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NOVEMBER 12, 2001
TECHNOLOGY -- WHAT TO BUY -- PHONES
Confused by mobile-phone plans? You're in good company. To sort through the maze, we took a hypothetical consumer who wants to spend about $40 a month on mobile-phone service and examined five plans. Prices are based on the New York market.
VOICE PLANS
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| AT&T WIRELESS |
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| LOCAL PLAN* | 10 cents a minute | | NAT'L PLAN* | 13 cents a minute** | | EXTRAS | With the local plan, you get unlimited free calling from 8 p.m. to 7 a.m. weekdays and on weekends. Short messaging is available at 10 cents a message or less. Most wireless Net services are free, but to use them you need a clunker of a phone. | | THE SKINNY | You pay for quality with Ma Bell. Although its service isn't cheap, AT&T has the highest customer satisfaction of any mobile player, according to researcher J.D. Power. |
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| CINGULAR |
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| LOCAL PLAN* | 10 cents a minute | | NAT'L PLAN* | 23 cents a minute | | EXTRAS | With the local plan, you get unlimited free calling from 9 p.m. to 7 a.m. during the week and all weekend. It also offers short messaging and wireless Internet services. | | THE SKINNY | A solid midrange option, especially since Cingular throws in free long distance with its local plan. But quality is mediocre, according to J.D. Power. |
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| SPRINT |
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| LOCAL PLAN* | 11 cents a minute | | NAT'L PLAN* | 11 cents a minute | | EXTRAS | With its current promotion, you get 3,650 minutes a month to use from 8 p.m. to 7 a.m. during the week and all week end. Also offers wireless Net services and short messaging. | | THE SKINNY | Sprint's coverage has improved, but its rates are no longer that much lower than rivals. Go to Sprint if you want affordable, nationwide roaming and long distance included. |
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| VERIZON WIRELESS |
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| LOCAL PLAN* | 9 cents to 10 cents a minute | | NAT'L PLAN* | 23 cents a minute | | EXTRAS | With the local plan, you get 3,000 minutes per month from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. during the week and all weekend. Also offers short messaging. | | THE SKINNY | Not for the bargain shopper. Verizon is expensive, but it ranked No. 2 in coverage and customer service, according to J.D. Power. |
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| VOICESTREAM |
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| LOCAL PLAN* | 8 cents a minute | | NAT'L PLAN* | 8 cents a minute | | EXTRAS | You get 2,000 weekend minutes per month or unlimited weekend minutes if you sign up for a two-year plan. Its short messaging is one of the best, and it will be the first to introduce high-speed Net access. | | THE SKINNY | Rates are bargain basement, but look out for holes in coverage, including chunks of California, Virginia, and the Dakotas. You could end up paying 49 cents a minute—or simply go without coverage. |
* Local plans are without long distance and roaming, and the cost is for daytime hours only during the week. National plans i0nclude long distance and roaming. ** AT&T's lowest cost national plan is $60/month.
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Copyright 2001 , by The McGraw-Hill Companies Inc. All rights reserved.
