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May 07, 2008 -- Unlimited family wireless deals getting sweeter

Cell phones are central to how we communicate. Qwest's latest numbers show they just lost almost 8% of their installed phone lines. More and more people are deciding to go wireless only. Verizon's initiative for unlimited wireless plans starting at $99/month has really helped the push. Their deal was soon matched or one-upped by the other major wireless carriers. Numbers now show that Verizon's wireless subscribers recently jumped from 4% to 15% on the strength of their $99 plan.

Metro PCS -- one of the smaller wireless players -- has responded with its own Family Unlimited deal. They're offering 4 wireless phone lines for $100/month. No credit check, no contracts. This includes unlimited local and long-distance calling, voice mail and text messaging. You don't even get text messaging with the comparable AT&T and Verizon plans. Metro's deal can also be prorated: A family of 2 would pay $70 and a family of 3 would pay $90.

What's the catch? Well, Metro only works in select markets, so this may not be a deal for people who travel around the country frequently. But it's a no-brainer if you're a homebody. It's also a great way to completely dump your monopoly phone company landline.

Clark predicts that wireless is just going to get cheaper for minutes in the future. The iPhone and Google's Android are helping the push for these "all-you-can eat" minute plans.


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What others are saying

  • Family talk plan
    I have been with (At&T) Cingular wireless for over 15 years. I have been using the family add a line plan for 7 month with my husband and 3 siblings. It has worked out that my siblings pay only $13.00 a month for full cell phone usage including taxes. We never run out of minutes due to the ever extending list of network numbers that are free and mobile to mobile, also the rollover minutes continue to add to our ever growing pile of them at the end of the month. I have been fully satisfied with the program and would recommend it to any family trying to cut back on a budget. Also, the addition of towers I can go just about anywhere and still have full coverage.
  • Metro PCS vs Verizon
    I use to live in Atlanta back in 07 and I'll say this, going from metro pcs to Verizon was probably one of the biggest mistakes I've ever made. When living in GA I never had any problems with metro pcs but when I moved to FL. I had to leave my metro pcs behind and go with a two year contract with Verison. and I hate it! More dropped calls, extra costs for texting, calls after so many minutes cost you twice as much, and so on. I only hope that sometime in the near future metro pcs will have coverage in my area.

    If you have the option to go with metro and you don't have to travel around the state... I'd go with metro. It's a great provider at a set rate.
  • Still don't use a cell phone
    I have an emergency cell phone that you buy airtime for. It costs me about $100 a year for 400 minutes. At my rate of usage, I won't even come close to using 100 of those minutes. I don't think I will ever be able to justify a "regular" cellphone, or a family plan for that matter. My land line only costs me $25/mo.

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Do you like the idea of auto insurers switching to a pay-as-you-drive model -- where how, when and where you drive may be monitored?
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