing a cell phone can be a little overwhelming. The most important place to start is by determining your individual cell phone needs. The cell phone model you choose can be as simple as a phone with no additional features, or as intricate and high-powered as you are. For example, if one of the cell phones in your family plan will be used primarily for business and travel, take into account the variety of options available to you such as: broadband Internet access, Bluetooth, text messaging, picture messaging, Email, GPS, speakerphone, and data packages. This array of features is optimized through a phone such as The BlackBerry phone, which is essentially a laptop that fits in your pocket. If the feature potentially used by you the most is email, choose a phone with a built-in keyboard to facilitate easier typing. The BlackBerry has the capability to use any of its numerous features anywhere you go. The phone can be purchased from an individual cell phone provider, or through a third party such as an online retailer of electronics, or almost all local electronics stores. Then the phone will be activated through the cell phone provider you have chosen. If there will be teenagers or other children on your family phone plan, determine carefully which phones might work best for each individuals’ needs. A teenager doesn’t necessarily need a Blackberry, but you might want them to have some extra features available in order for you to stay in better contact with them.

A feature, which has become almost universal on cell phones, is a built-in digital camera. This is an extremely convenient feature as it ensures that anywhere you go with your cell phone, you have a digital camera at your access. The quality of the camera will vary depending on the model of the phone, as well as details such as number of megapixels and quality of resolution. If this is a feature that is important to you, do your homework and find a phone whose camera has a reputation for producing quality photos. Some newer phones also have the capability of recording digital movies as an extended option of the digital camera.

One important aspect to keep in mind when choosing a cell phone is that it’s almost always possible to get a phone for a discount under a rebate or promotional offer. It is rarely necessary to pay full retail price for a cell phone that meets your needs. Ask the cell phone provider you choose what cell phones they have available with a discount or rebate. If they don’t have a phone that meets your needs, choose an online retailer. They sell new and refurbished phones without contracts, and these phones can be activated under the chosen cell phone provider. As always, if the phone doesn’t meet your needs, upgrading to a newer cell phone is always an option.

The final, and perhaps one of the most critical details to choosing a family cell phone plan is the contract. Contracts vary greatly depending upon several variables including: number of lines per family plan, number of minutes, extra features like data plans, etc. Choose a contract length you are comfortable with as terminating your contract can cost anywhere upward of $175. Some contracts are 1-year in length, others are 2-years. Often choosing a longer-term contract will decrease the monthly payment. However having a higher monthly bill with a shorter contract length might be a more attractive choice for your individual family plan. For example, if a family move is a possibility in the future, a shorter-term contract might be the best option, if you move out of the coverage area of your current cell phone provider.

The real key to choosing a phone, cell phone provider, plan, or contract length, is an upfront approach with all of your questions before you sign a contract. Get all of your concerns taken care of in detail, from all potential providers, before your decide and read the small print in every contract. This will ensure a happy relationship between you and your provider, and you and your family will be thankful for it.

*not responsible for prices quoted as they constantly change over time.



Khalilah

Emman Da Ballurr asked:


How do prepaid phones work? Do you buy the phone then put money/credits onto the card to make phone calls and what not? Although a plan is needed?

Thomasina

Kelly M asked:


I need a new phone but I want to keep my sim card and just transfer phones. I tried the i95cl but apparently that won’t work. I don’t really understand all of this. Thanks for your help.

Leland

Luis asked:


in the movie Rock N Rolla by: Guy Ritchie all of them use some pretty coll cell phones and i was wondering what are the make and model of each. i am planning on getting on buying a better phone.

Alessandra

Big “D” asked:


I lost my phone a few days ago. Both the holster and phone are gone. Do service providers have a service that finders can get phones back to the owner? Who makes a good holster that can keep the phone with the holster and the holster on you?

Lisbeth

God’s Angel asked:


When I was looking up phones on the web some of the phones stated the service providers while most of them. If wanting to buy a certain phone, how can I find which serivce provider it is compatible with?

Wm

Brooke Yan asked:


It’s easier than ever to have a phone where you want one. The newest breed of cordless phones lets you put a handset in any room in the house, even if no phone jack is nearby.

However, manufacturers still offer a bewildering array of phones: inexpensive models that offer the basics; multihandset, full-featured phones with a built-in answering machine; single-line and two-line phones; digital and analog phones, and different frequency bands. In many instances, a phone will have a phone-answerer sibling. Many phone-answerers come in a phone-only version. If you have a cordless phone that’s several years old, it’s probably a 900-MHz phone. Newer phones use higher frequencies, namely 2.4 or 5.8 GHz. They aren’t necessarily better than the older ones, but they may provide more calling security and a wider array of useful capabilities and features.

WHAT’S AVAILABLE

AT&T, Bell South, GE, Panasonic, Uniden, and VTech account for more than 70 percent of the market. VTech owns the AT&T Consumer Products Division and now makes phones under the AT&T brand as well as its own name.

The current trends include phones that support two or more handsets with one base, less expensive 2.4- and 5.8-GHz analog phones, and full-featured 2.4 and 5.8-GHz digital phones. Some of the multiple-handset-capable phones now include an additional handset with a charging cradle. About a third of the cordless phones sold include a digital answering machine.

