Extra Extra: Cingular's Optional Features

Love extras? They may pad your cell phone bill, but if you get a competitive rate and skip on the chatter during your commute (much safer), you can make up the cost.

Cingular Wireless offers additional features that can be added to the different plans as available. These features include:

• Extended nights and weekends
• MEdia Basics
• MEdia Works
• MEdia Net
• Multimedia Messaging
• Voice Connect
• Wireless Phone Insurance

Let's look at some of the features in-depth:

Extended nights and weekends give customers the option of adjusting their free hours to begin at 7pm rather than 9pm Monday through Friday for an additional $7-$14 (depending on the Cingular cell phone service).

Even with Cingular's unlimited minutes, the extended hours are ideal for couples, business travelers, movie moguls and people who spend those additional two hours per weekday talking on the cell phone and do not want to use up their unlimited talk time doing so.

The MEdia Basic and MEdia Works packages include text/instant messaging, multimedia messages, and wireless Internet express from $9.99 per month, depending on how much data you transmit with your phone when you're not talking! The service provides Internet access, sharing of photos, and downloads.

On the spoken word side, the Voice Connect option includes hands-free dialing prompted by voice cues, voice-automated entertainment information, and voice information service updates (such as news, sports, lottery, etc.) for a low monthly fee. If you have a disability, you may get this service free.

For people who want to protect their cell phones and all the extras, Cingular cell phone service offers Wireless Phone Insurance for $3.99 per month to safeguard customers when their phones are lost, stolen, or damage. It has a low deductible of about $50.00 per claim.

You may not need all the extras if you just want a basic cell phone plan. Not everyone wants multimedia. Also, your choice of phone will limit the extras you can get.