The Cell Scale:
Comparing cell phone providers


With the gamut of cell phone providers, it can get as confusing as choosing from your local restaurant's wine list. Plans are classified as either personal or family, and that is where the simplicity of choice ends.

The main differences among providers lie in the rates they offer for monthly plans which they have designed to fit the cellular phone needs of the market. But there are tons of other nuances that are encrypted in plans that may spell the difference between savings and a bum deal. This article hopes to assist you in choosing the cellular phone provider for you. Listed below are three major cellular service providers in the U.S. and the plans they offerand then some.


Sprint

Sprint provides consumers with the Sprint PCS Fair and Flexible plans, which have fixed monthly fees and fixed minutes, but have more flexible after preset minutes rates. Great for heavy callers that have erratic calling patterns.

Sprint PCS Fair and Flexible plan
Option 2 - Starting at $50 per month

Anytime Minutes Cost
0-300 $35
301-500 $5 for each 100 minutes
501 & above Additional Anytime Minutes only 10 each

For individuals with medium usage.

Anytime Minutes Cost
0-700 $50
701-1700 $5 for each 100 minutes
1701 & above Additional Anytime Minutes only 5 each

For individuals with heavy usage.

Anytime Minutes Cost
0-2000 $100
2001-3000 $10 for each 200 minutes
3001 & above Additional Anytime Minutes only 5 each

The built-in features and extra services that come with these plans are:
Nationwide Long Distance, Crystal-Clear Calls, Voicemail, Caller ID, Call Waiting, Numeric Paging, Three-Way Calling, Call Forwarding at ($0.10/minute) and Sprint PCS Directory Assistance ($1.25/call plus airtime charges). The plan has activation charges dependent on the length of the contract -- $35 for one year and $20 for two years. An early termination fee of $175 is also charged in the event of disconnection from the plan.


Verizon

Verizon offers America's Choice plans, which have 900 minutes for $59.99 and unlimited IN calling night and weekends. In calling means you can call any of Verizon's 43.8 million subscribers for free in the allotted time.

The features that this plan comes with are:
3-way calling, Caller ID, Basic voice mail, Call forwarding, No answer/busy transfer, Call waiting and Text messaging.


Cingular

Cingular's featured plan, the Nation 450 w/Rollover, has a $39.99 Monthly fee with 450 minutes and 5,000 night and weekend minutes and unlimited Mobile to Mobile minutes. Additional minutes will cost 45c each. Long distance is also included in the plan; so are roaming charges. A one-time activation fee of $36 is needed, though, and the plan has a life span of two years.

The features that this plan comes with are:
Basic Voice Mail, Call Forwarding, Call Waiting, Caller ID, Detailed Billing, Long Distance, Three-Way Calling and Unlimited Mobile to Mobile Calling

It is important to remember that all plans include in their offer sheets federal and other charges, which vary from provider to provider. For example, Sprint charges taxes and surcharges (including a USF charge of 2.04%, which may change monthly and cost-recovery fees of 80c, and other surcharges that vary by market).

Cingular imposes the following charges: a Regulatory Cost Recovery Fee of up to $1.25 to help defray costs incurred in complying with obligations and charges imposed by State and Federal telecom regulations, a gross receipts surcharge and State and Federal Universal Service Charges. Sprint has tolls, taxes, surcharges and other fees, such as E911 and gross receipt charges, which vary by market. And as of April 1, 2005, they add between [6% and 34%] to your monthly bill in addition to your monthly access fees and airtime charges. The Monthly Federal Universal Service Charge (varies quarterly based on FCC rate) is 2.37% per line