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CNN Live At Daybreak

Several Web Sites Compare Cell Phone Plans

Aired November 14, 2003 - 06:16   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Time now, though, for a little 'Business Buzz.' Are you confused by all those cell phone plans, tired of comparing minutes and rates? Well help is on the way in the form of Carrie Lee live from the Nasdaq market site.
Help us -- Carrie.

CARRIE LEE, CNN FINANCIAL NEWS CORRESPONDENT: Doing my best, Carol, thank you.

A couple of Web sites have started up to try to help people sort through the very confusing cell phone offers that are out there. And the idea here is to capitalize on the new rule that let's people keep their cell phone number when they switch carriers. So they are trying to map it all out for people.

"USA Today" mentions a couple of them. Let me go through them. CellYouUpdate.com (ph) offers comparisons of many cell offers by zip code as well as online sales. Also NumberPortability.com offers information, and they are starting to add plan comparisons as well as order capability. And then next week, Wirefly.com expects to launch. And this site expects to have the most comprehensive information, also quality ratings, among other things, from J.D. Power & Associates. So all of these are good areas for people to at least get a start on when they are planning to switch cell phone service.

Now these sites say they are neutral about the carriers. One caveat here, though, the sites do get commissions on fees or on sales. So use -- on fees or for sales, so you do have to be a little bit careful about it. But at least, Carol, you can use them for information. You don't necessarily have to buy a plan through the Web sites.

COSTELLO: All right. Carrie Lee live from the Nasdaq market site.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com






Aired November 14, 2003 - 06:16   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Time now, though, for a little 'Business Buzz.' Are you confused by all those cell phone plans, tired of comparing minutes and rates? Well help is on the way in the form of Carrie Lee live from the Nasdaq market site.
Help us -- Carrie.

CARRIE LEE, CNN FINANCIAL NEWS CORRESPONDENT: Doing my best, Carol, thank you.

A couple of Web sites have started up to try to help people sort through the very confusing cell phone offers that are out there. And the idea here is to capitalize on the new rule that let's people keep their cell phone number when they switch carriers. So they are trying to map it all out for people.

"USA Today" mentions a couple of them. Let me go through them. CellYouUpdate.com (ph) offers comparisons of many cell offers by zip code as well as online sales. Also NumberPortability.com offers information, and they are starting to add plan comparisons as well as order capability. And then next week, Wirefly.com expects to launch. And this site expects to have the most comprehensive information, also quality ratings, among other things, from J.D. Power & Associates. So all of these are good areas for people to at least get a start on when they are planning to switch cell phone service.

Now these sites say they are neutral about the carriers. One caveat here, though, the sites do get commissions on fees or on sales. So use -- on fees or for sales, so you do have to be a little bit careful about it. But at least, Carol, you can use them for information. You don't necessarily have to buy a plan through the Web sites.

COSTELLO: All right. Carrie Lee live from the Nasdaq market site.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com