This guide addresses the different options to get an active cell phone regardless of what wireless company you choose as well as the pro and cons of the different options.  eBay is the best place to find a cell phone, really, you can get them at wholesale prices, below address the wireless service once you have cell phone. If you find this guide helpful, please help other find it by clicking "Yes" in the blue title bar below, thanks for reading.  JustCellular on eBay

Basically, each wireless phone company whether it be Cingular, T Mobile, Verizon, US Cellular or others, offer two types of cell phone plans:  Prepaid Plans (pay as you go) or Contract Plans (one or two year long commitment).   I will discuss each separately:

Contract Plans: 

       What is a Contract Plan:  All wireless companies want you to sign a contract with them that obligates you to use their service for at least a year and in most cases two years.   After your contract expires, you are kept on the same plan on a month to month basis. 

       How do I get a Contract Plan:  You can go to a cell phone store or call the wireless company directly (they all have websites) and they run your credit and, if you qualify, they have you sign a contract.

       Pros and Cons:  The pros are that the per minute charges are cheapest if you use most of the allotted minutes without going over.    The Contract Plans are all the same, you get a certain amount of minutes per month whether you use them or not (Cingular has a roll over option) and if you go over the plan minutes, each minute cost you dramatically more, typically 35 to 40 cents pre minute.  The trick is to get enough minutes without going over.  If your cell phone usage is consistent from month to month, this is not to hard.  If it is not, that is were it gets tricky. You really have to get a plan that a lots you plenty of minutes, because if you go over it gets very expensive very quickly.  The other con is if you get really bad coverage were you use the phone and want to switch carriers, you are stuck.  Try going prepaid for a month or two before committing to a contract.

Prepaid Plans:

       What is a Prepaid Plan:  Prepaid plans are what their name suggest, you pay for the minutes before you use them.   Generally you buy blocks of minutes in time cards that range in price from $10.00 to $100.00.  The larger the card the more minutes you get and the cheaper per minute the minutes are.  They range from 10 cents a minute on the larger cards to approximately 20 cents a minute for the smaller cards. 

       How do I get a Prepaid Plan:  They are real easy to do, no credit check required.  With the CDMA carriers which include Alltel, Qwest, US Cellular and Verizon, you can either call them directly or go in to a retail store.  If you have a credit card, you can do it over the phone by calling the wireless company directly.  If you don’t, you have to go to a retail store and pay in person.  With the GSM carriers like Cingular and T Mobile, you have to get a starter kit that includes a sim card.  Generally they are $15 to $20 each.  Again, if you have a credit card, you can purchase the starter kit over the phone, otherwise you have to purchase one in person.

      Pros and Cons:  The pros are that you cost are known up front, prepaid it great for kids and others that you are paying the bills and don’t want them to get out of control.  The drawback is that it can be inconvenient to refill your minutes.  You can buy the minutes almost everywhere, however, if you are in a middle of a call it a bummer to run out of minutes.   The other con is that the minutes are more expensive, even though they have come down dramatically over the last several years and are pretty comparable to contract minutes.

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