What makes an unlocked phone so popular, people ditch carrier phones and switch to unlocked smartphones? One of the reasons is flexibility to switch between different service providers, freedom to choose carriers and plans overseas, and save on international roaming too.

Benefits of unlocked phones

No one can deny the fact that unlocked smartphones are a better option than locked ones. These unlocked devices have an edge over locked phones. These benefits are mentioned below:

• Options galore

When you spend so much on an unlocked phone, it is natural to want more options when it comes to choosing your carrier. The buyer can either go for a bigger carrier or MVNOs, whoever offers better deals on their plans.

• Coverage factor

One thing that matters the most is that a buyer can choose a carrier that offers him better coverage and a stronger network in his area. After all, great connectivity is what one is looking for.

• Easy Customization

Locked phones are enabled with software that stops certain third party apps from loading on your phone. That is not the case with unlocked smartphones. A buyer can customize his unlocked device as per his requirements. There are no restrictions imposed by any carriers.

• Better deals

A buyer has the option of purchasing a phone from his or her carrier’s store or online. The store option may be little expensive; however, the buyer can get a better deal if they keep an eye out for new unlocked phones sales online. The only drawback with buying these is that one has to wait for the sale to buy it.

• Lost phone, no worries

Losing your phone while bound to a contract can be an absolute nightmare! Losing your contract phone will bring termination fees as well as other surprise penalty fees that may be a part of the contract. With unlocked phones, you can purchase a new phone without any worry, and there are chances of tracking your lost or stolen phone back with your special IMEI number.

With all the benefits, an unlocked phone has a higher resale value than a locked one.

Who does not like unlocked smartphones? Everybody loves the freedom from contracts and the freedom to choose their own carrier. These unlocked devices are available in the market and even online. The prices may differ, but choices are more.

The reason why buyers prefer unlocked smartphones is that they get the carrier and cell phone plans of their choice.

Best unlocked phones

Most online smartphones are pretty cheap. Normally, the buyer gets good deals on new unlocked phones sales that take place every so often.

• Samsung Galaxy S8

This phone needs no introduction. The unlocked version costs $575. It is the best-selling phone in the Android segment. Nothing beats the Samsung Galaxy S8 in terms of features, camera, and screen display.

• BLU R1HD

Easy on the pocket, this BLU phone is simple and comes with a dual SIM capacity. It has an expandable storage of up to 64GB. This phone is GSM enabled so it may be compatible with a few carriers.

• Alcatel Ideal

This is possibly the cheapest phone in the unlocked smartphone category. Priced reasonably at $39, Alcatel runs on the 4G LTE network. This is a very sturdy phone and works amazingly well.

• Moto G Plus (5^th generation)

This phone is carrier friendly i.e. it works with most carriers, including international carriers. Moto G is priced at $300. It has Android v7.0 Nougat and is the fastest 4G LTE smartphone.

• Samsung Galaxy J7 Prime

Samsung is the market leader in the Android phone category. This 32GB, a dual SIM-enabled device will give you great value for money. The Galaxy J7 is priced at $235. It is compatible with most GSM SIM cards and carriers but will not work with CDMA carriers like Verizon, Sprint, and Boost.

• BLU Studio X8 HD

This has a very old version of Android, the 4.4 KitKat. BLU Studio is priced at $50. It is a great phone for the price tag it comes with. Though the model is old, it works like a charm.

Unlocked smartphones are convenient for those who do a lot of traveling as they let you use any carrier, including ones overseas. Unlocked smartphones enable buyers to insert the SIM of the carrier he chooses and his phone is activated

Often choosing the right plan is easier in comparison to getting the right network. Whoever said that it’s just “the network” needs to think again. You do not want to get trapped in the wrong network and then regret later.

Your network also depends on the device you use and thereafter which plan you prefer. That’s because new devices come with inbuilt radio technology that has a band 12 of spectrums which tap the data faster at a jet speed. So if your device does not support the new technology then any network may not work for you.

Deciding the perfect network

Getting best mobile network is not a child’s play. Before you set out to shop for networks, do check the map zones where you would be using it. Some phone service providers like T-Mobile offers in-home extenders which can save your phone from bad area network coverage. Wireless carriers have come up with a solution for those dealing with network problems. They have equipment free Wi-Fi calling which enables the user to direct the call through his Wi-Fi signal, assuming that it is good.

If you are little tight with your budget then ignore the big four, and go with low-cost carriers called as MVNOs (Mobile Virtual Network Operators) who use the same signal or network as AT&T, Sprint, Verizon, and T-Mobile. There are a whole lot of them that have the best mobile networks and plans of all types that can fit your budget.

Most phone service providers have tall claims of having the best mobile network in the country. Don’t fall for their claims as the coverage may differ in each city and area. Moreover, the network coverage, these service providers claims are mostly for populated areas.

At times, when most carriers are looking forward to 5G network speed, one should do their research while heading with any of the carriers and getting into their plans. The best mobile network needs a good coverage and reception that is reliable and has a better call quality.

Sometimes small carriers do have an edge over the big carriers in terms of coverage and networks.

While choosing a phone service, what is the most important for any buyer? Sometimes, you wonder, does the best mobile network ever exist? Yes, you can find that network that neither lets you down nor your calls.

Before you get your resources to find the best mobile network, let’s look at the top carriers that are making the heads turn. The best mobile networks belong to the big four – Verizon, T-Mobile, AT&T, and Sprint. These are the major carriers that give the best phone services and have plans that support their network.

How to sync your network and plans

As much as plans are important, so is getting the best mobile network that is in tune with your plans. Networks work on signals. The network sends out the signal when you start your phone. However, some signals do not work in restricted areas or dead zones.

