Log InJoin 



Lower Your Cell Phone Bill

Lower Your Cell Phone Bill

Cell phones which used to cost thousands of dollars and were the size of a brick are now ubiquitous and offer advanced features which could never have been predicted. Cell phones also opened up new possibilities for consumers to be billed outrageous sums for features they don't want or need. As with any monthly service, it is important to look over your billing statement to make sure you're getting what you pay for and not paying for what you don't want.

Back in the day there was only one provider of telephone service directly to your home and you paid what they charged. Fortunately at the time there was government regulation to prevent monopolistic pricing but even then service was often poor and there was little incentive to upgrade or expand availability. Cell phone providers, both the large national carriers and smaller and MVNO's, have more incentive to provide additional features and better service due to increased competition. Not all features are consistent among all carriers so as with any other service it is always a good idea to shop around to get the best deal.

Mobile virtual network operators are likely to be a consumer's best bet to lower their cell phone bill dramatically without sacrificing features or service. MVNO's operate on an existing national cell phone carrier's infrastructure and only handle customer service and billing for their users. You may already be familiar with a number of MVNO's like Virgin, Boost, US cellular and Ting but have yet used their service. Keep in mind that consumers can often pay half the price for the exact same service and features with the only limitation normally being phone selection. If you don't need the latest and greatest super phone then an MVNO can be a great opportunity to lower your cell phone bill.

Features like three way calling and call waiting have been supplemented with caller ID, voice mail, Internet access, text messaging, SMS and numerous other options due to the advance of technology. Some of these features will be provided for free as a value-added benefit to attract and retain customers while others are revenue generators for cell phone providers. Look at your bill closely and evaluate what you're paying for to see whether it is something that can be cut or if it's an absolute must have. Many consumers and industry watchers have known for a long time that paying for text messaging is the highest margin scam currently offered in the cell phone industry. Text messaging costs a fraction of a cent for cell phone providers leading to thousands of percent in price markups. Pay for what you need and use and nothing else.

Other ways to lower your cell phone bill include becoming part of a family plan which can often reduce per line costs from $50-$60 per month down to $15 for any additional lines. Downgrade to a feature phone which can normally be purchased for $50-$75 off contract. Feature phones don't require a data plan which is a $40 savings per month minimum. Call the cell phone provider and speak with customer service to see if there are any deals they can offer to reduce monthly payments or add features at no cost. Purchase prepaid phone cards which you can refill as necessary instead of paying a fixed monthly fee for a set number of minutes or texts. Be proactive because cell phone providers are happy to continue taking your money forever regardless of whether or not it is to your advantage or saves you money.