Cellular Phone Companies

Unless you live in a fairly rural or remote area, you will probably have at least several cellular phone companies to choose from. And, as you probably already know from the ads in the newspaper and on radio and TV, each company offers a complex array of service plans and contracts. These are sold either directly from the company or through resellers in brick-and-mortar stores or on the Web. Great deals are always on offer. Where should you begin?

We suggest reading our section on Cellular Phone Plans to acquaint yourself with the range of choices you're likely to be offered, such as a local, regional, or national calling area, and options like roaming, long distance, and Internet connectivity. Then go to an online clearinghouse like Letstalk.com, where you'll be prompted to enter your ZIP code and the features you want in a plan. Then you can generate a list of the cellular phone companies and service plans available in your area and meeting your criteria. (See Cellular Phone Services for more on finding a quality service.)

Cellular Phone Plans

There are more cellular phone plans available than ever before, with new options coming along all the time. When Cellular Phones first came on the market, users barely had a choice among cellular phone companies, and cellular phone plan options were quite limited. Now you can choose a contract plan or a no contract plan, a monthly plan or a prepaid plan, a plan for you alone, a family plan, or a share plan that lets you share services and airtime among a group of people.