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Will Your Cell Phone Reach 911 in an Emergency?

If you're one of the millions of cell phone users who count on their wireless phone for emergency 911 calling........

You might want to think again.

Unfortunately, there's no guarantee that your 911 call will be routed to an emergency call center. Much less, the emergency dispatcher will have the ability to pinpoint the call's location.

Why?

Part of the problem is lack of service. Often, in more rural areas, your cell phone has fewer towers available to receive reception. And, many of those towers are designed for analog calls - not digital.

But, since the FCC does not require it, fewer carriers offer analog service -- or the ability to connect to it.

Not surprising, since much of the carriers' revenue is dependant on features available only on digital networks.

Another problem?

There is no uniform Ehanced 911 system (E911) for wireless carriers. The FCC neglected to force the carriers to conform their E911 systems to a single technology.

Because of this, there are now two incompatable E911 systems in the works.

Nextel, Sprint and Verizon each have cell phones available that use the Global Positioning System (GPS) to find a caller's location. While Cingular and T-Mobile rely on a triangulation system.

Unfortunately, both E911 systems have their flaws. The GPS system needs a minimum of three satalites to be able to "read" the handset's location. Accuracy can be hampered by heavy vegetation, mountains or tall buildings.

The triangulation system also has its shortcomings, because it relies on the strength and timing of cell towers to determine a location. It, too, requires multiple towers for accuracy. This becomes more difficult in rural areas where towers are scarce.

To compound the problem, Emergency Call Centers are not equipt with the technology needed to field E911 calls. Most smaller centers lack the funding for the sophisticated equiptment, while others lack the knowledge on how to integrate it to their existing system.

According to a 2004 article in the San Diego Union Tribune, only about 12% of the country's 911 centers had the ability to pinpoint the location of wireless phone users emergency calls.

Which cell phone is best?

Dual band, or tri-band phones, allow both analog and digital frequencies. If a 911 call does not connect in a digital mode, the alternate analog network is available.

The FCC also requires that any carrier offering multi-frequency phones must allow the 911 call to roam to another service, if the call can not be completed on their own network.

Currently, only Cingular and Verizon offer dual or tri-bands for both their service and handsets. Sprint PCS and T-Mobile wireless phones operate on a digital band, but allow analog roaming.

Nextel uses its own iDEN network, which has limited roaming ability.

Where Did Those Cell Phones Come From?

In 1949 the first car phone service was introduced. It was called “Mobile Telephone Service” (MTS). But the beginning of wireless communication started many years earlier, in 1895, when an Italian physicist named Guglielmo Marconi successfully sent wireless signals a distance of one and one half miles.

In 1896 Marconi was granted the world’s first patent for a wireless telegraphy system. In 1897 he formed The Wireless Telegraph and Signal Company. During that same year he successfully sent wireless signals a distance of twelve miles.

In 1901 Marconi proved the curve of the earth did not affect the successful sending of wireless waves. He proved it by transmitting signals from Cornwall, England to St. John’s, Newfoundland, which was a distance of over two thousand miles.

Marconi, along with other scientists and researchers, continued to work and do research on wireless transmissions. In 1932 the world’s first microwave radiotelephone link was established between the Pope’s summer home in the small Italian town of Caster Gandolfo and Vatican City, a distance of approximately thirty miles.

The first ship-to-shore radio conversation took place in 1922 from the ship S.S. America, which was 400 miles at sea. Inter-continent telephone communications between the United States and England occurred in the mid 1930’s.

As technology improved, interest in a car phone service developed. The first car phone service that was introduced in 1949 was a mobile service, but the equipment was big and heavy. The phone required a large receiver (about the size of a large piece of luggage). It was placed in the trunk of the vehicle. To talk on the phone, a button had to be pushed. To listen to the other person, the button had to be released. It was similar to using a two-way radio. A person couldn’t talk and listen at the same time. That technology came later.

Phone calls from the first mobile phone service were not direct-dialed. Instead, an operator working for the mobile phone service company answered when the phone was picked up. The operator connected the caller to the phone company operator, who then placed the call. By the early 1960’s the technology had improved, but only slightly. One step in the connection process was eliminated. The phone was able to connect directly to the phone company, saving the caller the step of having to connect to the mobile phone service operator first. The improved service was called “Improved Mobile Telephone Service” or IMTS.

