Prepaid Cell Phones: Dump Your Wireless Contract Now
The main reason people choose prepaid cell phones is not to save money, but to avoid or get rid of an offensive contract agreement. Wireless contracts seem to have been written in the dark ages, and here are some things you need to know about them.
Your wireless contract is about way more than just agreeing to keep the service for a specific amount of time. If you read the fine print you’ll be appalled at some of the terms you are asked to agree to.
No Service? Too Bad.
First of all, there’s the obvious issue of not being able to try the service on before you commit. If your vendor doesn’t work in your neighborhood, too bad; you’ve singed the contract and there’s no backing out for lack of service.
Understand this is NOT uncommon with contract wireless services who rely only on specific tower networks. Prepaid cell phones, on the other hand, will normally work through any tower network that is nearby.
Of course this benefit doesn’t stand when you buy a prepaid plan from a contract vendor. True prepaid cell phone services operate as stand-alone entities, apart from their contract-based competitors.
Instant Contract Renewal Without Your Consent
Once you’re plugged into a contract with a wireless company, don’t plan on simply getting out of it when the time is up. Often, your contract will auto renew unless you specifically cancel it, and many companies will only allow you to cancel on the very last day of the contract term!
You should also know that any time you buy a car charger, extra handset, or calling plan upgrade the sales rep can (and usually does) extend your contract without even telling you about it. This is all fair play according to the contract you signed but probably didn’t read in the beginning.
Contracts You Signed Can Be Changed At Any Time
Perhaps the most outrageous part of wireless contract plans is the fact that the company without your knowledge or consent can change them at any time. Your signature binds you to any changes the company wants to make in the future, including clauses to make it harder for you to get out from under your agreement!
It’s actually shocking that such blatant manipulation and bullying of the consumer is even legal. And frankly it’s little wonder that over 60% of all global wireless users opt for prepaid cell phone service.
Putting Your Foot Down And Ending The Contract Nightmare
Of course the best way to avoid these insane contracts is not to sign them. You should choose a prepaid cell phone plan instead of using a major contract provider.
But if you’ve already been sucked into an unfair contract, what can you do to get out?
You’ll be forced to pay a fee that ranges from $150 to $1,500 if you choose to breech your contract. You could of course hire a lawyer to find a loophole, but you won’t save any money going that route.
Honestly, paying the breech fee is nothing compared to the money you could lose if you stay with your contract provider. So just sucking it up and shelling out is one way to get clear.
Also, be aware that you can’t be forced to pay this fee. So you could simply terminate your account and refuse to pay the breech fee.
Your contract provider will of course report this to credit companies. But no collection team will come to your home demanding the money.
And it’s easy to get a credit counselor to help you dispute an item on your credit report. You’d be surprised what you can get removed with a little persistence.
This advice may not be “white hat” to a lot of people, but how forthright and righteous are these ludicrous contract arrangements we’ve been talking about? The bottom line is: you need to do what’s necessary to stand up for yourself and refuse to be pushed around by these insensitive, money-hungry contract wireless providers.
Watch the video related to compare cell phone service
When comparing wireless calling plans, consider the price, find out what features are included in the package, understand the coverage in the area, and get information on roaming charges and overage fines. Compare wireless calling plans between the top cell phone providers with information from a wireless specialist in this free video on cell phones.
Help answer the question about compare cell phone service
Which cell phone is better? LG Shine or LG Vu?I watched reviews for both. I would love to have either but I can't come up with an idea of which is better. Please help me! I know the Vu is a touch screen but the Shine is 50 bucks cheaper. I went to the AT&T website compared and they have the exact same features. Go to http://www.wireless.att.com/cell-phone-service/compare-cell-phones/?LOSGId=&_requestid=14167 to see for yourself. The only different is weight. LG Shine is 4.0 ounces and the Vu is 3.0 ounces. Please help me!! I'm begging you
About Author
Dump your contract today – or avoid being pinned down in the first place – and learn more about prepaid cell phones. With a top quality service like Net 10 Phones you can get a free phone with airtime always as low as just 10 cents per minute!
http://www.letstalk.com
http://point.com
http://letstalk.com
http://www.wirefly.com
Coverage you might need to check the acualy compony sites sites.
Hi Blue
The best place to get your answer from people that live in Tucson is here
http://www.howardforums.com/search.php?searchid=5883359&q=tucson%20coverage
After you decide on the provider, take advantage of the 'test periods" offered, that way you are seeing first hand how good or bad coverage is in your area and home
Cheers
The difference between pre-paid and contract is that with pre-paid you don't sign up for anything and there is no account or bill that you have to pay every month. Contract is that you pay for a certain amount of minutes and services that you may or may not use every month and that bill comes every month.
As far as costs go, there isn't a big difference from what I've seen. To make sure you get the best rate, you really need to shop around and check out what people are selling…it all boils down to how many cents per minute you're going to be paying.
My recommendation is for you and your husband to get a contract so that if you ever need it, you won't have to worry about running out of minutes at an inopportune time. For the kids, I would recommend pre-paid. This is because, its been my expereince (I'm a teacher and I hear lots of stories) that most kids use their phones a lot either calling or text-messaging. This can run up an extremely high cell phone bill that you'll be stuck with. The worst story I ever heard was one of my students running up an $800 bill in one month from overage charges.
Also, before you do anything, check with your current cell phone provider and find out if you're under contract and if so what the early termination fee is (usually $150). This might make you're decision easier for now. As for pre-paid companies, I have heard that Boost and Virgin are pretty good companies.
Hi there:
The cell phone companies change, new ones appear every month, and they buy out each other constantly, so it is difficult to make an accurate list !
