http://articles.findacellphonenow.com/rss.xml A blog about findacellphonenow.com daily 365 1901-01-01T00:00+00:00 http://articles.findacellphonenow.com/?a=36423 <p>by Gregg Hall</p><p>In the United States the likelihood of someone owning a cell phone seems as high as someone owning shoes. All economic classes, all types of workforces and all ages of people appear to have a cell phone. If you have no cell phone you probably feel like the only one. Rest assured, this is not the case, but also it is likely that you can buy one.<br /><br />Three things are require for cell phone use: the phone, activation fee and a service plan. Often the phone or activation fee comes free or at a much discounted price with the purchase of a new plan. Thus the first step is to decide what kind of plan you need. What can you afford to pay? What type of payment plan will work best for you? How often will you be using your phone? <br /><br />The lowest budget option may be a pay as you go plan. This pre paid service is very easy to start and anyone can be successfully accepted as a user. This service is like a phone card service. Phone cards are available and start at $10 and increase by gradual increments. The phone and activation is generally a package purchase of less than $60. The package price will depend on the type of phone you are buying. A phone that does more will of course cost more. Once you have the phone and card you are ready to be a cellular phone user. <br /><br />The second type of cell phone service is a monthly plan. These plans include a set amount of minutes for use each month and may include features such as caller ID or voice mail. Depending on the phone's capabilities, other services can be added to the plan for extra monthly costs. For example, text messaging, Internet access, instant messaging or extra minutes can be added. Remember each of these additions add to your basic plan each month. If you stay with the same company, the company may offer these types of upgrades for free or as a deal closer when you first purchase the plan.<br /><br />Plans with the least minutes and least features will be the least expensive. However, the cost of extra minutes once you are over your monthly limit is often greater than the next service package option. <br /><br />Realistically assess how often you will use your phone before selecting a plan. Consider where most of your calls will be going. Most plans today include long distance coverage. Some of the lower costing plans may provide local service only. Many cell phone companies have detailed service area maps in their office or online. Try asking around and see what other users have to say about the coverage service.<br /><br />Before signing a contract, look and ask for any hidden or extra fees. Find out how much minutes are after you've passed your monthly limit, or how much text messages are to send and receive. Almost all contracts have an early cancellation charge. Find out how long the contract is for and what the cancellation fee is. This fee is often quite substantial. If you stay simple and understand (and avoid) extra fees a cell phone service can be affordable for most everyone.</p><h3 class="popup">About the Author </h3><p>Gregg Hall is an author living in Navarre Beach Florida. Find more about this as well as cell phone plans at <a href="http://www.findacellphonenow.com/">http://www.findacellphonenow.com</a></p> 2006-11-22T21:01-05:00 http://articles.findacellphonenow.com/?a=36422 <p>by Gregg Hall</p><p>Do you care that the person on the bus, two seats in front of you just got dumped by the meanest guy ever and now she can't find an open ice cream store?Probably not.<br /><br />When used wisely, cell phones are a great invention. However, more than half of the American public declares the worst thing about cell phone habit is the loud conversations in public areas. It is a well known fact that sending emails in all caps is not polite. When will it happen that using your cell phone in ways other people don't have to deal with is polite? Until that day arrives, common sense cell phone etiquette must be followed. <br /><br />It is dangerous and an annoyance to be on your cell phone while browsing stores, waiting to cash your paycheck or pay the cable bill. If your phone should ring while at one of these places, be sure you have a quiet ring that anyone within twenty feet of you can not hear. If you choose to pick up that ringing phone, take it outside and then take it away from others outside. The person on the other end of the conversation should understand your etiquette goal and wait for you to find an appropriate place to talk. If your phone rang in a publicly accepted quite area, a waiting room or other place that others can not simply get up and leave; do not answer. Once your appointment is finished then step outside to return the call.<br /><br />If you are already in a serious conversation with someone face to face such as a meeting or judicial situation, do not answer the phone. Again, when the meeting breaks, take the call outdoors.<br /><br />If you must use your cell phone in a public area, use it quietly and quickly. Alert your caller you are in a public area or driving. This prevents your caller from getting upset if you suddenly are not able to participate in conversation. Always respect areas that request no cellular phone usage. Often places such as libraries and offices employee this request. <br /><br />To pass by this request, text messaging is often used. Though typically less distracting to others, some guidelines ought to be followed while texting. Before you even leave your house, check if your phone makes sound when the buttons are pressed. Many times this is a default option that can be easily switched off. Secondly, select the option that allows messages to be sent and received with no noise. Often a vibration can be selected as the alert tone. While you are texting, refrain from talking or laughing loudly to yourself concerning text responses, as this defeats the purpose of texting a message.<br /><br />A cell phone can be a life saving tool, literally in a car accident or emotionally after a hard situation. However, like most valuable tools they must be used with caution and consideration.