BEST CELL PHONE PLANS FOR SENIOR CITIZENS

Our article on the best cell phones for seniors have attracted some interest so I decided to post another featured post for our elderly readers. This time we'll look at the mobile phone plans for seniors that are available on the market. I will post information on plans that are specially marketed towards the elderly. I will also include plans that I feel are suitable to the needs of senior citizens even if they might not be specifically targeted towards consumers who are 65 years old or older.

Here are some of the best cell phone plans for senior citizens:

Verizon Wireless Nationwide 65 Plus Plans

These mobile phone plans are only available to consumers who are 65 and older. First, the Single-Line Plan offers 200 anytime minutes for $29.99 per month. Then there's the Two-Line Share Plan, which provides 450 anytime minutes for $59.99 per month. Both of these plans come with a 45¢/Minute overage charge that occur when the subscriber exceeds the plan's Anytime Minutes.

Advantages:

• No domestic long distance charges
• 500 night and weekend minutes (Single-Line Plan)
• 1000 night and weekend minutes (Two-Line Plan)

AT&T Senior Nation 200

This mobile phone plan for the elderly is similar to the Nationwide 65 Plus Plans from Verizon Wireless. The Senior Nation 200 provides 200 Anytime Minutes for $29.99 with a $.45 per minute charge for additional minutes. One must be 65 or older to qualify for this plan.

Advantages:

• 500 Night (from 9pm to 6am) & Weekend minutes
• $0.00 Long Distance and Roaming Charges
• includes Basic Voice Mail, Call Waiting, Caller ID, Conference Calling, and Call Forwarding

Sprint Basic 200

Sprint might not offer a specific plan for the elderly but the carrier's basic cell phone plan is similar with the AT&T and Verizon Wireless plan for seniors. This plan offers 200 Anytime Minutes for $29.99/month with 45¢ for additional minutes.

Advantages:

• unlimited Evenings (9 PM)& Weekends
• includes roaming and domestic long distance

T-Mobile 500 Minute Value—Talk

This T-Mobile plan can also be suitable for seniors. It costs a bit more at $34.99 per month but it offers 500 whenever minutes. The features for this plan include call forwarding, call hold, call waiting, caller ID, conference calling, customer care, and voicemail with message alerts.

Advantages:

• unlimited T-Mobile to T-Mobile calling
• unlimited nights and weekends
• free domestic long distance and no digital roaming charges across the US

GreatCall Basic 14

This carrier offers the Jitterbug handset, which is considered by some as the premiere mobile phone for seniors. GreatCall also offers plans that matches the needs of its seniors customers. The Basic 14 is its cheapest offering at only $14.99 per month with 50 nationwide anytime minutes that carry over and are available for 60 days. This plan charges 35¢ per minute for each minute used over the monthly allowance.

Advantages:

• No contracts and no roaming charges
• no cancellation fees
• includes Calendar Daily, Health Tips, and PhoneBook

US Cellular Single Line Security Plan

This affordable plan from US Cellular can also answer the basic demands from senior mobile phone users. The Single Line Security plan costs $29.99 per month and provides 200 minutes with a $0.40/min. overage charge. It charges $0.25 per text message and provides voice mail, call waiting, caller ID, call forwarding, three-way calling, unlimited incoming calls, texts, pix and video messages.

The Tracfone 50 Value Plan

This offer from Tracfone is one of the lowest priced monthly plan available in the market. This value plan only costs $9.99 per month and provides 50 minutes for 30 days. It provides nationwide coverage and includes talk, text, web and email.

Advantages:

• no contracts, activation fees, or cancellation fees
• remaining minutes carryover to the next 30 days after user buys more minutes

Just 10 Calling Plan

This plan is offered by the company that offers the Just5 simple mobile phone for seniors. This particular plan is the company's most affordable offer at just $10 and provides 100 minutes plus 50 text messages for 90 days. The unused minutes on this plan will rollover to the next 90 days after a refill. It also comes with some nice features including nationwide long distance, three-way calling, international direct dial, and voicemail.

Advantages:

• no contracts, activation fees, or credit checks

Virgin Mobile Beyond Talk Plan 35

This plan is the most affordable among Virgin Mobile's Beyond Talk plans. It provides 300 Anytime minutes for $35/month. This plan offers additional minutes that are priced at 10¢ each. The Virgin mobile Beyond talk also comes with 3G nationwide coverage and no contract requirement.

Advantages:

• Unlimited web, data, messaging, and email

Boost Mobile Daily Unlimited

Here's a plan for seniors who may only need minutes on certain days. The Boost Mobile Daily Unlimited provides unlimited minutes for only $2 per day. This affordable plan also offers nationwide coverage on either the Nationwide Sprint Network or the Nextel National Network. Features include voicemail, long distance, call waiting, and call forwarding

Advantages:

• unlimited messaging (text, picture, audio & video)
• unlimited web, email & instant messaging
• unlimited 411 directory assistance

Cricket Wireless Basic Plan

This cheap monthly plan provides unlimited talk and text from anywhere within Cricket’s nationwide coverage area for only $35 per month. Subscribers will also get unlimited US long distance, voicemail, and caller ID.

Advantages:

• No activation fee, Early Termination Fee, security deposit
• unlimited US mobile to mobile minutes
• unlimited night and weekend US minutes

MetroPCS By the Minute

This plan can allow seniors to talk to family and friends for as low as 3 cents/minute. Subscribers can choose a $20 prepaid phone card and activate it for up to 500 minutes during a 30-day period.  This flexible plan will allow users to stick to their budget and purchase another prepaid phone card to refill the minutes.

Advantages:

• unlimited text messaging
• up to 50MB web access

Consumer Cellular Anywhere 100

This plan provides 100 call time minutes at any time for only $15.00 per month. Subscribers can purchase more minutes with a rate of 25¢ per minute. The company also provides usage alerts that monitors the user's usage and informs them when they are approaching the limit of the plan's included minutes.

Advantages:

• Consumer Cellular offers discounts to AARP members.

Snapffon PureTalk USA Flex Plan

This cell phone plan for seniors prides itself in proving flexibility to its elderly subscribers. It starts at the base level of 101 minutes for $10. This plan can be adjusted depending on a user's needs and  the limit can be set from 101 minutes to 756 minutes.