Every two seconds a new customer signs up for wireless phone service in the United States. With so many service plans, phone models and carrier services available, wireless customers face a bewildering array of choices. Here s a practical overview of wireless basics to help you make better-informed shopping choices when buying wireless. The necessities A service plan, also called a rate plan, is an agreement with a wireless carrier to provide you with wireless phone network access and usually a set number of calling minutes per month called included minutes for a specific monthly price. A wireless phone, also called a cellular phone or cell phone, operates on one of several different technologies.
Wireless phones can be analog or digital, depending on the type of transmission signal.
Before buying a phone, check with your carrier to find out which technologies they support. If you buy a phone that s incompatible with your carrier s technology, you re out of luck. Service for digital cellular and PCS phones generally costs less per minute of talk time than analog service, but digital phones typically cost more than analog phones. As a first-time buyer, you ll have to estimate your usage. It s important to find a service plan with included minutes that match the amount of time you actually spend on the phone.