There are two categories of carriers that work for most of them. They are the big four and second are low-cost carriers. These low-cost carriers are often known by the name of MVNOs (Mobile Virtual Network Operators). They use the network of the major carriers and are easy on the pockets too.

The best mobile network is undoubtedly Verizon. If the monthly charge of USD 80 with 22 GB data and other perks works for you, then this is the best with excellent network and coverage. Having said that, there are other low-cost carrier options that one can explore if they feel that the plans charted by Verizon or AT&T do not fit their bill. These low-cost carriers come at a monthly charge of USD 30 for 2GB 4G LTE data. That works out pretty cheap if your usage is limited.

It always pays to know your plans first and then match it with a network that fits the plan. Also, do check out the prepaid plans to understand which of the best mobile networks is good for you. Switching carrier can also be an option if you still have not found that perfect network. Try not to commit to any network, till you get it right.

The grass is always greener on the other side. Those with contract phones feel trapped compared to the users with no contract phones. There are other alternatives if you are not shopping for the best phone contract. Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile have introduced many plans that a buyer can choose as per his/her requirements.

Deals on best phone contracts

There are a number of plans like – prepaid and postpaid plans, pay as you go, monthly plans, and unlimited individual plans. The ample choices and options for a no contract phone are sure to make you spoiled for choice.

It is like a jungle of plans out there. If you don’t know which plan to go for, then you might be taken for a ride with a wrong plan. T-Mobile unlimited data plans are quite cheap at USD 70 per month. Republic wireless is another carrier that offers some fixed amount of data for USD 30 a month.

Verizon gives 5 GB data for USD 55 a month, is not bad, if you have limited usage. And you can still use the leftover data in the month after. Right now, Verizon has the best plans and best network coverage in the entire country. MetroPCS also gives 6GB data for USD 40 per month.

Then there are plans for international travelers. Those who travel a lot can opt for the international traveling plan. T-Mobile is the best carrier for this plan. It offers 2GB roaming data which can be used in 120 countries.

Even though the four major carriers like Verizon, T-Mobile, Sprint, and AT&T offer best phone contract deals, there are other tiny players in the market, which can give no contract phone for same plans for a lesser amount like- Cricket, Boost Mobile, MetroPCS, and Straight Talk. However, with these carriers, it is safer to go for pre-paid plans.

If you are not satisfied with your current plan and your network and want to switch over, then you can go ahead to another carrier. Major carriers are offering the switchover costs and some are even offering credits.

There is no such thing as best phone contract as there are so many players in the market, who will look to outdo the other.

The realm of communication changed for good with the invention of the cell phone. Almost everyone now owns one of the contemporary range of cell phones known as smartphones and spends a fair amount of money on cell phone plans each month.

There are two types of cell phone plans telecom service providers offer which is mainly contract plans and prepaid plans. If you are having second thoughts about ditching your contract phone plan for a prepaid one but are still not sure, here are some advantages to help you make up your mind.

Flexibility in plans

One of the main benefits of opting for a prepaid service is the freedom to switch between the best-prepaid cell phone plans as and when you want to. You can make these switches within the existing plans a carrier has to offer or even switch to an entirely new carrier if you want. Unlike postpaid plans, here you can make as many changes as you like on the expiry of your plan.

Money, money, money

One can save a considerable amount of money with prepaid mobile phone plans. Unlike contract phone plans, there are no hidden monthly charges or taxes that you need to pay. The hidden charges can be from going over your data limit or speaking for more minutes than the set limit or monthly access fees or activation fees. With a prepaid plan, there is only one-time fee or amount that you pay and nothing more.

Even if you opt for one of the best prepaid mobile phone plans, it can only offer you maximum benefits if you understand your smartphone usage well. If you want to use more than what you have paid for, you will have to pay additionally for it. That is yet another advantage, which it makes the user use data and call minutes responsibly as well as pay for only what he/she uses. Users also won’t have any sort of surprises at the end of the month when they look at the billed amount, unlike the best prepaid mobile phone plans that only require an outright payment before one starts using the services.

Prepaid plans offer its users a number of benefits – the main one being the freedom for switching to other plans whenever you want to. You get what you pay for and there are no hidden charges involved. No contract plans have come a long way since they were introduced. There are prepaid plans now available for every kind of usage and need.

Here are our top picks for the best prepaid cell phone plans in terms of the budgets for 2017.

T-Mobile

T-Mobile provides for only prepaid cell phone plans. Unlike most other prepaid plans, this service provides also offers an array of benefits like the carrier’s JUMP program, Binge On, and a whole lot more. T-mobile offers some of the best prepaid unlimited cell phone plans that one can opt for. The plans start from as low as USD 3.

AT&T

Apart from its affordable range of prepaid phone plans, the brand is popular as they offer simple plans that are easy for the users to understand. If you are willing to spend more for your smartphone usage, then you can also opt for the brand’s subsidiary Cricket which also has some of the best prepaid cell phone plans. AT&T offers plans that cost as low as USD 2 per day.

Boost Mobile

Boost Mobile is an MVNO or mobile virtual network operator. MVNOs operate using coverage space from other carriers and Boost Mobile shares Sprint’s network as it is owned by the hosting carrier. The carrier has the best prepaid cell phone plans in the internet usage category. These plans are compatible with a number of phones and start from as low as USD10.

There is an array of prepaid plans available in the market that caters to every kind of need. Understanding one’s data and talk time usage is very important as that helps in choosing the plan where one is neither spending for too much nor falling short of data or talk time. So go ahead and make the best of the best prepaid cell phone plans out there.