In this video, Wirefly’s Bob Kovacs unboxes the latest version of the Verizon Home Phone Connect and shows what comes in the box. Click on the video window to the right to get all the details.

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You don’t have to change your phone number when switching carriers. It’s easy to transfer (or “port”) phone numbers between carriers, or even to transfer a phone number from a landline to a cell phone. Known as wireless number portability, this process is quick and convenient when you order new cell phone service through Wirefly.

Steps to Transfer Your Phone Number

1. After adding a phone to your cart, make sure to click on the box that says “Switch my existing wireless number to my new “phone.” You will be asked to provide your current provider, wireless phone number, and account number, which you can find on your monthly statement. The order to transfer your phone number will be submitted along with your application for service.

2. Your phone number will be scheduled to be transferred within approximately 24 hours after your new phone is delivered. Once your new account is set up, you’ll be able to view the status of your scheduled port request online.

   IMPORTANT: DO NOT CANCEL SERVICE WITH YOUR CURRENT PROVIDER UNTIL AFTER YOUR PHONE NUMBER HAS BEEN SUCCESSFULLY PORTED TO YOUR NEW PROVIDER.

3. After your phone number is ported, you will no longer be able to use that phone number with your old phone. Cancellation of your old service should happen automatically, but we recommend that you contact your old service provider to confirm and ensure that you do not incur any further charges. You are responsible for payment of any outstanding charges, including any fees that may be assessed by your old service provider for canceling service.

Shop Now for Phones from Sprint, T-Mobile and Verizon Wireless.

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2. Cell Phone Basics
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Color main display

A cell phone can have one or two displays. Phones with two displays have a main one–generally the one to the inside–and an auxiliary one on the outside.

With the greatest majority of phones available today, the main display is in color. A standard color main display shows around 65,000 colors, while displays of more advanced models can show as many of 264,000 colors.

External display

Clamshell phones–also called flip-phones–normally have an auxiliary display to the outside. This is usually smaller than the main display, and may be either in color or black and white (monochrome).

The purpose of a cell phone’s external display is to show the user information like time, caller ID, battery life, etc. without opening the handset.

Color

A growing number of cell phones are becoming available in colors other than gray or black, so as to better fit the taste and the lifestyle of the users.

Style

Applied to cell phones, the word “style” refers to whether or not (and how) the unit opens. Today’s cell phone fall into four main style categories:

1. Candy-bar phones: phones that are more or less rectangular in shape and do not open
2. Flip-phones (or clamshell phones): phones that open and close like a clamshell, through a hinge located above the keypad
3. Slider phones: phones that open by sliding the cover and exposing the keypad
4. Swivel phones: phones that open by swiveling the cover away from the keypad
5. Touch screen. Some larger cell phones allow the user to operate the unit by touching the screen–either with a finger or with a special stylus. Touch-screen operations can range from navigating the phone’s various menus to writing as one would do on a palm pilot.

Speakerphone

Most cell phones on the market today feature a speakerphone, which is a built-in microphone and loudspeaker that allow the user to carry out a conversation or to listen to messages without bringing the unit up to the ear.

There are two levels of sophistication of this feature. More advanced cell phone models allow more than one talker to speak at the same time, while on basic models only one talker can speak at a time.

Also, some speakerphones are stereo–especially on phones that feature FM radio or music-playing capability.

Push to talk

This is a communication feature that works like a walkie-talkie.

Voice dialing

Voice-dialing enables you to dial your phone by voice command (e.g. Call home/Call Jennifer/Call 911/Call 555-1212).

There are two levels of sophistication of voice-dialing. The most basic is requires that you “train” your cell phone to recognize the specific way you pronounce your entries. This usually requires you to speak the command a number of times so as to “lock” the entry into the cell phone recognition. The more advanced requires no training and enables the phone to recognize or understand the entries even if spoken by someone other than you.

To do list

This is a reminder function that allows the user to enter and manage a list of things to do. Different cell phone models offer different options for this feature; in some cases, the user can sort the items by priority and assign deadlines.

Voice memo

Some cell phones have a built-in recorder feature that lets you capture notes to yourself or to record parts of a phone conversation.

Standard 2.5mm headset jack

This is a cylinder-shaped jack that fits the small pin-shaped plug of many cell phones. This is a rather standard jack for headsets and car-kits.

