Cell Phones: Did You Know...?

There are a few helpful hints with cell phones that many people do not know... So I thought I might write this just incase anyone out there that is shopping around for one, or that has one already and is having problems with it happens to browse around and see this page.

Did you know...?

That turning off your phone, leaving it off for atleast 1 minute (or powercycling) can strongly reduce the chance of data in the network getting corrupted and causing problems with your phone. If you do start to have problems, giving your phone a powercycle with the battery out can solve several issues. In other words, doing this daily keeps your phone healthy and reduces the liklihood of you spending some day in the future sitting on hold for technical support.

Did you know...?

That if you are wanting a phone that is BlueTooth capable, meaning you can connect it with a wireless earpiece and keep your phone in your pocket (very useful for anyone who does alot of driving during the day), you may want to make sure it is working before you leave the store with your phone. Certain cell phone manufacturers haven't completely mastered this technology yet, so definently test that out before leaving the store.

Did you know...?

That new software versions come out for your phone quite often, and outdated software can cause many odd problems. It can cause the phone to turn itself off during certain tasks... It can make the fonts and background on your phone change... It can cause problems loading web pages from your phone... It can cause you to not be able to do downloads and use BlueTooth technology even if your phone is capable.

Now... if you are experiencing problems like this, it may be a good idea to go ahead and try a software update before spending your day on hold with technical support. On most phones, you can go into your main menu (the OK button), highlight Settings and press OK, highlight either "Others" or "Phone Info" and you will see an option that says "Update phone SW" or "Update phone." Upon selecting this, it will display "checking for updates..." and if there are any available for your phone just continue and it only takes about two or three minutes to complete. If you do not see the option in the afore mentioned locations, you can go into your main menu (again, the OK button), highlight Tools and press OK, and you should see the "Update phone" option there.

If you do not see it here, or anywhere else mentioned, your phone is probably not capable of over the air software updates, but you can then call technical support or go into a wireless repair center that supports your carrier for a software flash. If you're not sure where one may be, you can go to your carrier's website and there is usually a store locator somewhere on their page. Enter your address and be sure to select repair, it is normally defaulted to sales. If your phone is capable, software updates are good to check for about once a month.

Did you know...?

If you do alot of talking during the day, you're going to need a phone with a strong battery life. The average phone has a 4 - 5 hour in talk time battery life, meaning that you could talk for said hours straight before the battery dies, but it will last much longer if not in use. Using things like the web can drain the battery much faster. Check with the sales rep to see how long the battery life is on the phone.

Did you know...?

If you do need to call in to technical support, it's best to call in from another line so that the rep can walk you through the troubleshooting on the phone.

Did you know...?

If you live in a very humid area, it can make your phone appear to have water damage. Most carriers will offer you some sort of 30 or so day guarantee on the phone, and take it back if there are any problems within that amount of time. But if it appears that there has been water damage on the phone, they may not be able to take it back. You always want to get the insurance plan for your phone if you live in an area like this, and even if you don't you may want to ask the details on the plans; they can be very good ideas.

Did you know...?

That if you're shopping around and one carrier says you'll require a deposit to start service, there's no need to check with other carriers; they will require the exact same deposit, because all carriers use the same system and are required by the same credit bureau to charge you that deposit amount based on what the credit check determines your credit class to be.

I do hope this information was helpful to someone out there!
Have fun and shop smart!