Roberto Sedycias asked:


Cell phones are increasingly used in the modern world. They are no longer a luxury, but are considered a need. They can send and receive e-mail, get information on news, entertainment, make a call home while traveling and contact the police or the ambulance during an emergency.

The radio, telephone and computer technology fused together to make the cell phone technology. Nevertheless, with the advancing technology, marketing became much tougher, and cell phone operators devised numerous clauses in their contracts to ensure that their competitors do not erode their customer base. Thus the cell phone contract was born.

A cell phone contract is an agreement between the buyer and the wireless cell phone service provider. Usually it is of 1 or 2 years of duration, during which a consumer is legally bound to remain with the wireless service provider. Certain operators give a trial period to their consumers. After the trial period of 14 or 30 days is over, when the contract is entered upon and the phone is bought, the penalty for breaking the contract can range from $150 to $600, depending on where the phone was bought.

Before the contract finishes, if a new phone is to be bought, then some companies give a customer loyalty discount, which in effect extends the contract. This may prove to be expensive when compared to buying a new phone with a good discount. Thus, you may be locked in to a single operator, without your knowing it, if you do not read and understand the terms of the cell phone contract.

If one is not satisfied with the service provided by the cell phone service provider, then one can come out of the contract, without paying a termination fee, if someone else is willing to go through the contract for the remaining period. Finding someone willing to undertake this may be difficult. Numerous websites have come up which help you in finding someone to transfer your contract to, however cell phone service providers do not endorse such websites as they only connect the buyer and the seller, doing nothing with the actual transfer.

Thus once you find a buyer for your cell phone contract, you have to contact your cell phone service provider to complete the transfer. This may take quite some time, as your provider will do a credit check on the buyer and if the creditworthiness is not found sufficient for the contract, the transfer will not take place. In case the transfer does take place, then you have the option of keeping the same number that you originally had. Usually, it has been seen that with transfers, you may have to supply the cell phone also as a free incentive to the buyer. High-end cell phones offered free along with the transfer usually get buyers within a couple of days.

Cell phone service providers generally give a trial period before enforcing the contract term, which may be of 1-year or 2-year duration. Almost all providers give at least 14 to 30 days of trail period. A 1-year cell phone contract has a shorter commitment period, which may prove to be beneficial if the phone needs repairs, or is lost.

In addition, since the period is short, one may avail of new discounts that come up. After the term of 1-year ends, the phone can be kept without any contract and no penalty is charged for quitting. However, in a 1-year contract, the activation fee and/or the phone may not be cheap. Certain discounts and promotional offers cannot be availed of as in a 2-year period.

In a 2-year cell phone contract, the activation fee and/or the phone may not be expensive. Huge discounts on the phone may be availed. Special promotions may be availed. However, since the phone is kept for a longer duration, more money may be spent on repairing, insuring, or replacing. The opportunity to buy a new phone reduces, and thus may not be eligible to switch cell phone service providers. Expensive phones may also opt for phone replacement insurance plans. However, due to the costs of such plans, few subscribe to these plans.

Pre-Paid or No Contract cell phones are not available with all cell phone service providers. They are attractive as they require no commitment, the credit history is unimportant, and there is no penalty for quitting. However, call charges may be more expensive, and no promotional discounts etc., may be availed of.

It is always advisable to read and fully understand the terms of the cell phone provider as stated in the contract form, including the fine print, before signing the cell phone contract.



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Douglas Stewart asked:


Most people admit that they just pay their monthly cell phone bill without looking at it. Many of these individuals say that they do not know what all the different listings are or what they mean. When looking at your cell phone bill you will see the different sections and the charges listed within these areas. The first section on your bill is usually your Monthly Plan, while the second may be the Calling Charges section. The last few sections probably include the Messaging/ Data Charges section, the Taxes Section, and the Insurance section.

The Messaging/Data Charges section is the listing of the preset charges that you have set up as part of your cell phone plan. This includes text messaging and surfing the Internet with your cell phone. The only additional charge in this section is the Text Messaging Surcharge. This fee is incurred if you text message someone abroad as these messages are not included in most service provider’s plans. There will also probably be a $.15 fee for each of these text messages that are sent.

The next section is probably the Taxes, Fees, and Surcharges section. This is the area where most people become confused. First there is usually a FCC Universal Service Charge. This is a fee that your cell phone service provider charges all their customers to meet a mandatory FCC requirement that the companies should help fund telecommunications infrastructures for low-income residents as well as schools, libraries, and health-care services. Technically, the customers are paying for this funding as well as the providers.

The next listing in the Taxes section is the State and Local Charges. Some states and local governments have a sales tax for wireless infrastructure, the E911 service, or discounted telephone services for low-income customers. Some areas may charge for all three. If this amount seems too high to you, you can call your provider but usually there is nothing that the company can do about these fees.

The Regulatory Fees and the Administrative Charges are usually the next two listings in the Taxes section. The Regulatory Fees are the charges that you pay to finance federally mandated programs such as services for the hearing- and speech-impaired customers, wireless phone number portability, and an enhanced 911 system that enables law enforcement officials to track your location in case of an emergency. Administrative Charges are simply the fees passed along to you by your cell phone service provider to cover the administrative costs of their business. On your first bill, this fee may seem to be high due to an activation fee that most providers charge to new customers. You may be able to get this fee waived if you sign a two-year contract with the provider. Otherwise, you are probably going to have to pay it.

