| There are quite a few people that buy cell phones that | | | | agreement? Prepaid cell phones are the preference |
| already have minutes prepaid on the phone in | | | | for many than that of a binding contract. You get the |
| advance. People buy these phones not because they | | | | same type of service with a prepaid cell phone without |
| can't afford more expensive phones, but because | | | | any monthly service charges. You do have to pay for |
| they won't be using the phone that often, and they | | | | the minutes as you use them, but other than that |
| don't need all or the extra bells and whistles that some | | | | there's no obligation to stay with that service provider. |
| of the more advanced phones come with. | | | | If you are going to use the phone more often than not |
| Many phones today offer features and or options that | | | | (more than 15 minutes a day) then you may want to |
| are unnecessary for the average phone user. For | | | | consider a contract based agreement. Generally |
| example, there are some phones that have Internet | | | | speaking the people who buy prepaid phones only do |
| capabilities and cameras built into them and most | | | | so because they want a cell phone only for |
| recently HTC came out with a phone that has a | | | | emergency purposes. |
| projector built into it. At the price that some of these | | | | There are plans available now that are prepaid, and |
| cell phones are selling for it really doesn't make sense | | | | that you allow calling mobile to mobile with unlimited |
| for the average person to buy them. Cell phone | | | | minutes (if you're on the same network usually). You |
| companies do have discounts and promotions in place, | | | | always want to make sure that you read all of the |
| whereby if a person is willing to sign a two-year | | | | information for whatever service i.e. prepaid or |
| contract then they would get a phone for free. | | | | contract based, before selecting your phone. Once |
| However, after that person goes through a year of | | | | you select a phone (prepaid or contract) you more |
| service they will know that the phone really is not free | | | | than likely will not be able to use that same phone with |
| due to the fact that the phone company makes their | | | | the other choice. E.g. if you get prepaid phone you |
| money on the service that they provide and not so | | | | probably will not be able to take that same phone and |
| much on the phone. | | | | use it on a contract-based network and vice versa. |
| So what are the alternatives to a contract based | | | | |