Which Plan is Best for You?

By Wilson Rothman

GLOVE COMPARTMENT You need a phone in your car or handbag for emergencies but probably won't use it much.

Monthly plans start at $20, but if you use the phone very infrequently, it may be cheaper to buy prepaid calling cards. The best deals: AT&T Wireless's $10 card, good for 45 days, and Cingular's $20 card, with a shelf life of 90 days. Either way the cost works out to $6.70 a month.

SOCIAL BUTTERFLY Your cell phone is your lifeblood; you can't live without those night and weekend minutes.

At AT&T Wireless, Cingular and Sprint PCS, $50 is the going rate for 500 anytime minutes plus 3,500 or more night (generally starting at 9 p.m.) and weekend minutes. Verizon Wireless offers a similar plan with 400 anytime minutes for $45 a month. VoiceStream offers what looks like the best price: $40 for 500 anytime minutes. But there's a catch: its plan gives you unlimited weekend calling but no free nighttime minutes during the week.

FAMILY PLAN You have several cell phones, and you spend a lot of time calling from one to another.

AT&T Wireless has the cheapest deal: $75 a month for three phones, 500 shared anytime minutes and 1,000 night and weekend minutes, plus unlimited calling among plan members. VoiceStream offers 800 anytime minutes among three phones for $80 a month, with unlimited weekend and VoiceStream mobile-to-mobile minutes, plus national roaming and free long distance.

ROAD WARRIOR Your cell phone is a mission-critical mainstay of your work life. You need a plan that's dependable and cost efficient.

Cingular, Sprint PCS and Verizon Wireless offer 2,000 anytime minutes with 3,500 or more night and weekend minutes for $150. AT&T adds a little more value: 2,200 anytime minutes and unlimited nights and weekends for $150. If you're trying to downsize, AT&T offers 1,300 anytime minutes with unlimited nights and weekends for $100; VoiceStream has a 1,400-minute plan with unlimited weekend calling for $100.

NOTE: These deals may not be available in your area and don't include the cost of phones, activation fees or monthly taxes. Also, pricing can be volatile; check carrier websites regularly for updates, promotions and additional options like messaging, wireless Web and roadside assistance.