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Switching carriers
If you're considering switching carriers, you probably know that you'll be able to keep your cell phone number (called number portability). However, you will need to buy a new phone from the new carrier. If you are still under contract with your old carrier, you'll probably pay anywhere from $50 to $200 for early termination. However, after consumer groups pressed to have termination fees dropped, carriers including Verizon, T-Mobile and AT&T began prorating their fees in 2007 with other cellular companies following suit. Your new carrier will probably charge you a small activation fee, though.
Phones for international use
If you think you might want a phone for use in other countries, one option (aside from going with a GSM-network carrier) is to pick up an unlocked quad-band (850MHz/900MHz/1800MHz/1900MHz) GSM phone; used ones are usually available on eBay. When you arrive at your destination, buy a SIM card for your phone. Be sure to buy an unlocked phone or to unlock the phone at a site like Unlock123.com or TheTravelInsider.info before you leave.
Smartphones -- which combine PDA functionality, web services and sometimes music with a phone -- are popular, but be aware that you'll need a more expensive service package to send data over your phone or to surf the Internet. Most unlimited data and voice plans can easily cost $80 or more per month. High-speed wireless Internet services like Verizon's EVDO network can reach Internet speeds faster than broadband, but they can also be expensive. Also, the much talked about Apple iPhone is available only through AT&T. We have a separate ConsumerSearch report on
Pay-as-you-go cell phone plans are also covered in our report on
Google going wireless
Probably the biggest buzz right now centers on Google's intention to enter the wireless market. According to The Wall Street Journal, Google is testing a version of an advanced wireless network at its headquarters in California. Google's 2008 attempt to bid for a wireless spectrum -- which is a necessary building block for running a network -- did not come to fruition, but the FCC is considering opening up empty parts of the television spectrum, called "white spaces," for use. Information Week reports that computer and Internet giants like Dell, Google, Hewlett-Packard, Microsoft and Motorola have been lobbying for approval.
As The Wall Street Journal noted in regards to Google's push to enter the wireless market, such a move "could potentially expand the availability and decrease the cost of high-speed mobile Internet access to consumers and broaden the wireless applications they use." Thus, consumers could move their handsets between carriers without the daunting restrictions that now exist. Google already makes applications, such as chat and mapping, which are available on cell phones. In addition, T-Mobile released the Google G1 last fall, the first phone to use the highly anticipated Google Android open source platform.
As the cell phone industry becomes increasingly competitive, carriers are adding more extra-cost services to entice customers. According to The New York Times, GPS navigation is being used in ever more creative ways on wireless phones. For example, the pay-as-you-go carrier Boost uses a service called Loopt that lets users report their location to other Boost users. And TeleNav (www.telenav.com) has a service that can turn phones from major carriers like Verizon, T-Mobile, AT&T and others, as well as unlocked phones, into GPS navigation devices. You can beam your address to other TeleNav users, get traffic alerts or find Wi-Fi hotspots.
When traveling abroad, you can get SIM cards from local cell phone stores. ernatively, an article by Eric A. Taub in the March 15, 2007 edition of The New York Times (see All Reviews) notes that you can purchase SIM cards before you travel at vendors like Cellular Abroad and Telestial.
If you are interested in cell phone technology and how mobile phone services work, an excellent place to start is How Stuff Works. Editors have compiled a lengthy article that explains how cell phones evolved, how GSM networks are different from CDMA systems and many other essentials.
"Essential Things to Know: Cell Phone Technologies," from First Glimpse Magazine, also covers network technologies, including EVDO and EDGE, in a convenient Q & A format.
PC Today also has several informative, easy-to-understand articles on cell phone technology. "The Path to 4G" offers a history of cellular systems and a mini-dictionary of cellular terms and acronyms, and "Wireless Today: What's Here & What's Right Around the Corner" lists the types of networks and speed rates of different carriers. .
For updates on the latest cell phone technology and plans, The New York Times offers "Phone Smart," a column by Bob Tedeschi that appears twice a month. Mobile Phone Blog is also a useful site for staying abreast of emerging products and services.
There's a helpful buying guide at Wireless.org that covers everything from phone types to features to upgrades.
A number of resources look at ways to save on cell phone plans and bills. Consumer Reports has "Cell Plan Extra Charges: Why and What You Can Do," and you can check out "Prepaid Cell Phones Can Offer Savings" on its money blog.
PC Magazine cell phone guru Sascha Segan gives a look at how he cut his own phone costs in "How I Slashed My Bills with Tech (Part 1)."
The New York Times article "How to Amplify Those Fading Bars" suggests ways to increase cell phone reception, including signal boosters and femtocells, such as T-Mobile's HotSpot@Home.
CellReception.com is a searchable database that let users look for cell tower locations, read user reports of cell coverage and check for reception dead spots.
DeadCellZones.com has a complaint database and a listing of dead spots in metropolitan areas.
You can get detailed pricing and coverage information on the websites of each wireless service provider: