For the longest time, people who wanted the iPhone had to get it from AT&T 

That was until it was released to Verizon, which was a big deal as it brought in a ton of business. Picking a carrier can be almost as hard as picking a phone. It used to be that you had to get in a contract to use any kind of smartphone. That is starting to change, and Virgin Mobile’s announcement makes it even easier.

Virgin Mobile just announced that the iPhone 5c and 5s can be used with pre-paid plans starting on October 1. For those who want a new phone but don’t want to be tied to one carrier or would like knowing you have the freedom to change whenever you want. 

Cell phone plans and features to consider

You can get an unlimited data and texting plan for around $35 a month with an iPhone, though you end up with hardly any talk minutes. If you don’t care about talking on the phone, then it won’t really matter.

Additionally, PCMag points out that you can get a discount on your bill by signing up for automatic payments. So you can quit at any time and are paying way less than competitors.

Not a lot of talk time

One thing to consider is how often you actually spend talking on the phone anymore. If I added up all my minutes for the last month, I might have only reached a hundred or so. Most of the time, I text people or send emails–which is a general trend. Sometimes we pick up the phone and talk, but the need for it has decreased significantly with the variety of communication channels around.

What this means for you, the business

Almost all cell phone companies offer unlimited talk and text because the phone is rarely used for talking. Verizon had to completely switch their plans because so few people were willing to pay for talk anymore.

As a business, you should recognize your customer-base would rather be communicated with electronically. Texting systems should be set up, so you can maximize efficiency; getting information to customers when they need it. If you send a text, you sent the information, whereas hardly anyone will answer the phone, and even if they do, they don’t want to listen to a sales pitch. An automatic text system could be just what you need to get more customers.