As cell phones have gotten more sophisticated and the plans have become more inexpensive many people are trading in their land phones at home for the ease of a mobile phone that you can carry anywhere you go.

Text messaging, sending photos, playing java based games and accessing the Web are just a few of the functions today's phone offer. With the newest geo-targeting, you can find directions to a party, store or business appointment by using your cell phone. Most business people and students won't be caught without one...and an extra battery - just in case!
Buying a cell phone is more than a matter of choosing a handset--you also have to pick a service provider as well. After the entry of CDMA service providers it's becoming more important to think about your needs when making a choice.

1. What Functions Do You Want, and What Functions Do You need?

The most basic function of any mobile phone is to send and receive phone calls and SMS text messages. Beyond the basics some
mobile phones have calculators. Others have voice answering and voice dialing, allowing you to send and receive phone calls
without using your hands. More sophisticated phones have built in digital cameras, MP3 and video players, computer games and other features.

Choose the phone with the features that you can really use and don't waste money on a phone with functions that you will seldom use or with functions that duplicate your other electronic gadgets.

2. Do a Sound and Display Check

Will you be making calls in noisy settings? If so then you should check the volume of the phone and see if it is strong enough to be heard. Make sure that the phone has an easy to use volume control so that you can turn it up whenever necessary and make sure that the volume is really adequate for your needs.

Take a look at the display and also consider the colors. The display is one of the most important features of any mobile
phone. Make sure that the display is easily readable even in difficult lighting conditions. You can't check this feature over
the Internet, rather, you should go to the store and examine the phone physically.

If you are buying a phone with a colour display then you should realize that quality of colour and resolution varies dramatically from model to model. If you want to watch videos or look at photos taken with your phone's camera then you will need a handset with at least "65,000 colour". The quality of the colours is shown with a number; the higher the number the higher the picture quality.

3. Check the Quality of the Ring Tones

Polyphonic ring tones are featured in all of the new mobile phones. Polyphonic tones make it possible for a ring tone to
sound like many instruments playing together. As with colors, the quality of the ring tone is measured numerically.

If your retailer says that the phone has "16 polyphonic" it means that 16 instruments can be heard in a ring tone. If you
want a good sound then you need at least a 16.

4. See Which Accessories are Included with the Phone

All mobile phones normally come with a battery and charger, but there are other accessories that may be useful to you. Check to see if the phone comes with a spare battery, an earphone, a leather casing, a neck strap or an antenna. If you need any of
these accessories and if they are optional, then your phone will cost you more than you thought. If the accessories are part of the deal, then you may be getting a bargain. Also, if you don't need an accessory now, but would like to get one in the future, check to see if accessories for your model are easily available on the market.

5. Find Out How Long the Battery Will Last

Battery life is an important variable. The average user only asks about the "talk time" of a a battery. However, "stand-by"
time is just as important, especially for people who do not want to carry around a charger with them.

It is common to find phones whose batteries have a three to seven-hour talk time, but you should also find out whether the
battery has enough stand-by time so that you can make it through the entire day without recharging.

6. Consider the "Look and Feel" of the Phone

Once again you can't choose a phone from a catalog or over the Internet. You might prefer to go down to the store and handle the phone before buying it. Feel how much it weighs and see if the menus are easy to understand. Take a look at the layout of the keyboard and other buttons. On some of the smaller phones the buttons are so small that it is difficult and tiresome to dial a number or compose a message.

If you consider your phone a fashion accessory then choose one that best suits your personality and style.

7. Take a Careful Look at the Price

Be sensible. Buy a mobile phone that lets you stay within your budget. If you follow the previous tips and get a phone that
matches your requirements, you should be able to get a handset that will not put you in debt or force you to cut back on your
usual expenditures. Remember one thing about consumer electronics: the prices usually fall. If you can't afford to buy
a phone that can show videos this year, next year it may be within your reach.

8. Find Out About After Sales Service