The Benefits of using Prepaid Mobiles

The mobile phone choices available today can seem complex and confusing when trying to decide which phone is for you. One of the first decisions being between prepaid or mobile phone plans.

This choice between using a prepaid mobile and selecting a mobile phone plan is obviously a matter of preference for the user, but there are a number of things to consider before you decide either way.

Prepaid mobiles are a pay-as-you-go system that are presented as ideal for those who are either are on a strict financial budget or for those that are fixed to a specific spending level such as with work phones or phones marketed for teenagers. In a standard prepaid mobile kit you would receive your phone number, network access and a specific amount of credit for the phone. This credit is the entire basis for the prepaid mobile phones industry as once this has run out or expired, you simply buy more credit and recharge to start again. This is a key benefit, especially in light of the current global financial crisis which has resulted in many people cutting undue expenses.

This pay as you go system is as opposed to the 12 to 24 months contracts that are offered with mobile phone plans which work on a fixed monthly amount that must be paid which entitles the user to a certain amount of phone usage. The cost of the handset may also be included in the monthly fee and there are exit fees attached when wanting to leave your mobile plan early.

The major benefit of the prepaid mobiles is that you can control your expenditure on your mobile phone bill without any additional charges such as late bill payments or high unexpected fees. Knowing what your outlay is makes this a popular choice for work phones and teenagers.

Prepaid mobile phones come equipped with high value costs for both texts and calls with some offering free calls and other incentives. This can be an ideal choice for people who don't make a lot of phones calls or simply have a "in case of emergency" mobile phone. Even if your credit has expired, you can still receive calls and dial emergency services.

It is important to note that credit does have an expiry date attached, sometimes a month, sometimes six months depending on the carrier. For example, most prepaid mobile phones have a basic credit pack of around the $30 level, that entitles the user to around $200 worth of calls and texts, which would expire within a month of the purchase date.

One disadvantage of prepaid mobile phones is that most of the time international roaming may not be available. This means that overseas use is not an available option. One way to get around this is to buy an overseas SIM card that will allow you to make calls whilst overseas.

The decision between a prepaid mobile phone and a mobile phone plan should ultimately come down to what it is purpose is and what your calling habits are like. If you make a high number of calls and use your phone a great deal and enjoy additional features, then there are a number of plans available that cater for such users.