Many of the large cell phone service companies now offer prepaid cell phone plans--when formerly, all they offered were the standard contract model, for which you sign up for two years and get stuck in the cycle of upgrading to a new phone and of course signing another contract.

There are a lot of different routes to take when you are looking for alternatives to the traditional contract model. Prepaid cell phones or pay-as-you-go options may just be the way for you to go in terms of your mobile communications.

AT&T merged with Cingular and they now bill themselves as having the largest network in the United States. This may be true. Whatever the case may be, there are also several other competitors that you can look at to try to find the best deal for you and your family.

Boost mobile is definitely a contender for your business as is the Alltel network. Virgin Mobile also operates on a pay-as-you-go cell phone model, so this may be a viable option for you as well.

Boost Mobile offers one great feature, which is the free walkie-talkie service from one user to another. This is included in all plans. Virgin Mobile is the British company owned by Richard Branson. It is a very youth oriented company, as is Boost Mobile, and has some good options for younger cell phone users.

The truth is you can sort of customize your cell phone plan to be close to how you actually use it. You don't have to get stuck with a whole bunch of minutes you don't use at the end of the month.

As you can see, there are many well known companies that you can find prepaid cell phone plans with. The company you choose completely depends on what you want out of your mobile phone.

The beauty of the prepaid model as opposed to the contract model is that there is no commitment (other than what you spend on the actual phone) so it is fairly painless to move from one service to another if you are dissatisfied with the service.

All companies that offer prepaid cell phone plans require you to use a phone that works with their service. The cell phone itself may be pricey, but generally there are many different models to choose from.

Using a prepaid cell phone means that you do not have to undergo a credit check from the company or sign a long term contract--but this doesn't mean it's the right option for you.

People who are on a shared plan and have a lot of minutes each month or carryover minutes often find the best deal by signing a contract and using that model of service. Another perk to this type of service is you are often offered a free cell phone or a discounted newer model when you sign up for a new contract.

You want to take out your cell phone bills over the past several months and see how many minutes you use consistently, and take into account things like mobile to mobile free usage, how many carryover minutes you get, the cost of a new phone, and the other costs and fees involved.

If it makes sense, make the switch to prepaid. You can always sign another contract later!