Reading the Fine Print in Your Phone Contract

The key to reading the fine print is knowing your contract’s key terms and conditions - We used to say read the terms and conditions, but they are about 8,000 words of lawyer speak no one should be forced to endure. Your provider should have something like a "service plan guide" that explains the benefits of each calling plan. Review it and understand it. Make sure key terms, like "free mobile to mobile," "free long distance" and "free roaming" are on the face of the contract before you sign.

Those elusive "mobile to mobile" minutes - UCAN sees more billing problems related to mobile-to-mobile minutes than anything else. That's because these plans are so complex even the salesmen don't understand them. Here are two key questions to ask before signing a contract 1) Are calls free to anyone with the same company, or just the people on my contract? 2) If one of us is outside of the local area, are the calls still free?

Be wary of ads and statements by sales people. If a sales agent promises a specific benefit, ask them to show you where it is in the contract. In fact, it’s a good rule to assume that a cell phone sales agent is less than truthful. VERIFY!

If you can’t verify it in writing, politely ask the clerk to put it in writing, on the contract. Then make sure he signs it on the contract. A tiny clause like "no long distance outside local calling area" can ruin your plan.