By the early part of the 1980’s the phones had full-duplex capability. This meant a person could listen and talk at the same time. The phones and receivers were still heavy though. And, because the IMTS phones were a type of scanner, it wasn’t unusual for a person to press a channel button on the phone and hear parts of someone else’s conversation.

Technology continued to improve and continues to improve today. Cell phones are very popular. Today they are a truly mobile device and are easy to transport. Some of the cell phones available today only weigh a few ounces. Some of the small cell phones can be tricky to use though because the buttons on them are very small.

Cellular technology continues to improve. In the United States, carriers have been moving from analog technology to digital technology. One big reason the move to digital technology has been made in recent years is because it allows networks to carry more callers at one time. Calls are also more secure on digital networks, but are still far from being totally secure.

Today, people experience fewer dropped calls, and with the expansion of networks, there are getting to be fewer areas where there is no reception at all. And although many younger people are choosing to have cell phone over a land line phone, there are still many people who are not yet willing to give up their land line phones.

The Growth Of Cellphones

Cellphones are quickly becoming an integral part of our lives. They increase the convenience factor, help us stay organized, and keep us in touch with the people that we love. They can also help us keep informed!

As cellphone technologies increase, cell phone manufacturers are finding new ways to pack great programs into their cellphones. One such program that is being built into cellphones now, and will increase in the future, is the RSS feed capability.

Having this capability will mean that your cellphone can act like an MP3 player, and perhaps you already have a cell phone that has MP3 player capabilities. But in a cellphone with RSS feed capabilities take the MP3 player format one step further.

The word “podcasting” was coined in 2004. It is a technology that no one heard about until recently but is gaining popularity at an exponential rate. A podcast is like a radio program that broadcasters create in an MP3 format and attach it to an RSS feed on their web site. Computers and cellphones with RSS feed capabilities can grab the MP3 file and download it automatically. This means that every time the podcaster makes a new show, your computer or your cell phone can automatically pick it up.

(A quick note on terminology: podcasts and punchcasts are virtually the same thing except that podcasts are typically the "radio show" that goes to your computer, while punch casts are considered the ones that end up on your cell phone, even if they are the same show in the same MP3 file.)

The value of listening to podcasts on your cell phone is tremendous. While most people have not heard of podcasts, there are literally thousands and thousands of podcasts out there, and each one is designed for a specific niche: the baseball enthusiast, a wine lover, a news junkie, an entrepreneur, and the list can go on and on. If you have a hobby or interest, you'll probably find a podcasts on it… or 10 podcasts on it!

Aside from topics, podcasts vary in length and quality: just like television shows, they can have an interview format or a quiz show format or a monologue format, to name a few. They can be well done or poorly done.

Here's how it works: you find the podcast you are interested in and subscribe on your cell phone (it's free) and every time the podcaster creates a new podcast and attaches it to the RSS feed, it gets automatically loaded onto your phone.

So now you can stay on top of all the exciting news in your industry, or in a hobby or an area of interest that you might have and you can do it all on your cellphone!

Choosing a Business Cell Phone and Plan Quick and Dirty

Are you frustrated with all the choices you have to make when choosing a business cell phone and service plan? It doesn't have to be complicated. Assuming you aren't looking for the latest ubergizmo cell phone, the following three steps are all you need to help you pick the cell phone that's right for your business.

Step One: Figure Out the Cell Phone Coverage You Need

Step one involves figuring out where you are going to be using your new cell phone. Do you work in the city or the country? Also, do you often travel aboard and intend to use your phone around the world?

If you work primarily in US metropolitan areas, you don't have to worry about whether you need a GSM, CDMA or TDMA phone--they all work pretty well. On the other hand, if you work in rural, remote or undeveloped areas, your best bet is a CDMA or TDMA phone since these providers have the best coverage in rural/undeveloped areas.

CDMA and TDMA providers include Verizon Wireless and Sprint-Nextel.

On the other hand, if you intend to use your cell phone while abroad, GSM is the communications standard used outside of North America. If you purchase a GSM phone so that you can use it abroad, you need to make sure the phone is purchased "unlocked", which means that the phone is not tied to a specific network. With an unlocked GSM cell phone, you can easily swap out the SIM card (a white chip usually behind the battery) with local country, prepaid SIM cards to avoid expensive roaming charges. These local country SIM cards are often available in corner stores in most countries.

