Simply Digital

Episode 8: Mobile Phones

Mobile phones are everywhere these days and it seems there are new features being offered by providers left and right. Camera phones, text messaging, television, downloadable music and a truckload of acronyms to go with all these new technologies. How to make sense of it all?

In Episode 8, Michael Ashby and Analog Dave walk you through a series of questions to help you find the best phone and mobile plan that best suits your needs. If you can answer six questions, you’ll be armed with everything you need to know about getting a new mobile phone.

Show Notes

• Analog Dave just purchased a new mobile phone and so did our friend Dan, which is what prompted the idea for this week’s topic.
• Mobile phones have changed a lot since the early days.
  • Analog Dave’s first experience with mobile phones was in the late 70’s with a walkie-talkie style radio dispatch solution. He would push to talk to a dispatcher who would connect the them to the party they were calling. This was more than likely an “autopatch” conversation done on the Amateur Radio Network. Hey, we don’t call him Analog Dave for nothin’
  • Michael’s first experience with mobile phones were with the “bag phones” in the 80’s.
  • When Michael first met his wife, then potential girlfriend, he was impressed that she had a true car phone, which was permanently installed in her car. He was impressed because car phones were quite rare during that time (1988).
• If you’re looking at a new mobile phone, what questions do you need to answer?
  1. What Carrier/Operator Is Strongest In Your Area?
     • Most carriers/operators have coverage maps that you can reference. It’s important to look at these maps to ensure that you’ll have coverage in the areas that you expect to be in.
     • Unfortunately, those coverage maps are best case scenarios, so it’s best to ask around and find what other people are using in your area and if they like their coverage. T-Mobile may be great in San Francisco, but not-so-great where you live, so ask around.
     • Also, be sure to check and see if there is a 30-day money back guarantee. If you’re not satisfied, for whatever reason, you can return the phone and get your money back. Most US carriers do.
     • It’s important to check your coverage in the places that you most frequent. It can be a real pain if you have no coverage at home for example.
     • Analog Dave is on Cingular and Michael Ashby is on Sprint and has been since 1998.
     • Bear in mind, that some rural have no coverage regardless of the carrier/operator. Fall Creek Falls, here in Tennessee, comes to mind. There is no mobile phone coverage in that part of Tennessee.
     • Make Sure That The Phone You Want Is Offered By The Carrier/Operator
     • For example, if you want a Danger Hiptop, you’re only going to be able to get that device/phone on T-Mobile, which markets the product as the “Sidekick”. This is the phone that Veronica uses on the TV show “Veronica Mars“
     • If rural areas are places that you frequent, make sure to check to see that the phone you’re looking to buy supports analog service and not just digital.
     • As you might imagine, Analog Dave likes analog phones, aka “Cellular“, because the signal degraded gradually, versus digital networks, which lose the signal much faster.
  3. What Features Are You Looking For?
     • Today, all mobile phones can do more than just voice. What would you like your phone to do?
     • Most carriers/operators provide voice mail, caller ID, etc, but there are services that are unique, or are not included that you want to be aware of.
     • Mobile-to-Mobile - this is where calls to other customers on the same network are free. This is good if your family and/or friends are all on the same network. Chances are, there are certain people that you call on a regular basis. If you’re all on the same mobile network, those calls could be free.
     • Nights and Weekends - off peak hours are usually included free. This means that if you place calls after a certain time, those minutes don’t count against you. Check with your carrier/operator to see when those free hours start. For some it’s 6pm, other 7pm, etc.
     • Text Messaging - also known as SMS or Short Message Service. This is a feature that allows you to send text messages between mobile phones. This is very popular with young people since they are often limited to very strict voice plans and text messaging is less expensive. Alternative input methods, such as T9 make “typing” easier on your phone, but most adults don’t have the patience to use this service. Text messaging isn’t always included in your plan, so be sure to check and see if it’s included and how many messages are included.
     • Multimedia Messaging Service - is an expansion on basic text messaging, in that you can send photos and videos. This feature is dependent on your phone however. If your phone has a camera in it, then you can usually take advantage of this feature. Most carriers/operators charge for MMS, so see if it is included in your plan, otherwise you’ll be charged per message sent. Camera phones are quite popular, but you need to think about how you’ll share those photos with other people.
     • Push-To-Talk - works much like a walkie-talkie, in that you push a button to speak to someone else. Originally this service was limited to the Nextel network, but now other networks are beginning to support this type of communication. Service industries tend to prefer this type of communication because of it’s immediacy and because they aren’t charged minutes.
     • Internet/Data Access - Many phones, not just PDA or Smartphones, have limited Internet access. Sometimes you’re limited to a spoon fed version using technology called WAP, but you’ll need to check the specific phone that you’re purchasing to see what level of access it offers. With a Smartphone you typically have unfettered access to the Internet and a larger screen in which to browse.
     • Rollover Minutes - Certain carriers allow you to “rollover” unused minutes from one month to the next. In the US only Cingular is the only carrier/operator that offers this service. Minutes accrue from month-to-month for up to one year. If your mobile phone plan typically has 500 minutes and you only use 250, then the remaining 250 are carried over to the next month. This feature typically allows you to save money by selecting a smaller package of minutes, since you’ll bank minutes from previous months.
