Prepaid Exposed
Summary and Comparison of Plans
Of all the plans, I have to say that Boost Mobiles in some ways is the most innovative, even if their initial prices are high (to start service), for their phones are not cheap. However, AT&T's GoPhone is a great alternative if you want to have something that is reasonably priced but requires you to either keep your account active by depositing credit into it, or by having it automatically debit from a designated source (credit or debit card, for example). Otherwise, Verizon is a good alternative for those without a good credit history. Although coverage areas vary by region, it is safe to say that Verizon has the largest coverage of all the prepaid options, and is reputed to have the best quality network. As usual, however, your mileage may vary.
Now, onto what I would consider to be the ideal plan. Although everyone has an opinion on what the ideal plan would be for them, I believe that the simplest ideal plan is one that allows you take advantage of all the carrier's features through a debit type system. Some carriers treat prepaid customers as second-rate citizens and don't allow them to enjoy all of the services they offer. I think that this approach is unwise, for it alienates the prepaid customer and reduces the ways that the customer can bring in revenue for the carrier.
What carriers should do instead is just charge different rate for the different services on a debit basis, very much like the Verizon plan does, but without the expiration dates, and with access to all the services. Essentially, you buy a prepaid amount, and minutes cost you x-amount per minute, data y-amount, and anything else a z-amount. Boost Mobile's option of having a flat rate for unlimited usage per day of a service is nice as well, provided that the daily fee isn't too high.
T-Mobile, for example, does not allow you to use MMS or GPRS with their prepaid options. They just allow you to use voice minutes, and you buy a card that is set at a quantity $10, $20, etc.. So, if you're coming from Europe, have a fancy MMS phone and want to send a picture back to your parents... too bad. Oh, and while you're at it, if you weren't fortunate enough to find a dealer that will sell you just the SIM card, you now own a spare phone too.
The next point I would consider to be essential to an ideal plan would be a way to allow customers with a credit card to just have minutes billed to them at the prepaid rates, much like AT&T's goPhone. Presumably if the person has a credit card to begin with, the Carrier is no more at risk than any other merchant that takes credit cards. Sure, there is a risk of default, but it's no higher than that of regular customers.
Lastly, the ideal plan would not have expiration dates on prepaid minutes. You are already paying a premium on the minutes because of the subsidy and because of the limited revenue you will provide the carrier, so you might as well be able to keep your overpriced minutes for as long as you want.
In conclusion, Prepaid plans are not cheap. They set out to target that set of customers that don't have a great credit history, or those customers that for whatever reason cannot be bound by a contract.
The biggest determinant in your decision to choose any plan should be coverage. Sometimes it's worth an extra buck if it means that you'll be able to use your phone when you want to. Make sure to investigate the coverage areas of the carriers in your area before jumping onboard. Ask friends, and ask the store you are buying from if there is any way you can test coverage in your area.
After coverage, features included within the price and the price itself should be your main concerns.
Lastly, and I know that for many of us, we might be tempted to make this the number one priority, the phone itself should be the last priority. While the phone will play a large part in your reception of the coverage area, it should not be so much of a concern that you willingly pick one carrier over another only because the phone is cuter. You'll regret that decision when you see your friend with the ugly phone actually being able to use it, while your cute phone says 'no signal'.
Carlos Espinal is the Editor of Chromewalker.com.
Phonescoop does not endorse any of these wireless carriers or their products. All products and comparisons drawn in this article are for your reference only, Mileage may vary. Quality of service will vary by location and region, so please check your options and their performance before deciding on something. Pricing plans were compared for the New York area; rates may vary according to your location.
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