The Megaphone Hosting

What has created this explosion in the cell phone industry and just what type of provider or carrier? Should the consumer choose a locked or unlocked cell phone ? Are prepaid phone cards a better option than subscribing to a service? Let’s take a look.

Five years ago cell phone users could be classified in two distinct categories, teenagers and business. If you were a teenager with your own cell phone you were cool, no doubt about it. And in the business world the cell phone was rapidly replacing the car phone as a tool of the trade rather than a luxury.

I think there are several reasons behind the popularity of the cell phone. One is of course access. Small and lightweight, any cell phone will easily fit in your pocket or purse meaning you are never out of reach for those who need to contact you. Then there is the cost. Many people have chosen to use only cell phones and are completely doing away with inline phones in their homes, thus making the cell phone option even more affordable. But which type of phone do you choose and what provider? Choosing the right phone for your needs is more important than you might think and to understand your options, we need to look at the difference between locked and unlocked phones .

Some of the brand names of unlocked phones you can purchase are Motorola, Samsung, Sony-Ericsson and Nokia. So finding the right unlocked phone for your needs should be no problem and you won’t be tied to any particular carrier.

Some cell phones are designed to use a Subscriber Identification Module (SIM) card. This is a chip that stores your personal data. This SIM Card is issued by a carrier and provides cell service by activating any phone into which it is inserted. A locked phone, however, will only recognize a SIM card from a particular carrier. If the cell phone is unlocked, it will recognize a SIM card from any carrier. In other words a locked phone is designed by the carrier to keep you tied to their service. The carries may at some point “unlock” your phone for a fee upon request but there is no guarantee that the company you chose will offer this option.

How can you get an unlocked cell phone ? The best way is to purchase your unlocked phone from a third party provider. You will have to pay for the phone of course vs. getting a free phone with some carrier plan but shopping around can save you a lot of money making this option even more affordable and attractive.