Archive for March, 2009
When and Where not to take Phone Calls If you are in class or in a business meeting, don’t answer your phone! There is nothing ruder than seeing someone whispering into their phone during such an occasion. Also remember to keep your wireless phone in silent mode when you are using public transportation. If you chat loudly on a bus or train, everyone around you is going to eavesdrop whether they like it or not. Yelling at your significant other on the metro during rush hour is not going to be received well. The same goes for concerts, museums, libraries and movie theaters, to name a few. No one wants to hear a Britney Spears cell phone ringtone while they are watching a Broadway performance or perusing books at the library. Wireless Phone Manners Regarding Multi-tasking and Ringtones As much as you might be tempted to chat while you shop, drive, or wait in line at the bank, avoid it for the sake of those around you and for the person at the other end of the call. There is nothing more annoying than trying to talk to someone who is constantly distracted or interrupted. Further, use an earpiece when you are chatting in a noisy area so you aren’t yelling into the phone and damaging the other person’s hearing. You might be dying to show off your new wireless phone ringtone to the world but keep the volume down. The people around you are not going to be as enthused as you are about whatever song you choose as your ringtone. In conclusion, wireless phones are undeniably a vital aspect of modern life but like anything else, some rules must apply to their use. In order to respect those around you and hopefully receive that respect in return, follow these basic rules of wireless phone etiquette. In time, these rules will become the standard and we will no longer be interrupted during a movie by a ringing phone or get in a car accident because someone was yapping away on their wireless phone.
March 8th, 2009 | 
Author: Wireless Phone Manners Regarding Multi-tasking and Ringtones As much as you might be tempted to chat while you shop, drive, or wait in line at the bank, avoid it for the sake of those around you and for the person at the other end of the call. There is nothing more annoying than trying to talk to someone who is constantly distracted or interrupted. Further, use an earpiece when you are chatting in a noisy area so you aren’t yelling into the phone and damaging the other person’s hearing. You might be dying to show off your new wireless phone ringtone to the world but keep the volume down. The people around you are not going to be as enthused as you are about whatever song you choose as your ringtone. In conclusion, wireless phones are undeniably a vital aspect of modern life but like anything else, some rules must apply to their use. In order to respect those around you and hopefully receive that respect in return, follow these basic rules of wireless phone etiquette. In time, these rules will become the standard and we will no longer be interrupted during a movie by a ringing phone or get in a car accident because someone was yapping away on their wireless phone.
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Steps to make your Cell Phone Battery Last Longer If you are in an area with no service like the metro, turn your phone off. Roaming and searching for service can deplete a cell phone battery quickly. If you plan to be somewhere where you are not going to answer your phone such as a meeting, flight, or a movie theater, turn your phone off to save energy. If possible, try getting by without the vibrate function. Keep the volume of the ring tone low instead. The vibrate function can deplete your cell phone battery quickly. Back lights also use up a lot of cell phone battery power. If your phone does not have an ambient light censor, see if it will let you set the amount of time the back light stays on so it doesn’t get used longer than necessary. One or two seconds is sufficient. Avoid using unnecessary features when you know that you aren’t going to be able to charge your cell phone battery for a while. That includes taking photos with flash, which can eat up your cell phone battery quickly. Turn off Bluetooth, GPS, and WIFI, which can all drain your battery. Use your phone in GSM mode as opposed to 3G/Dual mode because your battery can last much longer that way. Tips for Prolonging Battery Life Learn more about the particular type of cell phone battery you have. Before their first use, nickel based batteries should be charged for about 16 hours while lithium ion batteries should be charged for around 5-6 hours. This will lengthen the life of the battery. Don’t let your phone be exposed to high temperatures. Keeping your cell phone battery cool will prolong its life. Don’t leave your phone in direct sunlight or enclosed in a parked car on a sunny day. Also try not to carry it in your pocket all the time because your body temperature can keep it warm too long. Also see if your phone has a “Battery Save” option and if it does, use it. The life of your cell phone battery will increase if you turn on this option. Do yourself a favor and start following these tips so you can make the most out of your cell phone battery. Not only can these pointers prevent you from having to charge your phone so often, you can prolong the life of your cell phone battery thus save yourself the trouble of having to buy a new battery anytime soon.
