Tips on finding the best cell phone plan and checking coverage.      Includes the MyRatePlan cell phone rate plan comparison tool.

From:  WWLP 22 News, Springfield, MA

For those in the market for a family plan today, T-Mobile is waiving activation fees on 2 or more lines.    Unfortunately this offer is for today only.

AT&T is also waiving activation fees through the rest of May.  That’s a savings of $36 on one line and up to $150 on a five line family plan.  (As of now (5/10), this includes the iPhone.  However, we’re not sure if AT&T is including the iPhone in the program all the way through May.

To compare all cell phone plans, and find the one that will cost you the least each month based on how you use your phone, visit our CellCalc page.

AT&T and Verizon have lowered their unlimited pricing to $69.99/month, $89.99 for unlimited voice & text, $99.99 for unlimited voice, text and data.   Similar decreases are also in effect on the family plan side, where two unlimited lines are $119.99 vs. the previous $199.99.   This is a decrease of about 30% for a single line, 40% for a family plan. Verizon also reduced its 2,100 minute plan to 2,000 minutes, and cut the price by $10.  The carriers are allowing customers to change to these rate plans with no penalty or contract extension.

• If your rate plan is more than the above amounts, contact the carrier directly to switch, subject to the exceptions in the list below.   For customers who have gotten a rate plan in the last couple years, most people on a 1,350 minute or unlimited single line plan will benefit, as will most on a family plan higher than 2,100 minutes.  Verizon customers on a 2,100 minute plan who don’t use more than 2,000 minutes can save $10 a month by switching to the 2,000 minute family plan.

1. If your carrier is AT&T and your phone is a ‘quick messaging’ device (basically a non-smartphone with a QWERTY keyboard) and you do not currently have text and/or data bundle, AT&T may make you add some combination of these these that totals $20 or more per month ($30 for a family plan).   That would reduce or eliminate your savings.
2. If your carrier is Verizon and your phone is a 3G multimedia device (currrently LG enV Touch, Samsung Rogue, LG Chocolate Touch, LG enV3, LG VX8360, Motorola Entice, Nokia Twist, Samsung Alias 2), and you do not currently have a data plan, Verizon may make you add a $9.99 data plan (for each of these phones on the plan).  That would reduce or eliminate your savings.
3. If you are in the final two months of your contract or your contract is over, MyRatePlan can help you get a substantially discounted phone if you renew your contract online.    This is regardless of the rate plan you are currently on, but is subject to the requirements above.  AT&T offers ||  Verizon offers

Verizon Wireless announced significant price reductions for those customers looking for unlimited monthly service.  The new rates will be available January 18 for new customers.  Existing customers can also change their rate plans as of that date with no penalty or contract extension.

We’ll have the new pricing up on the site Monday and you can compare it to other carrier plans using our CellCalc ^(TM) rate plan finder.

The major changes announced iclude:

• Price for unlimited voice plan drops from $99.99 to $69.99
• Unlimited voice + text drops from $119.99 to $89.99
• A $9.99 data plan will be required for new activations on all 3G multimedia phones.  These are phones, such as the LG enV 3 that provide a better data experience but don’t have an operating system that would qualify them as smartphones.
• Monthly prepaid plans will be available for $5 more than comparable postpaid plans.  Examples include $44.99 for 450 voice minutes to $124.99 for the unlimited voice + text listed above.

MyRatePlan Analysis: This plan structure is similar to one introduced by T-Mobile a couple months back and is another step toward the day when there will basically be one plan for light users and unlimited for everyone else.   Verizon maintains a premium over T-Mobile pricing, although the difference will shrink considerably.  Perhaps perceived differences in network quality were not enough for consumers to justify paying  $99.99 for a service that was available for $50-60 everywhere else.   Since AT&T pricing structure was almost identical to Verizon’s, that carrier will likely be forced to modify rates in the weeks ahead.

Some of the revenue loss from this new pricing, to the extent it isn’t recouped by gaining market share, will be offset by the new $9.99 data plan requirement on 3G multimedia phones.  Currently, Verizon (and all national carriers) require a data plan on smartphone/BlackBerry devices that is roughly $30 a month.   Verizon is the first carrier to push that requirement onto this next tier of phones.   Since this list includes most of the popular Verizon phones, the effect is that almost all new Verizon customers will be required to have a data plan.

The new prepaid monthly plans provide a way for customers reticent to sign a contract to get full-blown service for about the same price as contract customers.  However, as is usually the case, we expect the phone prices to be significantly higher.   It also isn’t clear yet whether all phones will be available for no-contract service.   If they are, it will be a significant improvement from the limited inventory currently offered.   It is interesting to note that while T-Mobile offsets the higher phone cost of no-contract by having its plans priced $10 LESS per month than contract, Verizon’s new structure will still have prepaid priced higher than contract plans.