</p><h3 class="popup">About the Author </h3><p>Gregg Hall is an author living in Navarre Beach Florida. Find more about this as well as camera cellular phones at <a href="http://www.findacellphonenow.com/">http://www.findacellphonenow.com</a></p> 2006-11-22T20:58-05:00 http://articles.findacellphonenow.com/?a=36421 <p>by Gregg Hall</p><p>The cell phone was designed to make you feel safer and give you more freedom. Is the cell phone holding up to this claim?<br /><br />In the case of a car accident, mugging or a back woods accident, a cell phone is a life saving device. If you are an international businessman or student, a cell phone is an easy and relatively inexpensive way to keep in touch. If you often have off site meetings or travel frequently for work, your cell phone can allow you to alert clients if you are running a little ahead or behind schedule. If you are the CIA or NSA, cell phones make it easier to track down any wireless device user. Does that make the world safer? It certainly has the ability to take away from your freedom as a United States citizen.<br /><br />Before cell phones were used more often than landlines, recording a phone conversation without being noticed was not simple. The person wanting the recording needed to attach a physical device on the actual phone wire. Only skilled and practiced professionals could successfully get recordings unnoticed. Although authorities had access to land line phone calls, court permission was required before access to phone records was granted. Any phone conversation you had was going to be kept relatively private. Two things have changed this. The first being the current presidential power. Secondly, and more long term, is the ease of which cell phone conversations can be recorded. Anyone with some type of recorder walking down a populated street will pick up several one sided conversations offered by loud conversationalists on their cell phones. More technical and concerning, however is the ease of using and obtaining interception devices. <br /><br />Interception devices may look like a fancy briefcase, but they are the 21st century's glass cups. An interceptive tool can be charged up and used without an attached power source. However, many devices come with a power supply so you do not lose power just as the cell phone user admits what you knew he would. If you are not a member of the law enforcement, the penalty for owning a portable interceptive device is jail time. It is quite unlikely you will get any refund from the $20,000 or more spent on the interception device. <br /><br />A second type of interception is cell phone cloning. Each cell phone has two unique numbers: a serial number and a telephone number. The radio wave transmissions that are sent out from your cell phone may transmit these numbers. Someone monitoring these transmissions can then use your unique numbers and essentially, act as you via your telephone. If you are concerned about this type of interception look into purchasing an authentication system for your cell phone.</p><h3 class="popup">About the Author </h3><p>Gregg Hall is an author living in Navarre Beach Florida. Find more about this as well as cellular phones and accessories at <a href="http://www.findacellphonenow.com/">http://www.findacellphonenow.com</a></p> 2006-11-22T20:56-05:00 http://articles.findacellphonenow.com/?a=36420 <p>by Gregg Hall </p><p>Many things have gotten easier with the advancement of cell phones. People can stay more in touch, be more up to date, be safer in possibly unsafe situations, work harder and play harder. Despite many rumors and fears, one thing not getting easier is telemarketing.<br /><br />Telemarketers are one of the most dreaded phone calls for many telephone users. People have tried to avoid telemarketer calls with unlisted numbers, caller ID, call screening, Do Not Call lists and the law. The law is possibly the least considered; especially considering it is already in place for you the consumer. <br /><br />The rise of cell phones has brought several concerns; including the concern over telemarketers gaining access to cell phone number lists. Many people consider their cell phones to be more private than a landline phone. Strangers calling this number can be received as an invasion of personal space and privacy. Several considerations must be taken into account before becoming too concerned over this issue.<br /><br />First, there currently is no cell phone number list available to telemarketers. Numerous large phone companies had discussed creating a large cell phone database, but to no avail. As the cell phone movement progresses, keep track of what your cell phone company is doing with your number (and phone records). If a database does exist within your company, it may be possible to ask to be taken off the list. Many companies are concerned about customer fears and consequences to the company because of those fears. Try sending an email or writing a letter stating what you think about a cell phone number list. Enough of a similar opinion can sway the head decision maker of a company.<br /><br />Secondly, the law is on the cell phone owner's side. It is currently illegal for a telemarketer to make a telemarketing call to a cell phone number if the telemarketer is using an automated dialer. Most telemarketing companies use the automatic dialer technique, thus could not call your cell phone even if they had gotten hold of your number.<br /><br />If all else fails, you can register you cell phone number with the National Do Not Call List. A telemarketer cannot call you if your number is in this registry the number. This registry is the same one you may have registered your landline phone number with. You may register your cell phone (and land line) with this registry at any time. <br /><br />If you are continually getting telemarketing type calls on your cell phone, do some research into what type of other lists you may be on. Sometimes signing up for something (magazines, free offers, etc) puts the phone number you have provided on a list salable to outside companies. You should also confirm that groups who do have your phone number do not create such a list, or at least ensure that you are not on such a list.</p><h3 class="popup">About the Author </h3><p>Gregg Hall is an author living in Navarre Beach Florida. Find more about this as well as cell phones and accessories at <a href="http://www.findacellphonenow.com/">http://www.findacellphonenow.com</a></p> 2006-11-21T01:31-05:00