Choosing a Business Cell Phone and Plan Quick and Dirty

Are you frustrated with all the choices you have toprimarily during the day, you'll need a plan that will give
make when choosing a business cell phone andyou the maximum number of minutes when the sun is
service plan? It doesn't have to be complicated.up. On the other hand, if you are going to be using your
Assuming you aren't looking for the latest ubergizmonew cell phone primarily on the weekends, you'll need
cell phone, the following three steps are all you need toa plan that gives you the maximimum number of
help you pick the cell phone that's right for yourminutes on Saturday and Sunday. Those are the two
business.Step One: Figure Out the Cell Phoneextremes--other plans offer some combination of
Coverage You NeedStep one involves figuring outweekday daytime, evenings and weekend minutes.If
where you are going to be using your new cell phone.you are unsure of your calling patterns, take
Do you work in the city or the country? Also, do youadvantage of the free first-month promotions offered
often travel aboard and intend to use your phoneby many providers to figure out when you make your
around the world?If you work primarily in UScalls and then switch your plan accordingly if
metropolitan areas, you don't have to worry aboutnecessary. Many phone companies will analyze your
whether you need a GSM, CDMA or TDMAcell phone usage if asked to and will recommend a
phone--they all work pretty well. On the other hand, ifplan that minimizes your monthly cost.Step Three: Buy
you work in rural, remote or undeveloped areas, yourYour New Cell PhoneIf you are going to be buying a
best bet is a CDMA or TDMA phone since theseGSM phone because you intend to travel and use the
providers have the best coverage in rural/undevelopedphone abroad, stick to tri-band/tri-mode phones. These
areas.CDMA and TDMA providers include Verizonphones can operate on a multitude of frequencies that
Wireless and Sprint-Nextel.On the other hand, if youvarious operators abroad may use. Otherwise, don't
intend to use your cell phone while abroad, GSM is theworry about whether the phone is tri-band/tri-mode or
communications standard used outside of Northdual-mode.Other than that one consideration, choosing
America. If you purchase a GSM phone so that youa cell phone is all a matter of taste. Generally speaking,
can use it abroad, you need to make sure the phone isif you enter into a one-year or two-year contract, the
purchased "unlocked", which means that the phone isphone provider will often give away a cell phone that
not tied to a specific network. With an unlocked GSMwould otherwise cost many hundreds of dollars. That's
cell phone, you can easily swap out the SIM card (ausually your best bet but be careful of
white chip usually behind the battery) with local country,early-termination clauses that can impose a penalty of
prepaid SIM cards to avoid expensive roaming$200 or more.(c) 2005 Philip Liu - All rights reserved
charges. These local country SIM cards are oftenworldwide.Philip Liu writes about cell phone reviews on
available in corner stores in most countries.In the US,his technology blog, Cell Phone News + Reviews. As
GSM providers include Cingular and T-Mobile.Stepan accomplished technology blogger, Philip makes it
Two: Figure Out the Cell Phone Rate Plan Youeasy to understand how cell phones work and how
NeedOnce you've figured out where you are going toyou can benefit from the latest mobile phone
be primarily using your new cell phone, the next step istechnologies. His insightful tutorials, reviews and opinions
to figure out what business rate plan is the moston the latest cellular gadgets and wireless innovations
economical for your needs. Most providers offerwill make an expert out of you. You can reach Philip
different plans based around buckets of minutes thatvia his website at where he welcomes your questions
are allocated between different time periods in a dayand comments.
and/or week.If you are going to be using the phone