If you're the kind of person that is scared of commitment and is looking for a way to avoid having to sign a one or two year contract with a mobile carrier, let me introduce you to the the refurbished cell phones market.  Purchasing a refurbished or used cell phone allows you to come to the provider's store with your own phone which gives you the "power" to bypass any contract signing and get straight to activating your phone on their network.

However, before having your triumphant day in the cell phone store, you need to do some research to make sure you end up with the right phone.  If you know what provider you're planning to use, one key thing that you'll need to know before beginning to shop for a used phone is what kind of technology your service provider of choice uses.

Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) technology has been dominant technology in the cell phone market in North American and most of Asia for many years.  The alternative technology, Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM)is used by about 80-85% of the global cell phone market - with large market shares in North America, Europe, and everywhere else.

When you purchase a phone that is unlocked to work on GSM networks, activating it on a carrier's network is incredibly simple.  All that you need to do is insert a SIM card that is for the network in to the back of the phone.  If you already have a phone that operates on that provider's network, then you can simply take the SIM card out of your old phone and put it in to your new (used) cell phone.  If you do not have a SIM card, a quick trip to the carrier's local store will get you set up.

CDMA phones are not as easy to activate and will most certainly require either a trip to the local carrier store or a phone call to customer service.  However, that is not to say that it is a complicated process, in fact it is quite simple and will be worth your time.

Deciding between purchasing refurbished cell phones for either a CDMA or GSM network is completely up to your personal preferences.  Of course, if you already get service from a provider and like it, there is really no reason to switch technologies.

However, if you're looking for a new provider, my advice is to consider what you need to use the phone for (texting, internet, email, apps, etc) and find the carrier with the best plan that fits your budget.  In the end, there will not be any huge gaps in call quality or network performance between the various technologies, however it can be beneficial to look at coverage areas, especially if you live in a rural area or do a lot of traveling.

Finally, be sure to check the additional fees that the carrier may charge you.  All providers vary in what features are "free" and what features cost additional money, so make sure you understand what you're getting yourself in to before activating the phone.  However, remember that you have an unlocked phone and you won't be required to sign a contract, so if you find that you don't like the service from a certain provider, you can take your phone and activate it with another provider next month.

It is also worth noting that not all third party used cell phone vendors are created equally.  Look around for a reputable retailer, one that has numerous positive reviews for example, and always look for warranties when you buy used cell phones.