Are you paying too much for your cell phone services?



MEQUON (WITI) -- When's the last time you really looked at your cell phone bill?  You might be paying more than you should be.

Angelo Vasta routinely calls his family in Italy from his cell phone.  But it's costing him next to nothing, because he does his homework.

"The only time I actually talk on the phone is when I talk overseas because I have an app that saves you money," Vasta said.

And still, not all of that homework can help his cell phone bill.

"This is the most recent (bill) and this one is $187.04," Vasta said.

So why is Vasta paying close to $200 a month for his smart phone when he can call Italy for next to nothing?

" definitely smart because it puts you in a position where (there are) actually so many charges for it, so it's definitely smarter than me!" Vasta said.

Telecom expert, Brian Erlichman, says the reason you can talk for cheap these days is because talk minutes are not where cell phone companies make the most money anymore. They make their money from cell phone users texting and using the Web.

"People use their cell phones now for data like crazy. It's not really a telephone any more. It's more of a data tool," Erlichman said.

Erlichman audits cell phone bills. He frequently finds hidden fees and questionable charges you may not catch -- or even know enough about.

"Sometimes we find over-charges or incorrect charges. Sometimes somebody will sign a contract and they'll actually be charged way more than they're supposed to be paying.  Unless a consumer is vigilant and looks at their bill and actually compares it to their contract, they could be paying more for months and months on end," Erlichman said.

The answer?  Question everything!

"These phone companies are going to be charging you every single month whatever they can get away with charging you, until you call them and say 'stop,'" Erlichman said.

Erlichman says most major carriers will help you figure out your bill because they want to keep you as a customer -- so make sure what you're paying for matches your usage and your contract.

Consider bundling services for the deepest discounts -- and if you've been over-charged, don't be afraid to ask for a credit to your account.

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