Alarm

Cell phone alarms can work in different ways, depending on the model. The most basic version of this feature allows you to preset a single alarm to sound at a given time–but the unit has to be on. The more sophisticated version allows for multiple alarms and to coordinate them with the phone’s calendar or to-do list–and the alarms will sound even when the cell phone is turned off.

Calculator

Most cell phone calculators are rather basic, and perform only additions, subtractions, divisions and multiplications. In some models, the calculator also includes a currency converter and a tip calculator.

Calendar

Called “datebook” in some cell phone models, the calendar lets you see and manage your schedule for the month, week or day. Depending on the sophistication of the feature, this may be linked to a reminder or an alarm function.

Mini USB port

USB is a standard way to connect various electronic devices (including cell phones) to a laptop or a computer hard-drive. A cell phone with a mini USB port can therefore be linked to a computer via this standard connection, thereby enabling downloads, synchronization with calendar entries, etc.

Vibrate

Most cell phones give the user the capability of switching off the audible ringer and put the phone on “vibrate.” When on vibrate, the phone alerts you of calls, messages, etc., by vibrating rather than ringing. This function is useful in environments where a cell phone ringing would not be appropriate–such as a library or a business meeting. Vibrate is sometimes called “quiet mode.”

Phonebook capacity

A cell phone’s phonebook capacity refers to the maximum number of contacts the user is allowed to enter.

Multiple numbers per name

More advanced cell phones give the user the option of entering more than one number per phonebook entry. This way, each contact can include home number, work number, cell number, fax number, etc. This feature allows the phonebook capacity to be maximized–so that each name does not require multiple entries for different numbers.

Shop Now for Phones from AT&T Wirelesss, Sprint, T-Mobile and Verizon Wireless.

Related posts:

1. Advanced Features
2. Cell Phone Messaging Features
3. Cell Phone Plan Special Features

Today’s cell phones are not only a means to communicate. More and more, they are becoming a way for the user to be entertained and to make a lifestyle statement. This is why the majority of phones come with a number of personalization features–such as different ringtones, “skins” or faceplates–as well as games.

Polyphonic ringtones.

Cell phone polyphonic ringtones are ringtones that can produce more than one note at the same time. In music, groups of two or more notes played at the same time are called “chords.” The more chords a polyphonic ringtone produces, the more exciting its texture.

Custom ringtones.

Some cell phones give you the capability of changing the built-in ringtones with others of your choice. Some cell phones have a built-in function that allows you to “compose” a custom ringtone, while with others you have to download ringtones composed on a PC or another phone.

Preloaded ringtones.

Most of today’s cell phones come with a number of preloaded ringtones from which the user can choose; each produces a different sound or melody, which can be used to set up custom caller IDs.

Ringer profiles.

The ringer profiles features allows a cell phone user to set up different ringer settings so that each “profile” can be activated for different situations. For instance, when you are at work you may want your ringer settings to be businesslike and quiet, while when you are on vacation you may allow yourself something more colorful.

Ringer profiles are not confined to ringtones, but also include vibrate, flashing lights, etc.

MP3 ringtones.

Some cell phones allow the user to download short MP3 music files and use them as ringtones instead of the standard preloaded tones.

Picture caller ID.

Picture caller ID is allows you to associate a picture or image to any of the contacts in your phone book. This way, when you receive a call from one of these contacts, you see their picture as well as their phone number.

Multiple languages.

Many cell phones give you the capability of displaying prompts in different languages, the most common in the US being English, Spanish or French.

In some cases, multiple-language capabilities extend to predictive text entries. In other words, if you tap “Lun” and your phone is set to English, the predictive text will suggest “lunch”; if your phone is set to French, it will suggest “Lundi” (French for Monday).

Languages supported.

This is the list of languages supported by a cell phone with multiple language capabilities.

Games.

Many cell phones give the user the ability to play games. Games may come preloaded in the cell phone, available for download and/or available on the wireless Internet to enjoy on a pay-per-use basis.

Customizable faceplates.

A faceplate is the cover that fits around the phone’s keypad; faceplates are customizable when they can be replaced with different ones available as accessories.

Customizable graphics.

This is a feature that allows the user to customize the image(s) displayed on the phone’s display as screensaver, wallpaper, caller-ID graphics, etc.

