Best Cell Phone Carriers in Des Plaines, IL

Best Cell Phone Coverage in Des Plaines, IL

When choosing a cell phone provider for the Des Plaines, IL area, you need to make sure that they provide coverage for the area where you live. Before deciding anything, weigh the different options, making sure you go with the plan that provides the best cell phone coverage in your area, so you won't have to worry about dropped calls. Even worse, if you commit to a cell phone provider who doesn't cover your area, all your calls will go to voicemail when you're home, and you'll have to leave the house to place a call. Save yourself the nightmare by investigating the different coverage options that are out there.

Types of Wireless Plans Available in Des Plaines, IL

Even though every consumer is a bit different, they’re all looking for the same basic things when it comes to cell phone service. They want a plan with enough minutes and text messages that they won’t go over their limits, and enough data to cover the amount that they use.

A consumer always needs a cell phone plan that fits his needs, but it’s even more essential if he plans to use his cell phone for the majority of his communication. This is becoming more and more common as consumers eschew home phones entirely. Using PhoneDog, the consumer can check out the plan and carrier options in Des Plaines, IL to see how much money he could save over his current wireless plan.

There are three types of wireless plans: individual, family and prepaid plans.

Individual plans are also known as single-line plans, and the name is self-explanatory. The consumer pays one rate and receives a certain amount of data, texts, and minutes per month for his one phone line. For single adults, an individual plan is usually the most affordable option.

A family plan allows a group of people to each have their own device. This is by far the best deal for two or more people who want to get phone service together, as they’ll pay less on a per-line basis than they would with multiple individual plans. With a family plan, everyone shares the same pool of minutes, texts and data, making it important that the plan has a sufficient amount to cover everyone’s needs, whether they live in Des Plaines, IL or not.

Prepaid plans have several other names, including no-contract plans and pay-as-you-go plans. The consumer pays in advance for phone service, which means he only has to pay for what he uses, although there can be extra fees. The main advantage with these types of plans is that the consumer isn’t committing to a contract. The downside is that phones can have a higher upfront cost because the consumer must pay the full price. The most recent and advanced smartphones are often available with prepaid plans.

Individual and family plans are either contract or no contract plans, and the consumer must commit to the plan for a certain length of time if it is a contract, with the standard being two years. Some carriers with service in Des Plaines, IL also have one-year plans available. The consumer must pay for the plan monthly, and if he wants to get out of his contract early, there will almost always be an early termination fee. The early termination fee will typically include a percentage of whatever was left on the contract, along with a penalty.

Finding the Best Cell Phone Plan For You in Des Plaines, IL

Before choosing the best plan for your needs in Des Plaines, IL, think about the people who will be on the plan, if any, and what type of service you would like included. Talk, data, and text are the three factors that all plans include.

With a cheaper cell phone plan, you will be able to limit minutes and text messages to around 400 or less with a contract plan. An unlimited plan is better if you text and/or talk many times during the day and don’t wish to be limited. A prepaid plan can be paid for upfront by purchasing a set amount of minutes, such as $30 for 500 minutes. When you use up the minutes, you will have to purchase more.

Another big factor in cell phone plans is data usage. A lot of major cell phone carriers in Des Plaines, IL charge very large fees when data usage gets high and you’ll wish you had an unlimited data plan. A plan with data limits is charged per megabyte if you go over your data limit.

Compare Cell Carriers in Des Plaines, IL

These carriers all offer coverage in Des Plaines, IL: AT&T, Verizon Wireless, Sprint, and T-Mobile. Many smaller carriers, known as MVNOs, operate through one of these carriers and may be just as reliable.

AT&T is one of the most well-known wireless providers and offers customers many types of cell phone plans. You can choose between family, individual, contract, pay-as-you-go, and no contract plans. You can also choose an unlimited plan with AT&T.

Verizon Wireless is another well-known wireless provider who offers many types of cell phone plans with service in Des Plaines, IL. You can choose from an unlimited plan, shared data plan, or a prepaid plan. A shared data plan may be utilized by one person or through a family. This plan comes with unlimited talk and text, as well as a pre-determined amount of data.

Sprint offers a variety of different plan types, including a very affordable unlimited plan. Sprint is usually one of the least expensive carriers.

T-Mobile is the “un-carrier” and offers plans that are all no contract. A T-Mobile customer can receive a plan with unlimited text, talk, and data (throttled at various levels) for one monthly price. They offer a family cell phone plan and an individual plan.

MVNOs are another option when looking for a plan in Des Plaines, IL. These carriers operate under the major networks and offer affordable plans for low prices. These can also be compared using our comparison tool above.