Tips for setting up cell phone service for your new business.

[BRBiz]

We talk about cell phone service for your business often here so I wanted to give everyone some tips to better your chances for approval. I will talk about the four major companies out there although there maybe smaller regional companies that could also be a option for your business.

 

Verizon- hardest to get approved for with no deposit

AT&T - close second for hardest

Sprint and T-Mobile - I would say these two would be tied for easiest especially lately since both are in need for more customers.

 

Verizon and AT&T have the best service nationally and generally would be the best choices but it all depends where you live and work and how much you travel for work. If you travel regionally or nationally you will want to stick with the top two. If you work locally any of the for depending upon coverage for that area should be fine. Price you get what you pay for.

 

Let's go though what is needed for each carrier.

 

Verizon- Any business can get approved for them as soon as they open for business but they will want a $400 deposit. After 6 months and a few trades reporting you will normally get the $125 deposit option. Unlike other companies their business sales reps don't really have any power to override the deposit options. What can help you though is 6 months of bills from another carrier under the business name but for a young company won't be possible.

 

AT&T- Generally with a thin file and under a year in business they want a deposit. This can range from a $1k to $150 per line and yes that is $1000 per line! So here is the key to getting around this. You need to get in contact with a business account manager. Its a little tricky to get the contact info for them and the form they have online doesn't seem to work properly so the quickest way I found is Twitter. @attbusinesscare.. They are very quick to respond and will get a sales rep to contact you within a day or so. The account managers can basically get you setup with service no matter what credit says under a two year contract it's almost a given if things check out. If you want to finance the devices you will be sent though credit for review and often a manual review if your credit is weak. Again their managers can override this but it is done case by case depending upon their "feeling" of your business. This is where its important to have things like a website, Facebook page, twitter account etc and also answering the phone under the business name when people call. The account manager I was dealing with mentioned my website and facebook page so I know they checked. Also just being nice and professional with these people go a long way.

 

Sprint- Generally they are fairly easy to get approved for if you have atleast a DNB or Experian file and you answer the phone. Some times they will want a deposit and you may have a account spending limit assigned. Again if they want a deposit or you want to avoid the trouble contact their national sales team. They have a contact form on their website and they will assign a business sales rep to handle things for you. Again same thing here they can push approvals though with no deposits. If they really want to.

 

T-Mobile-is a right there with Sprint especially lately with a big push for new customers. For the most part unless you go into store you will be assigned a local sales rep and they can really push things though for you with little effort if they want to. I'm not seeing many request for deposits with them lately but also their service in most areas is sub par unless you live in a major urban area. They also have the best pricing on service.

 

With all the carriers besides Verizon a good sales rep can get you setup with service no matter what. Also they can often get you better prices on equipment and even service. A couple tips for all carriers maybe even Verizon... You want to set up at least two lines of service, if they really push the insurance or other items just take them sine you can always cancel them the day you get your phones or any time down the road. This means more money for them and they will work harder to make sure they get it done for you. Another good tip is to throw out their competitors names like Verizon if your dealing with AT&T and say they got you approved and so on again makes them work harder. Again make sure your business basics are in place.

[DeAlmaro]

I have a Sprint account in my business name with 5 lines. Each line requires a $150 deposit. Does Sprint report to any of the Business Credit Reporting Agencies - DnB, Experian Business and Equifax Business?

[BRBiz]

They should report to all three. Although we hear conflicting reports with them all the time.

 

How long have you had their service?

[DeAlmaro]

I have had the service since January 2013

[RALPHN504]

Sprint requested no deposit from me-5 lines--used 2 for now with business 1 yr/3mo old and tradelines reporting. AT& and Verizon wanted $300 and $400 respectfully.

Edited June 18, 2014 by RALPHN504

[BRBiz]

Verizon pulls a blended report from all three CRA's so if have one that is stronger then the other you may get them to pull that stronger report.

 

You could have possibly got a business rep around either of those deposits.

[BRBiz]

Just throw this in T-Mobile does report to Equifax.. Haven't seen it on other reports yet. But that was the word from a few others here.

[DeAlmaro]

@ BRBiz, when I pull my Experian how should it show on my report? What would be the account type? I'm looking at my report to see if its there.

[BRBiz]

Usually something like Radio telephone but I don't think it reports to Experian. Equifax is confirmed but it just says non financial.

[DeAlmaro]

Ok thanks

[gypsielife]

Yes, T-mo reports as non- financial. I know specifically as T-Mo is my only non- financial Line on EQ and it always corresponds to whatever my amount owed for the month. For me, I got approved for T-Mo in January and they had me go into a branch and provide a utility bill in the business name and Articles of incorporation. On my other business I went through a T-Mo business sales rep and was a truly easy process.

[BRBiz]

It was a very easy process though a rep but the service around here is horrific.