Many phones come with a bank of graphics from which a user can select. In other cases, images can be downloaded or even received via multimedia messaging. More sophisticated phones even have built-in image editors.

Customizable themes.

A theme is a set of matching visual elements that appear on the phone’s screen, such as background image, menu, icons, etc. Also called “skin,” a theme can be something like the outdoors, sports, high tech, etc.

A phone with customizable themes allows the user to select a theme from a bank or to import it to the cell phone via a download.

Shop Now for Phones from AT&T Wirelesss, Sprint, T-Mobile and Verizon Wireless.

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Cell phone’s messaging features have to do with its ability to browse the Internet, send and receive text and multimedia messages as well as email through your cell phone.

Mobile web browsing

Some cell phones contain or accept software that will turn your handset into a mini
wireless Internet browser. Depending on the model, the ability to browse the Internet with your cell phone varies. The most
basic version of mobile web browsing only allows access to text-only pages specifically designed to be viewed through cell phones,
while more advanced models enable the user to surf and see full websites.

Multimedia messaging

Also known as MMS, multimedia messaging is a capability that allows you to send and receive
messages that contain not only text, but also other “media” such as pictures, video-clips, graphics, audio-clips, etc.

HTML Web Browsing

HTML is the standard code used to build Internet pages. Some cell phones are enabled
to view full web sites that contain HTML codes.

Text messaging (SMS)

SMS stands for short messaging service, or the capability for a phone to send and/or receive
short text messages. These text messages can be sent either to another cell phone–through the phone number–or to an email address.

Email client

Some cell phones have the ability to send and receive emails, using such servers as POP, IMAP and STMP.

Instant messenger built-in

As the name suggests, instant messaging (IM) provides extremely rapid chat between two or more
users. IM differs from other kinds of messaging such as SMS in the sense that it uses the Internet as the communication platform. Some of
the popular IM applications are Yahoo! and AOL instant messengers.

Traditionally, IM “chat” occurs between personal computers. However, cell phones with built-in IM capabilities are enabled to send and receive instant
messages–from and to PCs and other IM-enabled cell phones.

Also, IM allows the user to set up a “buddy list,” and to see whether any particular user on this list is online (available) or not
before the message is sent.

Shop Now for Phones from AT&T Wirelesss, Sprint, T-Mobile and Verizon Wireless.

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2. How To Set Up Instant Messaging On Your Cell Phone
3. Cell Phone Plan Contract and Service Features

1. Cell Phone Digital Camera
2. Cell Phone Mp3 Player
3. Cell Phone iTunes Player
4. Cell Phone FM Radio
5. Cell Phone FM Transmitter
6. Attachment Viewing(Word, Excel, PowerPoint)
7. GPS Service Support
8. Bluetooth Wireless Technology
9. Cell Phone Digital Camera
10. Video Capture/Camera
11. QWERTY Keyboard
12. Infrared Port
13. Voice-Driven Menus
14. Data Capable / Use This Phone As A Modem
15. PC Synchronization

A cell phone’s advanced features are all the features that make each phone more than a phone–for example a camera and video-recorder, a FM radio player or an MP3 player.

Following is a list of the advanced features, each with its short definition.

1. Cell phone digital camera

Most modern cell phones come with a built-in camera, allowing you to take still pictures through your handset, to view them, send them to friends and to export them to a PC.

The current standard for resolution is 1.3 Megapixel. Some camera phones also come with built-in flash and with the ability to take self-portraits by looking at yourself on the external screen when the phone is closed.

Streaming multimedia support. This feature allows you to play video content on your cell phone by “streaming,” i.e. without previously downloading it. In some cases, this same feature allows you to view real-time broadcasts on your phone.

2. Cell phone MP3 player

MP3 stands for MPEG Layer 3, and is the most common format for electronic audio content such as music, ringtones, etc.

Different cell phones have different MP3 capabilities. More advanced models allow you to download and play music with your cell phone, as you would with a dedicated MP3-player. Other models only support MP3 ringtones. Others yet do not have any MP3 capabilities at all.

3. Cell phone iTunes player

iTunes is a popular media player introduced by Apple Computers. Cell phones equipped with iTunes Player allow you to download, organize and play digital audio files such as music, spoken word, etc. through your phone–without the need for a dedicated unit (an iPod).

