[PCWorld]

Post your comments for How to Buy a Cell Phone here

[FDNY5295]

DO YOU HAVE AN SITE FOR BUYING USED CELL PHONES

[KellieCM]

I would suggest eBay or Craigslist, but as always, buyer beware.

[laylaemily]

can you but go phones and unlock them to put your current sims card in it?

[ranron]

[quote name='laylaemily']can you but go phones and unlock them to put your current sims card in it?Yes, on the most part you can. Search for third party provider to unlock Motorolas, Samsungs, SEs. You can try to call your provider unlock your phone if you are trying to switch carriers.However, if you have a Nokia phone that uses BBS locking (newer 3rd Gen. locking -- All the recent year or two models) then you cannot unlock using a third party and only the original provider can unlock it.

[cwkneu]

Thank you for a very informative article. Is there a phone that will work in Europe GSM with sim card and in the US with sim card and also analog? Do any providers work with such a phone system? I am in Eastern Europe and can not go in to the local cell phone providers and ask and I could not find a way to ask such a question for example to Cingular on thier site.

[Jrow2]

Easy Question....Maybe.If I was to buy an unlocked cell phone from a retailer, other that one that was providing my wireless service. Can I now take this phone to my wireless carrier and have my existing cell phone number programmed into the new cell phone? Can my cell phone carrier legally "lock" any of the features of this cell phone, as it is my phone not theres'?

[lenlindsay]

Near the end of your article you state, "Pick up a headset or earphone: Inexpensive hands-free ear-bud headsets let you safely converse while driving, working, or just walking." Here you are promoting unsafe driving yet calling it safe. Studies have shown that it is just as dangerous to be talking on a cell phone via hands free methods as holding the phone while driving - actually it is more dangerous than driving drunk. It is sad that you are promoting such an unsafe practice.

[NP9fl]

Want to get really ripped on a cell phione?? just go to walmart!

[oledee]

Help! I want an easy-to-use cell phone. Nothing fancy, but with large print, and big buttons. Anthing out there for seniors?

[Rommel]

My advice would be to not get a microSD card from the store selling the phone.

I get a 2gb card for my nokia for around $5-7 delivered.

Check out tigerdirect.com or newegg.com first.

Also make sure you know the max memory card it will take.

My is maxed at 2 which is plenty for me.

[radioage]

I haven't found one yet! Seems like the providers and cell phone manufacturers cater to the young excellent sighted croud. The best that I could find is one of the Windows Mobile phones or a large screen - touch screen phone but alot of those don't let you customize the font size that much.

I haven't done it yet, but suggest checking with AARP or other senior organizations to see what they know.

Good Luck,

Jerry

[tarkon]

My problem is no system for telling which cellphone is best for fringe areas. I live in the middle of North Carolina in Montgomery County. All carrier areas have a blank space there.

Oprah can use Skype to call Antartica or Greenland and I can't get a signal in the mid-Atlantic states!

All around me are cell areas. What I need is a cell which will pick up a signal in bad areas.

What I have now is a Nokia on Altell pay-as-I-go plan as the only way to use it is away from home.

I see on TV people in the desert using cellphones. Why can't I?

[Nanc1234]

I use my cell phone as my only phone plus address book. I have all other stuff blocked. I live and travel around San Francisco area and up to Sac. Excellent service except around the electric bus lines.
I am currently w/AT&T. I have 450 nationwide, no roaming chg. plus, nights & weekends free. (I never go over) I also have rollover minutes & free cell to cell with AT&T cell phones.(Good for calls to my sister)
Costs about $50 a month.
I am becoming a full time RVer and will be traveling all over the country plus, 3 month travel to Canada (extra charge $4+ a month plus $.59 per minute while in Canada - can cancel the minute I get back into US).
QUESTIONS:
1. I have searched all companies and cannot find anything better than the deal that I have now. My contract is up in April, 2010. Is there anything better out there?
2. I'm also looking for a new phone (currently have a motorola razor, as like the small light flip so screen is protected and I don't call someone unintentionally). Don't particularly care for the way I have to hold the phone to hear but, use my jawbone most of the time as am on the road most of the time. I also don't like the battery life and feel like I'm always charging. What is the best phone out there for my future purposes?
Thanks for any and all help,
Nan

[RobertCar]

@Nanc1234, I've recently started using the Straight Talk prepaid plans. They come in two flavors: $30 for 1000 minutes, 1000 texts and 30mb mobile data; $45 for unlimited everything. Both also provide free 411 calls.
I found the service to be excellent. I also travel a lot and it seems I just have reception everywhere I go. ST uses the nationwide Verizon network, that's why.
You would probably be okay with the $30 version but I suppose even the unlimited option is cheaper than your current plan.
They are available at Walmart or online and I know you can do an 'automatic refill' online too.
Good luck!

[HankA755]

My advice...ditch the contract. Switching to a prepaid is the way to go. I got straight talk, which got saved me about 30 bucks a month, from 80 a month to 45 for unlimited talk and text. And the service is great .

[rogriley1451]

I have 4 cell phones on my "Family Plan/No Text" and our total monthly Text/Data costs are less than $5.00 per month. We all want a new "Smart Phone" because there just isn't much else to pick from. AT&T will only let me add a smart phone to my plan if I pay and additional $30.00 per month text pakcage for each phone. I don't want text/data, I just want a good phone. Ideas anyone?

[Peopletjesedays]

lenlindsay, on 20 July 2007 - 10:18 AM, said:

Near the end of your article you state, "Pick up a headset or earphone: Inexpensive hands-free ear-bud headsets let you safely converse while driving, working, or just walking." Here you are promoting unsafe driving yet calling it safe. Studies have shown that it is just as dangerous to be talking on a cell phone via hands free methods as holding the phone while driving - actually it is more dangerous than driving drunk. It is sad that you are promoting such an unsafe practice.

Really more dangerous that driving drunk? Comon be real the reason they state this is because it is against the law to drive without one. Be serious it is better to drive drunk than have a hands free device you need your head examined. It is crazy that you would even say that be respectful. Its a website and its not against the law to talk with a hands free device that is why they put it on the website.

[Layla85]

Hey Oledee,

If you don't plan on using your phone that much I know my grandmother has a senior value phone that she likes a lot. It has all the features you're interested in, big buttons, large text, etc. I think it's even hearing aid compatible. Hopefully it's still around in a few years when I'll need it!

[knoids]

should i wait for the next gen iphone or should i just buy the iphone 4?