A Social Media User’s Guide to
Choosing Cell Phone Plans

Choosing the best cellphone plan can be daunting, considering the different offerings from many carriers. As a social media user, you’ll want to settle for a plan that will take care of your consumption comfortably. You’ll want a carrier with coverage even in remote areas or whose service is still of high quality in densely populated areas.

Choosing a phone plan doesn’t have to be rocket science. You only have to consider a few factors before settling for the best deal that will suit your needs. Here’s a simple guide to help you go about it:

Identify Your Needs

Your needs will determine the cell phone plan that you’ll choose. These may include:

Plan Price

Social media users are medium to heavy data consumers, so the first thing you’ll want to check out is the plan price being offered by different carriers. You may start by comparing T-Mobile vs. Verizon cell phone plans. Some plans look good on paper but aren’t feasible. You’ll want to enjoy internet services without breaking the bank. Go for an unlimited plan if you spend a lot of time away from home, and have to use the internet to post images and communicate in real time while on the go. Yet if you spend most of your time at home, the limited plan may be better for you, especially if you have Wi-Fi.

Once you’ve settled on the above, determine which plan suits you best, prepaid or postpaid.

Prepaid

Whether you use social media for business or leisure, you’ll want a plan that works best for you. Prepaid services for voice, data, and texts are paid monthly upfront and are usually contract-free. Unlike postpaid, prepaid services are flexible; you have the option to avail yourself of what you’ll only be consuming at the beginning of every month. For instance, if you plan to use more or less data in the next month, buy according to your needs. You’re charged proportionately to your usual consumption. Even though cheaper than postpaid, prepaid plans have many limitations and fewer perks.

Postpaid

In this plan, you get the desired services every month based on a contract of between one and two years. You’ll be allotted a certain amount of data, texts, and calls monthly.  If you exceed that amount, you’ll be charged for the extra consumption. This contract is binding, so if you pull out before the lapse of the contract time, you’ll be required to pay an exit fee.

Postpaid plans offer varying calls, texts, and data depending on your need. As a social media user, you’ll want to settle on a plan that offers more data.

The difference between prepaid and postpaid plans is that, with prepaid, you have to work out your consumption in advance. With postpaid, however, you’re not worried about being cut off for overconsumption. Postpaid also comes with a lot of extras.

Data Consumption

To get a cellular phone plan that will work for you, you should have a rough idea of how much data you consume in a month. All you have to do is check your consumption for a few months and work out the average. You should note, though, that if you have a new upgraded phone, the data consumption will be higher because your new gadget will be faster.

Coverage

This is another factor to consider when choosing a phone plan. As a social media user, a carrier’s coverage is vital because you’ll want to receive and send information in real time. Before settling on a carrier, do your research and see if the carrier’s network is reliable and the scope of coverage is solid. Is their coverage reliable or spotty in remote areas? What about in areas with a dense population? You’ll also want a carrier that supports the latest network technology. For instance, if you have a phone that supports a 5G network, you’ll also want your carrier to be on 5G coverage. This way, you’ll get a better internet experience with higher internet speeds, faster response time, etc.

Conclusion

Before signing up for cellphone plans, have a thorough research of the different carriers. Don’t let the additional perks offered sidetrack you into making a decision you may regret later on. Read reviews from independent platforms and ask for recommendations from people you know who have subscription plans. Remember that once you commit, you’re ‘in’ for the entire duration of the contract.