In some situations, choosing a prepaid phone plan is definitely the better decision. These include such instances as when:
You know you will make very few calls each month or only use the phone for emergencies.
You do not have a good credit history and will not pass the credit check required of a yearly plan.
You want a phone for your child to use but choose to provide her with a limited amount of minutes each month.
You are not willing to commit to a one year contract for financial reasons.
You want the option to deactivate the phone without the hefty cancellation fee.
Why Your Business Phone Should Probably NOT be Prepaid
A prepaid plan could very well complicate the situation when used as the sole phone for business transactions. It would be very helpful to have a detailed phone bill provided each month. You may need proof of who you called and when, and a prepaid plan cannot do this for you. There is also the chance you could run out of minutes. You may know you are running low but assume you will have enough minutes to complete your call. If your client ends up talking longer than you expected, your phone could wind up going dead in the middle of the conversation. You do not want this happening when dealing with a current or potential customer. Yearly plan users avoid this situation. They are not left with a non-functional phone when they use up their allotted monthly minutes. The wireless provider gladly provides them with any additional minutes needed, using the "additional minute" charge listed on the yearly contract.
Features Available on a Prepaid Phone
Prepaid phones usually include many of the same features offered on phones used with a yearly plan. A digital prepaid phone often provides the following features at no extra charge: voicemail, call waiting, 3-way calling, use of the Internet, and the receiving of both text and instant messages. Other features may be available but will have an additional charge associated with each use. These can include: the sending of text and instant messages; downloading games, ringtones or wallpapers; the sending of pictures; and the use of directory assistance (dialing 411).