A Comparison of Prepaid
Cell Phones and Service

Prepaid cell phones can be a great alternative for those who rarely make calls, or would like a cell phone handy for emergencies.

They're also a safe choice for parents who would like more control in budgeting their child's cell phone usage.

And, because a prepaid service does not require a contract, people with less than stellar credit can easily sign up for wireless service.

Choices in Prepaid Phones and Service:

Until a few years ago, there were very few prepaid cell phone service providers. And, most offered limited regional or nationwide coverage.

As pay-as-you-go services began to grow in popularity, more and more wireless providers have "thrown their hats into the ring".

Some of these newcomers are major wireless service providers offering both nationwide and regional coverage. These carriers are:

• Verizon's INpulse, which offers regional coverage.
• Cingular's Go Phone, which provides national coverage.
• T-Mobile's To Go Phone, which also supplies national coverage.

Nextel also provides service through a joint venture. The Boost Mobile offers walkie-talkie style calling using Nextel's iDEN network.

More Prepaid Carriers with Nationwide Coverage:

Besides the major wireless carriers, there are a few other nationwide pay-as-you-go companies who are also competing for your business. They are:

Tracfone - has been around for some time, and provides nationwide coverage primarily through their own network, but splices in other networks when roaming.

Opex Wireless is a new prepaid service that offers both pay-as-you-go, or monthly prepaid plans. The carrier uses Cingular's GSM network for their service.

These carriers are capable of roaming to other networks when calling out of the carrier's home network area. We highly recommend them for use as emergency phones.

Prepaid Carriers with Limited Nationwide Coverage:

The following pay-as-you-go carriers operate as Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNOs) and use Sprint's all digital network for their service.

These carriers provide nationwide coverage for calls placed within Sprint's PCS network. If calls are placed outside this carrier's network, expect to pay roaming fees.

• Liberty Wireless - provides nationwide Sprint coverage and roaming for calls placed out of network.
• Venture Mobile, marketed by Cognigen, also provides long distance and roaming through Sprint.
• Virgin Mobile - offers nationwide coverage only on Sprint's network.
• Cricket - provides nationwide coverage and off network roaming.

If you would like more information about choosing a prepaid cell phone, please click here for helpful helpful tips.