Ways to Choose a Phone

Today’s cell phones have more features and capabilities than ever before, including music playing, picture messaging, streaming video and more. With so many wireless phones to choose from, how do you know which is right for you? It all depends on what you're looking for.

People want different things in a cell phone. Some just want a basic phone available for emergencies. Others want everything that the latest technology has to offer. Still others want a phone that expresses their style. The more you know what you’re looking for, the easier it is to find the right phone for you.

There are several ways to look at a cell phone

Practical matters—How big is it? How much does it weigh? How long does the battery last?

Personalization—Want your favorite ringtones? Or your own pictures as wallpaper?

Entertainment—Does it play music? Videos? Games? Can I capture and share pictures?

Communication—Like to text? Ever use email? There's more than one way to talk.

Productivity—Want to use your phone for work? Today's PDAs and Smartphones are more than up to the task.

International—Do a lot of traveling? A lot of our cell phones can roam the world.

Price—Is money an object? Free Phones, Refurbished phones, GoPhone—there are several ways to get the phone you want for the price you want.

Other considerations—Ever heard of 3G? How about Bluetooth®? Wi-Fi? These are more than strange terms, they're the future of wireless.

Practical matters

Whether you're looking for a basic phone or a do-it-all device, there are several common factors among cell phones worth comparing. Size, weight, battery life, screen resolution—we call these specifications, or "specs" for short. Click here to see the phones we carry and their "specs".

Personalization

Most phones are customizable, so you can change your ringtone, wallpaper and more. Once you have a phone you can visit AT&T's App Center with thousands and thousands of Apps, Games, Ringtones and Graphics to choose from.

Ringtones - Why have a regular ring, when you can hear your favorite song when people call?

AnswerTones - Have your friends hear your favorite song or funny phrase when they call you.

Graphics - Download your favorite pictures to your phone. Choose from music artists, celebrities, sports heroes, and so much more. Some phones let you save them as your wallpaper.

Entertainment

Today's cell phones have so many cool, entertaining features, it's hard to call them phones.

Music - Whether you like to stream your music, download the hottest tunes, or make your phone ring your favorite song, AT&T Mobile Music has multiple ways to enjoy your music.

Video - Watch your favorite video clips right from your phone. Catch up on breaking news, local weather, sports highlights, late night comedy routines and more.

Photos -  Several of our cell phones have built-in cameras for taking pictures and shooting video clips. 

Games - Whether you want puzzles, action, sports, or casinos, most phones can download your favorite diversion.

MEdiaNet - Connect to the internet to get up-to-date news highlights, stock reports, horoscopes, scores and more.

Communication

Explore the many ways to connect with friends, family and business associates.

Messaging —You can send text messages, picture and video messages, Instant messages.

Mobile Email —Send and receive email with AOL, MSN Hotmail or AT&T Yahoo! Mail and more.

Productivity

Email and organization tools help you stay productive, whether you're a traveling professional, a busy student, or a homemaker with an extra long to-do list. Here are a few terms to keep in mind when looking for a productivity device.

PDAs—Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs) are all-in-one business devices that help you stay organized and connected to the office.

Smartphones—Similar to PDAs, smartphones have email and organization tools without the full QWERTY keyboard.

QWERTY keyboard—Ever looked at a PC's keyboard? QWERTY, the first 6 letters on the top row, is the term that indicates each letter has its own button.

Email—Enterprise-level email that works with your company's servers so you can stay connected to the office without being in the office.

Calendar—Keep a handle on your schedule and to-do lists with calendars, task lists, memos and more.

Applications—Several PDAs can run software applications like Windows Mobile 5 and others.

Conference Calling—Hold meetings on the go. Several of our cell phones also have speakerphones.

International Calling

One of the best reasons for going with AT&T is its GSM network, the global standard. That means you can take your phone with you when you travel abroad. Keep in mind, however, there are several different frequencies and each one works in different areas.

850 and 1900 MHz—These frequencies are commonly used in North America

900 and 1800 MHz—These GSM frequencies are commonly used in Europe, Asia, Australia and Brazil

Tri-band phones—These phones have three out of the four frequencies for international roaming

Quad-band phones—These phones have the four most common frequency ranges, though there are other lesser used frequencies.

To be sure your phone works in the country you're traveling in, view AT&T's Travel Guide.

Price

Don't let the price tag fool you. There are several ways to get a great phone for a great price.

Free phones—When you sign up for a two-year agreement, you can take advantage of great savings on phones.

Mail-in Rebates - Most phones are eligible for mail-in rebates that saves you even more $$ when you sign up a two-year agreement. Our staff at Active will complete the mail-in rebate form for you before you leave the store so all you have to do is drop it in the mail. Then we will follow-up with you in 8 -10 weeks to check and make sure you got your rebate.

Other Considerations

As if the list wasn't long enough, some of our cell phones have additional features that make them really cool.

3G—The latest network technology, get blazing speeds and richer quality media and entertainment including video. Look for the 3G logo.

Bluetooth—Wirelessly connect to other devices such as headsets, PCs and cars.

Wi-fi—Another wireless technology that can increase the speed of your device when you don't have 3G. Common places for Wi-fi are coffee shops, airports and hotels.

Types of phones

Want to skip the lists? Here's another way to look at our cell phones.

Smartphones

Need Internet, email, phone, text messaging (SMS), multi-media messaging (MMS), and an organizer in one, compact device? Get yourself a Smartphone and don't look back!

Camera and video phones

Moments worth capturing happen every day. Luckily, you always have your cell phone with you. If Grandma lives in another state, why not get a camera or video phone to send her quick photos or videos of the grandkids?

Rugged phones

Toughest Phones Available - Built to military specifications (Mil-STD-810F) to withstand dust, shock, vibration, rain, humidity, altitude and temperature extremes

Hands-free calling

Never have a spare hand? Consider a phone with speakerphone or Bluetooth® (wireless connection between devices), or invest in a headset, so you can talk and do other things at once.