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Clark Howard's Tips

February 19, 2008

Cell phones are getting cheaper and cheaper to use.

Now Verizon -- the most expensive cell phone company -- is offering a bargain of sorts in the form of unlimited nationwide calling for a flat rate of $99. You'll pay extra if you want to include texting or Internet capabilities, but Verizon's move is pretty revolutionary.

Think about the value proposition: You can eliminate your home phone, which can easily be a savings of $30 or $40 a month. Meanwhile, the typical cell phone bill is in the high $50s. Add those figures together and you're very near the $99 range, but you also get the added flexibility of a cell phone.

Look for the other 3 big carriers -- AT&T, T-Mobile and Sprint -- to now respond with lower pricing of their own.

Another possible scenario is that this Verizon move will force Metro PCS and Cricket to marry and offer their own economical plan. This is the dawn of a new era in the cell biz!

Consumer advice courtesy of