If possible, try getting by without the vibrate function. Keep the volume of the ring tone low instead. The vibrate function can deplete your cell phone battery quickly. Back lights also use up a lot of cell phone battery power. If your phone does not have an ambient light censor, see if it will let you set the amount of time the back light stays on so it doesn’t get used longer than necessary. One or two seconds is sufficient. Avoid using unnecessary features when you know that you aren’t going to be able to charge your cell phone battery for a while. That includes taking photos with flash, which can eat up your cell phone battery quickly. Turn off Bluetooth, GPS, and WIFI, which can all drain your battery. Use your phone in GSM mode as opposed to 3G/Dual mode because your battery can last much longer that way. Tips for Prolonging Battery Life Learn more about the particular type of cell phone battery you have. Before their first use, nickel based batteries should be charged for about 16 hours while lithium ion batteries should be charged for around 5-6 hours. This will lengthen the life of the battery. Don’t let your phone be exposed to high temperatures. Keeping your cell phone battery cool will prolong its life. Don’t leave your phone in direct sunlight or enclosed in a parked car on a sunny day. Also try not to carry it in your pocket all the time because your body temperature can keep it warm too long. Also see if your phone has a “Battery Save” option and if it does, use it. The life of your cell phone battery will increase if you turn on this option. Do yourself a favor and start following these tips so you can make the most out of your cell phone battery. Not only can these pointers prevent you from having to charge your phone so often, you can prolong the life of your cell phone battery thus save yourself the trouble of having to buy a new battery anytime soon.
Mobile Phone Features that are Convenient If you are looking into flip phones, make sure there is a caller ID that allows you to see who is calling before opening the phone so you don’t end up answering calls from people you are trying to avoid. Voice calling allows you to make calls without dialing anything, which is really handy if you are using a headset. If you use e-mail often, make sure you can send e-mails for your mobile phone. Instant text messaging is also a handy feature when you can’t or don’t want to talk. Speakerphone is very convenient for multi-tasking and conference-calling is essential for businesspeople. Also handy for businesspeople are mobile phones with push-to-talk services. With this service, a mobile phone can function like a walkie-talkie and you can connect with people instantly, all without a mobile signal. An aspect people often overlook when shopping around for a cell phone is the life of the cell phone battery. If you don’t want to have to charge your cell phone often, look for what is called rated talk time. This measures how long you can use the phone before having to charge it. Most cell phone companies should provide this information so do some comparison shopping. Extras Some Mobile Phone Users Can’t Live Without Mobile phones with cameras and video cameras are all the rage. With higher resolution phone cameras you can take quality videos and pictures and share them with your friends. Make sure the mobile phone allows picture messaging. If you are an internet junkie, you ought to find a cell phone that allows you to surf the wireless web. Mobile phones featuring a Wireless Access Protocol (WAP) browser configure sites to be displayed on small, mobile devices. 3G mobile phones offer FM radio, mp3 support, and polyphonic ringtones. Some people prefer to have their music, phone, internet, camera, and video camera all in one place so they don’t have to carry around a number of different devices. You next step? Take this information into consideration when shopping for a mobile phone. You may not be able to live without some aspects of a phone while other features are bells and whistles that can come in handy. What is important is that the mobile phone you choose ultimately meets your personal needs. So get out there and start looking for the mobile phone that is just right for you!
If you use e-mail often, make sure you can send e-mails for your mobile phone. Instant text messaging is also a handy feature when you can’t or don’t want to talk. Speakerphone is very convenient for multi-tasking and conference-calling is essential for businesspeople. Also handy for businesspeople are mobile phones with push-to-talk services. With this service, a mobile phone can function like a walkie-talkie and you can connect with people instantly, all without a mobile signal. An aspect people often overlook when shopping around for a cell phone is the life of the cell phone battery. If you don’t want to have to charge your cell phone often, look for what is called rated talk time. This measures how long you can use the phone before having to charge it. Most cell phone companies should provide this information so do some comparison shopping. Extras Some Mobile Phone Users Can’t Live Without Mobile phones with cameras and video cameras are all the rage. With higher resolution phone cameras you can take quality videos and pictures and share them with your friends. Make sure the mobile phone allows picture messaging. If you are an internet junkie, you ought to find a cell phone that allows you to surf the wireless web. Mobile phones featuring a Wireless Access Protocol (WAP) browser configure sites to be displayed on small, mobile devices. 3G mobile phones offer FM radio, mp3 support, and polyphonic ringtones. Some people prefer to have their music, phone, internet, camera, and video camera all in one place so they don’t have to carry around a number of different devices. You next step? Take this information into consideration when shopping for a mobile phone. You may not be able to live without some aspects of a phone while other features are bells and whistles that can come in handy. What is important is that the mobile phone you choose ultimately meets your personal needs. So get out there and start looking for the mobile phone that is just right for you!