In the US, GSM providers include Cingular and T-Mobile.

Step Two: Figure Out the Cell Phone Rate Plan You Need

Once you've figured out where you are going to be primarily using your new cell phone, the next step is to figure out what business rate plan is the most economical for your needs. Most providers offer different plans based around buckets of minutes that are allocated between different time periods in a day and/or week.

If you are going to be using the phone primarily during the day, you'll need a plan that will give you the maximum number of minutes when the sun is up. On the other hand, if you are going to be using your new cell phone primarily on the weekends, you'll need a plan that gives you the maximimum number of minutes on Saturday and Sunday. Those are the two extremes--other plans offer some combination of weekday daytime, evenings and weekend minutes.

If you are unsure of your calling patterns, take advantage of the free first-month promotions offered by many providers to figure out when you make your calls and then switch your plan accordingly if necessary. Many phone companies will analyze your cell phone usage if asked to and will recommend a plan that minimizes your monthly cost.

Step Three: Buy Your New Cell Phone

If you are going to be buying a GSM phone because you intend to travel and use the phone abroad, stick to tri-band/tri-mode phones. These phones can operate on a multitude of frequencies that various operators abroad may use. Otherwise, don't worry about whether the phone is tri-band/tri-mode or dual-mode.

Other than that one consideration, choosing a cell phone is all a matter of taste. Generally speaking, if you enter into a one-year or two-year contract, the phone provider will often give away a cell phone that would otherwise cost many hundreds of dollars. That's usually your best bet but be careful of early-termination clauses that can impose a penalty of $200 or more.

Cell Phones, Mobile Phone

What Are Your Reasons For Buying A Mobile Phone? You Should Also Learn To Make The Most Out Of Cell Phones.

Let’s say you’re wondering whether or not to buy a mobile phone or what you should get. It’s amazing that you’ve gone on long enough without one but I’d have to say that in this day and age, everyone needs a cell phone. Even if you’re not into fancy features and services, at least get a basic mobile phone to make calls. But if you could learn how to get the most out of your cell phones, perhaps you would consider getting a really nifty one?

Most people don’t consider it important but reading your mobile phone manual can actually net you some cool pieces of information. Plus, cell phones these days have very easy-to-read manuals and by reading it, you could discover some extra features you didn’t know about. And you’d never know when these extra features could come in handy.

For example, most cell phones have phone books that are packed with extra features that you might not have known about. They can sometimes store up to 500 entries. And for each entry you may be able to store multiple phone numbers, their email addresses and even make notes about them! This is especially useful for keeping track of your business contacts.

If you check your mobile phone, you might find a feature called Voice Commands. It allows you to dial numbers just by reading out a name. This is known as the Voice Activated Dialing and is extremely popular due its convenience. Depending on the cell phone model you get, you might be surprised with the long list of voice commands you can give to your phone.

For those who can’t afford a digital camera but have always been wishing for one, take a look at a camera phone. The quality of the integrated camera phones in the market are improving rapidly and the feature is really handy for spontaneous snapshots.

Apart from voice commands and the ability to take pictures, there are loads you can do with a mobile phone these days. So if you’re curious enough to check out the latest cell phones and accessories in the market, then get online today! There’s really no better place to look for a mobile phone. Whether you’re shopping for something new, something used or even some really good deals, you can find them all when you shop for cell phones online.

Choosing a Cell Phone

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.

New Cell Phones, Latest Mobile Phone

Don’t Be Fooled When You Shop For New Cell Phones. When You Buy The Latest Mobile Phone, Make Sure It’s Really New.

So you’re thinking of buying the latest mobile phone and your friend says “Why not get a used cell phone? It’s cheaper and just as good!” Now that isn’t quite accurate. It may be true that you can get a fairly new second-hand cell phone at a cheaper price, but the question remains, why would you want to?

In the past, new cell phones used to be much more expensive and it was probably better to get a used mobile phone because of the price. But these days, it’s quite different. New cell phones are more reasonably priced and they come with great cell phone plans that you don’t want to miss out on. Obviously, you won’t be able to enjoy these offers when you buy a used phone.

It’s also true that you can still get some of the latest mobile phones when you buy them second-hand. But why would you want to buy a reconditioned phone? It may look like a new cell phone but you wouldn’t know if it has ever been broken or if any of its parts have been removed or replaced. If you’re shopping for the newest cell phones in the market, then you might as well get a brand new phone. The only reason you might want to get a used phone is because the mobile phone model that you’re interested in is either out-of-date or out of stock.

