If Alexander Graham Bell were alive today he would be amazed. It wasn't that long ago when he made the first telephone call to his assistant from another room in his laboratory. At the time they had been working on a device to help deaf people hear. Bell patented the telephone in 1876. Now, 130 years later, people are walking around with tiny but powerful computers held to their years. These wireless devices can be used to browse the Internet, play games, text message, manage schedules� and even to use a telephone!

Question: I am looking to buy a phone but I don't know which plan to get

There are many plans available if you would like to buy cell phone. The best way to figure it which plan is right for you is to buy a pre-paid phone before you make a decision and commit to any long-term plans offered by cell phone companies. The prepaid plan lets you put a certain amount of money toward telephone usage and you can use your cell phone for as long as you have money available.

This is a great first option because many people who are first looking into getting a cell phone are not sure about when they would typically use it. Having a prepaid phone lets you sample your usage and get a good idea about the times of the day and the days of the week you make calls on your cell phone.

For the first month or so that you have a prepaid plan, you'll want to keep an eye on these four things, which will help you determine which cell phone plan you'll eventually want:

• What time of the day to you make most of your calls?
• How long do your phone calls last?
• What days of the week do you make most of your calls?
• Are they local or long distance calls?
• Where do you use the phone most often? (for example, if you travel or just around town)

Once you have used up your prepaid amounts, you'll probably have a good idea about your calling profile and this will help you accurately select a play.

Having a cell phone is a highly convenient tool to stay in touch. Having information to make a wise purchase will help you get a cell phone and a cell phone plan that provides the best value to you.

This article was posted on September 16, 2005