Lesson 1: How to choose the right phone.Ever left your cellular phone at home? Did it leave you feeling disconnected from the rest of the world? Who knew that such a small device could become one of the most powerful communication tools across the globe? As we become more and more dependent on technology in our lives, it’s hard to ignore the growing number of people who are buying their Nokias, Motorola RAZRs, Blackberry this, Samsung that. Let’s face it, the cellphone market is now one of the biggest and most diverse markets out there!SMS, MMS, Bluetooth, IrDa? Don’t let mobile jargon confuse you! I’m here to help you with your cellular questions! With so many different types of phones out there, the first step is to understand Cellular networks. Now bear with me because this is an important piece of information. There’s no point in purchasing a cellphone that you cannot use in your area right?

Depending on which continent you live on, the cellular networks available to you might be limited. You might have heard people talk about GSM, CDMA or 3G. These are all different types of cellular technologies. For this lesson, I will discuss GSM networks.

GSM refers to the Global System for Mobile Communications and is the most popular cellular network choice around the world. GSM phones work in something called a frequency range. This range is where audio can be sent and received wirelessly throughout the world. The most common frequency bands for cellphones are 900MHz and/or 1800 MHz. 900MHz is the main frequency that American countries use, while 1800MHz is the frequency used by many Asian countries, among others. There are two extra frequency bands used by the Americans, which are 850MHz and 1900MHz. Essentially, if you live in one of the American countries, you should purchase a phone that is equipped to work on either 850MHz, 900MHz, and/or 1900MHz on the GSM network. Otherwise, you’re most likely on a 1800MHz band. The easiest method to find out what network frequency your country uses is to look it up online, or ask a local cellphone dealer.

It is vital to know which frequency band your phone and network use. An America-exclusive phone with only 850MHz and 900MHz frequency bands will NOT work while you’re in Asia. So double check the phone model you purchase before you decide to lug it around the world.

You might also hear the terms Dual Band, Tri Band, Quad Band, which basically describe how many bands are active on that particular cellphone model. A Dual Band ready phone can be active on 2 different frequency bands. A Tri Band phone can be active on 3 different frequency bands and so forth. This is what makes GSM phones so popular. There are many Tri Band and Quad Band phones available presently, which means you can use the same phone throughout the world. This prevents you from being forced to buy multiple phones to use in different countries if you are a constant traveller.

Another advantage of GSM cellphones is the fact that they operate on SIM cards. Now, SIM cards are tiny little cards you receive when you activate your cellphone with a local mobile carrier. They record your information and activate this tiny SIM card to put into your cellphone. Think of it as an identification card for your cellphone. When you use their network to make calls or send messages, they need a method of acknowledging which user is using their services. The SIM card is what ties your phone to your mobile carrier.

Now back to the advantage of the SIM card. All GSM ready phones have a SIM card slot on the phone. If you have more than one phone, or if you need to borrow someone else’s GSM cellphone, all you have to do is place your SIM card inside that GSM cellphone and you should be ready to go. Other cellphones that operate on CDMA networks do not have SIM cards. each individual phone is uniquely linked to their own user. If you want to switch your account to another phone, you need to call your service operator and ask them to do it for you on their system, which can prove quite troublesome.

One setback of the GSM phone is that many mobile carriers choose to lock the cellphone models that they sell. This essentially means that only customers of that specific mobile service carrier can use that phone purchased from the service provider. For example if Company Blue sold a locked GSM phone, a customer using company Blue’s service is allowed to place his/her SIM card into the phone and use it. However, a person using Company Red will not be able to place his/her SIM card into a Company Blue locked GSM phone, and vice versa. The phone will not be allowed to place or receive calls.

One solution for this problem is to get your phone unlocked. If you have the proper knowledge and tools, you can do this at home by yourself. However, if you do not have the proper information and tools, you can hire a professional to unlock it for you.

Purchasing the right cellphone for you can be quite a headache, but with proper research you can find the perfect phone to match your needs. Make sure that your GSM cellphone is equipped with the frequency band that works in your area, and if you plan to purchase phones from a different mobile carrier, make sure that it is unlocked, or that it can be.

Next Lesson: Which Cellphone can meet my needs?