FAQ's

We have isolated three basic patterns of cellular telephone use. It may be useful to work out which of these groups you will fit into. The talker? uses a cellular telephone to make almost all calls. This person should check into a bulk plan with loads of inclusive minutes. The socialite? needs a lot of minutes, but doesn't mind some restrictions. These plans tend to deliver the best value. The emergency caller? doesn't want to pay a substantial fee for a phone that will barely be used. In this case, a prepaid option is the best bet.

All costs are comprehensively listed when buying a phone so, technically, there are no hidden costs at all. The danger lies in not thinking through how much you are going to use your phone and when you are going to use it. Plans include monthly blocks of free minutes ranging anywhere from about 100 to over 1 000. You need to watch out for the distinction between anytime minutes and off-peak minutes. It can be easy to use up your anytime minutes and wind up with additional charges for daytime talking when you still have hundreds of off-peak minutes. Think about when you'll be making most of your calls and choose a plan that has most of its minutes during these times. Get a plan that's tailored around you, rather than changing your calling habits to the plan.

No matter what Package you choose, you shouldn't expect the same quality on your cellular telephone that you get on your home phone. Calls can get blocked or dropped and you might not be able to get reception everywhere you want. If you plan to talk while commuting, your signal will fade when you go through a tunnel or underground parking garage. Nevertheless, Coverage is growing as service providers continue to increase their Network Coverage and technology improves. All three existing Networks offer relatively similar Coverage. It may be a good idea, though, to ask neighbours or colleagues whether they have had any problems with reception near your home or workplace.

There are no real pitfalls to taking up a special offer, but you may find yourself choosing a Package that doesn't quite suit your needs. You could be offered a great free phone, for example, but end up with a more expensive plan than you originally wanted. If you aren't sure what you want, it's a good idea to start out with a cheaper plan and wait to see if you need more minutes. Any provider will allow you to bump up your minutes, but once you've entered into a Contract at a certain price, it can be difficult to shift to a less expensive plan

GPRS enables you to access services and information at a much higher speed than by using a standard Data connection. It marks a fundamental change in the way Data is handled by mobile phones. In effect, your phone is always connected to the Network and sends information in small packets as and when required. This makes GPRS ideal for intermittent requirements such as Internet browsing, WAP sessions and email. Although the number of people using the service at any one time will affect the speed of the service, a constant connection of 28.8kb/s can be realistically expected

GPRS stands for General Packet Radio Service. It is a system that allows for the transfer of information over GSM cellular Networks in small packets. For example, an E-mail would be broken down into many small packets of information and sent over the Network. Each packet is given an extra bit of information that tells the Network where it is meant to be going and how it fits into the overall structure of the original email. This means that the packets can be routed via different parts of the Network, taking advantage of spare capacity, and re-assembled at the destination in the right order. This is exactly the same method used for moving information around the internet.

You can access web-based interactive information, services and applications, like emails, corporate Data, news and information on sports, entertainment and travel, and even access banking services.

WAP stands for Wireless Application Protocol. It is a technology that brings internet content and services to cellular telephones and other wireless devices.

Cellular telephones with a Predictive text input feature enable you to type in messages with greater speed and convenience by helping you to pick out the most likely word to be used. This text input is based on a built-in dictionary to which you can add new words. On most phones, Predictive text is only available in English

While the possibilities are nearly endless for the applications of this technology, some of the current capabilities include eliminating the need for wired connections between electronic products (like cellular telephones) and other devices (such as handsfree kits or laptops). Soon, you will also be able to use Bluetooth to exchange files, business cards and pictures, transfer and synchronise files between devices, and connect to localised content in public areas. In the near future, you could even find yourself using Bluetooth technology to replace remote controls, keys, tickets or your wallet.

Bluetooth is a low-cost, miniaturised radio communication technology that provides communication between devices and allows for connectivity to the internet.