The Phonewiz writes the ultimate guide to choosing a cell phone!
Mar 18 '00
Choosing a Cell Phone: Things to Consider
Believe it or not, choosing a cell phone can provoke fights! I've seen it! Customers come into a store with the expectation of picking out a new cell phone. They are happy, even excited about the prospect of buying a new toy, but then reality sets it. Choosing a cell phone is a complex process. It can make even the most patient of individuals throw up their hands in disgust. This review is targeted at minimizing that disgust. I envision it as a continual work so your comments would be appreciated. For purposes of our discussion I've divided this article into two major headings: Things that you need to know about yourself before shopping for a cell phone and things you need to consider about the product to make an educated purchasing decision. Good luck and may the Force be with you!
Things About Yourself
1. How often do you use the phone?
This requires you to do a bit of research. My advice is to go and pull your last 3 phone bills and figure how many minutes you talked on the phone for long distance. Take that number and triple it to account for local calls. Once you have the average for your past three phone bills than you will have a good idea on how to choose a calling plan. Remember that it is better to overestimate than to underestimate because most calling plans are unforgiving if you accidentally run over the amount.
2. Are you a long-term or a short-term purchaser?
Many people like to look at cost as a major factor when choosing a cell phone, but I believe the better practice is to ask yourself what kind of purchaser you are. For instance, if you were planning to own a phone for at least two years than hardware really becomes a minimal investment. Why? Well, often cost can influence a hardware decision if there is a $50 price increase between the two products. If you assume however, that a caller is using a moderate phone plan ($49) then that additional cost would only result in a 4% increase to the total investment. That's why I believe that whether to spend the extra money on a cell phone often comes down to the type of purchaser you are. For a long-term purchaser it is almost always better to spend the extra money (unless the increased cost is a gimmick) whereas a short-term purchaser may benefit from saving the money. Thus, it is always a good idea to have an idea about what type of purchaser you are. It will save a lot of fuss over dollars.
3. Your credit history.
If you've struggled with your credit in the past or don't have a sterling credit record be prepared for some companies to ask for an initial deposit (AT&T is particularly bad about this). While I deplore this, it is inevitable when we deal with large companies. Hey, they're out to make a buck and it shows. Just be prepared to have to fork over as much as $500 if you choose to start a new plan.
Things About The Product
1. Operating chip
There are basically three types of operating chips present in all cell phones today the CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access) chip, the TDMA (Time Division Multiple Access) chip, and the GSM (Global Systems for Mobile Phones) chip. Each chip controls how information is sent and received thru the cell phone (If you would like to know more about how a CDMA and TDMA chip operates please consult my previous article on the Nokia 8860 for a lengthy discussion). While all chips are effective, it should be noted that the cell market is moving towards making web access phones. The best and most compatible chip for this type of technology is the CDMA chip. That's why most cell phone companies are switching to CDMA technology and companies like Qualcomm are becoming rich of royalty windfalls. If you are a long-term purchaser you might want to consider whether your phone has a CDMA chip and is easy to upgrade.
2. External covering
It's always a good idea to think about how your phone will be protected over a long period of time. Though it's not a critical feature, I can assure you that nobody likes using a phone whose buttons sticks, is constantly dirty, or is simply unattractive. If possible look into purchasing a flip phone. It is a wonderful little feature for protecting the face and keypad. Also, a flip phone might save you the expense of having to purchase a leather carrying case. Many people I know own flip phones and simply use the belt clip. I believe it is easier to use when you don't have to struggle to remove it from its case to answer a call. Avoid phones with chrome surfaces because they will scratch. No matter how pretty they are, all you will see is streak marks in six-months. Avoid phone with long antennas. Many customers complained that antennas on early phones would snap off the phone or they were troublesome. While antennas have improved, a good antenna should never detract from the phone. I've noticed on the Nokia 8860 and several other phones that they are starting to make internal antennas. As far I can tell, this is a wise investment. There is no measurable difference in reception quality due to the antenna. Consider choosing a phone with a colored cover. They are a minimal investment, add an element of style to your purchase, and protect the phone from dust and dirt. Above all have fun! If you don't enjoy your phone's look, you won't enjoy your phone.
3. What frequency does the phone operate on?
This is a critical element that all purchasers must consider before purchasing a cell phone. The frequency is the signal or transmission that all cell emanate in order to send and receive calls. Frequency is measured by the megahertz. There are two types of signals or transmissions that are common in cell phones, the digital and the analog signal. All earlier model cell phones operated by a analog signal. It is now that I can WARN you about a trick utilized by salesman to move analog phones. Have you seen those phones on sale for just a penny in Best Buy's, Circuit City's, and various other retail stores? Those are analog phones, and let me say they're not even worth a penny. They frequently "drop calls" b/c there is so little infrastructure to support the signal. Also, an analog transmission is less secure, b/c the information is not digitally encoded. With an analog transmission, your signal can "wonder" and be picked up by virtually anything using a similar frequency. The worst feature about an analog phone though, are the calling plans. They are twice as expensive as digital calling plans(If you are lucky). Take my advice leave those penny phones on the shelf!
