Wireless Buying Tips

Choosing the right calling plan goes hand in hand with choosing the appropriate phone. Both need to work together and meet your needs simultaneously.

If this is your first phone and plan, start small and choose a plan with fewer minutes that you can upgrade if you are satisfied with the service. Its much easier to upgrade than it is to break a contract or downgrade your existing plan.

Picking the right service plan doesn't have to be a daunting task. There are however, some important points to consider. For instance:

• How many minutes will you require?
• How much do you want to spend?
• Should I go digital or PCS?

If your an "in case of emergencies" cell phone user and plan on making only occasional and mostly local calls, then you really only need basic local coverage. Roaming charges wont matter much because most of your calls will be within you local networks coverage area. These plans are easy to come by and offer coverage within a specific area and charge extra for calls outside of your state.

If however, you are a traveler and will required multi-state coverage, then you might consider a regional plan which gives breaks on roaming charges and generally include long distance for free. Nationwide plans are also available for the road-warriors. These plans also offer no roaming charges and free long distance but offer a nationwide footprint.

One very important aspect to consider is the number of minutes you will require. Plans typically offer thousands of minutes however, some are "anytime" minutes and some are "night / weekend" only. Its common for a cell phone user to deplete all of their anytime minutes quickly and have to pay additional charges for daytime use when there are still plenty of night / weekend minutes left unused. The best bet is to think about when you will be making calls and choose a plan that has the most minutes during this time period. Most plans designate 7am - 7pm usage as anytime minutes. Family plans are also available that offer blocks of minutes for each family member to use.

Once you have an idea of the type of coverage (local/regional/national), and the number of minutes you will require, keep in mind some of the additional expenses involved when buying a plan.

• Activation fees. Typically in the $25 range but can be waived as a promotion.
  
  
• Cost of the phone. Free phone deals typically offer older or overstock models. To get the phone you want, you may have to sign a multi-year contract.

Before you sign on the dotted line, look at the overall deal. Are you having to pay too much for your plan to get the phone you want? Is your mix of anytime minutes not quite what you were looking for? A good general rule of thumb is to start with a less expensive plan and move up. Don't make a quick decision. Take some time and shop some of the many service plans available.