Cell Phone Services Lack Good Customer Support Ever received a cell phone bill in the mail and realize you were charged for calls you didn’t even make? Billing errors paired with a lack of good customer service are common gripes among cell phone users. A major cell phone service provider made the news last year by terminating 1,000 subscribers, claiming that they complained too much. So what can you do to avoid cell phone companies that don’t respond quickly and efficiently to your requests? Look at consumer ratings and choose the cell phone service providers that have the best rep in terms of customer service. If necessary, file a complaint with a consumer advocate or public utility commission in your state. Poor Coverage and Bad Service Quality are the Biggest Complaints Static, dropped calls, and lack of service in some areas are the biggest reasons why people switch cell phone service providers. Bad cell phone service quality can only be remedied by switching to another company in most cases. Unfortunately as of now all you can do is read consumer ratings and opinions to find out which company has the least complaints. Hopefully the companies will strive to improve their services so we don’t have to keep switching from one cell phone service provider to another! High Termination Fees and Mandatory Contract Extensions Make Switching Difficult So you might be looking for a new cell phone service provider because you are unhappy with your current one, only to realize that in order to terminate your contract, you have to pay around 200 dollars. If you are near the end of your contract, wait it out so you aren’t stuck paying the fee. Make sure when you sign up with a new cell phone service that you check if they offer trial periods. Use those trial periods as an opportunity to shop around and decide on a provider so you don’t end up stuck in a plan that you are unhappy with. When you change your plan, some companies will extend your contract without giving you any notice. Beware of this when you are considering buying a new phone with the same provider or when you switch to a promotional plan. The only way to avoid this problem is to read the fine print any time your cell phone service provider makes you promotional offers. So there you have it. Cell phone service has a long way to go before being satisfactory for the majority of consumers. For now all you can do is shop around for the best cell phone service provider based on consumer ratings and read the fine print and details before signing or agreeing to anything. By following those simple steps, you will avoid the most common problems and misunderstandings.
Poor Coverage and Bad Service Quality are the Biggest Complaints Static, dropped calls, and lack of service in some areas are the biggest reasons why people switch cell phone service providers. Bad cell phone service quality can only be remedied by switching to another company in most cases. Unfortunately as of now all you can do is read consumer ratings and opinions to find out which company has the least complaints. Hopefully the companies will strive to improve their services so we don’t have to keep switching from one cell phone service provider to another! High Termination Fees and Mandatory Contract Extensions Make Switching Difficult So you might be looking for a new cell phone service provider because you are unhappy with your current one, only to realize that in order to terminate your contract, you have to pay around 200 dollars. If you are near the end of your contract, wait it out so you aren’t stuck paying the fee. Make sure when you sign up with a new cell phone service that you check if they offer trial periods. Use those trial periods as an opportunity to shop around and decide on a provider so you don’t end up stuck in a plan that you are unhappy with. When you change your plan, some companies will extend your contract without giving you any notice. Beware of this when you are considering buying a new phone with the same provider or when you switch to a promotional plan. The only way to avoid this problem is to read the fine print any time your cell phone service provider makes you promotional offers. So there you have it. Cell phone service has a long way to go before being satisfactory for the majority of consumers. For now all you can do is shop around for the best cell phone service provider based on consumer ratings and read the fine print and details before signing or agreeing to anything. By following those simple steps, you will avoid the most common problems and misunderstandings.
The Popularity of the Unlimited Cell Phone Plan
Cell phone service plans vary greatly from carrier to carrier but the unlimited cell phone plan is becoming more and more popular as cell phone use rises. Most of these unlimited plans provide users with a certain number of minutes called anytime minutes that they are allowed to use during peak times, the busiest times of the day for cell use. When the users go over the minutes allotted in the unlimited cell phone plan, they are charged a set amount per call minute, usually anywhere from 25¢ to 75¢ for each minute over the limit.
The unlimited cell phone plan may also have an allotment of “free” minutes that can be used for weeknight after a certain time (usually 9:00 pm) and weekends (usually Fridays from 5:00 pm through Sundays until 11:59 pm). The term “unlimited cell phone plan” basically means you can use as many call minutes as you want without worry during those off-peak times on weeknights and weekends.
Comparing Apples to Apples
When comparing cell phone service that has unlimited plans, be sure you are comparing apples to apples, meaning each service plan should have relatively the same bells and whistles involved. There are three basic options to consider when shopping for an unlimited cell phone plan and they are based on those extra bells and whistles that may come with your phone.
Phones that are just the basic models with no capability for texting or email will have the cheapest unlimited cell phone plan because there is only voice and voice mail to contend with. However, if your phone is capable of texting and it is a function you use, you will want to compare unlimited cell phone plan options that have the texting feature – typically a certain number allowed per month for one price.
Smart phones that have email and internet browsing capability will have unlimited cell phone plan options with voice, texting and data transfer costs to contend with. The good news is that some carriers do not support smart phone options so that will cull down your list of service providers offering unlimited plans.
Yet another aspect to contend with is if you have a family share plan where multiple people with different phone numbers share the same pool of minutes. There are some features to this type of plan that are unique so you will have to shop similar unlimited cell phone plan offerings from various service providers with the same characteristics.
Because the cell phone industry is very competitive these days, you may find an unlimited cell phone plan that rivals many other companies. If this is the case, you obviously go with the company that offers the best customer service and best calling coverage available.