T-Mobile completely overhauled their cell phone plans today, droppping ‘myFaves’ and simplifying to just 3 plans each for individual and family plans.   The highlight is a new low-water price point for contract unlimited voice service — just $59.99 for one line and $99.99 for a two-line family plan.    All plans include unlimited mobile-to-mobile and free nights and weekends.    On a per-line basis, unlimited text messaging is $10.00.  The optional data feature is an additional $10 for regular phones, while the required data plan is $30 for BlackBerry and other smartphone devices.      At the same time, T-Mobile has launched an identical series of no-contract plans that are priced $10 ($20 for some family plans) less than the corresponding contract plan.     As with other no-contract and prepaid plans, you’ll pay significantly more for the phone.    To compare the new contract plans with other carriers’ options, visit our CellCalc rate plan comparison tool.

MyRatePlan Analysis: We’ve been forecasting that by the end of 2010, there will be just two voice plan options –a small bundle or pay-as-you-go for light users, and a flat rate unlimited voice for everyone else, with text and data as add-ons (probably marketed as bundled plans).  T-Mobile has taken a big step in that direction with these changes.     They’ve also addressed a pricing distortion in the marketplace, where contract unlimited service was $100 per month, while prepaid unlimited with services like Boost Mobile and Virgin Mobile is about $50 a month.   T-Mobile is now matching the $50 for no-contract service, and sets a price point for contract service that will force other carriers like AT&T and Verizon to respond.

Digging deeper into the changes, T-Mobile has actually raised some prices as part of these changes.  Data pricing for smartphones has increased $5 per line, while text messaging has been consolidated into a single $10.00/month plan.  Previously, there was a $5.00 plan offering 300 texts.  Since pay-as-you-go messaging remains $0.20 each, this will force more new customers to opt for a more expensive text bundle than they might have otherwise preferred.   The low-end $39.99 rate plan actually has fewer minutes now than before; this will also encourage more new customers to trade up to a more expensive rate plan.

Let MyRatePlan pay your activation fee!    For a limited time, MyRatePlan will rebate $36 for a qualifying single line plan or $72 for a qualifying family plan that is purchased via the site.  Since most carriers charge about $35 per line, this will offset the activation cost for up to two lines.   See rebate form for full terms, conditions and restrictions.

Use our rate plan or phone finder to find the best deal for your needs, and then save an additional $36 or $72 in this exclusive MyRatePlan offer.  Hurry, offer ends May 15.

T-Mobile has launched a number of improvements to its single and family calling plans, including its very popular myFaves plans. Already offering an attractive number of minutes at each price point (vs. its national competitors AT&T, Sprint, and Verizon), these changes further separate it from the pack.

1. Free mobile-to-mobile added on all plans $49.99 and above, including myFaves plans.
2. Introduction of Individual Plus plan which offers 1,000 minutes plus nights and weekends.  This plan sits nicely between the $39.99 1000 minute plan (no nights & weekends) and the $59.99 plan which offers 1,500 minutes with nights and weekends.
3. 500 minutes added to the family plans (myFave and regular) with 2,000 and 3,000 minutes (now 2,500 and 3,500).  For the two myFave family plans, the monthly fee was reduced by $10.
4. Creation of a promotional myFaves family plan — $89.99 for 1,800 minutes, a large improvement over the normal 1,000 minutes offered at this price point.

MyRatePlan Analysis: These are nice improvements for consumers.  T-Mobile was the last holdout on mobile-mobile among the major carriers.  Adding this feature slightly may reduce the value of myFaves for some of its customers, perhaps enough for them to switch over to a regular plan that offers more minutes for the same price.  However, the impact will be somewhat minimized as T-Mobile is only offering the feature on plans of $49.99 and above.

To see and compare all T-Mobile plans vs. those of other carriers, click here.

This Sunday, February 15th, Verizon will launch a new feature on select rate plans called “Friends & Family”. Similar to programs at T-Mobile (MyFaves) and Alltel (My Circle) — now owned by Verizon — customers will be allowed to select a group of numbers to whom they can make and receive calls, without the airtime counting against their monthly allowance. It will be available to both new and existing Verizon customers. Eligible single line plans will be able to choose 5 numbers, while eligible family plans can select 10 numbers.

MyRatePlan Analysis: As is usually the case with new wireless plan benefits, this one is more marketing smoke than actual fire. Few people will actually see their bills reduced. In fact, because the feature is not available on single lines under $59.99 or family plans under $89.99, the real winner will be Verizon — they will see a modest bump in their average customer revenue, an important financial metric in the wireless industry.

The new program should also yield higher profit per customer for Verizon, as the benefit for most customers will be minimal. For example, let’s take a look at a Verizon $59.99 plan. Today, this plan offers 900 anytime minutes, free unlimited nights and weekends and free unlimited mobile-to-mobile calling to the more than 80 million Verizon and Alltel wireless customers. This means there is no benefit whatsoever until a customer on that plan reaches their 900 minute allowance and makes a subsequent call that isn’t already free. Put another way, if you already have a plan with 900 minutes and you aren’t paying overage charges — move along, there’s nothing to see here.

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By the way, some may find the term “Friends & Family” familiar — it was a discount long distance program offered by MCI beginning in the early 90’s. Verizon acquired MCI, and the “Friends & Family” brand name in early 2005.