However, you do not say where in the world you are, so here is a brief list:
CELL PHONE CARRIERS
3 River WIreless
ACS WIreless
ALLTEL
Alltel #2
ANDHRA Pradesh AirTel
AT&T
AT&T Free2Go
AT$T Pocketnet PCS
BEELINE
Bell Atlatic
Bell Mobility Canada ( Different Provinces, Different Owners )
Bell Mobility Canada #2 ( If you move, you CANNOT move the phone!!)
Bell Mobility Canada #3 ( you end up paying 3 years AND buy a new phone )
Bell SOUTH ( Blackberry )
Bell South , #2, #3
Bell SOuth Mobility
Blue SKy Frog
Bluegrass Cellular
Boost
Bouygues Telecom, #2, #3
BPL Mobile
Carolina West Wireless
Cellular One
Cellular One East Coast
Cellular One South West
Cellular One West
Cellular One PCS
Cellular ONE #1, #2, #3, #4, #5
Cellular SOuth
Century Tel
Chennai RPG Cellular
Chaennai SkyTel / Airtel
Chennai Bell
Cingular, #2, #3, #4
Clearnet
Comcast
Comviq
Corr Wireless Communications
Delhi Aritel
Delhi Hutch
Dobson Cellular Systems
Dobson-Alex Wireless
DT T-Mobile
Dutchtone / ORANGE-NL
Edge Wireless
EMT
Escotel
FIDO
Genion
Goa BPLMobil
Golden Telecom
Green's Communications
GTE WIreless, #2, #3
Gujarat Celforce
Houston Cellular
Idea Cellular
Inland Cellular Telephone
Itineris
Kerala Escotel
Kolkata Airtel
Kyivstar
LMT
Maharashtra BPL Mobile
Maharashtra IDEAL Cellular
Manitoba Telecom Systems
MCI Phone
Megafon
Meteor , #2
Metro PCS, #2
MicroCell
Midwest WIreless
MiWorld
MobileComm
MobileONE
MobileFone
Mobility Bermuda
Mobility Tanzania
Mobtel Srbija
Motient
Movistar
MTS
Mumbai BPL Mobile
MUMBAI ORANGE
NBTel
Netcom
Nextel, #2
Nextel BR
NPI Wireless
Ntelos
O2, ( M-mail, Online, Prepaid )
Omnipoint, #2
One Connect
Online BEEP
Optus Mobile
Orange (Fr Telecom, Mumbai, NL/ Dutchtone )
OSKAR
P&T Luxembourg
Pacific Bell
PCS ONE
Pioneer / Enid Cellular
PLUS GSM
Pondicherry BPL Moboile
POWERTEL
Price Communications
Primco
Promtel
Public Service Cellular
Qwest
Rogers AT&T Wireless
ROGERS Wireless ( CDN )
Safaricom
Satelindo GSM
SFR France , #2, #3
Simple Freedom
SMART Telecom
SMF/ Schuylkill Mobile Fone
SouthernLinC
Southwestern Bell
SPRINT PCS
Suncom
Sunrise Mobile, #2
SureWest Communications
SwissCOm
T-Mobile ( #2, Austria, Germany, UK)
TalkLine
Tamil Nadu BPL Mobile
Tele2
Telefonica Movistar
Telenot
Telenor
Telia Denmark
TELUS
TIM
TRITON
UMC
Unicel
Uraltel
US Cellular, #2
US West
Uttar Pradesh Escotel
Verison, #2, #3
Vessotel
Virgin Mobile, #2
Vodafone (Germany, Italy, Japan, #2, #3, Spain, UK)
VoiceStream . T-Mobile
West Central Wireless
Western WIreless
Wyndtell
Yenisev Telecom
Note that in the big cities, there are hundreds of smaller carriers that only provide service in one small area. I can't list them all.
Hopefully you can choose the ones locally, and compare pricing.
good luck
robin
I've looked at the Vu, and to a certain extent I like it, but I've heard very mixed reactions to the touch screen on the Vu. If you want to watch TV on your phone, by all means, get the Vu, but if the Shine has all the features you want, and is cheaper, I'd go with that one. Even though the Shine is a little heavier, I've felt it and it feels like a more solid phone and the screen is gorgeous.
I'd suggest going into a store and playing with the Vu, you don't want to get wrapped into a contract with an expensive phone that you might end up hating.
iPod touch is probably your best bet right now. Dell is supposed to be coming out with a similar Android type device. Also you can get a smart phone that has WiFi and don't bother activating cellular service with it.
my tmobile 1500 cost me 35 pounds…about 70 a month…
PillSpot.org. Canadian Health&Care.No prescription online pharmacy.Special Internet Prices.Best quality drugs. Online Pharmacy. Order drugs online…
Buy:Zovirax.Zyban.Arimidex.Valtrex.Petcam (Metacam) Oral Suspension.Prevacid.Mega Hoodia.Accutane.Prednisolone.Nexium.Actos.Lumigan.Human Growth Hormone.Synthroid.Retin-A.100% Pure Okinawan Coral Calcium….
ebay http://jbushnellfmti9b0.ANTIQUEFURNINISHING.INFO/tag/ebay chairs beach/ : ebay…
ebay…
staples http://kwengerrrwv-w.01DODGEPARTS.US/tag/staples+allied+office/ : staples…
allied…
scotland http://fmadisonilr.ACEHARDWAREE.INFO/tag/scotland+Frond+perfume/ : Frond…
scotland…
home http://lfarberwarexxvxz.03GMCPARTS.US/tag/sears+depot+home/ : sears…
home…
8100 http://ebestxx8o.copious-systems.com/tag/8100+desktop+Desktop/ : desktop…
8100…