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Once you know what cellular carrier you want to get service from, you will need to select your cellphone. Most carriers have a large array of choices these days, and the sheer number of choices can be overwhelming. So let’s take a look at some important factors to consider when choosing a cellphone.

First you should consider what your specific needs are. If you just want a cellphone for emergencies, and just for making or receiving phonecalls, then a very simple cheap cellphone will suit your needs just fine. If you want to use your phone to take pictures and send them to your friends, you will need a cameraphone. If you want to listen to MP3 ringtones, you’ll need a phone that is compatible with that feature. And if you want to play cellphone games, you should get a phone with a big screen and a fast processor.

An additional consideration is the choice between a regular “brick” cellphone and a flipphone. A regular phone is usually in a rectangular solid shape, with the keys always exposed. These phones are cheaper, but they have some disadvantages. The screens are always exposed so they tend to get scratched fairly easily. Also, the keys are exposed so they can get pressed accidentally when you put the phone in your pocket. These phones usually have some sort of keypad locking mechanism to avoid this problem, but many people do not use this on a regular basis. If you have ever accidentally gotten a late night call from someone’s cellphone, and no one was on the calling end, this may well be what happened.

Flip phones avoid these problems by closing like a clamshell when you are done talking. These phones tend to be more expensive but they do a much better job of protecting your keypad and screen from damage. They also look more stylish, an important consideration to many people.

You should also consider the shape, weight, and styling of your cellphone for practical reasons. If your phone is too big, it may not fit in some of your pockets. If it is too heavy, you may not like the feel of it in your pocket. And does the style (and color) match your personality or conflict with it? You are going to own this device for a year or longer so it is best to get one you feel comfortable with on many levels.

You will also need to consider the manufacturer when purchasing a cellphone. Different carriers tend to have phones from different manufacturers: Verizon tends to have lots of LG phones, AT&T has lots of Nokia and Motorola phones, and Sprint has lots of Samsung and Sanyo phones. Nokia phones tend to be the cheapest but they are usually the most limited in terms of memory for address book entries, cameraphone picture galleries, and cellphone games. My personal favorites are LG phones on Verizon and Sanyo phones on Sprint, but many people love the wide variety of phones made by Motorola, especially the amazingly popular Motorola RAZR V3.

There is no one phone that is best for everyone. The best way to choose the phone that is right for you is to check out the features offered by the phone, look online for cellphone reviews (many of which are available on this site), and ask your friends about their cellphones if you like them. Once you find a good model, then see if you can get it online – usually this is much cheaper than getting it at the carrier store.

Check out or new cellphone store and used cellphone store for great deals on cellphones and plans.