Best Cell Phone Service in Columbia, MO

Compare and Find Cell Phone Plans in Columbia, MO

When you begin looking for cell phone coverage in Columbia, MO, rest assured that you won't have to look far to find a plan that will fit both your needs and your budget. You'll want to carefully consider what you actually require in a cell phone and how much you really want to spend. You may find a deal that seems inexpensive in the beginning, but after comparing it to other plans with similar features, it may be more of a drain on your wallet than you expected. It's always a smart idea to compare different cell phone plans before settling on one. We offer a variety of services here at MyRatePlan that will help you spot the different features and benefits right off the bat. This helps you choose a plan that is right for you as an individual or as a family in Columbia, MO. You'll know from the beginning who offers the rates that will fit your budget, as well as what company has the best features and most reliable reception.

Types of Cell Phone Plans in Columbia, MO

Residents of Columbia, MO typically look for plans that fit their talking and texting needs. They want a plan that has enough talk and text time, as well as reliable data coverage if they aren't using Wi-Fi. When you are choosing wireless service, you should consider how much talk, text, and data you need per month.

Many people now depend on their cell phone plan for all of their communication needs. If this is the case, it is important to have a plan that fits every need that you have. Use MyRatePlan to look up different carriers and their plans to see how much money you could save with each. If you already have a wireless plan, price match with other companies to see if you could get a better rate. When looking for wireless plans, you will come across three main categories: individual, family, and no contract plans.

Individual plans, also known as single line plans, will only give you one line that has one rate for everything: talk, text and data. No other phone plans or devices will be part of this plan. This is perfect when you don't have children or a spouse that you need to add on.

If you need a phone for the different members of your family, then a family plan may be right for you. These types of plans offer a mix of options and devices that are more expensive than a single plan, but still cheaper when you need to have two or more lines. Most family plans offer shared minutes and text messages, as well as a shared data plan. Just remember to purchase a service that will allow everyone the coverage that they need.

No contract plans are also known as prepaid or pay-as-you-go plans. These types of cell phone plans are much more flexible when it comes to pricing and payments. Many people remember these plans as the cheap phones that you would buy along with a card, but nowadays these cell phone plans offer many of the greater smartphones and better service. Most department stores in Columbia, MO offer prepaid cell phones that you can buy and start using right away. You can also use MyRatePlan's prepaid plan finder and order a prepaid or pay-as-you-go SIM card. You will only have to pay for what you actually need, but additional fees could apply. However, you will never be bound to a contract.

When you purchase a contract plan, you may have to sign up for a two-year plan, although there are carriers that still offer one-year plans. You can pay every month for both the plan and a new cell phone, but you have to keep up your payments for the whole length of the contract. In order to terminate the contract, you will have to pay an early termination fee, which could cost hundreds of dollars, along with any penalties. However, most carriers offer no contract plans only nowadays.

What Wireless Plan Is Best For You in Columbia, MO?

To determine the type of plan you need, decide how many people you want to have on your plan and the services you need. Carriers break down their plans by the talk, text, and data limits.

If you're looking for the lowest price, look into a contract plan with a limited number of minutes and text messages (probably 400 or less). Keep in mind that you get the most bang for your buck with unlimited plans, and those are best if you talk and text often throughout the day. When you're on a prepaid plan, you deposit money onto your wireless card, and then use that money to buy minutes (by either paying per minute or buying a package of minutes).

It's crucial that you find a plan with enough mobile data. It's rare to find truly unlimited data plans, and carriers in Columbia, MO typically charge quite a bit for high data use. Data pricing is per megabyte or gigabyte, with gigabytes being more common as data needs have grown. If you go over your data limit, you may get an overage charge or the carrier could throttle (slow down) your data.

What Cell Phone Carriers Have Service in Columbia, MO

There are plans from several of the major cell providers to choose from in Columbia, MO. In addition to buying directly from major carriers, there are smaller carriers to choose from. These providers are referred to as MVNOs. While they are independent, they generally operate on a carrier network. This means that many of these plans are available in most major cities. If you are looking for an MVNO plan to choose, MyRatePlan makes it easy. We make it possible to compare a wide variety of different cell phone plans.

Some examples of major providers that offer coverage to residents of Columbia, MO are AT&T, Sprint, Verizon, and T-Mobile. These providers have been around for quite some time, and they offer reliable coverage.

Verizon's wireless plans offer a variety of options. You can get pay as you go plans, but it is also possible to get plans with a contract. There are both family plans and individual plans that you can choose from, and these plans all put limits on data. However, there are no limits on talk or text.

T-Mobile does not offer any contract plans. Two great plans from T-Mobile are Simple Choice and T-Mobile ONE. These plans offer unlimited talk, text, and data. T-Mobile's plans are available both for a single device and as family plans.

AT&T is another well known national cell phone carrier. There are a variety of plans offered by AT&T, and these plans have different limits on talk, text, and data. There are pay as you go plans, but there are also a variety of contract plans to choose from. There are both individual and family plans available from AT&T.

Sprint also offers high quality coverage. They have a particularly good plan available, called the Unlimited Freedom Plan. In addition, you can get data from Sprint without any limits whatsoever. This means that you can use as much data as you want.