The Pros and Cons
of Prepaid Cell Phones

By now, most of us are aware of the benefits to going prepaid. But, few know the the downfalls.

Here's some things to consider before purchasing your prepaid phone:

1) Your service area may be more limited - Many prepaid phones are programmed to only allow service on their own network. This means, your phone may not have the ability to roam to another carrier's service when calling out of network area.

2) Your reception may be slightly compromised indoors, or in your car - Many prepaid phones are programmed to use a higher digital band frequency. Typically, lower frequency bands penetrate walls and structures better.

3) You may run out of minutes, or your allotment of minutes may expire - Unlike contract phones, prepaid phones require that you use up your minutes in a certain time frame.

If you run out of minutes in the middle of a phone call, you'll need to replenish minutes online, at a nearby store or through your phone, which can be very inconvenient.

4) Prepaid handsets tend to be more expensive - Major wireless service providers gain much of their revenue through their contract for service, not phone sales.

Because prepaid providers do not require a service contract, phones tend to be more expensive.