| With every cell phone carrier advertising their latest | | | | motion video? Yawn. You won't use it after the |
| cell phones and super plans, it gets more and more | | | | novelty wears off, but you WILL be paying for that |
| difficult to determine which one is the right one for | | | | functionality. It has a built in PDA with organizer |
| you. How do you know? If you live in a major metro | | | | functions? It will kill your battery life. |
| area or almost any larger city, the plans, service and | | | | Bottom line on the cell phone itself: let the cell phone |
| coverage are going to be pretty much the same. But | | | | function as a cell phone, and don't try to force it into |
| if your intended usage is outside the major metro | | | | performing functions that it was not designed to do, |
| areas or you will be using your cell phone all over the | | | | because that will only drive up the price, and it will |
| place because you plan to travel a lot with it, then | | | | not do any of those things as well as a device that |
| this is where the rubber meets the road and the | | | | was designed to do them. |
| RIGHT plan takes significantly more scrutiny. | | | | Let's say you have narrowed your carrier choices |
| Before going any further, it is important to note that | | | | down to 2, maybe 3. Now let's look at the plans. |
| you need to define what you plan to do with your | | | | Who will you be calling mostly? T-Mobile has plans |
| cell phone. Now with that said, throw that note away. | | | | that allow you to select 5 people that you call most |
| What you really need to determine is what ARE you | | | | frequently and gives you unlimited minutes to call |
| going to be using it for, and what capabilities and | | | | them. Sprint and Verizon usually allow you to call |
| functionality do you REQUIRE (not just merely | | | | other cell customers of theirs on an unlimited basis. |
| "want" or find somewhat cool or desirable) with your | | | | What about nights and weekends? Most carriers |
| cell phone and cellular service? If you don't define this | | | | provide unlimited nights and weekends. Note that |
| BEFORE you start shopping, it is almost inevitable | | | | despite the position of the sun in the sky, "night" |
| that you are going to be spending more than you | | | | doesn't start until 9:00pm, or with Sprint and an extra |
| need to, perhaps to a significant degree. | | | | $5 per month, "night" can begin at 7:00pm. |
| The first thing to note is where you will be using | | | | How many "anytime" minutes do you need? Be |
| your cell service the majority of the time. Find out | | | | generous here, because you could be paying as much |
| what carriers have the best coverage in your area. | | | | as 30 cents per minute or more as soon as you go |
| Again, this is critical. For example, if you save $10 per | | | | over your allotted anytime minutes. Yes, every time |
| month but the carrier's coverage in your area is | | | | you call your voicemail from your cell phone, that |
| marginal, how useful is your cell service if you drop | | | | goes against your anytime minutes. |
| one out of 3 calls, and the other calls make you | | | | Finally, your best bet is to buy online. In this age of |
| sound like you are calling from the bottom of a | | | | "immediate satisfaction", your desire is to waltz into |
| bathtub? | | | | the cellular carrier's retail store, and walk out of there |
| Regarding the actual cell phone, unless you are just | | | | talking on your shiny new cell phone. Don't do it. Go |
| dying for a particular model phone (and you should | | | | into the retail store to get a hands-on view of the |
| not be), choose the cell carrier before you choose | | | | phones you are considering, but with the spotlights, |
| which phone you need. There are very few cell | | | | the shiny chrome cases, and a sales rep smiling like |
| phones that have features that are particular to only | | | | he's auditioning for Jaws, avoid the temptation. You |
| one carrier. | | | | can always find at least an EQUIVALENT deal online, |
| Standard equipment would be a decent battery life | | | | and very frequently the online resource will also |
| giving you about 3 hours of talk time. The built-in | | | | throw in some extras like a carrying case, a car |
| cameras take pictures of a quality that is merely "ok" | | | | power adapter, a travel adapter, and a hands-free |
| and will not win any awards, and you will likely use | | | | kit, which would cost nearly another $100 if you get |
| that feature minimally if at all after the novelty wears | | | | it at the carrier's retail outlet. |
| off. The ability to be an MP3 player? Bag it - it will | | | | Bottom line: define what you want and be smart |
| drain your battery faster and does not deliver the | | | | about it. A cell phone can be a great thing, but you |
| quality of an MP3 player that was actually DESIGNED | | | | need to feel good about having done the proper |
| to be an MP3 player. It provides 10-15 seconds of full | | | | research to get a great deal on it. |