By James Smithwick
Just like when shopping for cars or houses, buyers should beware of getting caught up in cell phone plans they can’t afford. The average salesperson is not concerned with a person’s ability to pay their bill. They get paid when you sign and not if you actually keep the device.
According to an online poll, 93 percent of college students in America have cellphones. These students shell out 20 to 40 percent of their monthly income to pay for phones and services such as minutes, texting and data.
Some devices, like the popular iPhone and Android smartphones can set users back as much as $500 per device, more if the customer upgrades yearly. The contract, if no deposit is required, represents a 24 month commitment for monthly charges equal to some car payments.
Before long, that cellular phone can cost more than $3,000 over two years for something not too long ago most people could do without.
Many students use their phones as learning tools, while others simply listen to music and send text messages. Whatever purpose they serve, they have become an irreplaceable part of everyday life.
Daytona State College student Shelby Harman, 23, says she uses her phone every day.
“I make calls and text my boyfriend. I play music and games, and look up stuff for class,” said Harman. “I can’t live without it.”
Cellular providers will often cut the upfront cost of the device as an incentive to sign multi-year commitments, knowing that over the length of the contract the customer will more than pay the full price of the phone and then some.
Local cellular sales representative for Target Mobile, Jason Zachary, 34, believes prepaid service is a better option in some cases for students, those with fixed incomes and customers looking for perks not offered by premium carriers.
“Paying for only what you need and only when you need it is attractive, especially when the prepaid carriers have unlimited plans some postpaid carriers don’t.”
An alternative to the post-paid, or contract phones is prepaid, or pay-as-you-go plans. These once-unorthodox options are becoming more and more mainstream as costs rise. Now providers like MetroPCS and Virgin Mobile offer virtually the same high-end devices for less per month and no contract. This means the user can enjoy the same services the contract providers like AT&T, Sprint and Verizon offer, but with no commitment and less expensive monthly costs. Prepaid plans are a great choice for students with no credit history or little disposable income.
Zachary believes there is an ethical component to cellphone sales, saying, “We have to look at the customer’s ability to afford the device and the ability to pay the monthly bill. It would be irresponsible for a sales rep to lock someone into a long term commitment if we knew they couldn’t afford it.”
For some, the lure of an all-powerful device can be hard to avoid. When the desire for the latest in technology competes with the content of a bank account, more often than not, it’s the user that comes up short.
Breaking contracts can result in costly early termination fees and damaged credit scores. Customers should be wary and only sign up for contract service if the commitment for two years is something they are sure they can maintain.