Expert: DebiN - 9/25/2011

Question
i may be coming to the US and will be requiring a monthly prepaid plan. I came across a 50 dollar monthly plan for "basic" phones. I have the following questions:-
1.how does one define a "basic" phone?  
2.does it only provide 2G web browsing?
3.explain me the contract system of buying cellphones through a service provider. Thanks.

Answer
A basic phone would be one that is not a smartphone. These days if a device is not a smartphone, it is referred to as a basic phone. There are also quick messaging phones which are not smartphones, those have keypads but are not smartphones. A regular cell phone that just has the numbers for keys, basically.

It would likely be a 3G phone since there aren't too many 2G phones out there anymore, but check with the carrier to be sure.

If the plan is prepaid, there is no contract. You pay for the minutes in advance and you have a certain period of time to use them (or lose them). Typically, if you buy $100.00 worth of minutes, they are usually good for 12 months. If you buy $25.00, it's usually good for 3 months. It's depends on the carrier.

The cost of the phone is typically more expensive than with post paid, but most carriers who are offering a basic phone with prepaid will offer the phone for somewhere in the neighborhood of $50.00 (or less, sometimes even free, but usually only if you get $100.00 in minutes to start, for example). You still get to keep the phone regardless, but the phones can only be used with prepaid, versus postpaid. Hope this helps. Thanks.