     • Family Plans - Many carriers/operators allow you to bundle several phones into one plan in order to share minutes. These are often called family plans. Each mobile phone have their own phone number, but you can save money sharing one plan instead of having distinct plans for each phone.
  4. What Type Of User Are You?
     • This topic stemmed from an article by Michael Mace entitled “The myth of the smartphone market“
     • Depending on the “type” of user that you are will dictate what type of mobile phone plan is best suited for you.
     • No Frills - someone who only wants a phone for making voice calls. Doesn’t want to pay for anything extra.
     • Communication Enthusiast - someone who wants to use their mobile device to connect to other people. Voice, text messaging, video, e-mail, etc. are all services that are important to this type of user. New technology that allows them to connect to others will be of interest to them and is a feature that they will pay extra for.
     • Entertainment Enthusiast - this is someone who looks to their mobile device for entertainment, so gaming, ringtones, television, etc. are all features that appeal to this type of user.
     • Information Enthusiast - if you are a doctor, lawyer, or similar profession, then chances are being able to access large amounts of information is of great importance to you. Being able to install 3rd party software in order to track time, read Office documents, or access a database are features that would appeal to this type of user. Smartphones are really the only devices that meet these needs.
     • AnalogDave recently upgraded his phone. He created a spreadsheet to compare features and services, but it was the little things that he missed. Such as the fact that his phone requires an adapter in order to use a standard wired headset.
  5. What Style Of User Are You?
     • Beyond the “type” of user you are, the next question to answer is what style of phone are you looking for. This also applies to the accessories that you plan to use as well.
     • Do you need your phone to be the smallest, thinnest phone on the market?
     • Do you plan on using a headset with the phone? If so, do you prefer wired, or wireless, or both? Simply Digital highly recommends using a headset when driving.
     • If you like the idea of using a wireless headset, then you’ll need to get a phone with Bluetooth. We plan on doing a show on this topic in the future, but suffice to say that Bluetooth is a wireless technology that allows to eliminate cables, such as the cable between your headset and your mobile phone.
     • Michael and Analog Dave prefer headsets with a longer boom style microphone. Michael’s favorite headset is the Plantronics MX505 Windsmart Boom Headset
  6. Do You Need A World Phone?
     • If you travel outside of the country that you live in, then you will need to investigate if your phone will work in other countries.
     • Many carriers/operators will allow you to use your phone in other countries if you add it to your package. In many cases, these add-ons can be for just one month. Michael was able to use his Sprint phone in Mexico for example when he went there on vacation.
     • In the United States, most mobile phones are “locked” into that specific carrier. In other words a T-Mobile phone won’t work on the Sprint network.
     • However, mobile phones that use the GSM network are more flexible. Because they use a special chip, called a SIM card, you can get an “unlocked” phone which allows you to use that phone on any GSM network.
     • If you travel to Europe, then your best bet is to have an unlocked GSM phone, because you can simply purchase a SIM card when you’re overseas and go back to your old SIM card when you return home. In the US, Cingular and T-Mobile use GSM networks.
     • If a GSM phone is “locked” then you would not be able to use that phone on any other network. To get an “unlocked” phone, then you typically spend a little bit more for the phone.
  7. Where Can You Get The Best Deal On a New Phone/Plan?
     • The best deals in the US are when you first sign up with a mobile carrier/operator. That is when phone discounts are the deepest.
     • Once you’re a customer, you typically have to wait until your contract expires before you will see any additional discounts on new phones.
     • However, you can usually change your plan at any time, so it’s a good idea to compare your current minutes package with the current offerings from your carrier at least once a year.
     • Sometimes when you change plans, they renew your contract from that date, so be sure to ask first. You don’t want to restart your contract cycle if you’re hoping to purchase a new phone, because you would lose any possible discounts on the phone itself.
     • To get a discount on a mobile phone, the mobile carrier/operator is typically subsidizing the phone. They’re selling it to you below cost and hoping to make it back up in your minutes plan.
     • For this reason, it’s best to get the phone that you want when you first sign up because you typically won’t find it for less at any other time.
     • Although contracts are designed to retain customers, they really force customers to jump networks in order to upgrade their phone.
     • If you do change networks, be sure to let the new carrier know that you plan on transferring your old phone number. Local Number Portability allows you to keep your phone number should you change networks.
• For More Information:
  • In the US, be sure to add your mobile number to the Do Not Call List to stop telemarketers from calling you on your mobile phone.
  • Be sure to test out a new phone before you buy it if at all possible. How hard is it to send a text message? How do you check voice mail? How do you set the phone to vibrate? If it’s too hard to use a feature, you’ll be VERY frustrated down the road.
  • Michael purchase a Sony Ericsson T608 without trying it first and was sorry that he did because the phone was too hard to use and very slow. Had he tested it first, he never would have purchased it.
  • The Treo line of smartphones from Palm, Inc. is Michael’s favorite mobile phone series because it’s so well designed and allows him to add any “features” that were missing.
  • European vs. American mobile phone use.

Add comment October 4th, 2006