Steps
- Work out how much you plan to use your phone. Will you use it for emergencies only, when out meeting somebody or in place of your landline or a combination?
- Take a look at each network's offer of prices, some are cheaper for texts and some favour phone calls. Choose which network looks right for you. It is a good idea to ask the people you will call the most what network they use, calls are often cheaper within the same network than between networks. You should also look at external reviews of the various networks to see what they do well or poorly. You may find that reception is poor for one network where you live or that people are unhappy with the customer service on another one.
- Once you have decided what network you want, you should begin to compare the various price plans. You should have some idea of how much you intend to use your phone. Based on the monthly cost of the contracts or the cost per minute/per text of calls on a Pay As You Go plan you should be able to work out whether it makes better financial sense to have a contract or Pay As You Go. For example, if you expect to spend 5 a month on calls and texts and you can get a phone from between 70 and 100 it will be better value than a contract where you will pay 25 a month and get a free phone. If, however, you will make hundreds of minutes worth of phone calls every month, it will be better value to get a contract that gives you those minutes for free.
- Before you go any further: Do not look at handsets in other networks that aren't available to your network. The only way you can use a phone from a different network is to get various codes. And even then you're at the risk of you not being able to use all of the tools on your phone, such as the internet.
- Think of how you will use your phone and the tools you would like on your phone, e.g. bluetooth, or a camera. Do you need your phone for email and when travelling abroad? Are you going to carry it in your pocket or handbag and if so do you need to worry about size and weight or is functionality and available gadgets more important?
- Look on the network's website, browsing through the phones that you would like and the phones that are available based on the contract or calling plan you want. You can also go into the store, where a 'friendly member of staff will be there to guide you'. You should compare the features of each potential phone in order to help decide which phone best suits you.
Tips
- It is a very good idea to find reviews of the phones you like and the networks. A phone which looks great in the shop or on the website may have bugs or issues that will be a problem for you.
- If you really want to get a cheap phone, try looking on ebay.
- If you just want a phone, go for the cheap ones, they are basic, and tend to be a lot easier to use, with the basic functions.
- Try to avoid shopping at places that sell every phone on every network. They end up being a lot more expensive, and you miss out on some great deals!
Warnings
- Make sure your phone has some kind of guarantee, just in case something goes wrong!
- Never buy anything unless the seller has a registered ID tag, or if it is from a shop.
- Make sure that you know what you are getting before you make your purchase!
Sources and Citations
- [Best Mobile contracts] - UK Contract mobile phone comparison site.
- [Review Centre] - British site for consumer reviews of Mobile phones and networks
- [HowardChui.com] - Enthusiast reviews of mobile phones and some really useful forums about choosing a phone.
- [Epinions] - American site for consumer reviews of cell phones and networks.
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