A main distinction among cordless phones is the way they transmit their signals. Here are some terms that you may see while shopping and what they mean for you:

Analog. These phones are the least expensive type available now. They tend to have the better voice quality and enough range to let you chat anywhere in your house and yard, or even a little beyond. They are also unlikely to cause interference to other wireless products. But analog transmission isn’t very secure; anyone with an RF scanner or comparable wireless device might be able to listen in. Analog phones are also more likely than digital phones to suffer occasional static and RF interference from other wireless products. Price range: $15 to $100.

Digital. These offer about the same range as analog phones, but with better security and less susceptibility to RF interference. And, like analogs, they are unlikely to cause interference to other wireless products. Price range: $50 to $130.

Digital spread spectrum (DSS). A DSS phone distributes a call across a number of frequencies, providing an added measure of security and more immunity from RF interference. The range may be slightly better than that of analog or digital phones. Note that some DSS phones–usually the 2.4-GHz or the multiple-handset -capable phones with handset-to-handset talk capabilities–use such a wide swath of the spectrum even in standby mode that they may interfere with baby monitors and other wireless products operating in the same frequency band. Price range: $75 to $225 (for multiple handset systems).

Frequency. Cordless phones use one or two of the three available frequency bands:

* 900-MHz. Some manufacturers still make inexpensive, 900-MHz phones, usually analog. They are fine for many households, and still account for about one-quarter of the market.

* 2.4-GHz. The band most phones now use. Unfortunately, many other wireless products–baby monitors, wireless computer networks, home security monitors, wireless speakers, microwaves ovens–use the same band. A 2.4-GHz analog phone is inherently susceptible to RF interference from other wireless devices, and a 2.4-GHz DSS phone may cause interference in other products. However, DSS phones billed as “802.11-friendly” are unlikely to interfere with wireless computer networks.

* 5.8-GHz. The band that newer phones use. Its main advantage: less chance of RF interference because few other products currently use this band. Some phones are dual-band, but that only means they transmit between base and handset in one band and receive in another; you can’t switch to or choose one band or another.

IMPORTANT FEATURES

Standard features on most cordless phones include handset earpiece volume control, handset ringer, last-number redial, a pager to locate the handset, a flash button to answer call waiting, and a low-battery indicator.

Some phones let you support two or more handsets with just one base without the need for extra phone jacks. Additional handsets including the charging cradle are usually sold separately, although more phones are being bundled with an additional handset and charging cradle.

An LCD screen, found on many handsets and on some bases, can display a personal phone directory and useful information such as the name and/or number dialed, caller ID, battery strength, or how long you’ve been connected. Caller ID displays the name and number of a caller and the date and time of the call if you use your phone company’s caller ID service. If you have caller ID with call waiting, the phone will display data on a second caller when you’re already on the phone.

A phone that supports two lines can receive calls for two phone numbers–useful if you have, say, a business line and a personal line that you’d like to use from a single phone. Some of the phones have two ringers, each with a distinctive pitch to let you know which line is ringing. The two-line feature also facilitates conferencing two callers in three-way connections. Some two-line phones have an auxiliary jack data port to plug in a fax, modem, or other phone device that can also be useful.

A speaker phone offers a hands-free way to converse or wait on hold and lets others chime in as well. A base speakerphone lets you answer a call without the handset; a handset speakerphone lets you chat hands-free anywhere in the house as long as you stay within a few feet of the handset.

A base keypad supplements the keypad on the handset. It’s handy for navigating menu-driven systems, since you don’t have to take the phone away from your ear to punch the keys. Some phones have a lighted keypad that either glows in the dark or lights up when you press a key, or when the phone rings. This makes the phone easier to use in low-light conditions. All phones have a handset ringer, and many phones have a base ringer. Some let you turn them on or off, adjust the volume, or change the auditory tone.

Many cordless phones have a headset jack on the handset and include a belt clip for carrying the phone. This allows hands-free conversation anywhere in the house. Some phones have a headset jack on the base, which allows hands-free conversation without any drain on the handset battery. Headsets are usually sold separately for about $20.

Other convenient features include auto talk, which lets you lift the handset off the base for an incoming call and start talking without having to press a button, and any key answer.

Some phones provide a battery holder for battery backup–a compartment in the base to charge a spare handset battery pack or to hold alkaline batteries for base-power backup, either of which can enable the phone to work if you lose household AC power. Still, it’s wise to keep a corded phone somewhere in your home.

Some multiple-handset-capable phones allow conversation between handsets in an intercom mode and facilitate conferencing handsets with an outside party. In intercom mode, the handsets have to be within range of the base for handset-to-handset use. Others lack this handset-to-handset talk capability; they allow you to transfer calls from handset to handset but not to use the handsets to conference with an outside caller. Still other phones allow direct communication between handsets, so you can take them with you to use like walkie-talkies. Some phones can register up to eight handsets, for instance, but that doesn’t mean you can use all eight at once. You might be able to use two for handset-to-handset intercom, while two others conference with an outside party.

