cross-promotions and tie-ins with other services like Web access, what's the best way to comparison shop? A: Greater choice usually works to the advantage of consumers, as shown by the sharp drop in long distance and cellular calling rates over the past few years. But if you don't know what's out there, and what you really need, it's hard to make an educated decision, especially since the various calling plans come in so many shapes and sizes.

The Internet is clearly the best tool for sifting through the confusion, thanks to a proliferation of Web sites that feature side-by-side comparisons and product reviews. There also are several offline resources to help make sense of the confusion, mostly from consumer-oriented groups and magazines.

Keep in mind though, that most of these services are run by companies that may make money by selling ads or providing links for specific products.

Some of the most helpful Web sites for straight comparisons of wireless plans and mobile phones include: www.point.com, www.cellmania.com, www.cnet.com, www.letstalk.com and www.ephones.com. All these sites enable you to whittle down the list of options by location, price and various features, and then create a chart of the remaining choices to identify the best combinations.

First, you enter a zip code or location to find all the mobile calling plans available in that market. Then, you can shorten and customize the list with preferences such as price, talk time, contract requirements, brand names and cellular technology. The final contestants can then be lined up side-by-side to pick the best combination. A similar process is used to compare mobile phones that work with the plans in your area.

For example, using a New York City zip code, point.com produces a list of 87 calling plans. By clicking a button for plans that cost $60 or less per month, the list shrinks to 44. Click a button for plans with at least 150 minutes of talk time, and the number falls to 24. Click a button requiring no cancellation fees, and just 5 choices remain. The exact specifications of each can then be compared side-by-side.

Another worthwhile online resource are product reviews, both by experts and everyday consumers, whose frank comments are featured individually and compiled into an overall consensus from the front lines. Some of the more prominent Web sites for these reviews include www.cnet.com and www.epinions.com.

The choices are slimmer when it comes to shopping for long distance calling services. A newer Web site called www.simplexity.com can generate customized lists and side-by-side comparisons like the wireless sites mentioned earlier.