How to read in between the lines of cell phone contracts.

I must admit, I have been dazzled a time or two by the sophistication, sleekness, glamour, and new gadgets of the up and coming cell phones. At any expense to have the new "must have," what is the price you really pay for not reading the contract?

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Your attention.

1. Before you sign on the cellphone contract dotted line, there are a few things to consider before signing the contract. Making well informed decisions is essential to meet your specific short term and long term wireless phone needs. The first decision you make should be to select the right wireless phone company. Regardless of the pricing plan or phone you chose, you have to make sure the wireless company will ultimately have fair coverage in the areas that are most important to you.
2. Wireless carriers are very good about providing information on coverage areas. Resources such as detailed coverage area maps through brochures or their websites are informative and easily accessible. You can also visit websites, such as http://www.deadcellzones.com/, which is a website created for customers to report coverage complaints.
3. Additionally, you may want to test out the coverage during the buyer's remorse period. Many wireless phone companies have a 30 day buyer's remorse period, which allows you to test their service before binding yourself to the terms of the contract.
4. Another important thing to consider is to know is the difference between a reseller and a wireless company owned website or store. A reseller is a third party company that resells wireless service. They are authorized to sell wireless service, but in my experience in customer service for a wireless phone company some important details about contracts almost always get lost in translation. Although, there are many well trained and superb resellers, it would be in your best interest to make sure you are aware of the different contracts. For example, if you purchase a wireless phone through a reseller, you may think you have done your research and walk off thinking your have a 30 day trial period. Unfortunately, this isn't always the case. You may unknowingly enter into two separate contracts. Some resellers make you sign a separate contract for the phone itself that is separate from the wireless service company. Although you may have 30 days with the wireless service company, you may have significantly less for the phone with the reseller. I have experienced situations where the return period with the reseller was only three days, and the customer didn't know anything about it. So if you cancel service within your 30 day period you have no liability with the wireless service company, but you are still held accountable to the reseller's return policy. Resellers have separate contracts to protect themselves in case you cancel with the wireless phone company, and then never return the phone from their inventory. To avoid a loss in their commission as well as a loss in equipment, they set up a separate contract, which is fair, if the customer is aware.
5. Company owned stores operate a bit differently. Sales representatives from these stores go through detailed training. Sales representatives are very knowledgeable on the network, calling plans, service, wireless phones, and are very up to speed on their products. At the touch of button, they can access the wireless company's internal resources, and sometimes that small detail is a significant difference in the quality of knowledge and customer service you pay for and expect to get.

Tips & Warnings

• Tip: Read, Read, Read! There is no short cut to understanding your contract.