CNET'S QUICK GUIDE: MVNO carriers

Which MVNO is right for you?

The key to selecting the right MVNO is to figure out which target demographic fits you best. Are you a poor student who needs a cheap phone plan? Or are you a parent who wants a phone plan that'll satisfy your whole family? Before you can answer those questions, you'll need to understand that there are two distinct types of MVNOs: Discount MVNOs and Lifestyle MVNOs.

Discount MVNOs are fairly straightforward: They offer cheap cell phones with affordable pricing plans. Most of the handsets offered are pretty basic, without a lot of bells and whistles, so they're usually meant for those who just want a phone to make calls. Prepaid pricing plans are also common with discount MVNOs such as Virgin Mobile, for example.

Lifestyle MVNOs are a little more complicated--they operate by focusing on specific niche demographics. From younger users all the way to senior citizens, it appears there's an MVNO tailored for almost every demographic. Handset lineups can therefore vary widely, as do services offered and pricing plans. In the U.S., Helio and Boost Mobile are mostly focused on young adults, Disney Mobile and Kajeet are for families, and GreatCall specializes in cell phones for the elderly. In the U.S., Helio and Boost Mobile are mostly focused on young adults, Kajeet is for families with kids, and GreatCall specializes in cell phones for the elderly.

So how do you pick the right one for you? First, decide on which services interest you the most. MVNOs for young adults mostly focus on extending existing social networks via push-to-talk services or easy access to the Web, whereas MVNOs for families mostly focus on parents keeping track of their kids. After you figure that out, it's a matter of picking the service that offers the most compelling lineup of handsets and features.

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