Buying a cell phone is complicated by the fact that you aren't just buying the phone, you are also 'buying' the carrier. Because we live in a semi-rural area there are still a lot of dead spots around us which effect the ability to receive a cellular signal. Unfortunately those dead spots vary from carrier to carrier so the ability to get a signal in any particular spot will depend on what carrier you choose. In a survey conducted by the Healdsburg Chamber of Commerce there was no overwhelming favorite carrier in this area. Verizon and ATT were in a virtual tie with Sprint/Nextel farther back. When choosing a carrier be sure they have a 30 day guarantee before signing that 2 year commitment. If it turns out that you can't get a signal in the areas you frequent you can cancel with no penalty.

When it comes time to choose a phone there are a wealth of features to choose from. There are two main types of phones, feature phones and smart phones. Feature phones are usually limited to making calls, sending and receiving test messages and possibly synchronizing contacts and calendarrs with your computer. Smart phones are trying to become the do all device giving you phone, messaging, entertainment, photography, e-mail and internet all in one device. Trying to find the phone with the right combination of features can be a real chore but lets look at some of the choices. Remember that not all phones are available from all carriers but they frequently have a similar phone with a different name

Plan — Cell phone carriers offer an overwhelming choice of plans. They range from pay as you go to unlimited everything. Most carriers will give you a deal if you agree to a term contract usually one or two years. Be aware that if you terminate a contract early there can be a very hefty penalty, frequently $100 or more. Some items to compare in your plan choices are:
How many minutes per month? Are minutes charged for incoming as well as outgoing calls? What is the cost per minute if I go over?
Do you have a geographical area in which my phone works? What are the roaming (making calls from outside my area) charges?
When are my minutes good? Are there different rates for calls at different times of day?
Is there a rollover of unused minutes?
Do I pay for incoming minutes? Is there a group plan that incoming minutes from family, other customers of this carrier or some other group are free?
How are minutes calculated, that is does one second of a minute count as a whole minute or is it in smaller increments such as 15 or 10 seconds?
Is long distance included? To where?
What are the charges for text messaging? Am I charged for just outgoing or also for incoming?
Am I charged for picking up voice mail messages?
Are there special deals for calls to other customers of this carrier?
Is there a family plan available? How are minutes disbursed?
Does it come with caller ID? Is that extra?
Does the system offer call forwarding? How much extra?
What are the costs of data plans? Are they by time or size of download/upload? Is there an unlimited plan? Be sure to ask if there is a limit on the unlimited plan, for example if you download a lot of movies or songs. Many carriers are restricting such downloads.

Try to evaluate your expected usage before signing up for a plan. How many minutes a month are you likely to use. Do you just want it for emergencies or will you effectively eliminate your land line. Do you need a family plan and, if so, for how many users. How many minutes will all of you need? Do you travel? Do you need e-mail or internet capabilities? When are you charged minutes for incoming calls? Do you need music or video downloads?

Operating system —  Just like your computer your cell phone has an operating system These come from different developers and a particular cell phone manufacturer may  use operating systems from several different developers. Operating systems from Apple (IOS) and Google (Android) are the most popular for smart phones but there are a number of other phone operating systems available..

Network Type — There are two main types of cellular networks which are mutually exclusive. ATT and T-mobile use the GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications) network while Sprint and Verizon use the CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access) style. Most of the GSM networks offer phones that are quad-band, that is they can operate at four different frequencies. This makes them compatible with phone networks in Europe and most of the rest of the world. If you need a phone that will operate outside the U.S. you should look at a quad-band phone. 

Voice Messaging — All cell phones come with message service. When you are unreachable callers can leave a message for you. Be sure to ask if message pickup minutes are charged against your plan minutes.

Coverage Area - Be sure to check that the carrier you select offers coverage in the area where you will be using your phone. If you want 4G data check to see where 4G coverage is available.

Long Distance / Roaming — Many plans now offer unlimited long distance within the US. Remember however that this is still covered by your total minutes in your plan. If you have 300 minutes and go over those any long distance charges will apply. Be sure to ask what the charge is for long distance if you go over your minutes. Is it the same as local overage or more? Roaming is a charge when you are using your phone outside your 'home' area. Your home area could be a small geographical area such as the bay area or anywhere in the country or world. When roaming you may actually be using cell service from someone other than your own carrier so there is sometimes an additional charge for roaming services. Be sure to understand when roaming charges apply and how much, especially if you travel. That call home to the kids from Hawaii could be very expensive.

Processor - Just as with computers the processors in cell phones are getting more powerful. Newer phones are offering dual core processors (two processors on a single chip) as well as higher speeds, while at the same time using less power. The speed of the processor will help determine what kind of lag there is when you start an activity.

Hands Free — With the passage of California legislation requiring the use of hands free headsets while driving all cell phones support a headset of some type.  Some of these headsets are wired requiring a wire to run from the phone to the headset .  However, cell phones which support Bluetooth can be used with a wireless headset.  If you wish to use a wireless headset be sure your phones supports bluetooth.    

Camera — Many phones now come with build in cameras. The quality has improved greatly in the last few years and many of them have higher quality lenses and pixel rates up to 8 megapixels. Most of these cameras also have the ability to take short movies. One question to ask about your camera is how do I get my pictures off of the camera. Some of them require the purchase of a separate cable and the installation of software on your computer. Be sure to ask if the software is in the box or if it has to be downloaded from a website somewhere. Some more recent cameras come with Bluetooth or 802.11 radios which allow them to talk to a properly configured computer directly. Be aware that many companies do not allow the use of cell phones with cameras within their facilities.  If you need to enter such facilities be aware that you'll have to check your cell phone at the entrance if it has a camera. 

