Because of the increasing popularity of buying refurbished phones, you can pick them up just about anywhere.  You can go to the manufacturer’s web sites such as Nokia, Motorola or Sony, or, you can purchase a refurbished cell phone through your cell phone service provider.  Before signing up to purchase a new cell phone, look to see if refurbished phones are available.

Cell phone manufacturers and service providers are making money off of individuals who must have the most cutting edge of cell phone technology.  If having the latest bells and whistles is not that important to you, purchasing a refurbished cell phone can be your answer.  After all, last year’s model works just as well as this year’s model. It doesn’t make a difference whether you use prepaid or annual contract phone service.

Here are a few things to consider when purchasing a refurbished cell phone:

1. Necessary features. If you can’t live without a flip phone, make sure that you order a refurbished flip phone.  If you need Bluetooth technology, make sure that the phone has it.  Don’t scrimp on features just be cause you’re going refurbished
2. Required accessories. Make sure the package is complete.  When you buy the cell phone, get the charger and SIM card and anything that you need to be able to use the phone.  When you receive your package; you should be ready to go.
3. Read the warranty. Before you walk out of the store with your refurbished phone or before you click OK for an online order, make sure to review the warranty.  Look to see what is covered and what isn’t covered.  Also find out the period of time for which the phone is warranted.  Most cell phone glitches are software related.  Hardware problems on the other hand, usually show up within the first 30 days of use.  If the manufacturer offers a 30, 60 or 90 day warranty, that’s usually enough time to find out if something is going to fail.
4. Service provider compatibility.  Not all phones are compatible with each service provider.  As a result, it may be best to purchase the refurbish phone through the cell phone service provider.  This way, the phone is sure to work with that particular service.
5. Return policy.  Whether it’s a new or refurbished cell phone, it’s always important to know the return policy.

We live in such a disposable society.  Purchasing a refurbished phone not only helps save money but it prevents one more cell phone from being thrown into a trash heap.

Hopefully you’re reading this because you already checked out which phones are unlockable and which ones are not. Assuming you have, here’s the next step.

There are various ways in which to unlock a cell phone.

• The first is to call the service provider and request them to unlock the phone. Keep in mind, however that you must comply with the terms of your contract if you’re on an annual contract your service provider most likely won’t like having to unlock your phone because that means a lost customer.

• Search the internet for phone unlocking codes. Do this at your own risk however. Rumor has it that inserting the incorrect code may render your phone inoperable. You must have the exact make, model and IMEI number. Here’s one site I found while researching this post that offers codes for unlocking Nokia phones: Into Moble.com

• Purchase a universal unlock SIM adapter. Purportedly works on Alcatel, Blackberry, Sony Erickson, Motorola, Nokia and many other GSM cell phones.

Note: Prepaid Cell Phones.com is not encouraging anyone to unlock a cell phone in any way accept in a manner that is deemed appropriate by the cell phone provider.

Word of Advice

When searching for cell phone service, ask the question, do you use GSM or CDMA? It may not make a big difference when you first buy the phone but a year or so later when you want to upgrade, it can make a world of difference.

GSM or CDMA, Which is Better?

GSM is a worldwide entirely digital network. If you are a world traveler and have access to an all-digital network, GSM is the most convenient way to go.

CDMA offers both digital and analog capacity and has a reputation of being faster than GSM. Therefore using features such as emailing, downloading pod casts and sending and receiving videos and ringtones with your cell phone will happen faster on a CDMA enabled service.

Not being an expert on the two technologies, I recommend you visit the Wise Geek website for more detailed information on the difference between the two technologies.

First of all, lets find out what a locked cell phone is. We’re not talking about your own personal 4-digit code you use as a safety measure so no one can access your voice mail or other personal information. We’re talking about a lock that is instituted by the cell phone manufacturer or cell phone service provider.

When we talk about a locked cell phone, we’re talking about a cell phone that is enslaved by the cell phone provider. In other words, that cell phone, in its locked state, can only use service offered by the “locker”. For example, an AT&T cell phone that is locked means that that phone can only use AT&T cell phone service.

Why Unlock a Cell Phone?

The need for unlocking the cell phone comes in when a cell phone owner decides to change cell phone service, but does not want to change cell phones or change cell phones without changing the service. Lets’ say you have the latest and greatest cell phone to suit your need, but you’ve found a more attractive cell phone plan offered by another provider. You want to take your cell phone and switch service providers for the more attractive plan.

If your phone is locked, you can’t. You are tied to your locker.

How to Unlock the Cell Phone

Before we can discuss how to unlock the cell phone, you have to know whether or not the phone is unlockable. This means that we have to take a step back to discuss the two most popular types of phone service. One type is unlockable, and the other isn’t.

There’s GSM, which stands for Global System for Mobile Communications and CDMA, which means Code Division Multiple Access. We’ll forget the technical names and use acronyms.

GSM vs. CDMA

GSM phones are unlockable while CDMA phones are not (at least as of this writing). The best way to explain it is to think of the locking aspect of a cell phone as its heart and soul. Each cell phone service provider accesses the cell phone by connecting to the heart of the cell phone. Some cell phones have a “temporary” heart in the form of a SIM card, while other cell phones have a permanent heart built into the phone.

Cell phones with a temporary heart or SIM (subscriber identity module) card can be unlocked. Technically, you can perform a type of heart transplant by taking the heart out of one phone, placing into another SIM card compatible phone and you have effectively transferred the old personality, date book phone numbers, etc. from one cell phone to the other. GSM phones embrace the heart transplant technology while CDMA does not (Although they are working on their own type of heart in the form of a R-UIM card currently available in Asia).

CDMA phones remain locked for life. If you wish to change phones or service on phones powered by CDMA technology, you have to buy a new phone and contact the service provider to have all of the information switched from one phone to another (provided you stay with the same service provider). If you switch service providers, you cannot transfer the data from the old phone to a new one.

Now back to the Question at hand…How to Unlock a Cell Phone…

If you’re undecided as to which pay as you go service to use, there is one factor that cannot be ignored when making a decision. You have to make sure that the wireless cell phone provider has service in your area.

To make it a little easier to find the coverage location of the various providers, below are links to the national coverage maps for several prepaid wireless cell phone providers. Once you have confirmed that there is coverage in your area, you can take the search to the next level.

By clicking on the national coverage map below, you’ll be taken to the wireless provider’s current coverage map. The maps as displayed below are current as of January, 2009. Be advised, however that although the maps may display as providing wireless coverage in many locations, check with each cell phone provider as the national coverage map is much different than the regionally available plans.

National coverage maps display where phone service is available and whether roaming charges apply or not. It is not an indication as to whether or not the wireless provider offers a prepaid plan in your area. For that you must contact the wireless service provider.

National Coverage Maps
AT&T GoPhone	Alltel Pay Per Day
Boostmobile PayGo Plan	Jump Mobile Prepaid Wireless
Kajeet	Net 10
TMobile	TracFone
US Cellular	Verizon INPulse Plan

Additions (and subtractions) are made to this list quarterly.

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