Honestly, if you’re looking to buy a new cell phone, then you might as well head to the store and get the latest mobile phone on offer. At the very least, you know that it’s new out of the box, and there is a negligible risk of your new cell phone breaking down for no apparent reason.

Buy Cell Phones, Best Mobile Phone

Discover The Best Way To Buy Cell Phones. Here Are Tips On Where To Look For The Best Mobile Phone For You.

You might think it’s easy to shop for the best mobile phone out there. Before waltzing into any cell phone shop at random, there are a few things you might want to know when you buy cell phones.

Right from the start, you need to know that there are so many mobile phones out there. Some of them will be feature-rich, others stylish, and sometimes these cell phones are just plain ol’ practical. What you should look out for is a cell phone that has a good blend of design, features and performance.

If you’re shopping or buying a cell phone from the store, don’t just take the sales person’s word that the ones they are selling is the best mobile phone. Have a look at the models on display and check them out for features and functions that might be important to you. If they have a working model for you to test, that’s even better.

In reality, the best way to buy cell phones is to go online and do some research to see what you like. On the Internet, you’ll get nice choices of the latest cell phones as well as some previous models. When it comes to choices, the best option is to head to a cell phone site. There you can really run through some of the best mobile phones in the market before deciding what you want to buy.

I’d really recommend going online to browse for the best mobile phones not just because its selection, but also because you can get some great deals when shopping online. Whether it’s a new cell phone or something used, you’ll be able to buy some really good stuff at cheap prices if you take the time to scout around. So if you’re serious about getting a mobile phone, get online because there’s no better place to buy cell phones.

Choosing a Cell Phone

Considering the innumerable varieties of cell phones in the market, it is quite a challenging task to choose the best one. However, the basic criterion of selecting the best cell phone is to be absolutely clear about what your needs are. The best cellular phone is the one that is absolutely right for you. And, of course, you can only have the best cellular phone when you pay for what you want.

Tons of offers are also available. There are free cellular telephone offers, prepaid cellular, digital, mobile, web enabled and many more. No one can tell you which cell phone is best for you because every one has different needs when it comes to their cellular telephone. Some people want absolutely basic features while others want a lot of totally fantastic features. Some need a cellular telephone for e-mail, faxing and surfing the Internet. Many people want it to be top of the line while others prefer simplicity.

The process of buying a cell phone is so confusing. There are simply so many different handsets, networks, deals and call costs to consider that buying the right phone for your usage and budget can be very difficult.

Here are a few tips to help you choose the best cell phone. First of all, decide how much you want to spend and be clear on the features you need. Remember that the more the features, the higher the cost.

Purchase a battery with a decent battery life and judge the mobile phone by the talk time it gives. The bare minimum should be 2 hours of maximum talk-time plus 90 hours of maximum standby time.

Shop and compare for pricing and service. These days, quality phones are very cheap. There is a proliferation of cell phone makers including Nokia, Motorola, Ericson, Siemens, Samsung, Sony, etc. More importantly, cellular plans have come down enormously in overall price with some caveats.

Some standard features include caller ID, phone book with fast dial, call waiting, voice mail and auto-answering. Some also have other added features like your first incoming minute free. The high-end cell phones will have voice-a ctivated dialing, SMS, 2-way paging, games, scheduling calendars, digital organizer and all the standard features. The main thing is to see what fits into your life style best and also to be sure when and if the features expire.

While making a cell phone and service plan decision, remember that everybody's needs are different. So what's good for your friend may not be the best choice for you. Your best bet would be to search online for websites with good cell phone comparisons in order to get a quality cell phone offer.

To make sure that your cell phone comparisons are complete look at Nokia cell phones, Ericsson cell phones, Sprint cell phones, Motorola cell phones and Samsung cell phones. Research the different free cell phone offers, prepaid cell phones and service plans from brand names like AT

Cell Phone Deals, Mobile Phone Plan

Tips And Tricks On How To Get The Best Cell Phone Deals. And While You’re At It, Shop For A Great Mobile Plan Too.

