Tech gifts: Giving a cellphone? Gift card might be best
Buying a cellphone as a gift isn't like giving a sweater or tie.Traditionally, it's been tough unless the recipient accompanied you to the store, or you were willing to buy a service contract, as well. Most phones are sold at discounted prices in return for signing a two-year service plan.
"There's no question that buying a cellphone as a gift is a more complex challenge," says Charles Golvin, an analyst at Forrester Research. "You can't give a phone without a contract, and that's a pretty big commitment."
In the spirit of happy dialing, we offer some tips for cellphone givers from retailers and wireless companies.
One of the easiest options: Buy a gift card. •T-Mobile offers a low-commitment plan called FlexPay. You pay upfront for your first month of service and continue to pay in advance to continue. Plans start at $29.99. Phones are sold at slightly subsidized rates, starting at $99.99.
How it works: You can use FlexPay for six months, let it lapse, and pick it up again in a few months without paying a penalty. But you'll lose your phone number. You'll have to get a new one.
And if you're considering T-Mobile because it has the exclusive on the new G1 from manufacturer HTC and Google, you'll pay dearly without a contract. The phone is $179 with a two-year commitment, or $399 with the FlexPay plan.
T-Mobile also offers pay-as-you-go plans, with charges of $1 a day and 10 cents a minute
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