4. Cell phone FM radio

Some cell phones come equipped with the ability to listen to FM radio stations through your handset. In some cases, the phone enables you to pre-program a number of stations as you would on your car radio.

Some phones have stereo FM-radio capabilities, while others require that you use a headset so that the headset cord becomes the antenna that picks up the radio signals.

5. Cell phone FM transmitter

If you have a music phone with an FM transmitter, you can broadcast your tunes to nearby radios that pick up FM frequencies. For instance, you can broadcast your favorite playlist to your car radio.

6. Attachment viewing (Word, Excel, PowerPoint)

A cell phone with attachment viewing capabilities allows you to open and view the contents of email attachments in formats such as Word, Excel and PowerPoint.

While many cell phones have some basic email capability, only more advanced models offer the ability to open attachments in Microsoft Office applications.

7. GPS services support

GPS stands for Global Positioning System, and is a satellite-based technology that allows you to determine your location, receive directions or even locate a loved one (provided he or she also has a GPS-enabled device).

Most cell phones manufactured today have a very basic GPS technology enabling police to locate you if you called 911 from your mobile phone. A phone with full GPS services support, instead, gives you a range of other features such as the ones mentioned above.

8. Bluetooth wireless technology

Bluetooth is a popular short-range wireless technology able to connect devices like cell phones, headsets, printers, laptops, etc., in order to transmit or synchronize data.

Bluetooth-enabled cell phones may have different capabilities, depending on the level of sophistication. The most basic level is the capability for your cell phone to transmit a signal to a wireless headset (the common “Bluetooth” headset) or to a car-kit, enabling you to keep your cell phone in your pocket while communicating.

More advanced Bluetooth capabilities allow you to send wireless signals from your cell phone to a Bluetooth-enabled printer or to communicate data to other cell phones enabled for the same technology.

Bluetooth technology is slowly making obsolete other short-range wireless technologies, like infrared.

9. Bluetooth stereo headset (A2DP)

Cell phones enabled for this feature are designed to send a wireless signal so a special Bluetooth stereo headset, providing you with a superior (and fully wireless) entertainment experience. The same headset can be used to communicate.

Two-handed gaming experience. The majority of today’s cell phones provide a basic ability to play videogames. More advanced models, however, give users a fuller experience by allowing them to employ both hands to play, much like with a dedicated videogame unit such as a Game Boy. In most cases, this is accomplished through buttons or directional keys located on either side of the handset.

10. Video capture/camcorder

Many camera phones allow the user to record, store, play and send video-clips. On some cell phone models, the maximum length of video-clips allowable is pre-set (e.g. 30 seconds, 1 minute); on others, it is only limited by the phone’s internal memory capacity.

11. QWERTY Keyboard

A QWERTY keyboard on a cell phone is a miniature version of a standard typing keyboard, such as the one on a PC. QWERTY are the first six in the first row of letters. Many of today’s “smartphones” feature a full QWERTY keyboard, allowing the user to type (or “thumb”) text a lot more easily than on a standard cell phone keypad.

12. Infrared port

A cell phone that features an infrared port uses a beam of invisible light to transmit wireless information to such devices as a PC. Cell-phone infrared technology is used for a variety of applications, including using the phone to link your PC to the Internet, or transmitting wireless information to other Infrared-equipped cell phones.

13. Voice-driven menus

Voice-driven controls on a cell phone enable you to “speak” the commands rather than entering them manually through the keypad or other control buttons, thereby keeping your hands free for other activities such as driving, typing, etc.

The most used among voice-driven control is voice-dialing–which enables you to dial your phone by voice command (e.g. “Call home/Call Jennifer/Call 911″). There are two levels of sophistication of voice-dialing. The most basic is requires that you “train” your cell phone to recognize the specific way you pronounce your entries. The more advanced requires no training and enables the phone to recognize the entries even if spoken by anyone.

14. Weatherproof

Some cell phones are built to withstand a modicum amount of wetness or rain without getting damaged. These are particularly useful to hikers or people who work outdoors.

15. Data capable / use this phone as a modem

Some cell phones can be used as a modem to connect a computer to the web.

16. PC synchronization

This feature allows the user to link the cell phone to a PC and synchronize such information as calendar, to-do lists, phonebook entries, etc., especially through such applications as Outlook.

