Finding the Right Cell Phone for You

Mobile phone technology has evolved to the point where its getting difficult to figure out where to start when buying a cell phone. If you consider the incredible variety of GSM cell phones on the market, the task of choosing the best one becomes quite challenging.

Every major manufacturer offers some kind of entry-level model, mid-level phone, and phones stocked with all kinds of sophisticated features. Even the most basic mobile phones have email, a daytimer, Bluetooth wireless, voicemail, instant messaging, and Internet access. There are many phones now equipped with a camera as well.

So, where do you begin? The best advice is to follow the three Ps: provider, plan and lastly, the phone.

Choosing the Cell Phone Carrier

Before picking the slickest-looking mobile handset or one with the most features, choosing the right service provider is the first critical factor. It’s important to first know what your needs are and how they fit with the various plans offered by the service providers.

The most important questions to ask yourself are:

• Which service providers operate in my area, and what is their coverage?
• When will I make most of my phone calls?
• Will I be making mostly local calls?
• How many minutes do I really need?
• How much can I afford?

After considering your own needs, ask others about the quality of their cell phone service. It’s up to you to look into the different cell phone providers and ask about their services. Doing this will help you save money and avoid getting frustrated later when you learn the service was not what you were expecting.

The Cell Phone Buying Guide at CNetReviews.com provides a list of pros and cons for the major service providers in the US, including coverage maps. A list of the major Canadian cell phone service providers, with links to service plans and coverage maps, can be found at About.com.

Choosing the Calling Plan

With the exception of prepaid plans, all plans come with a set number of minutes given each month. Finding for the best plan to meet your minute needs comes down to:

• Calculating your usage – Usage time forms the basis of every calling plan, so you need to think carefully about how much time you’ll actually be on your phone. For the most part, you’re better off overestimating the amount of minutes you’ll need.
  
  If you miscalculated your usage, you can easily change your rate plan. However, this might result in your contract's expiration date being pushed back to the date you started the new plan.
  
  
• Local, regional or national? - This is probably the most confusing aspect in choosing a cell phone. Local phone plans are ideal for someone who doesn’t make many long-distance calls or travels far from home. They are usually the cheapest plans, but watch out for hidden roaming charges. Regional phone plans cover calls made to and from a multi-state region. Calls made outside the specified area can incur additional charges. National phone plans suit the frequent traveler or long-distance caller. These plan usually cost more, but are generally more flexible.
  
  In addition to these types of plans, most providers also allow you to talk for free to other plan customers.

Before signing your service contract, find out all the details: How long your contract lasts? How much it costs to break a contract? Find out how many minutes you have and when off-peak hours begin and end.

Beware of offers for free or discounted phones. These offers usually apply if you’re willing to sing a long-term contract. Because technology and mobile phones themselves evolve so quickly, these plans can come with expensive cancellation fees or extra charges to upgrade the phone.

Selecting the Right Cell Phone

With so many different models of GSM cell phones, from ones laden with sophisticated features to the purely functional, selecting a phone really comes down to personal choice. Ideally, you want a cell phone that you'll enjoy using. While there are many factors to consider, the right phone offers the best in design, features and performance.

First and foremost, it is very important to consider the type of network. Different service providers use different network technology, usually GSM or CDMA. And the type and quality of the network will affect the type of phone you can use.

Phone features are another factor to consider. Besides the usual points like battery power, high tech-features such as text messaging, Bluetooth capabilities, multimedia, cameras, ringtones, and so on. If your cell phone will serve as your main phone, you'll need a strong cell phone battery.

Keep in mind that you can always test a phone during the grace period and exchange it if necessary.