A cell phone needs to have a paid service in order to make it work. There are two types of payment options for any network. Prepaid cell phones and postpaid cell phones are the two types of services. Prepaid cell phones are phones for which the charges need to be paid at the beginning of the service. There are several advantages and disadvantages associated with prepaid cell phones. A prepaid cell phone is considered economical and budget-friendly mobile plan. This service provides reliability and transparency as we know what we are paying for. There will be a restricted limit which can be call cost or talk time minutes.

A prepaid cell phone versus a postpaid cell phone

Prepaid cell phones are flexible and affordable. There is no need for a credit check. There is no need to provide an initial deposit. A prepaid cell phone does not need a permanent address, visa, or phone number to get a prepaid connection. No monthly fee is required to be paid. You can control and manage the call costs as you are aware of the charges you allocate for phone funds. In a postpaid cell phone, you may need to pay a deposit and monthly fee. The registering and availing process of a postpaid cell phone can be a bit harder than the prepaid one. In prepaid cell phones, there is no termination fee levied on you when you decide to quit your service. However, this is not possible in postpaid connections. The postpaid cell phone proves to be beneficial for added plans, which are designed for extra luxuriousness. For example, they provide plans for international calls, free-roaming facilities etc. These postpaid or contract cell phones tend to enable more features for a smartphone, which is not possible with prepaid cell phones.

How to make payments for prepaid cell phones?

• One can recharge directly from a bank ATM.
• Net banking is a much easier way to pay, which is via credit/debit card/PayPal and other services.
• Top up cards or refill cards are available in every retail store in almost every country. These cards come with a unique code number which is revealed. That code, when entered into the phone, increases your balance amount in the prepaid cell phone.
• Swipe cards are similar to top up cards. These cards, when swiped, automatically increase your balance. These cards are also available in retail stores.
• A person can recharge from a foreign country through an international top up card. This is can be done online. Any person sitting in a foreign country can recharge for a prepaid cell phone through this top up method.
• There are some open-loop cards available for paying before the service. A top up can be done directly through those cards.
• A migrant worker in another country can pay for his/her family members or friends even though they may use another network through the web.
• Reloading stations allow your specially modified SIM for loading pre-payable amount. This process is called electronic reloading of the SIM.
• There is no compulsion on a prepaid cell phone holder to top up for his mobile. The operators may lure the users to top up their number by providing them attractive offers. Otherwise, it is completely acceptable to keep your mobile without providing a top up to it. Recharging the mobile may be mandatory, as the service is denied on the completion of the validity period.

Before you make a choice, make sure you weigh the pro and cons. It is important to look for the appropriate prepaid plan before deciding one so that meets your requirements.