A digital phone (also called a dual-band phone) is the signal that all new phones operate on. They transfer information on a digital and an analog frequency. When a person uses a digital phone in a major city they run off of tower infrastructure. The result is a much clearer, safer, and stronger sound. When you leave the city these phones switch to roam (the analog signal) so you can still make calls. I recommend that any phone you purchase at least be a digital phone.
I've also seen many phones claim to be tri-mode phones. This could be one of two things: a) the phone operates on a analog signal, a digital signal (900 mhz), and a stronger digital signal (1920 mhz) or b) the phone is compatible with a plan to allow the phone nationwide coverage (hence the third mode). This is undoubtedly a worthwhile feature b/c it will only increase your phones sound quality, range, and security.
4. Phone specifications and internal features
There are several things you might want to focus on when looking at the specifications of a telephone but by far the two most important things to consider are talk time (or time you can spend operating a phone without having to recharge the phone) and standby time (or time a phone can retain its battery power without being drained). These two elements will control how much you can use and operate a telephone. A good amount of talk time is around 180 minutes, anything else and you may find yourself recharging your phone almost daily. Personally, I like a phone with low maintenance so choosing a phone with a high talk time is critical.
Your going to want to find a phone that gives you voice mail, caller ID, and call waiting at no extra charge. There's no sense in paying $150 for a phone if you can't have any convenience features. Make sure your phone has the capacity to store a large amount of phone numbers, and if possible, give multiple lines for each box to allow for multiple numbers. A good phone should have some type of security device that allows you to block out use. I can't tell you how many times my friends have made a phone call without asking me first. I don't care, but the bills add up fast. Check and see if you your phone supports remote operation that allows you to check your message from another phone (an invaluable function). Above all play with your phone prior to purchase! Make sure you can operate the scroll bar easily. Have a sales rep show you how to navigate through the features. Read the directions (a novel idea) when you first purchase the phone. Your going to learn some interesting information.
5. Some words on accessories
Cell phones are becoming so high-powered that many of the accessories are a way for retailers and salesman to make extra money (hey, we have to eat). The best question you can probably ask yourself prior to purchasing an accessory is will this accessory provide me with some tangible benefit? If not, I wouldn't purchase the accessory. One popular accessory that many sales reps will push is an extra battery. In most cases however, purchasing a extra battery is a bad idea (here's why). First, purchasing an extra battery and letting it constantly recharge will kill the battery life. Battery's have somewhat of a personality and a memory (really, it's true). If you leave your battery constantly charging it will hold less power. That's why it's always a good idea to run your phone down and then fully recharge it. It will last a lot longer. So when you purchase an extra battery you are actually doing yourself a disservice rather than operating just one. Second, most batteries in a good new cell phone are lithium ion batteries. Purchasing a high-powered battery Will Not substantially increase your phone power. Unless your phone operates on a nickel hydrate battery it's not a good investment. Now cases, hands free speakers, and car chargers those decisions are up to you. Just ask the question of whether it's really going to create a tangible benefit for yourself.
6. Warranties and service
Another pitfall that any perspective cell phone purchase needs to be wary of is purchasing an in-house warranty from a store. Let me tell you why. In-house warranties are a tremendous source of profit for retail outlets b/c if a phone breaks they return it to the manufacturer for repairs or a new product. They in turn charge you an arm and a leg for an extended service policy and take the money to the bank. That's not to say that the consumer receives no benefit from an extended service policy, but be practical about purchasing it. A rule of thumb I use is to buy the policy if it is a) full coverage; b) less than 20% of my purchase; and c) lasts three-years. Otherwise, I pass on the policy. These phones are so well-constructed that they probably won't break. Also, by law a manufacturer must give you a one-year warranty on parts and labor to avoid liability on the lemon law. So, if you get a lemon odds are it will be caught under the manufacturer's warranty. So don't be suckered into an excessive warranty.
One other question is to ask your retailer if they do in-house service rather than ship their products out. If they have in-house service then your turn around time for a damaged product will be reduced by ½. It doesn't seem like an important question when you make a purchase, but it will save you a lot of pain if that product has a minor problem.
So now that you are better armed to deal with salesman, misleading ads, and best buy sales go out and pick up that latest rave in wireless technology. The world is going wireless and there is no excuse anymore to be left behind!
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