Roaming occurs when you place a call with your wireless phone outside of your home coverage area. How you'll be billed for roaming depends largely on the service plan you choose. Roaming charges are generally flat, per-minute rates that apply to both calls you place and calls you receive, and they're usually much higher than calls made and received inside your service area. Your provider may also charge an additional one-time monthly administration fee for each month that your bill shows any roaming activity. You're also likely to be charged additional long-distance fees and applicable state and federal taxes. For incoming calls, your provider will generally charge a flat, per-minute rate. For outgoing calls, the charges usually default to the long-distance carrier in the area you're roaming. Incidentally, some providers may waive either the per-minute fees or the administration fee, but long-distance and tax charges still generally apply. However, at least one company is an exception to this rule. You may find a provider who allows you to pre-purchase minutes at a flat rate. With this plan, as long as you have minutes to use, you can place and receive calls from virtually anywhere in the United States for one rate.
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