Choosing the right phone plan for your needs can save you a lot of money in the long run. With that said, trying to figure out what cable and cell phone companies have on offer has never been more complicated. The first step is to choose between a landline and a mobile phone, as there is a lot of variation between plans.
The following guide can help you to narrow down your priorities and choose the correct phone plan for your communication and budget needs.
Landlines
Landline telephones use metal wires or fiber optic telephone lines. They are typically hooked up to a building or settlement and cannot be removed from that place. In 2003, there were a reported 1.263 billion landlines. A decade later, in 2013, there were a mere 1.16 billion landline subscribers.
As smart phones become increasingly popular and affordable, landlines are reaching the point of becoming obsolete. However, there are still several reasons why you might want to install (or keep) a landline telephone.
First, consider others in your household. If you have elderly individuals or young children living with you, it might be a good idea to keep your landline. Another benefit of landlines is that they ring throughout the house, which means that when you are home, there is less of a chance of missing a call. Landlines also prove helpful in emergencies, as they allow dispatchers to find out exactly where you are calling from.
For a home phone plan, it’s possible to pay between $4 and $50 per month, depending on the features you would like included in the plan. Features might include call display, call waiting, call forwarding, long distance minutes, and voicemail, among others. Home phone connections may be featured in a bundle including a cable television package and an internet connection.
Cell Phones
Cell phone plans tend to be more complicated than home phone plans. Not so long ago, subscribing to a mobile phone plan involved signing a two- or three-year contract. However, these days, many phone companies have abolished contracts in favor of fast-upgrade plans, which allow subscribers to pay off the cost of their phone in monthly installments. The longer they stay subscribed to the phone plan, the more they are able to pay off. Other companies simply add the cost of the phone to a monthly bill in installments. Subscribing to a cell phone plan can cost anywhere from $15 for a basic plan to $100 per month. Often, features and data allotment usually determine the monthly cost of a cell phone plan subscription.
Cell phone plans may include a wide variety of features, many of which are similar to landline phone plans—voicemail, call waiting, call forwarding, etc. However, they differ from landline plans in that most offer a data connection, allowing users to browse the internet or connect to internet-based applications while on the go. Plans with unlimited data are generally the most costly. Other options include family or business plans which allow subscribers to share data.
