Action Steps for Finding Cell Phone Service Providers
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Evaluate the merits of pager and cell phone plans

Before you can decide on the best cellular or paging provider, a basic understanding of the technology is necessary. Every business functions in a different area, under different budgetary restraints and with different technology needs. If you know the benefits of the service and apply it to your business prior to the purchase, it will benefit your business through cost saving and communication efficiency.

I recommend: Use the cellular service tutorial at Hello Direct to understand the capabilities of the technology. Apply the equipment comparison of cell phones and pagers to help you choose between the two technologies at Professional Communications Technology. Then, examine the positives and negatives of cellular and paging providers’ international service at The Independent Traveler for when you need more than a basic package.

Compare the available cellular plans

Upon knowing what type of technology will work best for your business, it's time to evaluate the specific plans for each provider. The basic plans, which feature lower call time and data limits, are great if there's only sporadic use of cellular and paging services. However, if you go over the allotted minutes the charges can be quite substantial.

I recommend: Use the provider reviews at PhoneDog and TopTenREVIEWS to understand find the best provider plan for your business. Both sites help you understand what each cell phone providers’ services actually offer, which you can then compare to what you need for your business.

Know the latest regulations that govern cellular and paging service providers

Regulations play an important role for service providers within this industry. If your business doesn't know how these issues can impact your company prior to choosing a provider, it could potentially have a negative effect. When a regulation that alters the cellular coverage, charges or technology in your area becomes law, it can alter the choice of a provider or rate plan. Knowing the basics of the industry means you're on top of the laws that could affect your service.

I recommend: Visit Tech Policy Central to learn about new regulations within the cell phone industry. This site is good for anyone interested in how government policies impact technology, including those wanting to keep up changes affecting cellular providers basic regulations. Contact a representative at the FCC’s Wireless Telecommunications Bureau about any current regulatory information.

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Before you choose any pager and cell phone service providers, be sure to verify the companies' service quality. Ask the sales department if you can borrow a pager or cell phone and test it in the area your business operates. That way you won't purchase a product whose usefulness will be limited.

Guide to Cell Phone Service Providers for Your Small Business

Choosing among cellular service providers and paging service providers for your company

By Greg Brown

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Choosing among national cellular plan providers

When cell phone service providers began bidding on frequencies in the 1990s, it seemed that U.S. businesses would have dozens of options. Since then, market forces and the cost of building out have pushed cell phone service providers to merge.

I recommend: At the national level, there are realistically four choices for cell phone service at this writing: Verizon, T-Mobile, Sprint-Nextel, and Cingular (now AT&T). What national cell phone service providers give you is extensive, high-quality coverage, reliable paging service and high-speed data networks and, usually, competitive all-you-can-eat cellular plans. See the Business.com directory page on cell phone service providers and paging service providers.

When to choose regional cellular service providers

The grip on the national scene by bigger cellular service and paging service providers does not mean they are the best deal for you. Smaller cell phone service providers have perfectly fine local coverage and can roam nationally. They compete on price, too.

I recommend: You'll need to give them your zip code to determine if you are in their business coverage area, but for some that's half the country or more. Smaller wireless phone service companies include Alltel, CellularOne, Qwest, SunCom Wireless, and US Cellular. See more cellular service providers at Business.com.

Considering flat or pre-paid cell phone plans

One of the latest trends in cellular plans is the flat monthly fee wireless phone service plan. Instead of counting minutes, you pay, say, $40 or $50 but talk until the cows come home. Beware of pricing. Like regular cellular plans, the monthly quote does not include local and federal taxes on wireless phone service, and these plans rarely give away the handset like traditional cellular plans do.

I recommend: But, there's no contract, and no penalty for leaving the cell phone service for a competitor. Some providers of pre-paid and flat cellular plans include MetroPCS, TracFone, Liberty Wireless, and Pocket Communications. Find out more about pre-paid cell phone service at Business.com.

What's next from cellular service providers

EVDO, UMTS, 3G and 4G ... there's an alphabet soup of acronyms, but it all means one thing: Cellular networks are catching up to broadband in terms of speed. That means online maps, people locaters, micropayments -- even live TV right on your phone.

