Expert: DebiN - 7/12/2010

Question
This might sound stupid but I really don't know the answer and am embarassed to ask.  When someone calls you do you have to pay too?  Also, do you have to keep the phone on all the time if it is your primary phone.  Thanks so much........Dee

Answer
This is actually a good question and one that many people who are unfamiliar with cell phones don't understand. When you use a cell phone, you pay for your minutes, whether you make or receive the call, it doesn't matter. You typically purchase a monthly plan that gives you a certain number of anytime minutes and most likely free nights and weekends and mobile to mobile minutes for no charge. If you use the phone at all whether to make or receive a call, the number of minutes you talk on the phone is deducted from the bucket of minutes. If the person who calls you or you call has the same wireless carrier as you, then the call is considered mobile to mobile and no minutes are deducted. If you make or receive a call after nights starts (typically 9PM local time but sometimes 7P with some carriers), then that call is also free. Carriers who advertise free incoming minutes (US Cellular is one of them) just charge more for calls you make, so it's just better to have a standard bucket of minutes.

If you don't leave the phone on, you can make or receive a call. The calls you receive when the phone is off will go to your voice mail, but you won't know that until you turn the phone off. It's always better to leave a cell phone on at all times. You dont' have to answer the calls, but then at least you know when you miss a call because it shows you that you have missed the call. I wouldn't use a cell phone for my main phone unless you are 100% sure that you will always be able to get service and think that the price is right. A home phone is cheaper than cell phone serivce, but if you make a lot of long distance calls, cell is cheaper because there's no charge for long distance. I hope this helps.