Finding the Best Cell Plans
Cell phones are such an integral part of modern life that you can hardly avoid owning one. Whether you have grudgingly decided to keep one by you for emergencies or you regard it as an essential, you will want to find the best deal for your needs. Would a prepaid phone work for you? Cell plans have become so affordable these days that with only moderate use, they might work out cheaper for you.
So how do you compare cell plans and decide what is going to work out best for you? These contracts are notoriously difficult to assess and they usually want you to sign up to a long term arrangement. How do you decide what you need and avoid paying for extras that you don’t need? You could start by asking friends and family about their cell phone usage and what they like, or not, about their plans.
In your quest for a new cell phone plan, it is also a good idea to write down what will be your primary use of your phone and do you need any of the bells and whistles? Will you use your cell phone just for emergencies or do you want to be accessible because your social life is hopping? If you have a family, will you want to purchase a cell phone plan that will accommodate every family member in the household such as using shared minutes?
- Is the plan just for you or for your family too?
- Do you prefer to talk or text?
- Do you want to access the internet from your phone?
Timing is another issue that you should consider when you compare cell phone plans as the time of day can determine the cost per call if you are choosing a basic plan. In addition, the general area are you planning to call makes a difference as some plans offer long distance for free on weekends or after a certain time during the weekdays.
It is important to have your list of requirements for a cell phone plan solidly in your mind before conducting your research. The best place to conduct your research is the internet as there are a number of websites with search bots that glean information from countless websites and present you with the best cell phone plan options that suits your parameters.
With your requirements mapped out and a few options in mind, you are ready to visit a local retail store to compare the cell plans they have to offer. Find out what special promotions they are running and don’t take the first offer. Be prepared to haggle for a lower price or for one or two free extras.
Remember that these companies have always been keen to get your business and in the current economic situation, that is even more the case. So hold out for the cell phone plan that suits you and don’t be railroaded into paying for features that you don’t need.
Cell Phone Accessories for Fun and Functionality
The cellular phone industry is massive and showing no sign of slowing down anytime soon. What was once an expensive novelty is now an essential. Everybody has one, or more than one, and children are getting them at younger ages. It is no wonder that cell phone accessories are also selling like hot cakes. They can be practical and add useful functions or just for fun like cell phone covers.
Cell phones have become such a big part of our lives now that it would be unthinkable to find yourself out of touch. Many people now don’t even have a landline and use their cell phone as there main point of contact. So a couple of must have accessories are car chargers and extra batteries. You can’t risk being stuck with a dead phone, particularly if you travel a lot.
It is nice to know that you don’t need to get home to recharge, if you are in your car, you are in business. And it is good to have an extra battery or two charge and ready. Rotating them to give them equal use will extend their life and if one does die, you will have a ready made replacement. This is especially important if your cell phone is your primary number or emergency contact number.
If you are going to be taking calls while driving, a hands free car kit is another essential, in many countries, a legal requirement. If your phone has Bluetooth capability, a Bluetooth headset makes this even more convenient. Personally though, unless you are an FBI agent, I don’t think you need to be walking down the street wearing an earpiece. But what looks good is a matter of opinion.
Cell phone covers or faceplates can give your phone a degree of protection but they are mainly about looks and style. They can be cool and sophisticated or just downright garish, ranging from leopard prints to glow in the dark neon. It is a way to express your individuality and make your phone a little bit different. Another way to do that is with ringtones.
Who would have thought that selling ringtones would become a multi million dollar industry in its own right? But many people are avid collectors of them and can’t wait to play you their latest acquisition. Having the biggest, baddest ringtone has almost become a competitive sport.
If your cell phone is going to be a constant companion, you might as well make it unique and get the most from that you can. Accessorizing your cellular phone is as much a part of life as owning one.
Don’t Dump Your Old Cell Phone, Cash in on It
Selling your cellular phone
The popularity of cell phones is showing no signs of cooling off. The manufacturers are rushing to get their latest models onto the market on an almost weekly basis. More and more neat technology is being packed into them. If one company comes up with a winning new feature, the others have to beat it. If your phone has a camera, we will add an MP3 player. If your phone can play music, ours will play video.
There are a lot people feeling that they need to keep up with these trends. Their current cell phone is only a few months old and pretty high spec, but suddenly it seems obsolete. There is a sleek new design with a higher resolution camera, it can store more music and you can browse the internet with it. You’ve got to have it, but what about your old phone. Will it join your collection in a drawer somewhere or end up in a landfill site. How about recouping some of the cost of your new phone?
Not everybody wants to or can afford to keep up the cutting edge of technology. There is a ready market of people who would think that the cell phone you are keen to get rid of is a very desirable item. And you don’t even have to go to the trouble of finding them. There is always the old standby of Ebay, but there are also companies online that do nothing but buy and sell second hand cellular phones. If yours is relatively new and in good condition, they might offer a pretty good price.
You will need to make sure that all outstanding bills have been paid with your service provider and that you are free and clear to sell the phone. If you bought from a reputable source, there should be no chance that the phone has previously been reported lost or stolen. That could land you in hot water. Assuming that everything is in order, you could soon have a nice little sum to go towards your new, bleeding edge cell phone.
Getting Your Cellular Unlocked
Getting your cellular phone unlocked is not illegal! There is some confusion around regarding terminology that the cell phone providers do nothing to clear up. There is a difference between unlocking and unblocking.
If your cell phone is lost or stolen, you can ring your service provider and they will block it. This means that if someone else gets their hands on it, they will not be able to make any calls. This is for your protection and designed to make a cell phone a less desirable item to steal. To ‘Unblock’ a phone is definitely illegal.
Unlocking is a different matter. When you buy a phone, whether on contract or prepaid, that already has a SIM card, it is set up to work on a particular network. If later, you still like your phone but a better deal is available, you could buy a new SIM card to put in it. The problem is, the phone may be locked to the original network.
Unlike unblocking, getting your cellular ‘Unlocked’ to work on any network is perfectly legal. The phone companies don’t advertise it but if you own your phone, you have a right to look for the best deal and take it with you.
There are three ways you can do this. You can call your existing provider and ask them about unlocking. They may do this for free or they may make a charge. They are allowed to do that. If you think that their charge is excessive, you can try independent companies that provide this service. There are plenty of the on the internet and you can probably find one that is cheaper.
But the cheapest way to unlock your cellular is to do it yourself. When you put in a new SIM card, there is usually a message that the phone is locked and a request for an unlocking code. So, all you need is the code. Once again, the internet is your first port of call.
Go to Google and try searching for something like, ‘cell phone unlock codes’. It will bring up a list of sites offering this service. Some of them will unlock your phone remotely and others will find the code for you, both at a price. What you want is a site that lists the codes for you to enter yourself. All you need to do is search for your model, get the code and you are good to go.
You won’t find codes for every phone, especially some of the latest models but you can always fall back on the other methods. Older Nokia models are particularly easy to find and unlock but most models can be cracked with a little bit of research.