A world of wireless: when selecting a cell phone package for your office, review contracts to be sure you are getting the options you need.

• Author: Myers, Deborah J.

Wireless communication has made connecting employees to clients, vendors and other employees easier than ever. However, with all the convenience comes more decisions as to plan type, size, equipment and other options. If you make the wrong choice, you could be locked into a contract plan that doesn't fit your company. Most contracts are at least a one-year obligation.

"Overspending is a top concern for every customer," said Paula Cook, corporate account manager for AT&T Wireless Pacific Northwest in Seattle. "There are many things individuals and companies can do."

Whether you are just joining the wireless world or if your wireless contract is concluding, selecting the right plan is a good first step to avoid overspending.

The size of the plan is one of the most important factors.

Cellular plans give you a set number of airtime minutes and dictate how those minutes will be used.

"Picking the right plan begins with talking with the representative," Cook said. "They should review past history."

If you have had wireless service before, pull out your old bills and see how the service has been used. How many minutes were used on average? Is this acceptable to you, or do employees need to tighten the belt? How were the minutes used: locally, within the state or outside of Alaska?

Along with looking at phone bills, you should talk with employees who use or will be using wireless service.

"Understand your calling patterns and what your needs are," said Ruth Sand-strom, vice president and general manager of ACS Wireless in Anchorage.

By knowing how your employees use or, if your company has not used it before, how they would use wireless communication, you can plan to meet their needs in the best possible fashion.

For example, if your employees mostly call people locally, avoid the additional expense for a plan that includes unlimited long distance.

For employees who travel a great deal, select a plan that includes free roaming. "Roaming charges" refers to an extra fee, usually on a per-minute basis, that is charged when the caller makes or receives a call while traveling outside of the home calling area.

Do not confuse this with long distance. Roaming refers to where the caller is when the call is made, not the recipient of the call. Many phones now show the word "roam" on the display to indicate when the unit has traveled outside of the home calling area.

Group calling plans allow employees to share a pool of minutes among them, which works well...