I have worked for Radio Shack for a while, and now work for Cingular, and I have a fair amount of knowledge in this area. So in this guide, I will give you tips and hints on what to look for when signing up with a service and picking a cell phone. I wont go over any specific phones, but mostly big features that phones have these days, and I will go over details of some Cell Phone Providers as well.

Lets start off with what to look for in a Cell Phone Provider. I am from the United States, so all the providers I name are from here, and may not be available outside the USA, but most the features and things to look for will apply to ANY service. First off, lets learn the 3 basic TYPES of service thats available to us:

GSM: This is the most widely used and largest type of network out there. It is used in the US as well as across the world. 2 Companies that use this service are Cingular(AT&T) and T-Mobile.

CDMA: This type of network is ONLY used in the USA, and if a phone on this network was taking outside the USA, it will not function for calls. 2 Companies that use this service are Sprint and Verizon.

IDEN: This type of network is also only used in the USA, and is soon going to be phased out or revamped. The only company that uses this service is Nextel/BoostMobile.

Lets start with GSM. What sets this apart from the CDMA network? Well the biggest thing is that GSM uses a SIM Chip. This little chip is actually what holds your phone number, and what is attatched to your account. Whats the advantage to this? Well, if my phone breaks, or I get a new one, I can just put my SIM chip into the new phone (It just slides under the battery into the phone), and its good to go! The other nice feature of a SIM Chip is that you can store up to 500 Phone Numbers ONTO the card! So if youve had a phone for a year, and need a new one, theres no need to re-enter tons of phone numbers! Nifty, huh? The other great thing about GSM is the fact that it is the Worldwide standard. I can take my Cingular phone outside the USA and it will still work and make calls if I am near a tower. So this makes GSM useful for people who travel a lot.

Then there is CDMA. This is still a great network, even compared to GSM, and does have its own features to it. CDMA is only used in the USA, so taking a CDMA phone outside the US, it will not be able to make calls. Whats the upside to getting CDMA you ask? Well, the Data Speeds are EXCELLENT compared to GSM, especially if you get Sprint. So if you plan on getting a PDA or a Laptop AirCard, I would suggest CDMA as the Download/Upload speeds are by far faster. CDMA phones do NOT use a SIM card either, so getting a new phone can be tough because you would need to transfer phone numbers and such. But CDMA phones do tend to be more customizable compared to GSM.

And last, but not least, we have IDEN. Now, a lot of people get confused on this subject, especially now that Sprint and Nextel have merged. But even though they are merged, they use different networks. IDEN is what Nextel uses, and is mainly used for the Walkie Talkie feature on their service. Compared to CDMA and GSM, it is extremely poor quality in making regular phone calls. The quality of the calls and strength is very poor. The main reason for this is because eventually they want to phase out IDEN Cell Towers, and convert it over to CDMA. Coming around Dec/Jan of 06/07 Sprint will be releasing some Hybrid phones that combine CDMA and IDEN into one.

So, other than what the actual networks are, what other things should you look for in a Cell Phone Service? Well here are some things to ask and find out about:

-What kind of network do you use? (GSM, CDMA, IDEN)
-What kind of plans do you offer? (Single, Family, National, Regional)
-Whats included for FREE on those plans? (Night and Weekends? Mobile2Mobile? Text Msgs? Internet?)
-What are the activation fees? (Activation, Upgrade, Federal/State Fee's)
-What is the billing cycle? Type? (Advanced or Arrears billing)
-Whats the trial period length? (14 Days, 30 Days?)
-What Contract Lengths do you offer? (Commonly 1 and 2 Years)
-What kind of deposit will I need? (If required)

Along with all of these questions, there is the one question we all ask: What kind of phone should I get?? Well, now I will go into detail on what kind of features you can find in cell phones these days, and whats worth getting. Lets start with the basics:

Cameras/Camcorders:
Most cell phones these days come with some form of a camera on them, unless you request one without it. The most common camera is a VGA Camera. This is your most basic type of camera, which is generally about 1/2 a MegaPixel. Not the greatest quality, but it still works. Next up is a 1.3MP Camera which is very nice quality. These phones are generally more expensive, but can be very well worth it for anyone who uses it often. Then the next ste up these days is a 2MP+ Camera... These tend to be the higest quality camera phones, with spectacular quality pictures. Personally, I can take really nice pictures and video with a 1.3MP Camera, and try to stay away from VGA Cameras.

Bluetooth:
What is Bluetooth? Bluetooth (BT) is a wireless technology which allows a user to transfer data to other BT Devices wirelessly, without having to actually use the phones "Cell Service" which would normally cause charges on your bill. Most people associate BT with those little ear pieces that people wear all the time, and a lot of you think its silly to use. Well, youd be surprised how much of a luxury it really is. Pairing up one of those Earpieces with your phone can save you a lot of time, and save you from danger while driving. In most states, driving with a cell phone in hand is illegal, and a BT Headset can save you that hassle. But BT is not just restricted to headsets. You can also transfer pictures, video, and other data phone to phone through BT, and it wont cost you a dime! You can even sync up your phone to your PC or Stereo via BT! Its a really amazing technology, and I wouldnt even think of buying a phone without it.

MP3 Player:
While MP3 Players arent really new technology anymore, they are in Cell Phones. There really isnt much to speak on when it comes to MP3 Players, but a few tips when getting a phone with one. I would ONLY buy one if it has expandle memory, otherwise you can be restricted on how many songs you can have. Also, dont be fooled by certain companies saying a phone has "MP3 Playback" or "MP3 Capable" as this doesnt really mean it has an MP3 Player, it may mean it can just play them as ringtones or such. So make sure it actually has an 'MP3 Player' feature.

Speakerphone:
Its really hard to find a phone these days that doesnt have Speakerphone, but it is a feature everyone should have. So make sure it does have speakerphone, as it can be very handy.

Locked/Unlocked:
What does it mean when a phones 'Unlocked'? Well, its pretty simple. When you get a phone from a company, more than often, that phone is 'locked' to only be used under their service. Example: A cingular phone cant be used with a t-mobile sim chip, unless its unlocked. Is a locked phone a bad phone? Not at all!! The only upside to having an unlocked phone is so you can use it on a different service provider that uses the same Network. So dont get fooled into thinking unlocked phones are worth more, because they are actually worth less, since its required to actually turn on the phone and use it to unlock it, therefore its used.

Band Coverage:
Depdending what company you end up going to, its important to get a phone that covers all bands possible. This allows more coverage in more areas. Older phones were Dual-Band, and are no longer sold. Next were Tri-Band, and you can stil find some this day, and now we use Quad-Band Phones, which offer the best coverage. So when looking at phones, be sure to get a QuadBand phone!

Well, that about covers the biggest features of phones, and I hope this helpes answer anyones questions about cell phones and cell phone services. I could literally make a Guide about 15x bigger if I went into detail and listed every spec of features and information, but I think this covers the most important things about Cell Phones and services. If you have any questions about anything I went over, or maybe even something related to this guide, feel free to ask! Enjoy!