Tips for selecting a Mobile-Phone for Students

Mobile phone was introduced to Sri Lanka in early 1990’s and now it has penetrated almost all layers of the society. Mobile-phone manufacturers introduce novel mobile phone models with fantastic features. Before buying a phone please remember that you should not addict to this new found technology, use it wisely, else it may affect your studies.

As a student how can you choose a good model at an affordable price? Here are some tips to consider before you selecting a mobile phone.

What’s the price you are ready to pay?

Mobile phone prices vary from Rs 5000/- to over Rs100,000/-. Some leading brands are Nokia, Sony Ericson, Motorola and LG. The prices of these branded phones are somewhat high compared to phones manufactured in China. You can go for used branded phones at relatively low cost.
Low cost Chinese phones are also becoming popular. These phones cost lower than branded phones and they also offer wide range of features.

A survey conducted by this studentlanka.com web site shows that most students use phones less than Rs 5,000/-. You can also cast your vote on this poll which appear at the end of this post.

Buying a mobile phone would not be a good investment if the value is depreciating regularly. Branded phones have a second hand market. Chinese phones have very low or no second hand market at all. Therefore it’s better to go for a moderate cost phone. But if you can afford a luxury phone, you can experience latest features such as 3G, WiFi, e-mail and data handling. However there’s a risk in going for a luxury phone as there are chances of losing the phone. To overcome this problem smart insurance companies have introduced Mobile insurance Schemes, although not much popular in Sri Lanka.

What features are you looking for?

Although mobile phones are loaded with bundle of features in reality we may use few of them. Basic features for a mobile phone would be colour display, text messaging, a basic camera and polyphonic/MP3 ringing tones other than calling ability. SMS has become so popular among people. They are used in communicating small messages as well as television/radio contests. A basic camera would help you to capture some day-to-day moments. Modern phones are coming with 3G ability which facilitates video calls and fast internet browsing ability.

Many mobile phones have FM radio facility. Television ability is also present in some Chinese phones.

The latest trend is Smart phones. These are phones with advanced capabilities that can function like a PC. They have features like e-mail, internet, e-book reading ability etc,. Blackberry is a popular Smartphone and Apple i-Phone is also popular. In Sri Lanka these phones are used by high professionals and businessmen.

Durability of the phone

Durability is an important factor in selecting a mobile phone. As a student you may be having a busy and restless lifestyle, where you may have to opt for a hardworking phone. Nokia mobile phones are said to be very durable and they are popular for excellent talking ability (audio quality). They can withstand shocks and adverse conditions. Sony Ericson phones usually consist of good camera known as Cybershot. Their music feature is also good compared to other mobile phones in the market. Motorola is also a durable phone brand. It’s a good idea if you can go for these durable brands even if they are second hand. Although Chinese phones are loaded with fantastic features they are said to be less durable. If by chance you drop the phone there will be serious problems such as losing of display etc,.

What is the suitable Network for you?

Read our post on Best Mobile-phone service in Sri Lanka.

Please share your views and experience on mobile phones here. What type do you use? Which connection? Chinese vs other brands. Any problems with a particular model etc.

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