Cell Phone Family Plans: Know Your Options
One of the most popular kinds of plan out there, the family plan gives you a large chunk of minutes to divide among two or more mobile phones. Despite the name, you don’t have to be a member of someone’s family to share a family plan—these plans are often the best deal for girlfriends and boyfriends, roommates, and coworkers as well. It’s a great way to save money on multiple plans that would cost more as individual subscriptions.
Just about all the big names in the wireless world will offer the following freebies included in any family plan:
Unlimited calls between phones in the same plan
If a wireless plan doesn’t offer this perk, it shouldn’t be called a family plan. This is a standard feature among the well-known wireless companies’ family plans.Unlimited nights and weekends
Not every individual wireless plan offers this, but most do—and most family plans do, as well.New cell phones for each line
These are usually offered for free or at a discount, depending on the phone you choose.Following is a breakdown of family plan deals offered by the more well-known wireless companies.
FamilyShare Plan from Verizon
Verizon starts at $69.99 for 700 minutes per month. It comes with two lines, and additional lines can be added for $9.99 per month. While not the cheapest out there, Verizon is very well-regarded, with high consumer ratings for coverage, dependability, and customer service. Verizon also offers a free new phone every two years to subscribers.Fair and Flexible Family Plan from Sprint
Sprint offers 550 minutes for $59.99 per month. This includes two lines, and extra lines can be added for $10 per month. The Fair and Flexible family plan allows you to use up to 500 extra minutes at a cost of $5 per 50 minutes. In addition, Sprint has a wide variety of phones available at deep discounts through its website.FamilyTalk Plan from Cingular Wireless
Cingular’s family plan starts with 550 minutes for $59.99 a month. Two lines are included, and additional lines cost $9.99 per month. One feature Cingular offers that aren’t featured with other family plans is rollover minutes—any unused minutes at the end of the month are credited to next month.FamilyTime Plan from T-Mobile
T-Mobile’s plan gives you 700 minutes per month for $59.99—by far the best deal of those listed here. Additional lines cost $9.99 per month. T-Mobile is also highly rated for customer service and dependability, while managing to be just a little cheaper and a little more generous with its minutes than most other companies.In general, Cingular’s FamilyTalk may be the best deal for those who don’t plan to use their phone very much—those rollover minutes can really add up. Sprint’s Fair and Flexible plan is worth a look if your family uses the phone often—you can add extra minutes more economically than you can with other companies, which charge up to $.45 per minute for each additional minute you use. It’s important to take the time to decide which plan is right for you.