Wireless plans have come a long way in the United States. It wasn’t that long ago that you had to pay around $50 a month to get a limited number of calling minutes on your wireless plan. If you wanted to have unlimited calling, then you would have to pay at least $100 a month. These plans didn’t even include text messaging or mobile data. The days of counting your minutes to avoid overage charges are now over. Today unlimited calling and text messaging have become the industry standard for wireless plans. These days you can have unlimited calling, texting, and 4G LTE data for the price you used to pay for a few hundred cell phone minutes. In spite of this, American consumers still pay some of the highest prices in the world for wireless service. Not to mention that many people are paying for more than they use. This is partly because most people are not aware of the many options that are out there. Some people may know that there are other options available, but the wide array of different choices can be overwhelming. Some people are afraid that if they switch carriers, they will lose their phone number. We would like to explain the different types of options that are out there to help you find the top value for your needs so you can save on your wireless plan.
What Do You Use?
Before exploring the different options, you need to figure out what you use each month. How many minutes do you use each month? Many people mostly rely on texting and very rarely pick up the phone and make or answer a call. How often you do you send or receive text messages? Many people don’t use text messaging at all. How much data do you use each month? Maybe you are on too high of a rate plan and are paying for data that you don’t even use. Do you only call domestically or do you call internationally as well? Once you answer these questions, you can make a much better decision about which wireless plan you should be on.
Postpaid vs Prepaid
There are two main types of cell phone plans, postpaid and prepaid. As the name suggests, postpaid are plans that you use first and pay for at the end of the month and prepaid are plans that you pay for and then use. Both postpaid and prepaid plans have come a long way. In the past, all of the monthly plans were postpaid. Prepaid plans were offered in the form of pay-as-you-go plans which had much higher rates than the postpaid plans. Now, the tables have turned and carriers are offering most prepaid services in the form of monthly plans as well and at much lower prices than the postpaid plans.
The Big 4 vs MVNOs
All of the big four carriers, Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, and Sprint, offer prepaid plans as do their subsidiaries, Cricket, Metro, Virgin, and Boost. These are not the only carriers out there, though. There are also countless other carriers known as MVNOs. MVNOs or mobile virtual network operators are service providers that don’t own a wireless network, but rather operate off of the network of an MNO or mobile network operator. Many of them offer a much better value than the primary carriers. Examples of MVNOs include Red Pocket Mobile, Ultra Mobile, H2O Wireless, and Lycamobile.
Free Cell Phone Service
Not only can you get cell phone service these days for next to nothing, but if you qualify you can even get free cell phone service through the government Lifeline program. Each state has different programs and plans, but in California, the Lifeline wireless plan includes free unlimited calling, texting, and a few gigabytes of 4G LTE high-speed data.
Number Porting
A lot of people are afraid that if they switch service providers, they will lose their phone number, but actually, laws require carriers to allow you to transfer or port your number to another carrier as long as your service is still active with them. The process is very simple and straightforward. All you need is your account number and PIN (personal identification number.
Conclusion
We understand that trying to save money on your cell phone bill may seem confusing and frustrating, but that is where we would like to help. At TopValue Prepaid we have a passion for saving you money. With our wide array of carriers and plans, you can find the top value to suit your needs the best.
