![]() Take the time to analyze your cell phone bill and determine what type of phone plan you really need before you switch phone carriers. If that’s the case, you’ll be able to choose from lots of cheaper cell phone plans. You might be paying for an unlimited data plan but using only 2GB of data per month. Reviewing your previous three to six months of billing statements is key to understanding your cell phone usage. Now that you know the #1 mistake to avoid, let’s get to the steps that you need to follow to get started with a new cell phone provider and save money every month. How To Switch to a New Cell Phone Provider and Keep Your Number Porting phone numbers with an MVNO ( mobile virtual network operator) tends to be a little more trouble-prone, according to Clark, which is why he recommends giving yourself around 10 days before your current billing cycle ends. Transferring a number to a new cell phone provider usually only takes a few minutes, but you want to give yourself a few days of pad time in case any problems come up. If you’re switching from an MVNO to another MVNO, that probably needs to be more like 10 days.” “If you’re switching from one of the majors to one of the major carriers to another (AT&T, Verizon Wireless or T-Mobile), four days is enough. The cell phone provider that you’re leaving will probably charge you through the end of your billing cycle, and you may have to pay prorated charges with your new wireless company.Ĭlark’s solution is to sign up for your new cell phone service and port your number at least four days before your billing cycle is set to end. Here are links to the policies for the major cell phone companies: The major cell phone companies generally won’t prorate your final bill even if you’re not breaking a contract and are currently paying on a month-to-month basis. Think the company you’re leaving will refund you for unused days? Think again. Here’s an example: Let’s say that the billing cycle with your current carrier resets on the 1st of the month and you activate service with a new provider on the 5th. That mistake? Incorrectly timing the switch to a new wireless provider. Warning: What You Need To Know Before Switching Cell Phone Carriersīefore we get to the steps, money expert Clark Howard has a special warning for you about a costly mistake that many people make when transferring their number from one cell phone company to another. In this article, we’ll take you step-by-step through the process of changing cell phone providers and keeping your number. ![]() When you find a cheaper wireless plan and are ready to switch cell phone carriers, there are a few things you need to remember to avoid paying too much. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |