What do I look for when purchasing a cell phone?

Question

What FREE services should be included? What other features should a phone have? Any helpful information would be much appreciated. Thanks!

Answer 1

Most of the other answers are truly great answers.

I sell phones for a living here is what you should and look for:

1. ask around, talk to your friends. See who has what carrier and what their complaints are. (take some complaints with a grain of salt)

2. Go in knowing how many minutes you'll need.

-Take the number of calls each day (incoming and out going before 9pm)
-multiply by 5 (5 minute phone call)
-multiply by 20 (days in a month minus weekends)

10 calls a day = 2000 minutes a month day time minutes

3. freebies of course
-Voicemail
-Caller ID
-3 way calling
-Long distance
-NO ROAMING! any where in the US (on or off "network")
-Mobile to Mobile (carrier specific like cingular to cingular)

4. do home work on a phone
- Do you want it to flip? (less durable but protects screen and keys)
- Camera?
- Bluetooth? (wireless hands free technology)
***alot of states are requiring hands free while driving; DC, New York, and New Jersey $500 fine***
- Music Player?
- Walkie-talkie?
- Battery life
- Reception

5. Any extra features
- text messaging packages
- internet packages
- roadside assistance
- insurance
- extended nights and weekends

For more info on phones and providers you can check out
www.phonescoop.com

good luck

Answer 2

2

Answer 3

The most important thing to find out is whethere it will get reception in the areas you travel to. Think of the area you live, your family and freinds live, and where you travel for work and play.

Basic free stuff
Unlimited nights and weekends. Free caller ID and voice mail. Long distance shouldn't cost anything extra on most plans.

For the phone itself.
Ask yourself if you'll ever need to use the internet. this may be an important feature to look for.

Do you think you'll ever want to use a wireless headset when driving. If so make sure you have bluetooth capabiliy in the phone.

If you want a camera phone do you want to be able to send the photos and videos to your computer without paying for a service. If so make sure you get one that is a megapixel camera and has a built in memory slot.

Answer 4

Look for quality of service and features. You want to go with a company that provides the clearest service. Cingular and Sprint are the top two. For cell phones, you need to look for one that has good range and extensive features. Most phones have cameras, internet accessability, text messaging, caller id, call waiting, voicemail, and speed dialing. Color phones are better for pictures and viewing certain things. Try to go with a flip phone, because the keys won't get damaged as quickly.

Answer 5

Well it all depends on what features you want like if you wanted a phone that plays music,take pictures,or the ones that are like walkie talkies they have so many 2 choose from.The main thing is having a good service provider and a plan that's good for you.

Answer 6

make sure all that should be in d sales package (which should be an untampered with package) are there; such as the headset, memory card (optional), phone charger, extra battery (optional), manual/ user guide and stuff like that.

and better still, get the phone from an authorised dealer to pre vent geting a re-packaged item that would have been damaged.

happy shopping hmmmmm.

Answer 7

properly see... Ive had each and all of the telephones even the prereleased the enV2 will nonetheless have each and all of the function via fact the enV yet a clean menu interface the voyager grow to be a stable telephone yet no longer for texting in school the dare grow to be severe-high quality however the ALL touch have been given uninteresting after a at the same time as for this reason leaving the enV and the glyde the glyde is a slider so there is often a ability for it coming off the rails however the telephone i could watch for is the 6900 the HTC is super for each little thing plus the changed keyboard (same as black berry pearl) fairly common to textual content cloth in school so so as 6900 enV2 Dare glyde voyager enV

Answer 8

it all depends on what you want in a plan..but for sure night and weekends should be included. also some include "free" voicemail, conference calling etc. they also have plans for text messaging which is a fun option. and you can choose from nationwide long distance to just having local long distance..and again, it all depends on what you want.

Answer 9

Depends on what you are going to use it for the most. I would check out the provider and the phones they offer and then decide

Answer 10

DEPENDS ON HOW MUCH U THINK THAT U ARE GOING TO USE YOUR PHONE HELPS U CHOSE UR MINUTES, IF YOU TEXT ALOT U NEED TEXT MESAGES, FREE INCOMING CALL, FREE LONG DISTANCE IF THEY HAVE IT, FREE VOICEMAIL, ARE ALL GOOD, AND DEPENDING ON WHERE U STAY AND WHERE U TRAVEL IS GOOD WHEN U PICKING UR COVERAGE AREA. FROM MY EXPERICE I WOULN'T GO WITH SPRINT