Copyright (c) 2010 Tara Tiemann

Phone companies run expensive and extensive advertising campaigns just to promote the prepaid cell phone services they offer. They promote low call rates, sleek phone models and other amazing phone features. They do these things to attract more and more subscribers to try out the services and plans they provide.

However, TV and radio commercials do not really show the pros and cons in using prepaid cell phone services. And because of this, a lot of consumers eventually find themselves dissatisfied with the prepaid cell phone plans that they have taken. So to avoid such problem, allow us to identify both the advantages and the disadvantages that these phone plans possess.

Advantages of Prepaid Cell Phone Services

Let us first discuss the advantages associated with the use of prepaid cell phone services.

1. Absence of Contract. The main benefit of a prepaid cell phone service is the absence of a monthly contract. Subscribers are not tied to a fixed, monthly rate. Instead, they can spend as little or as much as their finances allow.

People who often use their phones can benefit from this feature. They need not worry about paying a flat rate each month, thus they can generate huge savings from their phone bills.

2. Applying and getting approved for a prepaid cell phone service is fast and easy. Phone companies do not run credit checks on their applicants for prepaid cell phone services. You can definitely get approved for a prepaid phone plan whether you have a good or bad credit.

Not only that. Prepaid cell phone services do not also ask for stringent application requirements. You do not need to provide initial monetary deposits for you to use your phone plan. And you won't need to open a savings or checking account just so you can activate your subscription for a prepaid cell phone service.

3. Recommended to Parents and Children. Prepaid phone plans are most suitable to parents who would like their kids to have and use mobile phones. The reason for this is that prepaid cell phone services will allow them to manage and control how much phone credit their young children consume on a weekly or monthly basis.

Disadvantages of Prepaid Cell Phone Services

Now let us consider the usual drawbacks in using prepaid cell phone services.

1. Limited Phone Models. Not all phone models are compatible with prepaid phone plans. So consumers who wish to shift to the use of prepaid cell phone services may somewhat feel dismayed over the limited choice they have when it comes to the phone models they can use.

2. Call rates are more expensive. The cost of making phone calls is relatively more expensive in prepaid cell phone services than in monthly phone contracts. The reason for this is that the cost per minute in prepaid plans is normally two to three times higher than in postpaid plans.

3. Great possibility of running out of minutes. Unless you strictly monitor your available minutes, you may eventually run out of airtime while you are in the middle of an important call. So, to avoid such interruptions in your phone activities, always keep track of your mobile phone credit.

We hope that this short discussion helped you better understand both the pros and cons in using a prepaid cell phone service. And we hope that this article helped you see whether or not this phone plan will meet your needs and expectations.