Can You Make Do With a Cheap Unlimited Wireless Plan?

In February 2008, the superpowers of wireless phone service--AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, and Verizon--engaged in a brief but fierce price war that left them all offering unlimited calling plans for $100 a month. But how does paying half that amount grab you?

Unlimited wireless service for $50 or less isn't a new concept: Cricket and MetroPCS have offered it for years, specializing in prepaid plans without credit checks or contracts. In recent months, however, new players, including Boost and Virgin Mobile, have jumped in. Even T-Mobile is dabbling with the idea, albeit in the form of an "Unlimited Loyalty" plan offered only to existing customers with a record of reliable payment. And coverage, plan options, and phone choices--all of which have been notoriously skimpy in the past for these cheaper plans--are all improving.

In short, fifty bucks a month has never gone further when it comes to wireless service. But these carriers and plans still aren't for everybody: Business travelers, Internet addicts, and those who covet hot handsets all need to think carefully before signing up. They're "good for consumers if they primarily use their phones for voice and don't care whether they have the latest smartphone," says Sue Marek, editor in chief of wireless-industry journal FierceWireless. In other words, they're an intriguing, affordable alternative to a landline.

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