Subject: [NEXTEL-1] Cut through the Cacophony of Cell Phone Promotions; Find the Best Plan for You

From: Marcel <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 10 Feb 2003 20:09:44 -0500

Cut through the Cacophony of Cell Phone Promotions; Find the Best Plan for You

February 10, 2003 3:12am

Feb. 10--The December run on cell phones and service has subsided, but consumers are still
being
bombarded with newspaper and television ads touting the latest bundle of minutes.

Plans are numerous and consumers often find
themselves overwhelmed by choices. But
here's a guide to making the right connection.

First, according to Allan Keiter, president of
MyRatePlan.com, only buy the calling area
needed. Most carriers have segmented their
offerings between local, regional, national and
network pricing, which lets people buy a plan
based on where they use the phone. Keiter's
MyRatePlan.com allows consumers to
compare prices for various wireless services. In
their wireless calculator, an effort is made to
show every carrier and plan in a market.

"However, as the coverage area gets wider, the
cost per minute built into the plan goes up,"
Keiter said. "Some people like to buy the
national plans because they are simpler, no
roaming to worry about. But that comes at a cost, since it is built into the price per
minute in the plan."

Keiter also advises buying a plan with more minutes than is anticipated.

"This is becoming more important as the price per minute for 'overage', the charge for
additional minutes
after package minutes are exhausted, has been increased by almost every carrier in recent
months," he
said. "This means that the 'cost' of guessing wrong is more expensive."

The same is true of roaming charges, which have been raised to 69 or 79 cents per minute
by carriers.

"It's the hidden stuff that's getting more expensive," Keiter said.

Most advise only signing a one year contract.

"That gives you leverage," said Matt Handal, production director of LowerMyBills.com. "If
your contract
expires after a year, you can go in and change to a better plan, or see if they will match
what you had."

The $20 per month plans, which used to be so popular, have been replaced by more minutes
with plans
costing from $39 to $99 per month.

"If you are just using the phone for emergencies, consider a prepaid option," Handal said.
"You have to
consider your calling pattern."

To do so, look at past bills.

"There is a real perception about what you think you use, and what you actually use," said
Eddie Guadina
of Indiana Wireless in Highland. "When you look at the bill, that's the reality. See if
you are always calling
one person in the family, and would benefit from a mobile-to-mobile plan."

Guadina advises teenagers in particular to buy the plan and not the phone.

"A teenager might want the cute phone, but it might not be on the network that would be
best for them," he
said. "Also, $20 plans don't exist any more, all the plans are giving you more and more
minutes. But there
are many plans that are good enough. For example, people want free roaming. If you travel
once a month or
more, that could be a good option. But do you really need all that coverage if you only go
on vacation once
a year?"

All advise to look for plans that include features that make sense for particular needs,
such as night and
weekend bonus minutes, or free long distance which can be used as a way to replace long
distance calls
from home.

"A big trend is that people are giving up their home phones," Guadina said. "If you are
spending $40 per
month on a wireless phone, and $80 on the home phone, do the math. Get an AT&T plan with
unlimited
minutes for $99."

Family plans can save money if there are two or more users needing cell service and can
share minutes.
Other plans, like Nextel, offer push to talk service, which are not subtracted from the
monthly minutes.

But perhaps the most important factor to consider is coverage. Since a phone that doesn't
work where it is
needed is not very helpful, it often pays to ask others about their experience with a
carrier.

"There are always coverage maps, but those are so generic," said Carolyn Scofield,
district manger for
Noble Communications in Hammond, Munster and Merrillville. "You have to be sure the
dealership you are
going to gets you into a service area that works for you. When we get someone from Crown
Point, Cedar
Lake, Lowell, I know what service won't work."

Some carriers allow for the phone to be returned within a week or two after purchase if
the coverage is found
to be unacceptable, without the contract breaking penalties.

"Some of the companies are working on their own towers, but it really helps to go to
someone you trust
rather than a storefront beeper company," Scofield said. "As the competition increases,
people are getting
unlimited nights and weekends, unlimited long distance. But before anyone signs a
contract, they really
need to think about how they use their phone."

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