The modern cell phone is so much more than a phone now. It used to be that the fancy phones came with a camera and some a few little games to be played on a very small screen. Now though, the most recent cell phones have Internet access and screens where you can actually answer emails and get some work done. People dont buy cell phones only to talk on them anymore.
Expensive mobile phones now can cost upwards of $400 and they come with all sorts of gadgets. The newest ones come with mp3 players, gps capabilities, tons of games, much bigger screens, and of course the Internet. The question is: do people really need all these things or are they paying for things they never use. Just because everyone else is getting the higher end phones, it seems there is more demand caused by peer pressure.
There are many cell phone carriers to choose from as well as the many different cell phone choices. Are the phones made for Verizon the exact same as are made for the other carriers? Sometimes a cell phone maker will make a phone model that is exclusively for one carrier. Each carrier has a phone or two that you can only get if you sign up for their service. Most phones however, are made for all carriers and are the same phones. Of course, with those models that are made exclusively for one carrier, people have learned how to open them up and “unlock” them for all carriers. With modern technology, it is hard for the phone makers to make something that prevents people from altering it and using it for their competitors.
Even after making your choice of phones, you have another choice that can be confusing of what type of plan to get. If you are getting a phone that goes with all carriers, you will have to decide which one to go with. There are even many different plans within each carrier that all have different limits on minutes and other little variations. It is difficult for any first time buyer to know what they want or might need and the salesman will of course try to sell you more than you probably want to spend.
In the end, first time phone buyers have many choices to make. There is a lot of competition between the phone companies and a lot of fierce advertising competition for your business. Each cell phone company hopes to get your business and lock you into a long terms contract that you wont want to break. You must do your share of research first so you both get what you want and not more than you need.