The last section of your cell phone bill is probably the Insurance section. There may only be one listing in this area-Handset Insurance. This insurance provides extra protection for you if your cell phone is lost or stolen. This fee may also include road-side service if you are broken down. If you can afford it, this insurance is a nice asset to have.

Understanding your cell phone bill can enable you to choose a plan that better fits your needs as well as allowing you to eliminate any unnecessary costs.



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Alan Haburchak asked:


Wireless communication has dramatically improved daily life, but mobile phone technology also has a dramatic downside: the proliferation of cell phone use by drivers has made the roads considerably more dangerous.

Cell Phones are a Leading Cause of Driver Distraction

A joint study released by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Virginia Tech

Transportation Institute in April 2006 concluded that nearly 80 percent of car crashes and 65 percent of near-crashes occur within three seconds of some kind of driver distraction. Dialing a cell phone ranked among the most dangerous distractions, tripling the risk of being involved in an auto accident. Unlike the danger presented by dialing, the study found that talking on a cell phone was less dangerous than drowsiness or reaching for a falling object. However, the prevalence of cell phone use by drivers makes it one of the most common and therefore most dangerous factors in car and truck crashes. According to the NHTSA, there are over 10 million U.S. drivers talking on cellular phones at any given moment, an alarming figure given the link between cell phones and distracted driving.

Cell Phones Bans on the Rise

In response to the increasing evidence linking cellular phone use and auto accidents, a number of states have started to ban their use on the roads. States with legislation restricting cell phone use while driving include New York, New Jersey, Washington, D.C. and Connecticut. In 2008, California will join the ranks of states banning hand-held phone use by drivers. In addition, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures, 14 states have banned mobile phone use by minors as of November 2006.

Hands-Free Is No Safety Guarantee

Many drivers have switched to hands-free mobile phone devices in an effort to cut down on their risk of being involved in car accidents. However, recent evidence suggests that even a hands-free cell phone presents a danger on the road. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety study conducted in Perth, Australia in 2005, switching from hand-held cell phones to hands-free devices does not reduce the risk of car crashes. A recent study conducted by the University of Utah and published in the summer 2006 issue of Human Factors also concludes that hands-free cellular phones carry the same risk as hand-held phones. Evidence on hands-free phones continues to indicate that talking on the phone is a dangerous distraction, reducing driver alertness and reaction time, regardless of the type of cell phone being used.

In the event that you are involved in a car or truck accident in which a cellular phone has played a part, contact a knowledgeable personal injury attorney right away. Your auto accident lawyer can help you file a suit, if appropriate, and possibly recover damages to which you may be entitled.



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carla4860 asked:


I am starting an in-home caregiving business and some people have medical insurance that covers this type of service.
Does anybody know how to bill this type of insurance so that I could offer people with insurance my services?

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Aaron Siegel asked:


Many people become very frustrated when it comes to replacing their cell phone with all the models on offer; they now boast an ever increasing range of functions but just where does it end? So you won’t get caught in a ‘decision trap’, become educated before you make your next phone purchase; some interesting buying facts are supplied in this article.

Sometimes we delay charging as we are too busy and this often means the phone fails but leaving recharging like this isn’t a good idea. There is nothing worse than finding out your cell phone battery is no longer holding a charge for very long as you seem to be recharging it constantly and you will probably need a new one.

Whilst there are a number of methods that can help extend the life of your cell phone battery, one really easy way is to lower the brightness of the screen back light. It doesn’t normally have to be at full intensity for you to see what’s on the screen. Actually talking on the phone uses the most power when it is being operated as it is being used as a transmitter so reduce the length of calls and turn it off if you find yourself in an area with poor reception as the cell phone battery will drain itself trying to find a signal. When ever you use your cell phone; talking, playing games, listening to music, taking picture with the flash or surfing the Internet, it will drain the battery faster so limit these activities otherwise you may not be able to make that urgent call you need.

You will often find that wallpapers, ring tones and images that are downloaded automatically will have a charge even though this is not mentioned at the start so be aware. Children are usually the most likely candidates to get caught out like this so if you are buying a phone for your child try to buy a model where you can disable this function with a password.

Cell phone plans are generally available where you pay only when it is used or through a contract that supplies a pre-agreed amount of minutes per month. It really does depend on the type of user you are as infrequent users benefit from the ‘pay per use’ plans. Weigh the prices of both types of agreements before signing on the dotted line because if you plan to use your phone regularly, then a long-term contract might be worth it. Many features are specific to certain plans so you will need to think about how you intend to use the phone to have the best features you require as part of your contract.

It is always a good idea once you are happy that your plan supplies everything you need so check the small print in case there are any further costs not immediately apparent that will be payable once you have signed on the dotted line. It is now common for people with long term contracts to have an insurance warranty included which will replace their phone if it is damaged, lost or stolen. This is more common than people think and the last thing you want is to be stuck with the bill for replacement.

When buying cell phones online, be sure the phone is up-to-date and carries all the features you want. You can then visit a local store to purchase minutes or to sign up for a contract but just be sure you buy from a company you trust.



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