How to choose a cell-phone plan for your family

by Larry Magid

November 15, 2001

 

For some families, a cell phone or two may be a welcome gift for the holidays. Having a cell phone is not only fun and useful but could be a lifesaver in an emergency.

 

Having a cell phone is hardly a birthright for a teenager, but there are reasons why parents should consider getting their kids a phone or at least loaning them one when they go out. Our daughter, a senior in high school, has her own phone but our son ... a sophomore ... doesn't have one yet. Still, when he goes out with his friends, my wife or I usually loan him one of ours so he can call home and so we can reach him if we start to worry.

 

We try not to call the kids very often ... usually only when they're out later than we had agreed or when we need to reach them for a good reason. There is a fine line between parenting and pestering. We do, however, have to remind our kids to be sure the phones are turned on and to be sure they're charged up.

 

Long before Sept. 11th, cell-phone companies started promoting family plans where you buy multiple phones at a reduced cost and share minutes between users. For some families, these plans make a great deal of sense because they're able to arrange for a relatively large ""bucket of minutes'' that they can divvy up between all members of the family. Some companies also offer unlimited calling between mobile phones. If you think you're likely to spend a lot of time talking on the phone to other members of your family eachon their mobile phone, then this is a great idea. It might make sense for spouses, but my kids are rarely in the mood to have long talks with their parents from a cell phone.

 

These plans aren't for every family. On my phone, for example, I have a national roaming plan with free long distance because I travel a fair amount and make lots of long-distance calls. My wife and kids don't need a plan like this, so it's cheaper for me to have a separate plan from the rest of them.

 

When choosing a plan, you have to read the details carefully. Most companies offer very attractive rates on weekend minutes and some throw in night time as well. Make sure it's clear whether you have ""nights and weekends'' or just weekends. Also be very careful that you understand what they define as ""night'' hours. Just because it's dark outside doesn't mean that you're paying nighttime rates. Nighttime starts at 8:01 p.m. for some companies. For others, it's 9 p.m.

 

And be sure to read the fine print in any advertisements. AT&T, for example, advertises ""3,500 minutes to share,'' which is true for their $119.99 plan, but only 1,500 of those minutes can be used on weekdays. If you exceed that, you'll pay 35 cents for each additional minute.

 

Whatever you do, explain the basics of the plan to your kids so that they know when not to use the phone, except for urgent calls that can't wait or can't be made from a land line.

 

Another option is to get a phone with prepaid minutes. These plans put your kids on a phone budget. When they use up their minutes, they're out of luck. The phone can still be used to call 911 in an emergency, but it can't be used to call or receive calls from home.

 

Speaking of 911, I recommend that you program your local police department number into one of your speed dials. Sadly, mobile 911 in some states can be backlogged and put you on hold for an extended period of time. Your local police department is likely to respond faster in a real emergency.

 

Also, any cell phone can call 911 even if it is not connected to a service plan.

 

There are all sorts of phones on the market ranging from ones companies give away free or practically free to those that cost hundreds of dollars. You shouldn't spend a lot of money on the phone itself. They're all pretty much the same. The more expensive ones tend to be smaller, but that can be a disadvantage with kids because they are easier to lose.

 

Most phones support Web browsing and e-mail and some now support instant messaging. Be sure you and your kids understand the charges associated with those services. Kids who are used to free ""IM'' sessions and Web browsing at home need to understand that there is almost always a cost associated with sending or receiving messages using a mobile phone.

 

Some mobile-phone companies offer insurance against losing or damaging a phone. You might think phones are cheap, but they're not. Those free or nearly free deals are subsidized by the service provider and aren't available for replacement phones. Protection plans typically cost about $4 or $5 a month per a phone ... and there is a co-payment for a replacement phone. But, if the phone is lost, you won't have to pay the full price for a replacement phone.