Cellular Phones

Thanks to partnerships between Penn and our cellular providers AT&T Wireless, Sprint Wireless, T-Mobile Wireless, and Verizon Wireless, Penn’s faculty, staff, and in some cases, students are entitled to a service discount (minimum 10% off qualifying monthly service plans). Since the discount program commenced in 2004, nearly 7,000 Penn faculty, staff and students have enrolled in the cellular program resulting in over $300,000 in savings per year to them. A small portion of your monthly service plan is refunded to the University, providing financial support for various telecommunications initiatives. One such initiative is the installation and ongoing support of Public Safety emergency phones. Before reviewing our vendor offers, here are four steps to consider when choosing a cellular service.

Four Steps to Choosing Service Plans and Cell Phones

The number and variety of service plans and cell phones offered can be daunting. As you compare service and equipment, consider the following:

1. Where and how often you travel may likely narrow your options. Local plans may be perfect for someone who seldom leaves town, but these plans sometimes charge extra for long distance and international calls. Also calls made oversees require a different type of cell phone than those most often used in the United States, so be sure you choose a phone that is compatible with your calling needs.
   
   
2. Be aware that more than one digital network exists to support cellular phone calls and that some phones will only work with one digital network. Be sure to review each vendor's coverage map for their particular network to make sure it includes the areas in which you most often travel. It is possible to choose a cell phone that works on more than one digital network.
   
   
3. Take a little time to research. Cellular phone service comparison web sites (like www.letstalk.com) may help you narrow your options further. The easiest way to find these web sites is to type "cellular phone service comparison" into your favorite search engine. And if you find a cellular phone that you like, a search on its name and model number will often lead to customer reviews.
   
   
4. If you're too impatient to read reviews and service plan descriptions, or if you still need help after a fair amount of research, your best bet is to contact one of our vendor representatives. See our vendor information below for a sales representative's phone and email contact information.

For more information on our vendor offers, click the links to the right (PennKey required).