HOW TO CHOOSE

Decide how much hardware you need. The basic options are a stand-alone phone, a phone with a built-in answerer, or a phone that supports multiple handsets from one base. A stand-alone phone is best suited for small families or people in a small apartment with little need for more than one phone. The built-in answerer, a common choice, adds a big measure of convenience. A multiple-handset phone is good for active families who need phones throughout the house; this type of phone lets you put handsets in a room that doesn’t have a phone jack.

Select the technology and frequency band. A 900-MHz phone should suit most users, but that type may be hard to find because 2.4- and 5.8-GHz models dominate. You’re likely to find the widest range of models and prices with 2.4-GHz phones. But if you want to minimize problems of interference with other wireless products, look to a 5.8-GHz or 900-MHz phone. Analog phones, apt to be less expensive than digital, are fine for many people. But if privacy is important, choose a DSS or digital phone.

To be sure you’re actually getting a DSS or digital phone for its voice-transmission security, check the packaging carefully. Look for wording such as “digital phone,” “digital spread spectrum (DSS)” or “frequency-hopping spread spectrum (FHSS).” Phrases such as “phone with digital security code,” “phone with all-digital answerer,” or “spread spectrum technology” (not digital spread spectrum) all denote phones that are less secure.

Phones that use dual-band transmission may indicate the higher frequency in a larger print on the packaging. If you want a true 2.4- or 5.8-GHz phone, check the fine print. If only the frequency is prominently shown on the package, it’s probably analog.

Settle on the features you want. You can typically expect caller ID, a headset jack, and a base that can be wall-mounted. But the features don’t end there for both stand-alone phones and phone-answerers. Check the box or ask to see an instruction manual to be sure you’re getting the capabilities and features that matter to you. As a rule, the more feature-laden the phone, the higher its price.

Performance variations. Consumer Reports’ tests show that most new cordless phones have very good overall voice quality. Some are excellent, approaching the voice quality of the best corded phones. In our latest tests, most fully charged nickel-cadmium (Ni-Cd) or nickel-metal hydride (Ni-MH) batteries handled eight hours of continuous conversation before they needed recharging. Most manufacturers claim that a fully charged battery will last at least a week in standby mode. When they can no longer hold a charge, a replacement battery, usually proprietary, costs about $10 to $25, and may be difficult to find. Some phones use less-expensive AA or AAA rechargeable batteries. (To find a store that will recycle a used battery, call 800-822-8837.)

Give the handset a test drive. In the store, hold the handset to your head to see if it feels comfortable. It should fit the contours of your face. The earpiece should have rounded edges and a recessed center that fits nicely over the middle of your ear. Check the buttons and controls to make sure they’re reasonably sized and legible.

Don’t discard the corded phone. It’s a good idea to keep at least one corded phone in your home, if only for emergencies. A cordless phone may not work if you lose electrical power, and a cell phone won’t work if you can’t get a signal or the circuits are full. A corded phone draws its power from the phone system and can function without household AC power.

MESSAGE CENTERS AND ANSWERING MACHINES

Digital answering machines come as stand-alone devices or as part of a phone/answerer combo unit. The main advantage of a combo unit–less clutter–has to be weighed against the loss of one part of the combo if the other goes bad. Answerers usually have standard features and capabilities such as a selectable number of rings and a toll-saver, answerer on/off control, call screening, remote access from a touch-tone phone, and a variety of ways to navigate through your messages. Most have a message day/time stamp, can delete all messages or just individual ones, allow you to adjust the speaker volume, and can retain messages and greeting after a momentary power outage.

Other answerer features you may want to consider are the number of mailboxes, advanced playback controls, remote handset access, conversation recording, a message counter display that indicates the number of messages received, and a visual indicator or audible message alert that lets you know when you have new messages.

In Consumer Reports’ tests, most answerers delivered very good voice quality for recorded messages and good quality for the greeting. Phones that let you record your greeting through the handset (i.e., using the remote handset access) usually sound better. Some let you listen to your greeting through the handset, as opposed to listening though the base speaker; that gives you a better indication of how the greeting will sound to the calling party. Price range: $20 to $80 (stand-alone units); $30 to $240 (combos).

Copyright © 2002-2006 Consumers Union of U.S., Inc.

For the latest information on this and many other products and services, visit www.ConsumerReports.org.

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Lorine

Chuka asked:


What features do you think mobile-phone users would expect to see in their phones in the near future? That, what feasible traits do you expect should be available on our mobile-phones in the coming future? In your opinion, what do you think the needs of cell-phone users are?

Neva

sandjoy542001 asked:


I’ve been trying to do my homework, and unfortunately the cell phones that look really cool with the best features are not usable where I live. verizon seems to have the coolest, with T-mobile next. I can get an iphone here, but the others seem better. Unfortunately, no coverage here for either company. Why can’t you just pick a phone you like and it work with a different company?

Ashlea

kristof asked:


I need to write an article for my school paper but i don’t have a good topic. I want to write about how annoying cell phones are. Can you suggest something?

Bridget