Shop Now for Phones from AT&T Wirelesss, Sprint, T-Mobile and Verizon Wireless.

Related posts:

1. Core Features
2. Cell Phone Messaging Features
3. Cell Phone Plan Special Features

1. Call forwarding
2. Call waiting
3. Caller ID
4. Three-way calling
5. Voicemail
6. Nationwide long distance
7. Text messaging
8. Multimedia downloads
9. Data plans
10. Walkie-talkie plans
11. Cell phone GPS services

Call Forwarding

In a cell phone plan, call forwarding is the ability to forward to another number the calls you would normally receive on your cell phone. Even though, strictly speaking, you are not using your cell phone when you receive a forwarded call, your plan’s rules still apply as to airtime charges, minutes used, etc.

Call Waiting

Some cell phone plans offer a call waiting feature. This is the ability to put one caller on hold as you receive another call on your cell phone.

Caller ID

All those wonderful caller ID features on your cell phone–picture ID, ringer ID, etc.–can only be used if your wireless plan offers caller ID. In other words, it is the wireless carrier that enables your cell phone to “know” the identity of the number calling you.

Three Way Calling

A three way calling feature on your cell phone plan allows you to carry a conversation between three different callers–you and two others. In general, your regular airtime charges apply to three way calls.

Voice Mail

Voice mail on a cell phone is not like that on old-fashioned answering machines, where the message you receive is actually stored inside the machine. Instead, cell phone voice mail is stored in the wireless carrier’s database. This is why voice mail is a plan feature–although your cell phone may have different features on how to actually access your voicemail.

With most wireless carriers, voice mail services are included in the price of their main service plans.

Nationwide Long Distance

Many carriers have a nationwide long distance feature in their cell phone plans. By taking advantage of this feature, you can place calls to all 50 states–often even including US Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico–without incurring additional charges.

This is a good feature to take advantage of if you know that you often place long-distance calls. Oftentimes, nationwide long distance on a cell phone is much cheaper than placing the same calls on your regular landline phone.

Please note, however, that nationwide long distance is just that–nationwide. To place international calls, you must refer to other terms in your wireless contract.

Text Messaging

Text messaging or SMS is the ability to send or receive short typed messages through your cell phone. In some cases, text messages are not included in the general terms of your cell phone plan; instead, you pay a certain amount (usually $0.10) for each text message you send or receive.

You can also subscribe to some text-messaging services that range from receiving sports results to getting your daily horoscope on your cell phone.

If you use text messaging more than occasionally, you may want to consider buying bulk text message–provided your cell phone carrier offers this option. This is cheaper than paying the standard rate for each message.

Multimedia Downloads

In order to take advantage of advanced cell phone features such as multimedia downloads, it is often necessary to upgrade or subscribe to a specific service level with a wireless carrier.

Data Plans

Data plans are cell phone plans designed to fit the needs of clients who often need to access email, files or corporate intranet through their cell phone. These plans often include features such as Internet email (POP3, IMAP4, AOL, MSN Hotmail Premium and Yahoo Plus!) and HTML browsing. Depending on the carrier, these plans may or may not require the separate purchase of anytime minutes.

Walkie-Talkie Plans

Some cell phone plans include two-way communication “walkie-talkie” features. This feature allows the users to connect to a walkie-talkie network and to “push to talk” as he or she would do with a walkie-talkie. Naturally, the cell phone must have a push-to-talk feature in order to access this service.

Cell Phone GPS Services

Short for Global Positioning System, GPS is a satellite-base technology that pinpoints the location of a device–in this case, a cell phone. Phones that are fully GPS-enabled offer such conveniences as driving directions, family-locator services and even location-specific weather alerts.

Although most cell phones manufactured today have a basic GPS feature that allows police to trace the location of a cellular 911 call, full GPS service is normally an extra feature that you must upgrade to from your regular plan.

Shop Now for Phones from AT&T Wirelesss, Sprint, T-Mobile and Verizon Wireless.

Related posts:

1. Cell Phone Plan Contract and Service Features
2. Cell Phone Messaging Features
3. Cell Phone Basics

• Cell phone plan contract term
• Activation fee
• Early termination fee
• Detailed billing

Cell Phone Plan Contract Term

The cell phone plan contract term–or simply contract term–is the minimum duration of the contract between you and the wireless carrier. In most cases, this is 24 months (2 years). If you terminate the contract before the specified term, you almost always incur early termination fees. This, however, does not prevent you from upgrading your plan, as long as you stay with the same cell phone carrier.

