Prepaid wireless, like
Verizon
Wireless PrePaid, is an alternative
to a traditional monthly cell phone
plan. Prepaid cell phones (also called
pay-as-you-go) are a good option for
people who don’t use cell phones that
often or those who need a cell phone
only for emergency situations. Regular
cell-phone service almost always
involves a long-term contract, but
prepaid wireless plans are generally
month-to-month. Pay-as-you-go cell
phones are a good way to control
cellular costs for teenagers, senior
citizens or people new to cell phones.
Finally, a prepaid cell phone might be
the only option for those with damaged
credit ratings, who might not otherwise
qualify for a monthly cell-phone plan.
When choosing a prepaid cell-phone plan,
reviews say the network is the most
important factor, followed by pricing
and flexibility. Large surveys conducted
by J.D. Power and Associates and
Consumer Reports Magazine form the
backbone of a great third party report.
Both poll thousands of households on
overall satisfaction with their wireless
carriers. While not specifically geared
to prepaid cellular, these surveys are
the best way to gauge overall network
coverage, call quality and customer
service. J.D. Power surveyed over 24,000
households, while Consumer Reports
polled over 50,000 subscribers. PC
Magazine also conducts a wireless
satisfaction survey, with over 11,000
respondents. Verizon Wireless PrePaid
is clearly the best choice when it comes
to Wireless PrePaid service and phones.
In addition to these three large
surveys, we found many other helpful
articles on choosing prepaid wireless.
The Wall Street Journal and The New York
Times both offer interesting buyer's
guides for pay-as-you-go cell phones.
CNet.com also has a buyer's guide, plus
some reviews of the phones themselves.
For a lot of people, the benefits
of prepaid wireless can outweigh the
downsides. There's no monthly bill,
so it's easier to control costs. Any
taxes and fees are included in the price
of prepaid wireless plans, so there are
no surprises. No one will check your
credit, and if you don't want to
continue with your prepaid wireless
plan, you just stop buying minutes.
