Mobile Phone Buying Guide

In recent years mobile phones have become an essential tool in our everyday lives, but choosing the right one can be confusing, with many different types of mobile phone available on the market. To make it easy to find a model that will suit your needs, here are some useful hints and tips to consider when choosing a mobile telephone.

How to Choose and Buy a Mobile Phone: Introduction

Mobile phones are useful because they provide convenience and reassurance, allowing you to get in touch with people wherever and whenever you like. They are great for using when you're at work or travelling and, with extra features like cameras and internet access now popular, are becoming more than just a device for making telephone calls.

The vast array of mobile phones on the market means that you should be able to find a model with a price, features and style to suit your needs.

Mobile Phone Pricing Explained

The first decision to make when shopping for a mobile phone is about how you would like to pay for your calls. Here are the two main types of pricing:

Pay as you go - With pay-as-you-go, you simply pay for the calls you make, usually by prepayment - either by topping up your mobile phone using your credit or debit card, cash at a 'top up' point, or by voucher. You only pay for what you use but call charges can vary between network providers. Usually you must first buy a mobile phone that is fitted with a pay as you go SIM card. One advantage of this type of tariff is that you won't normally be subject to a credit check. Pay as you go mobile phones are great if you are on a budget and plan to make only a small number of calls.
Pay Monthly/Contract - Although you will still be charged for calls when you take out a mobile phone contract, you will be charged a set tariff and will receive a monthly phone bill. Contracts can last between 12 - 18 months, and usually a credit check must be carried out before purchase. With a contract, the mobile phone is often free, or discounted, although you may only be offered a restricted choice of models. Call charges can be cheaper than pay as you go charges as many contracts include a set number of free call minutes and other services each month. Pay monthly/contract mobile telephones are usually more suitable for people who make a lot of calls than pay as you go mobile phones.

Features to Look for When You Buy a Mobile Phone

To help you decide what mobile phone will suit you, we have included a list of the most popular features currently found on many models of mobile phone:

Digital Camera - Some models have a built-in digital camera that can be used to take colour photographs and sometimes record video footage, either to be viewed on screen or sent via multi media message (MMS.) Picture quality can vary, but a resolution of at least 1.2 mega pixels will take photographs of a reasonable quality.
Battery - Mobile phones are powered by rechargeable batteries. Look out for a mobile phone with a long battery life, and at least 50 hours standby charge (when the mobile phone is on but you are not making a call.) Making calls and using certain features such as the camera increases the drain on power, so it's a good idea to compare battery life between models as this will save you from having to recharge the battery frequently!
Blue Tooth - Ideal for 'hands free' mobile phone calls, Bluetooth enables the mobile phone to connect to other devices such as a headset or a laptop.
Text Messages - Mobile phones can be used for sending short text messages to other mobile phones, and these can be more convenient than making calls.
Call Screening - Call screening enables the mobile phone to display the number and/or name of the person who is calling, helping you to decide whether to answer the call.
Games - Mobile phones usually come with pre-installed games. You can also buy extra games for your mobile phone..
Ring tones - You can personalise the way that your mobile phone rings by having a unique ring tone for different callers. Most mobile phones will be pre-programmed with a selection of ring tones and you can also buy ring tones based on popular or classic songs online and download them to your mobile phone.
WAP - Enables your mobile phone to access the internet
3G - Fast connection to a range of online services and content, including television, video messaging and gaming.

How to Choose a Mobile Phone Network

A mobile phone network sets the tariff for your mobile phone use and is responsible for maintaining its network of mobile phone masts. Some areas have better mobile phone signals with certain networks, so you should make sure that the area in which you plan to use your mobile phone is sufficiently covered by the provider that you are considering. You should also try to choose a network with a good reputation for customer service, so that any problems you have with your mobile phone service can be easily resolved.

The main networks to look out for when choosing a mobile phone are Orange, o2, Vodafone, T-Mobile and 3. There are also other 'virtual' networks such as Tesco, which offer their own tariff but actually pay a main network to use their line.

Mobile Phone Manufacturers

Popular mobile phone manufacturers to look out for are Nokia, Samsung, Motorola, Siemens, Sony-Ericsson and LG. Styles and designs between manufacturers, as do prices and feature combinations.

Set a Budget Before You Buy a Mobile Phone

It's a good idea to set a budget before shopping for a new mobile phone and to avoid paying more for features and functions that you won't use. By shopping around online, comparing prices between different retailers and taking advantage of special offers and discounts, you could get a better model of mobile phone for your money.

Both independent insurance agents and mobile phone networks offer insurance for mobile phones ensuring that your phone will be replaced - subject to certain conditions - if it is lost, damaged or stolen.