So, before signing up for a plan, it is always better to be quite sure that the cell phone carrier you choose will fit your particular needs.

Activation Fee

Each time you purchase a new cell phone line, you incur an activation fee. This applies equally whether you are buying your first cell phone plan or whether you add a phone to your existing plan.

Early Termination Fees

When you sign up with a cell phone carrier, you agree to maintain your service in good standing for a given contract term–generally of 24 months (two years). The early termination fee is the penalty you have to pay if you decide to terminate your services before the expiration of the term.

An average early termination fee for an individual cell phone plan is around $175.

Detailed Billing

Detail billing refers to the amount of detail you get each time you receive your cell phone bill. The more detailed your bill, the more you can see exactly how your cell phone usage affects your wallet.

For instance, do you normally go over your plan’s minutes? Or, conversely, do you leave a lot of unused minutes? Do you send and receive a huge amount of text messages? Do you tend to use your cell phone before or after your free evenings kick in?

All this information helps you make an informed decision about how to use your cell phone more economically or about whether it may be better to upgrade your plan if your carrier allows.

Shop Now for Phones from AT&T Wirelesss, Sprint, T-Mobile and Verizon Wireless.

Related posts:

1. Cell Phone Plan Special Features
2. Cell Phone Messaging Features
3. Wirefly Launches Expansive New No-Contract Phone Category

1. Plan minutes
2. Free weekends and evenings
3. Free incoming calls plans
4. Additional minutes
5. Rollover of unused minutes
6. Mobile to mobile calls
7. Roaming and roaming charges

1. Plan Minutes

Plan minutes may be the principal piece of information in each cell phone plan. Plan minutes are the number of monthly cell phone airtime minutes–or “talk time”–that your plan allows without you incurring overages. In general, this applies both to calls placed and received.

For instance, a plan with 1,000 minutes allows you to make or receive calls on your cell phone for a total of 1,000 minutes a month. So, let’s say that on the first Monday of the month you place a 2-hour cell phone call to a friend’s house; then your friend calls you back on your cell phone and you talk for another 3 hours. By the end of the day, you will have used 300 of your 1,000 minutes–meaning that you have 700 minutes left before you incur overages.

Often, calls placed or received on evenings and weekends do not count against your plan minutes. Be sure to familiarize yourself with the details of your particular cell phone plan.

2. Free Weekends and Evenings

With most wireless phone plans, talk-time is free on weekends and on weeknights. This means that if you place or receive a cell phone call on Saturday, on Sunday or on a weeknight your call does not count against the plan minutes.

For different carriers, the “evening” may start at different times. Some, for instance, may give you free calls after 7PM, others after 9PM. The expression “early nights & weekends” generally means that a plan’s free minutes kick in earlier than 9:00PM on weeknights. If you know that you are more likely to place or receive cell phone calls after a given time on weeknight, this is a piece of information that can help you decide which cell phone plan to choose.

3. Free Incoming Calls Plans

Some cell phone plans from Sprint offer free incoming calls. In other words, all calls received do not count towards the plan minutes quota.

4. Additional Minutes

The expression “additional minutes” refers to the cost of each minute of cell phone talk time after you have run out of your plan’s monthly minutes. These are also called “overage charges” or simply “overages.”

For plans giving you free evenings and weekends, additional minutes charges only apply to cell phone calls placed or received during weekdays.

If you know that your cell phone usage schedule is unpredictable, and that you may occasionally go beyond your plan minutes, the cost of additional minutes may be an important piece of information. If, instead, you notice that you constantly go beyond your plan’s minutes, it is often cheaper to upgrade to a plan with more minutes.

5. Rollover Unused Minutes

This is a feature introduced by Cingular Wireless, that allows you to save any unused minutes and to add them to next month’s allowance. The benefit of this feature is that you do not pay for minutes you don’t use.

6. Mobile to Mobile Phone Calls

The expression mobile to mobile calls refers to calls between cell phones on the same carrier’s network. With many cell phone calling plans from major carriers, mobile to mobile calls are free–meaning that they do not count against your monthly minutes.

