Looking for great cell phone without the hassle of a long contract? Do you want your costs to be totally in control every month, without overage charges or other surprise fees? Are you looking for a temporary plan, a second phone, or an emergency-only phone? Do you have a teen who needs a phone, but you want to remain in control of the costs? If any of these questions describes your situation, then it sounds like a prepaid cellular plan is an excellent choice.

Prepaid plans used to be marketed and targeted to teens and customers with poor credit histories, but this market has rapidly changed due to customers becoming fed up with long, inflexible plans, surprise charges, or specific usage needs. Prepaid plans have exploded on the market, and are a great choice for many consumers looking for a different type of cell service, without commitment.

Two of the most popular prepaid plans come from Virgin Mobile and T-Mobile. This is no surprise, as their coverage, service, and rates are consistent, reliable, and flexible. Let's explore plans offered by each.

*Virgin Mobile*

Virgin Mobile offers prepaid plans in many countries, with phones and plans being slightly different in each. Here's the scoop on the U.S. plans.

Phones Available: 11 phone models are available, ranging in price from free with airtime purchase ($9.99 alone), to the $99 Wildcard- Virgin's answer to the Sidekick. Phones have a variety of features, including mobile web, cameras, and MP3 players. Only two models have Bluetooth capability- the Wildcard and the Superslice, which is a limiting factor.

Plans: Virgin USA has two types of service: pay-as-you-go plans, where you prepay for bulk minutes, and monthly plans that have no contracts and self-renew. Pay-as-you-go rates range from 18 cents a minute with no fees to 10 cents a minute with a $6.99 fee per month, on top of airtime. Monthly plans are a significantly better investment, ranging from $14.99 a month for 100 minutes to $99 a month with 100 anytime minutes, unlimited nights and weekends, and unlimited calls to other Virgin users. For most users, the $34.99 plan provides ample time, with 300 anytime minutes and 1000 night and weekend minutes. Virgin allows you to earn free airtime by giving them feedback on new features and content through their Sugar Mama program. All users, pay-as-you-go or monthly, can participate.

Availability: Phones can be ordered online or purchased at many major retail locations including Walmart,

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