ConsumerReports.org (R)



	IN THIS REPORT

•	Cell phones: Overview
	•	CR Quick Recommendations
	•	Ratings
	•	How much phone do you need?
	•	Design details
	•	GSM network troubles

•	Calling plans: Overview
	•	The bottom line
	•	Cost, then minutes

Best phones: Basic features matter most

The newest cell phones can perform plenty of stunts. You can easily find phones with cameras, cutting-edge games, organizers, Web access, a walkie-talkie, and more. Given the wealth of such appealing features, the ability to make simple phone calls might seem to be an afterthought.

It’s not. That’s why our tests focused less on the extras and more on the basics to help you get the most from your cell-phone service--a phone with high voice quality, decent battery life, and a design that’s easy to use. The major developments in this market include these:

• Most cell phones now rely mainly on digital technology, although many have analog circuitry as a backup. Analog serves as a common language and makes it easier for phones from different carriers to use each other’s networks. Digital-only phones work longer on a battery charge than digital/analog phones do. On the downside, because the phones use incompatible digital networks, it can be impossible to get service away from your home calling area without analog. You’ll have to hope that your carrier has made roaming agreements.

• Phone numbers are portable but phones are not. If you want to switch carriers, you’ll need to buy a new phone. That’s so, we found, even if you switch to a carrier that uses the same phones as your old one. Case in point: AT&T and Cingular. We bought several models through AT&T, then tried to have them switched to Cingular’s service. But AT&T refused to change the codes it had locked into the phone.

• AT&T and Cingular are converting their systems from the older TDMA network to GSM, the technology widely used in Europe and Asia. If you choose either of those carriers, you need to select a phone that will maximize the coverage you get. (See GSM network troubles.)

• “Push to talk,” which lets a cell phone work like a walkie-talkie even for coast-to-coast conversation, is becoming more widely available. Nextel, which pioneered push-to-talk, now has competition from Sprint and Verizon. AT&T is expected to introduce a version this year.

How to choose

Set your price. You can spend as little as $40 or as much as $600 on a cell phone. You need to begin your selection in the right price tier (see How much phone do you need?). Many of the phones we tested fall into the $100-to-$200 tier.

Look first at folding phones. A folding model--what Motorola dubbed the flip phone--has two important advantages over other designs, we have found. First, the phone is small between calls but opens to a handy size when in use. Second, the folding style puts the microphone close to your mouth for better voice performance.

Be wary of fanciful designs and diminutive keypads. Phones that resemble small sculptures may prove difficult to use. (See Design details.) Keys that are small, oddly shaped, or arranged in unusual patterns can be a challenge, especially if you’re trying to dial a number in dim light. Our testing includes an evaluation of ease of use. Before you settle on a phone, try one at the store to get a feel for its handiness.

Look for sensible features. Cameras, games, music players, and the like are appealing, fun, even useful for some people. Other features, listed in the Ratings, will prove useful every day. They include:

• Volume controls on the side. They let you change the earpiece volume level without moving the phone too far from your ear. You can’t do that if the volume controls are on the keypad.

• A standard headset connector. Most hands-free headsets have a 2.5-mm plug, which fits many phones. Many new GSM phones use proprietary connectors.

• An easy-to-mute ringer. Etiquette demands that you keep the phone quiet in restaurants, movies, and other public places. The best phones in this regard can be set to vibrate rather than ring with the push of a single key.

Don’t trash your old phone. Phones can be recycled (but be sure to erase names and numbers in the memory). Staples and other retailers will take used ones. Some are refurbished and sold in developing countries; others are used for parts. Other recycling programs raise funds for charity, resell phones as alternatives to new ones, or provide phones to the homeless and victims of domestic violence. For more information on recycling, go to www.collectivegood.com, www.charitablerecycling.com, or www.recyclewirelessphones.com.

Push-to-talk services, head to head

For years, Nextel alone offered cell phones that also worked like a walkie-talkie. Push-to-talk, as it’s known, is a feature widely used by businesses as well as individuals who want an alternative to regular calls for very quick chats.

Last year, Verizon moved in with its push-to-talk service. (Sprint announced push-to-talk service, but too late for us to include here.) Verizon uses the Motorola V60p. Nextel offers nine phones, all from Motorola and all with push-to-talk capability. But you can’t use a Nextel phone with Verizon service, and vice versa. The two aren’t compatible. However, all the push-to-talk services work nationwide.

We tried both services in tests in our laboratories, measuring the time needed to make a connection and the delay in voice transmissions. We also judged voice quality. Only one person can talk at a time on a push-to-talk call, as is the case with regular walkie-talkies.

The bottom line. Nextel wins on performance, mainly because it’s faster. With Nextel, we established a call in about 2 seconds; it took 7 seconds with Verizon. Talking delay while on the call was one-third second with Nextel, about 1 1/2 seconds with Verizon. Voice quality was OK with both, but neither was as good as on a regular wireless conversation. If you’ve never used a Nextel push-to-talk phone, the Verizon delays might not be objectionable. Nextel users might be bothered, though.

Verizon wins on flexibility. Nextel employs a technology that’s incompatible with the others, so Nextel users can’t roam on other networks. The Verizon phone, CDMA-based (see the glossary in our cell-phone plans report), has analog backup and works in two frequency bands, increasing the odds of getting regular service. But the push-to-talk feature works only with Verizon’s newest digital network. (When “1X” appears in the phone display, you know you have the right service.)

There’s no clear winner on price. Verizon’s Motorola V60p phone sells for $200; Nextel’s phones are generally priced from $50 to $250. Both carriers have calling plans that include unlimited push-to-talk calls; where there is a charge for that calling time, the rate is 15 cents per minute.

If push-to-talk is a must-have feature for you, then make Nextel your choice. But casual push-to-talk users should consider Verizon first for its broader coverage. However, take advantage of the carrier’s trial period so that you can switch if your first choice isn’t satisfactory.

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