| Cell phone family plans, or shared cellular plans, have been around for quite some time. Introduced by the larger cell phone providers to encourage cell phones for younger members of the family, the family share plans allow the primary account holder to add family members - usually up to three - to their account. The cost to add an additional line generally runs between $9.99 to $20 extra per month.
Although most of the features and other specifics of a mobile family plan are the same as individual plans offered by a wireless provider, there are some differences. Wireless family plans work differently than individual plans in the fact that the minutes purchased for each month are shared among members of the account. For example, a family of four purchases 1,000 minutes per month on their plan. Each user is not granted 1,000 minutes each month, instead, they share those 1,000 minutes among the four of them.
The way most cell phone family plans handle features is extremely flexible. Many providers will allow for optional features to be customized for each phone. Here's another example: there are three phones on a certain plan. Two of them opt for unlimited Internet each month while the third chooses unlimited text messaging. The amount of flexibility to customize a plan is up to the individual provider so check with your cellular plan provider regarding this option.
Wireless family plans all have differing names. Sprint calls theirs the Power Pack Family Plan. Customers who select this plan can start at $59.99 a month for two lines and add up to three more lines at $9.99 a month extra for each line. If the customer wants the walkie-talkie feature, the plan starts at $69.99 a month for two lines. Up to three more lines can be added here as well but the cost is $20 a month per additional line. AT&T has opted for the FamilyTalk moniker. Under their plan, $59.99 a month allows for two phones. One more can be added for $9.99 extra a month. For more than three phones total, the customer would need to upgrade to the next plan for a base price of $69.99. Here, up to three additional phones can be added for $9.99 apiece. T-Mobile refers to their plan as the FamilyTime plan. Starting at $59.99 a month, the customer gets two lines and can add up to three more for $9.99 a month per additional line. Verizon has termed theirs the Family SharePlan where customers can start with two phones at $69.99 per month and add up to five lines total for an additional $9.99 per line.
So what is the best family plan out there? As you can see, not much differs as far as price so it is important to talk to cell phone company representatives when comparing. Find out which plan is more flexible, how long the service commitment is for, and how often you can upgrade your phone. The best family plan is the one that suits your individual needs.
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