Mobile phone service providers keep people talking. AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, O_2, Vodafone, and T-Mobile are the major players in the mobile phone service market and they are each looking to convert you from your current service provider to their side. These mobile phone companies will stop at almost nothing to insure that your subscription dollars come into their coffers on a monthly basis. Some of these companies give away free phones, while others cut their rates in an effort to entice talkers. Still other companies pursue exclusive deals with mobile phone manufacturers to make sure that they have exclusive rights to the hottest new mobile product.

Have a look below at the most popular mobile phone service providers and the current tactics that they are using to entice people into subscribing to a plan.

AT&T has a somewhat incredible history. AT&T Wireless was doing well a few years ago, but teamed up with Cingular wireless and assumed the Cingular name. A few years later, AT&T finalized a complete buyout of Cingular wireless and so the company rebranded once again as AT&T Wireless. AT&T has two major features which differentiate it from the other mobile companies.

1) Rollover Minutes. Buy now you have probably seen one of the rather funny commercials depicting the constant struggle between a teenager and his mom about how dorky and old his rollover minutes are. His mother, on the other hand, will not allow the rollover minutes to go to waste as they are still perfectly usable. Rollover minutes are actually an excellent feature. Each month the subscriber is alotted a certain amount of minutes depending on the subscription plan. If not all of the minutes are used, the left over minutes are shoved into reserve and act as a cushion in case the subscriber over-uses minutes the next month. Despite the rollover minute idea being at least 7 years old, no other mobile companies have made an attempt of any sort to emulate the concept.

2)  iPhone.  AT&T's second draw for customers is thier exlusive partnership to sell Apple's illustrious iPhone.  The iPhone was the first of many complete touch-screen phones which go beyond just being a phone.  The iPhone and its counterparts from other mobile manufacturing companies now make the phone to be multifunctional.  The iPhone can perform the duties of a phone while also browse the internet, perform many different duties with various apps, and of course play any kind of media imaginable.  It is rumored that AT&T has recently planned to cut the iPhone data coverage plan from $69/month down to $59/month.  If the plan does drop in price, it stands to reason that sales of the iPhone and iPhone plans with AT&T will continue to pick up.

Verizon, like AT&T, has an interesting history. However, the backstory contains enough break-ups, buyouts, and mergers to warrant its own hub. Instead of dwelling on the company's history let's take a look at the two major things Verizon is doing to entice users to their mobile service plans.

1) Unlimited Talk and TXT. While other mobile companies do give their subscribers unlimited talk time and text messages to users of the same service, this was a concept conceived by the minds at Verizon Wireless.  This excellent idea has led whole families from grandparents to aunts, uncles, moms, dads, cousins, and grand-kids to sign up for the service.  Many college students make the switch as well because it allows them more communication with thier friends without burning those valuable minutes.

2) BlackBerry Storm.  Because AT&T sealed the market on the iPhone, many people were anticipating Verizon to do the same.  BlackBerry's new all touch screen smartphone, called the Storm, is being sold exclusively through Verizon.  The downside to owning a BlackBerry through Verizon is that the user must pay Verizon for the cell service, and then pay out to BlackBerry for the data service.  Regardless of that small inconvenience, the BlackBerry Storm is an excellent product and could give the iPhone a jog for its money.

Sprint and Nextel were both medium sized mobile service firms as compared to the giants of AT&T and Verizon. In an effort to survive and create a more competitive company Sprint and Nextel merged into the same company, however Spring and Nextel services are still provided. Sprint and Nextel both have something to offer possible customers which may just coerce them into signing a subscription contract. Take a look:

1) Unlimited Everything.  While Verizon was busy coming up with thier Unlimited Talk and TXT plan, the people over at Sprint were hot onto the trail of another unlimited plan.  For just $99/month Sprint subscribers can have unlimited talk, text, and data/internet usage - no matter what other service the calls or texts are sent to.  For the phone user who chronically exceeds their monthly minute and text allowance this is a good deal, with internet access as an added extra. 

2) Rugged Nextel Phones.  The other thing that many people, especially those involved in more labourous jobs such as construction, appreciate are the rugged selection of phones carried by Nextel.  Many phones claim to be certified to military standards.  The rugged phones are a big draw to the outdoorsy types or those whose work requires them to be busy and around equipment that could easily crush or break any regular phone.  Nextel even offer such add-ons as bar-code scanners and credit card swipes for those whose work must be accomplished remotely.

T-Mobile's presence in Europe far outshadows its current market share in the United States. However, with their clever usage of a few key basketball players, sponsorship of sporting contests, and an enticing Fave Five plan T-Mobile is able to stay alive and provide the USA with some sweet mobile service.

1) Fave Five.  AT&T has rollover minutes, Verizon cornered the Unlimited Talk and TXT market, Sprint gives users the choice of an unlimited everything plan.  T-Mobile's mobile service innovation is a little something called Fave Five.  T-Mobile users select five friends or family members and are able to talk to them for an unlimited amount of minutes regardless of their mobile provider.  Talk about a sweet deal...Fave Five sure is!

2) Celebrity Endorsement.  T-Mobiles second major draw is their celebrity power.  NBA superstar Dwyane Wade and former star Charles Barkley team up to make some funny advertisements showing off just how cool the Fave Five feature really is.  The other wireless services have yet to opt for celebritiy promotion of their service.  T-Mobile's choice of NBA stars also reflects their choice to be official sponsors of the NBA - which all fits in to their plan of targeting the younger and more urban crowd into subscribing to the T-Mobile service.