Traditionally, you would need to sign-up for a contract with one of the major wireless carriers to activate and use a mobile device. This was especially the case if you wanted to access mobile data for things like checking your social networks or streaming videos. Most prepaid plans just didn’t offer reliable data options and when they did they were behind the curve. That is no longer the case. In fact, many prepaid plans now offer data at 4G LTE speeds, the latest available. Since prepaid plans eliminate the need to sign a contract, often don’t have any activation fees, and have virtually no obligations, they are an excellent option for temporary mobile use. That’s precisely why many people will purchase and activate prepaid phones and plans when they travel. If you don’t want to sign a contract and you don’t want to be locked-in to a particular carrier or network, prepaid is the way to go. It also enables you to pay-as-you-go, or pay only for what you need so you can save money.