These days, cell phones are offered at standard retail prices across a majority of the stores. So how do you snag a great deal? Here are a few tricks you can use to get some of the best cell phone deals available:

1. Get a great mobile phone plan to go with your cell phone. These days, getting a cell phone plan will automatically net you some great deals.

2. If you already have an account with a particular cell phone carrier, shop at their stores and keep an eye out for certain cell phones that they might be promoting. These cell phones will be on offer and you can get some great deals on them.

3. Look out for smaller retail shops that are having a sale or discount for that week. You’d never know what great cell phone deals you could get, even if it’s from a smaller store or branch.

4. Shopping online is a great way to get some of the best cell phone deals. Mobile phones are cheaper online (even after delivery charge) because you don’t have to pay the seller an expensive dealer fee.

5. Look out for cell phone deals that include a lot of free gifts with the mobile phone. A nifty hands free kit or pouch is always nice to have.

And to get really a good deal on your mobile phone plan, you might want to consider the following:

1. Make sure that voicemail is included in your cell phone plan at no extra cost. Most cell phone carriers provide this feature but there are a few which still charge for voicemail. That’s no deal at all, especially when a majority of cell phone carriers or plans will get you unlimited voicemail options.

2. If you travel a fair bit, then get a regional mobile phone plan. It’s a great cell phone deal because regional plans have the best mixture of minutes and features, with the best prices. An example of a great regional feature would be the ability to make long distance calls for free!

3. For any cell phone plan, make sure the deals include at least 150 anytime minutes. If you feel that you’re going to make more calls than that, then aim for a higher number.

Cell Phone Shopping, Buy Mobile Phones

It’s Time To Go Cell Phone Shopping! Find Out How To Buy Mobile Phones And Why Online Shopping Is A Good Option.

The best way to go cell phone shopping is to do it online. Log on, find a quality cell phone search engine and start looking. Whether or not you choose to actually buy the phone online is a different story, but researching for mobile phones is always best done online.

When you’re cell phone shopping, the important thing that you must remember is to compare the mobile phones. Don’t just look and compare the prices, but compare phone features, ratings and even reviews. All these will help you decide which cell phone you should buy.

Before you can start shopping for a cell phone, you have to first ask yourself - what kind of phone am I looking for? Learn about the types of features and functions cell phones have and find out which mobile phones have the kind of features that you like. Also take into consideration how much chatting you intend to do with your phone and pay attention when reviewers highlight the cell phone’s battery life. All these questions need to be answered before you buy your mobile phone.

Once you’re done cell phone shopping, you might want to consider ordering online. Apart from a wide selection of cell phones for you to browse through, you can also get some of the best deals online. You can actually get cheap cell phones online because there is no dealer charge. So now that you know how to go about cell phone shopping, get to it! Buying mobile phones has never been easier with online shopping.

Finding The Right Cell Phone

Ten years ago, cell phones were just beginning to appear. Today, it seems every person on the street has one. However, not all cell phones are equal. How do you find the best one?

Ask yourself what qualities are important to you. First, the physical aspects. Do you prefer flat cell phones or those with a flip? Are slim cell phones more attractive, or does size really matter?

Cell phones seem to come in all shapes and sizes, and color can also be a determining factor. Have you seen the changeable covers? Who knew cell phones would become such a fashion statement?

A critical factor to consider is ring tones. Some cell phones come with standard rings that could drive anyone crazy. Others have downloadable tones, letting you show off your taste and personality. If you've ever been on a crowded train where six cell phones started ringing at once, you know how important it is to have the pleasant ring tone. No one wants to draw negative attention.

Cell phones have all sorts of new features, and they keep improving. Some cell phones allow you to take pictures. Other cell phones give you internet access on the road. And like most technology, there are new improvements made on a weekly basis. Remember that you'll be paying for these features; make sure you'll use them before you spend the money.

Manufacturers of cell phones have done extensive research to find out what is important to you, the buyer. The carrier, though, is also important to consider. What good are cell phones, after all, if you can't get service? Find out who in your area has the widest service and the best rate plan.

Most of us have become spoiled by our cell phones. It's hard to remember the days when no one could reach you until you got home from class or from work. Cell phones have opened up our lines of communication considerably. (Sometimes it's questionable whether that's a good thing….) The fact is, it looks like cell phones are here to stay. Is it possible anymore to escape? Of course! The best thing about cell phones is that you can use them when you need them, but sometimes the best cell phones are the ones that are turned off.