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General discussion

Some advice to newbies about cell phones

Mar 24, 2005 1:29AM PST

I have seen some people asking which plan to get and which phone works well, etc.

The first thing one has to consider is what is the phone going to be used for. Low usage or high usage.
This will determine whether to get a pay as you go phone or one of those monthly plans that tie you down for a year or two.

Next you have to see whether you will be using this phone all over the country or specific to one geographical area. This will determine whether you want a local or national plan.

Once you decide that, you check out to see who has the best coverage in your area. Try the phone in your home. If you live in a metropolitan area, chances are all major carriers will work just fine. If you travel alot, look at their coverage map and you will get a better idea. Remember, all carriers will have some dead zones even in the most populated metropolitan areas.

Once you decide your carrier, then you choose your phone. I know certain carriers such as Verizon do not carry the "coolest" looking phones but I think coverage is more important than looks.

If you live in a major city, chances are GSM will be as good as CDMA. If you live in the suburbs or remote areas, I would think CDMA may work better, just because they have been in the USA longer than GSM. Here again this is only a rule of thumb but it is not always true. You have to check your area's coverage with different carriers and make your decision based on that.

Once you decide the carrier, then you can pick a phone based on what people say and recommend. There are "lemons" in all the phones, so you may end up with one even though everyone else says they love it. I really think you go with majority views on those and remember that if you get a lemon, you can always have it replaced with a new one. The lemon law applies to cell phones, so after 3 lemons, you will get a brand new phone of your choice, even though you may have to pay for the difference.

Just remember, the coolest looking phone may not work for you because the carrier may not have good coverage in your area.

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