First Draft of My Essay on Cell Phones

This is a rough draft and will be expanded upon before the end of my course. Just thought I would post it here for your comments.

Today, cell phones have become a necessity rather than a luxury. The history of the cell phone can be traced back to the early ’40s. It was then that police, taxi cabs and other vehicle services began to use two way radios to communicate with one another or a central base. The first “mobile phone” was used by Swedish police in 1947. The technology was limited and drained the car battery after only 6 calls. The technology that we use today, that is towers that send signals in three directions instead of two like a bi-directional antennae, was developed in the 1960s; however, it took decades to mature into the system that we now know and use every day.

AT&T petitioned the FCC for a license to use “Cellular Service,” but it was not until 10 years later in 1982 that the request was granted. The “First Generation” cell phones were bulky, weighed several pounds and had a short battery life. This meant they could only be used with any practicality in cars. The first true mobile cell phone was introduced by Motorola in 1983. Weighing in at only 28 ounces, it was light weight. The phone became known as “The Brick Phone” because of its square dimensions. Throughout the ’80s mobile phones grew in popularity, largely due to the fast improvements that were being invented which allowed the phones to become smaller and more powerful. Throughout the ’90s and into the new millennium, cell phones quickly became so common that now almost every adult and most teenagers have one.

While most people now own a cell phone, I have found through my experience in the industry, few use their device to the fullest potential. The term “Cell Phone” is a bit of a misnomer. Even the very basic cell phone devices have calendars, note pads, address books, alarms and a host of other functions which complement the use as a voice device. However, these functions are rarely used on a regular basis. This paper is intended to help you use your phone and all of its features as well as assist you in deciding which phone is right for you and what to look for when shopping the different providers.

The first thing a person should look at when selecting a provider is coverage. Each provider will claim it has the best coverage or the largest network but none of them can guarantee service everywhere at all times. Providers will try to entice a person with free phones, free service and other discounts to get someone locked into a contract. Customers should ignore all these offers until the coverage is checked in the areas they will need their phone to work. Once a person has agreed to a contract they have a very limited time, usually 14 days, to return the phone and void the agreement. After that, they are committed and if the service is canceled they will be hit with an early termination fee of up to $200. Once someone decides on a provider, it is recommended to test the phone at every opportunity; everywhere the phone may be used.

There are a lot of different cell phones out there. The basic phones, also known as “phone first” devices provide the basic features and are primarily used for talking. On the other end of the spectrum are the data phones, also known as “smart” phones. These devices offer many more features including the ability to surf the internet with almost the same experience a person gets on a home computer or laptop. Keep in mind that these phones often require a data feature added to the account that can cost anywhere from $20 to $40 on top of the rate plan. The trick is to know what is needed. If e-mail while on the go is important, a smart phone might be suited to you. On the other hand, if you do not plan on using the phone for anything except emergencies, a phone first device might be a better choice.

Choosing the right cell phone provider is probably the toughest part of getting a device. As I stated before, the first step is to check the coverage. Every provider’s website has a “coverage map” that allows someone to enter an address and it returns information on the level of service that area has based on the location and strength of the towers. Next, look at the customer service ranking. In my experience, as a customer support agent, the service provided is very important, especially when there are issues. Currently, J.D. Powers rank T-Mobile as the top customer service provider in the cell phone industry. Other factors to consider are price, length of contract and feature options such as messaging or data.

If a person is able to ignore the deals that providers throw at them and focus on the service provided based on where they are located and where they will be using the device, chances are they will be satisfied with the cell phone they chose. Choose the device based solely on the provider’s claims and a person is setting themselves up for a very unsatisfying contract term.