7. Roaming and Roaming Charges

Depending on where you are at the time you place a cell phone call, your phone can “get a signal” in two ways. The first and simplest is when your phone connects to its carrier’s regular network–normally referred to as the carrier’s calling area. The second is where the cell phone is located somewhere not covered by its carrier–but where it has to use the facilities of another provider for connectivity. This second case is called roaming, and roaming charges are the charges you incur when placing this type of call. The reason for roaming charges is that you are “borrowing” the services of another carrier with whom you have no contract. Most cell phones will signal to you when you are in a roaming area, so that you always know when you are placing a roaming call.

Shop Now for Phones from AT&T Wirelesss, Sprint, T-Mobile and Verizon Wireless.

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2. Cell Phone Plan Special Features
3. Cell Phone Plan Contract and Service Features

A cell phone technical specifications are the main technologies that the phone employs to perform such functions as receiving a signal, accessing and downloading data or accepting different software applications. The expression also applies to basic information such as cell phone dimensions, weight, etc.

Application Platform

An application platform is a feature that allows a cell phone to accept various software applications. The most common application platform used in cell phones are Java and BREW.

High Speed Data

High speed data refers to a cell phone’s capability to access and download Internet data at high speeds (compared to older applications). Speed in downloads is measured in Kilobytes per second (Kbps).

The most used high speed data packages today are GPRS and EDGE, which allow cell phones to download data at 115 Kbps, 236 Kbps.

Network Compatibility

Network compatibility refers to two things:

1. The network technology on which the phone operates. The current two standard network technologies are GSM and CDMA.
2. The bands on which the phone operates. Bands are radio frequencies measured in Mega Hertz (MHz); in the US, the frequency bands on which a cell phone can operate are 800/850 MHz and 1900 MHz, although other bands are used in different parts of the world.

A dual-band phone will support two frequency bands. A tri- or quad-band phone can support three or four bands–such as the two in the US (800/850 and 1900 MHz) plus others used in other countries.

So, if for instance a phone’s network compatibility is rated as “GSM 850, 900, 1800 1900,” it means that the phone operates on the GSM network technology and on four bands–850 and 1900 MHz (used in the US) plus 900 and 1800 MHz, which are used in Europe, Asia and a host of other countries, making the phone particularly attractive to International travelers.

Ringtone Types Supported

A cell phone can support different ringtone formats. The most used are MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) and MP3.

Predictive Text Entry

Some technologies have been introduced to make typing text on a cell phone easier and quicker. Predictive text technology (such as T9) works this way: you begin typing the first few letters of a word and the cell phone “predicts” what that word may be and ends it for you.

For instance, if you begin typing “tod,” the predictive text technology will suggest the whole word “today.” This technology is especially useful on cell phones that do not have a QWERTY keyboard.

Built-in Memory

Each cell phones comes with a certain amount of internal memory used to store files such as voice memos, photographs, video-clips, music, etc. Memory is measured in Megabytes (MB).

Depending on the cell phone model, the amount of built-in memory can vary. Currently, 15 MB of internal memory is considered to be adequate for normal use, while 100 MB of memory is considered very ample.

Expandable memory capacity. Some cell phones allow for extra memory capacity–that is, the option to increase the amount of memory beyond what’s built in. This is generally done through the insertion of a memory card.

Dimensions

Dimensions of a cell phone refers to its measurement in inches. By today’s standards, a cell phone measuring 3.5 inches in height and x 2 inches in width is considered small, while a cell phone measuring 0.5 inches in thickness is considered thin.

Weight

Weight of a cell phone is measured in ounces (oz). By today’s standards, a phone is considered very light if it weighs around 3.5 oz or less.

TTY Compatible

Short for Tele Typewriter, TTY is a telecommunication device for the hearing- or speech-impaired. It works by allowing the users to type the text rather than communicating it via speech. A TTY device is necessary on both ends of the conversation for communication to take place.

M3 Hearing Aid Compatible

When used in conjunction with hearing aids, some cell phones can create static or other types of interference. The telecommunications industry has introduced a rating system that may be used to assess the ability of a cell phone to be used in conjunction with a hearing aid.

The M system is one of such rating systems. M3 rating means that the phone meets FCC standards for hearing aid compatibility.

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-- Wirefly.com