Let’s Compare Family Cell Phone Plans
The general rule for family cell phone plans, is to have at least
two frequent wireless users, as they would be an expensive option
otherwise. To simplify matters, we have separated our data into categories
according to the number of users in the family plan. Keep in mind
we have made a few assumptions when putting our comparison charts
together.
The first assumption is that all plans are signed under a 1-year contract.
We think 2 years is a long time commitment for phone plans, so accordingly
we also recommend you to sign a 1-year contract. No upgrades costs
and activation fees were added to the monthly fee, but it does include
additional line fees. Lastly, we will be using nation wide plans due
to the fact that they are more popular and also offer better value.
*You can click on the column headings to sort the
information, last updated on August 3, 2004
Compare family plans with 2 Lines
| Plan | Monthly Fee for 2 |
Anytime Minutes |
Evenings & Weekend Minutes |
Mobile to Mobile Minutes |
| T-Mobile Family Time
400 |
$50 | 400 | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Verizon Wireless America’s
Choice Family Share 400 |
$60 | 400 | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Cingular Family Talk
Nation 450 |
$60 | 450 | 5000 | Unlimited |
| AT&T Shareable GSM
America National 450 |
$60 | 450 | Unlimited | 1000 |
| Sprint PCS Free & Clear Nation Wide 500 |
$65 | 500 | Unlimited | NA |
| T-Mobile Family Time
800 |
$70 | 800 | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| AT&T Shareable GSM
America National 900 |
$70 | 900 | Unlimited | 1000 |
| AT&T Shareable GSM
America National 600 |
$70 | 600 | Unlimited | 1000 |
| Sprint PCS Free & Clear
Nation Wide 700 |
$70 | 700 | Unlimited | NA |
| Cingular Family Talk Nation 600 |
$70 | 600 | 5000 | Unlimited |
| Verizon Wireless America’s
Choice Family Share 500 |
$70 | 500 | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Cingular Family Talk
Nation 850 |
$80 | 850 | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Nextel National Team
Shared 400 |
$80 | 800 | Unlimited | 250 Per Line |
| AT&T Shareable GSM
America National 1300 |
$85 | 1300 | Unlimited | 1000 |
| Sprint PCS Free & Clear Nation Wide 1100 |
$85 | 1100 | Unlimited | NA |
| T-Mobile Family Time
1600 |
$100 | 1600 | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| AT&T Shareable GSM
America National 1800 |
$100 | 1800 | Unlimited | 1000 |
| Cingular Family Talk
Nation 1250 |
$100 | 1250 | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Nextel National Team
Shared 600 |
$100 | 1200 | Unlimited | 250 Per Line |
| Sprint PCS Free & Clear Nation Wide 1400 |
$100 | 1400 | Unlimited | NA |
Compare Cell Phone Family Plans with 3 Lines
(You can get a lot of minutes for a lot less and definitely the
lower AT&T plans are not worth it, the AT&T 900
would be good if you sign a 2 year contract and take advantage of
their unlimited mobile-to-mobile promo)
| Plan | Monthly Fee for 3 |
Anytime Minutes |
Evenings & Weekend Minutes |
Mobile to Mobile Minutes |
| T-Mobile Family Time 400 |
$60 | 400 | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| T-Mobile Family Time
800 |
$80 | 800 | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| AT&T Shareable GSM
America National 900 |
$80 | 900 | Unlimited | 1000 |
| Verizon Wireless America’s
Choice Family Share 400 |
$80 | 400 | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Cingular Family Talk
Nation 450 |
$80 | 450 | 5000 | Unlimited |
| Sprint PCS Free & Clear Nation Wide 500 |
$85 | 500 | Unlimited | NA |
| AT&T Shareable GSM
America National 450 |
$80 | 450 | Unlimited | 1000 |
| AT&T Shareable GSM
America National 600 |
$90 | 600 | Unlimited | 1000 |
| Sprint PCS Free & Clear
Nation Wide 700 |
$90 | 700 | Unlimited | NA |
| Cingular Family Talk Nation 600 |
$90 | 600 | 5000 | Unlimited |
| Verizon Wireless America’s
Choice Family Share 500 |
$90 | 500 | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| AT&T Shareable GSM
America National 1300 |
$95 | 1300 | Unlimited | 1000 |
| Cingular Family Talk
Nation 850 |
$100 | 850 | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Sprint PCS Free & Clear
Nation Wide 1100 |
$105 | 1100 | Unlimited | NA |
| T-Mobile Family Time 1600 |
$110 | 1600 | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| AT&T Shareable GSM
America National 1800 |
$110 | 1800 | Unlimited | 1000 |
| Cingular Family Talk
Nation 1250 |
$120 | 1250 | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Nextel National Team
Shared 400 |
$120 | 1200 | Unlimited | 250 Per Line |
| Sprint PCS Free & Clear Nation Wide 1400 |
$120 | 1400 | Unlimited | NA |
| Nextel National Team
Shared 600 |
$150 | 1800 | Unlimited | 250 Per Line |
Compare Wireless Family Plans with 4 Lines
| Plan | Monthly
Fee for |
Anytime Minutes |
Evenings & Weekend Minutes |
Mobile to Mobile Minutes |
| T-Mobile Family Time 400 |
$70 | 400 | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| T-Mobile Family Time
800 |
$90 | 800 | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| AT&T Shareable GSM
America National 900 |
$90 | 900 | Unlimited | 1000 |
| Verizon Wireless America’s
Choice Family Share 400 |
$100 | 400 | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Cingular Family Talk
Nation 450 |
$100 | 450 | 5000 | Unlimited |
| AT&T Shareable GSM
America National 450 |
$100 | 450 | Unlimited | 1000 |
| AT&T Shareable GSM America National 1300 |
$105 | 1300 | Unlimited | 1000 |
| Sprint PCS Free & Clear
Nation Wide 500 |
$105 | 500 | Unlimited | NA |
| AT&T Shareable GSM
America National 600 |
$110 | 600 | Unlimited | 1000 |
| Sprint PCS Free & Clear
Nation Wide 700 |
$110 | 700 | Unlimited | NA |
| Cingular Family Talk Nation 600 |
$110 | 600 | 5000 | Unlimited |
| Verizon Wireless America’s
Choice Family Share 500 |
$110 | 500 | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| T-Mobile Family Time
1600 |
$120 | 1600 | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| AT&T Shareable GSM
America National 1800 |
$120 | 1800 | Unlimited | 1000 |
| Cingular Family Talk
Nation 850 |
$120 | 850 | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Sprint PCS Free & Clear Nation Wide 1100 |
$125 | 1100 | Unlimited | NA |
| Cingular Family Talk
Nation 1250 |
$140 | 1250 | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Sprint PCS Free & Clear
Nation Wide 1400 |
$140 | 1400 | Unlimited | NA |
| Nextel National Team
Shared 400 |
$160 | 1600 | Unlimited | 250 Per Line |
| Nextel National Team
Shared 600 |
$200 | 2400 | Unlimited | 250 Per Line |
