| Choosing a mobile phone plan can be difficult due to | | | | 4. Compare the plans of the main providers |
| conflicting and even misleading advertising offered by | | | | Once you have an idea of your calling needs and your |
| the companies that are vying for your attention. | | | | budget, take a look at the plans offered by the main |
| If you are not careful you may end up paying much | | | | providers in your area. Visit the websites of the |
| more than you expected and much more than is | | | | providers, read their brochures or talk to their sales |
| actually necessary. Here are some tips that will help | | | | representatives. |
| you to choose the right mobile phone plan, the one that | | | | Find out as much as you can about their call rates, |
| matches your budget and your communication | | | | billing system, length of contracts, discounts for |
| requirements. | | | | off-peak and holiday calling and other features of the |
| 1. Take your time. Don't rush into a plan without | | | | mobile phone plans on offer. Don't be afraid to ask |
| knowledge | | | | questions if you are not clear about the details of the |
| The billing structures of many phone plans are | | | | plans. |
| complicated and it is not easy to see, at first glance, | | | | 5. Find out what your friends and other consumers |
| how much you will actually pay if you sign up for one | | | | think about the various providers |
| of these plans. In addition to this, you have to weigh the | | | | A plan may look good on paper or may sound nice on |
| pros and cons of the plans offered by competing | | | | TV, but the quality of the service that is offered by the |
| companies. | | | | mobile phone provider is every bit as important as the |
| All of this takes careful attention and a bit of research. | | | | price. If you do not have connectivity when you need it, |
| So, don't jump for the first plan that you see, delay | | | | then even a cheap call rate will not help you out. If a |
| your decision until you are sure that you have found | | | | company gives poor customer support or is unethical |
| that mobile plan that is right for you. | | | | in handling billing disputes then their seemingly good plan |
| 2. Match the plan to your calling habits | | | | may not be worth it. |
| The key to getting the most economical plan is to | | | | Ask your friends, relatives and colleagues which |
| understand your own calling needs and to find a plan | | | | service they use and find out if they are satisfied. Also, |
| that gives rates that are favourable to your phone | | | | it is good to know which service your friends and |
| calling habits. Even an infrequent mobile phone user | | | | colleagues use, because it is often cheaper to call |
| can end up with an unnecessarily high bill if he or she | | | | people who are on the same network. If you find out |
| chooses a phone plan that does not match their | | | | that many of your friends are on one particular |
| needs. | | | | network and they are happy with it, then it will make |
| To understand your needs consider the following | | | | sense to sign up with that same service. |
| factors:a. Do you make calls in peak or off peak | | | | 6. Be careful when signing up for "capped" plans |
| hours? If you are making business calls, the bulk of | | | | The idea of a cap or ceiling on expenditure sounds like |
| your communications may be in peak hours, while if | | | | a great idea, especially if you have to look out for your |
| you will be using your mobile phone for social calls you | | | | monthly budget. However, many of the capped plans |
| may be able to call in off peak hours. Choose a plan | | | | have exclusions or sneaky charges and that might not |
| that gives you the best rates in the period when you | | | | protect you from receiving massive bills. |
| make the bulk of your mobile calls.b. Do you make | | | | The other problem with capped plans is actually not |
| local, national or international calls? If you need to call | | | | the fault of the phone companies but is the fault of the |
| out of your local area frequently, then look for a plan | | | | typical users. When they get a capped plan they think |
| that offers good rates for national and overseas | | | | that they will be protected from high costs and they |
| calls.c. Do you plan to use voice mail, send SMS | | | | start to radically change their usage patterns. They |
| messages, receive email or browse the web from | | | | begin to use the phone much more than they did in the |
| your mobile phone? These services are convenient, | | | | past because they think that they will not be charged |
| but some of them, can be expensive. If you do need | | | | for it. In the end they wind up with huge bills. If you are |
| them, pay careful attention to the charges for these | | | | not sure, it is better to avoid these capped plans. |
| services and choose a plan that gives you good value | | | | 7. Remember, fancy handsets are not free, nor do |
| for special services. | | | | they cost $1 |
| 3. Find the plan that fits your budget | | | | Many telephone companies offer a free or $1 phone |
| How much do you want to spend each month for | | | | when you sign a contract with them. The newest and |
| your mobile phone? How much can you afford to | | | | most fashionable phones, loaded with gadgets, are not |
| spend? Don't rush into a mobile phone plan blindly and | | | | cheap and they are definitely not free. If a company is |
| hope that you will be able to manage the bill later on. In | | | | offering you a deal that includes a free or cheap |
| order to understand how much you are actually going | | | | phone, you will probably be paying for it as part of |
| to pay you need to first consider what is the monthly | | | | your contract. |
| cost? | | | | If you really need a new phone or the phone that is |
| Then check to see how much you will be charged for | | | | being offered, and would have bought it anyway, then |
| calls. Are calls billed per second or for 30 second | | | | go ahead, but just remember that you are going to |
| intervals? Is there a connection fee or "flag fall" charge | | | | pay for it. |
| that is added on to each call? | | | | If you are about to sign-up for your first mobile phone |
| Make a rough calculation of your calls based on your | | | | plan or change your current mobile phone plan, then |
| recent calling activity and add it to the monthly charge | | | | consider these "7 Tips on Choosing the Right Mobile |
| and you will get an idea of what to expect. | | | | Phone Plan" and make the best possible choice. |