One of the benefits of purchasing a used cell phone is that you have more control over the network you choose. When buying a new cell phone, you must go with the network offering the phone you want, and you can only choose between the phones currently being offered by the dealer. On the other hand, when you purchase an unlocked cell phone, you can choose whichever carrier offers you the better deal.

When buying a used phone, you will still need to find one that will work with the network you’d like to use. Used phones are usually tied to one or two choices for carriers. However, you’re not held to the small number of models currently being offered by the carrier; you can choose any phone you like, so long as it is compatible with the cell provider. For example, any used AT&T cell phone should be able to be activated on the network, even if it is not being sold in stores. Because choosing a cell phone model is to a large degree driven by taste, you’ll be able to choose from a wider variety of phone models if you opt for an unlocked or used cell phone over a new phone straight from the carrier.

Because purchasing a used or unlocked cell phone gives you more freedom to choose the plan that exactly suits your needs, you should spend some time determining which network you would like to choose, since you are not purchasing a new phone tied to a specific network. These should be considered before making your purchase of a used cell phone, so that you can be sure the phone you buy will work on the chosen network. If you’re opting for an unlocked cell phone, this can be purchased before or after you choose a network, since the phone will work on a range of networks.

When purchasing a phone, consider the network type you need. There are several different kinds, including GSM, CDMA, and TDMA. If you plan to use the phone mainly in US cities, you can choose any network, as they should all work about the same. In rural areas, CDMA or TDMA phones usually work the best. These providers include Verizon Wireless and Sprint-Nextel. For using a cell phone while traveling abroad, GSM phones are usually used. You may want to consider an unlocked GSM phone so that you can switch the SIM card with a country-specific prepaid SIM card to avoid roaming charges. GSM networks include Cingular and T-Mobile. Currently, more unlocked cell phones are available for GSM networks than for CDMA networks.

Once you’ve determined what kind of network you need, you’ll need to determine a rate plan. These, of course, vary depending upon the carrier you choose. Choosing a rate plan for your unlocked or used cell phone is not any different than choosing one if you’re buying a new phone, except that you can more easily compare offers between networks.