Shopping Tips for Camera/Video Phones

Shopping for a camera phone can be difficult. But, it can be a little easier if you know what to consider when selecting a camera phone.

Here's our tips, and a few suggestions to keep in mind when shopping camera phones:

• Choose your cellular phone service first - why choose the latest gadgets for your cell phone, only to find out the carrier you've chosen has lousy service in your area?

  To find out more information about each wireless carriers' network (and how reliable that network's service is) click on; Cingular, Nextel, Sprint, T-Mobile or Verizon.

• Find out if you can send or receive pictures when roaming - Roaming is pricey, and the amount of time it takes your photo to "arrive" at its destination can add to your cost.

  Before purchasing a plan, find out about any additional roaming fees.

• Know the cost of sharing your photos - All wireless carriers charge a fee for sharing your photo images by Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS), or emailing them to an internet address.

  The average cost of sending a picture through a messaging service is 25 cents.

  Planning to take lots of pictures? - you may want to look into a flat rate fee, offered by any of the major carriers. Flat rates charge you a set amount for unlimited picture sharing.