From Eveningsnews.com
Keep Your Cell Phone Costs in Check This New Year
By
Jan 6, 2008, 21:06
(NC)-Thinking of treating yourself to a cell phone this New Year? Be cell savvy and follow these simple steps for getting the most out of your phone without spending a fortune:
. Determine your cell phone personality. Do you talk or text no matter what time of day? Do you use your cell phone for security, to stay in touch or to socialize? The answers to these questions affect how you use your phone and what kind of plan you might want.
. Understand cell phone basics in your area - are there coverage gaps?
. What are the add-on fees and how much will they cost? Fees can include a network access fee, 911 service and taxes where applicable.
. Research the times of day you plan to use your phone. Ask your provider how they define day and night time calling as times vary between providers.
. Research text messaging, long distance, caller identification and voice mail - all of these features can cost extra and you may not need them.
. Research the battery life, durability and accessories for the phone.
. Have a look at the phone to determine if the keyboard is easy to use and if the screen display is easy to read.
. Pre-paid versus contracts - pre-paid offers advantages for managing your costs and allows greater flexibility to change plans or providers, however they may not offer the best price per minute. Contracts may offer lower rates for minutes and discounts on the actual phone, however, can also require commitment to a long term contract.
. Go over your first bill and ask yourself these questions - are you using the minutes in your plan that you pay for? Are long distance or roaming charges too much for you? Are you sending more text messages than you expected? Talk to your provider - they may have a plan better suited to your needs.
More information is available on this topic in the booklet, "Cellphone Choices for Canadians: A Checklist" produced by Industry Canada. You can find it at www.ConsumerInformation.ca.
© Copyright by EveningsNews.com