I recommend: Cell phone plans won't change much, and you'll need to upgrade your phone, but for business users, high-speed data over cellular means power on the road. Take a look at some of the so-called "smartphone" options coming out from Samsung, Sony Ericsson, Nokia and Motorola. Find more options for smartphones at Business.com.

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Cell phone plans often come in business packages with a huge bucket of minutes -- virtually limitless talk -- and cheap or free national long-distance. Look beyond personal cell phone plans when shopping.
• •  What's the best deal? Probably buying your phone through a Web consolidator. They often give you one or even a pair of high-end phones free and even pay you to sign up for a plan.
• •  Wireless phone service should improve in the coming years as spectrum is added. If your service now is shoddy or your phone is busted, it's a good time to switch cell phone service providers. Remember, numbers are portable now.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Opt for CDMA cellular and paging service providers in rural areas

If your business operates solely within the United States, and mostly within rural areas, then CDMA-based cellular and paging providers are your best option. This technology works best in areas with a limited population, but is generally not a good service if you travel outside the borders on business.

I recommend: Examine the CDMA coverage information from RentCell. Contact Motorola about its CDMA cellular and paging services.

Identify the cell phone services that use GSM technologies

For any business whose employees travel extensively outside the United States, GSM-based cellular and paging service providers are your best choice. The downside to GSM cell phone plans is that they don't work as well in less populated areas. Paging and cellular plans that incorporate GSM technologies, however, enable better data transfer rates between cell phones.

I recommend: Evaluate the GSM tutorial available at the International Engineering Consortium to learn more about this type of service, so you can make the most of your cellular and paging service. Use the GSM buying guide at Bombay Electronics’ Bargain Offers to choose the correct GSM cellular provider. Select the best paging and cell phone plan at T-Mobile, which is a GSM cellular provider.

Utilize cellular service provider rating services

Before you purchase cellular services you should rate the various aspects that are most important to your business to ensure your truly making the most of cellular and paging service providers. Once you compile this list, you can use the various ratings services to compare your list to those ratings. Some examples of these variables are costs, accessories, coverage, phone selection and contract terms.

I recommend: Use the ratings from J.D. Power and Associates to determine the best provider in your area of the country. Review the various rating websites from Consumer Research to locate the best cellular and paging provider for your business.

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Another resource for making the most of cellular and paging service providers are the people you do business with on a daily basis. Since they operate in the same areas as your business, these companies may be able to give you a better review of any cellular service providers available to you.

Guide to Cellular and Paging Service Providers Key Terms

Understand the different services and features offered by cellular and paging service providers

By Kristan Hart

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Coverage area

Coverage area refers to the geographic area in which cellular and paging service is almost always available. Outside the service area, coverage may be intermittent.

I recommend: The Federal Communications Commission Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau offers a guide to help with "Understanding Wireless Telephone Coverage Areas." These same guidelines also apply to paging services.

Roaming

Your cellular and paging service provider offers coverage in certain areas. When you travel outside of that area, you are roaming. You may be charged extra for all services used while you are roaming.

I recommend: GSM explains roaming and how it might impact your bill when you travel outside of your network.

Contract

A contract is an agreement between you and the cellular and paging service provider about what services they'll provide and how long you'll keep that service. Withdrawing from that contract before it expires can result in a hefty early termination fee.

I recommend: Consumers Union answers the question "What is my cell phone contract?" on its website.

Activation fees

Cell phone and pagers require an initial set up so it operates within your cellular and paging service provider's network. The fee charged to do that is called the activation fee. For many cellular and paging service providers, this is a one time non-refundable fee due at the time of the phone or pager activation.

I recommend: CellphoneGlossary defines many cell phone related terms, including activation fees. MyRatePlan.com also offers an explanation of activation fees.

Family plan

A family plan is often a great way to save money. When working with a cell phone or a pager, a cellular and paging service provider may offer unlimited calling and paging between family members.

I recommend: WirelessGuide.org offers detail on family plans.

Rollover

Rollover minutes are your unused cell phone minutes that are rolled over into next month. If you have 1,000 minutes in your plan and you only talk for 900 minutes during the month, you have 1,100 minutes to talk the following month. These minutes accrue for one year.

I recommend: AT&T is currently the only company to offer rollover minutes.