Battery Life — As phones have become smaller and lighter their battery size has also decreased but this is being offset by lower power usage. When comparing phones be sure to look at their claimed battery life. Just remember that this number is like auto gas mileage estimates, your results may vary and will probably be less. Generally the smarter the phone (the more things it does) the shorter the battery life.

Screen Size — As phones have gotten smaller so have the screens in many cases. If you want to do e-mail or Internet on your phone you may want to look at one of the larger phones such with larger screens (currently topping out at 4.7"). Be sure to ask what the resolution of the screen is. The higher the resolution the more will fit on the screen but the smaller it will be.

Keyboard —  Basic phones come with a standard phone keyboard layout with the numbers from 0 to 9 and a couple of additional keys to manipulate the onscreen display. If you want to send a text message or e-mail from one of these keyboards you need to press the corresponding alpha key for the correct number of times. For example, to type the letter L you need to hit the 5 key 3 times. Some phones now come with a complete alpha-numeric keyboard. These keyboards can be always available or slide out from the phone or only available by opening the phone. Because of their size the keyboards can be very difficult to use. Be sure to try the keyboard on the phone you want to see if you can actually get reasonable results. Many phones now come with an onscreen keyboard to enter text and some offer voice entry for some functions.

Text Messaging — Text messaging is the ability to send and receive short typed messages from either other cell phones or a computer. While primarily used by young people it is a quick way to get someone a short message. Because of the problem of getting letters typed on the numeric keypad a shorthand has been adopted to decrease the number of letters typed so a message might be typed as C U l8tr for see you later.

MP3 Player & Entertainment — More phones are now offering the ability to listen to music (MP3) and to even watch TV. Many phones also come with games and the ability to download more music, entertainment and games.

Push to Talk — This is a feature originally available only from Nextel (now part of Sprint). It enables special phones to work like a walkie talkie and connect directly to another phone without requiring dialing. It is currently available from Sprint and now from Cingular.

Form Factor —  Phones come in various form factors. Some people want the smallest phone they can get while others want the largest screen they can get. Here are some common cell phone form factors.

                            
                Slate                   Drop Down Keyboard     Full Qwerty Keyboard           Flip Phone                    'Candy Bar'                'Clamshell'            

Internet Access — Cell companies now offer data access across their networks. By buying a data enabled phone and a data plan you can get internet access and e-mail from your phone. The cell carriers are moving to what is referred to as 4G systems. These offer faster speeds but are not universally available. The carriers are rolling out 4G but it will take time before it is generally available outside of large urban areas. Just as phone voice quality changes depending on the signal strength, so will your data access speed vary depending on the signal available. Another feature sometimes available is the ability to use your phone as a modem for your computer called tethering. Ask if that is available, how it works and how much it costs.

Unlimited data plans are becoming a thing of the past as carriers see their network capacity getting stretched thin. It is a good idea to monitor your usage so you don't go over as it can get very expensive to download more than your limit. By the same token if you find you aren't using as much data as you thought when you signed up you may be able to go to a smaller plan and save some money.

E-mail Access — If you want to access your e-mail from your phone you will need a compatible phone and a plan that offers digital downloads. Keep in mind what you are going to be able to see on your screen at one time. Be sure to ask for a demonstration of what it looks like. The keyboard will be a big factor if you want to send messages as well as receive. If you sign up for e-mail have the provider configure this feature for you and demonstrate how to use it. If e-mail is a primary usage for your phone you may want to look at something like the blackberry that is specifically designed for that purpose.

Locked Phones and SIM cards — Most phones that you purchase from a carrier are 'locked'. That is, they cannot be used with another carrier. If you have a phone that you bought from ATT you won't be able to use it if you want to go to T-mobile. There are  ways to unlock phones but they are tricky and can potentially leave the phone unusable if done incorrectly. All digital phones now come with a SIM card. This goes into your phone and has your account identification on it. It can also store your phone book. This makes it simple when you get a new phone because you essentially just move the SIM card to your new phone and it is ready to go with all your settings.

Apps - Smart phones have the ability to run Apps which are small programs with a single function such as the ability to interact with your Facebook page. make hotel and dinner reservations, synchronize notes with your computer or comparison shop. The major operating systems have a huge number of apps available ranging from free to $30 or so. Apps are operating system dependent and IOS apps won't work on Android phones and vice-versa.

Other Features — Some other features of phones that are available include voice dialing, speakerphone, built in FM radio, Wi-Fi, memory card slots, multimedia messaging. instant messaging, GPS with voice directions and the ability to read books and magazines.

Updating - As the operating systems change and improve it may be possible to update your phone to the newest version of its operating system. This can be complicated because the operating system can be written by one company, implemented by another and controlled by the carrier, all of whom have to sign off on an upgrade before making it available to users. A little internet research can show which phone manufacturers and carriers have the best record for making updates available in a timely manner.

Recycling — See the Cell phone FAQ for information on what to do before recycling your phone. Old cell phones can be donated to organizations which give them away or can be recycled at Office Depot. Depending on the age and condition of your old phone there are a number of web sites that will buy your old phone. When selling your phone make sure that the company guarantees to wipe any information off of it so that the next owner won't have access to whatever information was on it.