Advances are constantly being made in the field of cell phone technology, which means that there are always newer cell phone models coming out on the market with more and more advanced features. So here are some tips on how to choose the cell phone that will best fit your needs.

1. The first thing to do is to choose the cell phone provider first, then get the cell phone. After all, the cell phone will only be as good as the network it is connected to. In order to make the best decision about which cell phone provider will work best in your area, you can conduct your own informal survey of family and friends to find out what experiences they are having with various cell phone providers. Then choose the one that seems to have the best local record.

2. Now that you have your cell phone provider in mind, it's a good idea to actually visit their store and physically inspect all of the phones that they have available. This is important because just seeing a picture of a cell phone will not tell you much about how it actually works. But if you have a chance to actually hold each cell phone in your hand and see how easy it is to use, you can quickly narrow down your choices to those that will seem to work best for you and the way you use your cell phone.

3. One of the most important features of the cell phone is the display, and so you need to make sure that any cell phone you buy has a display that is easily readable in both dimly lit and bright lighting conditions. Again, this is usually best determined by physically examining it in the cell phone store.

4. You'll find that there is a wide range and diversity of features from one cell phone to another, so look for the features that are most important to you and will be most often used, such as a speakerphone for hands-free use.

5. In order to save money and get the best cell phone deal, be sure to ask about any special promotions or offers that are being run by the cell phone companies at this time. Sometimes you won't know about these specials if you don't specifically ask for them, but they can often save you lots of money when you buy your cell phone. Quite often, cell phone providers will run specials online that may not be available off line, so be sure that you look for internet specials whenever you shop too.

6. Be sure that you understand all return policies regarding any phone that you are considering just in case you may need to return it, as some consumers have been hit with hefty restocking and cancellation fees when they decided to return their phone. So just be sure that you are fully aware of the cell phone provider's return policy on that particular phone before you buy it.

If you use these tips and suggestions when shopping for a cell phone, you should be able to find the one that will fit you best and save money at the same time.

Steadman Issenburg writes on many consumer related topics including communication. You can find the best cell phone plan and compare cell phone rates and more by visiting our communication website.