By Aleksandro Imles

The mobile phone market is a veritable minefield, with customers bombarded with features, tariffs and extras. How do you cut through it all to find the right phone for you?

What Do I Want From a Mobile Phone? The modern mobile phone is a camera, a picture messenger, fashion accessory, status symbol, music and video player, Internet surfer and games platform. One the main reasons why choosing a mobile phone is such a nightmare is because it is not a device for just communicating anymore. The key to deciding which mobile phone is for you is to ask yourself what you want from it.

Do you want look super sophisticated - or like you have more money than sense - with a super flash miniature entertainment centre with all the latest features or do you just want a basic model that does the job of telephoning and texting without any fuss?

There are three broad types of user, and phones are available that cater to each:

Basic - those users who just want a phone to make and receive calls and whose feature needs only extend to basics like text messaging, voicemail and an alarm clock.

Cutting Edge - users who want to take advantage of the most recent technological features, such as camera, colour screen, Internet access, and who want their phone to see stylish.

Business - users who need their phone to behave like a miniature laptop or electronic filofax, such as by including computer connections and Internet access.

Choosing a Network Whether it's Vodafone, O2, Orange or T-Mobile, a network is a key component in your experience as a mobile phone user - it is responsible for quality of signal coverage and customer service you receive for example - and so choosing the best and most appropriate is crucial. When choosing a network it is worth considering their coverage in your area and what networks your contacts are on, because same network users are entitled to cheaper calls.

It is worth considering several factors: Battery life - the battery power should be able to keep the phone running for between 40 and 100 hours between charges. Call screening - this facility enables users to know who's calling before they decide to answer. Camera - the ability to take photographs is a hugely popular feature of modern phones. Colour screen - a colour screen is unnecessary unless you plan to view pictures or video or just want a bit more clarity in your display. Hands-free - useful equipment if you need to use your mobile while driving or another activity that requires two hands. Internet access - are you planning on using your mobile to access the Internet?

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