Sunday, August 2, 2009

Cell Phone Purchases Can Be Confusing

By Stuart Thompson

The modern cell phone is so much more than a phone now. It used to be that the fancy phones came with a camera and some a few little games to be played on a very small screen. Now though, the most recent cell phones have Internet access and screens where you can actually answer emails and get some work done. People dont buy cell phones only to talk on them anymore.

Cell phones now routinely cost in the hundreds of dollars and it seems people are willing to pay the price. As all your friends get the better phones, it seems the pressure to keep up with the Joneses has gotten the best of many people. Phones now come with so many other capabilities that it seems the only thing missing is the phaser option right out of Star Trek. The question is: do people really need all these gadgets and do they really use them all? Of course some people love all the newest technology and have to have it but do the masses really need so much?

There are many cell phone carriers to choose from as well as the many different cell phone choices. Are the phones made for Verizon the exact same as are made for the other carriers? Sometimes a cell phone maker will make a phone model that is exclusively for one carrier. Each carrier has a phone or two that you can only get if you sign up for their service. Most phones however, are made for all carriers and are the same phones. Of course, with those models that are made exclusively for one carrier, people have learned how to open them up and "unlock" them for all carriers. With modern technology, it is hard for the phone makers to make something that prevents people from altering it and using it for their competitors.

After you make you cell phone choice, if it is a phone that can be used with all carriers, you will have to make a decision of what one to go with and then what plan to get. The differences between plans can be confusing and it seems the salesperson will always try to up sell you and get you to pay for more than you need. It is hard for a first time buyer to navigate all the options and figure out what they truly need and not pay more.

All in all, anyone looking to buy a cell phone for the first time has a lot of decisions to make. Advertising plays a big part in the decisions we make and the cell phone makers and carriers advertise like crazy. They all hope to get our business and lock us in to their plans and phones for as long as possible. It is our job to do the legwork first and make educated decisions of what to buy. - 16890

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