Metro PCS, Boost Mobile, T-Mobile

• Metro PCS (metropcs.com) provides different plans that focus on unlimited local calls without no contracts or activation fees. The company has entered markets such as in California, Florida and Texas, but there are still areas in the north that have no coverage. Boost Mobile (boostmobile.com) is a similar phone company that offers an unlimited monthly plan at $50 a month as well as a pay-as-you-go plan that charges $0.10 a minute. T-Mobile's FlexPay (tmobile.com) program promotes phone service without credit checks, deposits, activation fees or long-term contracts for individuals and families.
  
  

AT&T Prepaid, Tracfone, & Virgin Mobile

• AT&T (wireless.att.com) offers GoPhone prepaid services, which allow you to refill as you go with prepaid cards, online or by phone. Tracfone (tracfone.com) is another telephone company that is offers no contracts and an ability to buy minutes directly from your phone. Virgin Mobile (virginmobileusa.com) has prepaid and pay-as-you-go plans that do not require annual contracts, credit checks or activation fees.
  
  

Verizon Wireless

• Verizon Wireless has four basic plans that include unlimited talk at $3.99, Plus $1.99, and Core $0.99 per day used as well as a Basic plan $.25 a minute. Make sure that you understand any expiration policies, like with Verizon which expires refilled minutes $15 to $29.99 after 30 days, $30 to $74.99 in 90 days, $75 to $99.99 in 180 days, and $100 plus after one year.
  Be prepared to pay up front for an actual phone since telephone companies do not provide many discounted or free phones for prepaid customers. Realize that your coverage may not be similar to a plan that you previously had, especially as some carriers only allow unlimited local calls for prepaid customers. Also, international rates might be very steep.