MakeUseOf Directory » Carrier Related

BidMyBill: Find Your Perfect Phone Contract

Hammad — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 19:01:27 +0000

Here is a good little website that will save you a good chunk of money that you would probably otherwise end up wasting on your phone contract. With BidMyBill you can find the perfect little phone contract, and a handset for yourself saving you money and time.

BidMyBill analyzes your previous tariff and bill, and takes out the needed requirements and displays them online. Companies outbid one other to give you the perfect tariff plan and handset according to your requirements set by BidMyBill.

The process is very simple. You just need to make an account and upload your bill after which BidMyBill automatically analyzes the bill and takes out the required details and opens up a public bid for it. The companies who take an interest, or meet your requirements, make a bid for your tariff plan, giving you in the end, a custom tariff plan catered to your requirements.

Features:

Saves time and money.
Allows you to find better tariff plans, with better handsets (in some cases).
No need to spend hours and days searching for the perfect tariff plan.
Secure system keeps your private details, and tariff details secure.
For UK residents only.

Check out BidMyBill @ www.bidmybill.com (By Hammad from TechnicallyDigital)

RootMetrics Cellphone Coverage Map: Check The Actual Coverage Of Carriers

abhijeet — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 19:01:22 +0000

Cellphone operators around the world are notorious for providing grossly inaccurate facts to consumers when it comes to network coverage. An app like RootMetrics Cellphone Coverage Map is what consumers need to verify the network coverage by an operator in a particular area. It rates the signal strength of various carriers and shows it on a map. The data is obtained primarily from users running the app. It tracks signal strength, network issues, dropped calls, etc and the data is added to its database for that wireless operator.

The RootMetrics tool is available for Android and iPhone, and it seems that it currently works only in US cities and for the US cellphone carriers. Not sure about that though. You’ll need to try it out to see if it works in your location.

Features

Find out the actual carrier network coverage of cellphone carriers.
Results are shown on a map.
Tracks carrier performance on the phones on which it is installed.
Similar tools: OpenSignalMaps, DeadCellZones, CoverageMap, SignalMap and GotReception.

Check out RootMetrics Cellphone Coverage Map @ itunes.apple.com/us/app/cell-phone-coverage-map/id399701910?mt=8# (iPhone) and market.android.com/details?id=com.rootmetrics (Android) (by Abhijeet from GT Mobiles)

OpenSignalMaps: Interactive cell phone carrier coverage map online

MOin — Thu, 17 Feb 2011 21:01:20 +0000

If you are trying to decide which mobile phone carrier to go with, you will want to find out how well each carrier has covered your area. In order to do this you need to find out where the carrier towers are and see their coverage on a heatmap. This is precisely what interactive cell phone carrier coverage map OpenSignalMaps does.

Open Signal Maps is a free to use website that gathers carrier data from around the world. You can enter your zip code to view the carrier towers located in your area, which are displayed on a Google Map. You can filter individual carriers as well as the type of service they offer: 2G, 3G, or 4G. Alternatively you can view a heatmap of the coverage of each carrier in your area. Each view that is generated can be shared with your friends through its permalink.

Data is constantly being gathered to get a more accurate view of each tower and each carrier’s coverage. Meanwhile you can use the current views as helpful guides.

Features:

A user friendly website.
Lets you find locations of cell-phone carrier towers in your area.
You can jump to your location by entering your zip code.
Lets you view heatmaps of the areas each cell-phone carrier covers.
Lets you filter views according to carrier and the type of service offered.
Similar tools: DeadCellZones, CoverageMap, SignalMap and GotReception.

Check out Open Signal Maps @ www.opensignalmaps.com (by MOin from ThumbPress)

Google Phone Gallery: Android Phone Comparison Tool From Google

Israel Nicolas — Sun, 03 Oct 2010 19:01:43 +0000

If you have your heart set on an Android smartphone but do not really know what phone to buy, then you are mostly stuck. Do you want an Android phone with a large screen? How about 4G reception? With so many options, Google Phone Gallery is a comparison tool for Google-approved phones that should help you decide the perfect handset for you.

You can browse through different phones by selecting a manufacturer or a carrier. Each feature page gives you the detailed specs and some images. You can also select up to three phones for a side-by-side comparison. All the phones’ details are laid out so you can see how they stack up against each other. A link to the online store for each phone is also available.

Google Phone Gallery is just one of the many attempts from Google to generate more awareness for the Android platform and further increase their market share in an ever-changing mobile landscape.

Features:

Android phone comparison toool form Google

Comparison tool for Google-approved phones.
Browse by carrier, manufacturer, and country.
Add phones to the side-by-side comparison tool.
Links to the phone’s online store.
Similar Tools: PhoneFinder and Amazon Wireless.

Check out Google Phone Gallery @ www.google.com/phone

Pay As You Go Sim With Data Wiki: Find the best pay as you go mobile plans for many countries

abhijeet — Sun, 22 Aug 2010 19:01:10 +0000

One of the best ways to ensure that you can make use of your cellphone when you travel abroad is to get a country-specific pre-paid SIM card. Of course, it’ll be a new number but you could use it temporarily for your period of stay, and not worry about international roaming charges.

Pay As You Go Sim With Data Wiki is a user contributed and edited wiki site that has a list of best pay as you go mobile plan for a number of countries. The site focuses on plans with decent data rates and which are available for smartphone users (like iPhone and Android).

As with any other public wiki, you shouldn’t be surprised if you come across inaccuracies in the mobile plan information. But it sure gives you a starting point and you get to know about the prepaid service providers you need to look for when you visit that country.

Features

Find prepaid mobile plans for various countries.
User contributed and edited.
Plans for a lot of countries listed.
Focuses on plans with affordable data rates, and for smartphone users.

Check out Pay As You Go Sim With Data Wik @ paygsimwithdata.wikia.com/wiki/Pay_as_you_go_sim_with_data_Wiki (By Abhijeet from Guiding Tech)

AppBrain: Android Apps Repository With No Spam

jpot — Sat, 03 Apr 2010 17:01:51 +0000

Google’s open source platform is certainly thriving, with 40,000 apps and counting. Trouble is, unlike Apple’s application store, the Android app marketplace is virtually unregulated. Because of this, some believe that 1/4 of Android apps to be little more than spam.

AppBrain aims to be the Android apps repository without the spam. All applications are reviewed to ensure quality, meaning you won’t have to wade through spam to find the good bits you’re looking for. AppBrain doesn’t store any applications on its own server; rather, it serves as an alternative interface to Google’s marketplace which you can use from your desktop computer.

Here’s how it works: you sign up for an AppBrain account, then install the AppBrain Market Sync application onto your Android phone. Now you can browse for Android apps on your phone, and click to install them. The Market Sync app on your phone will use the default Google Marketplace application to install your software, stopping to ask you to pay if necessary.

The service is free, and currently only works with applications that work in the United States (support for other countries is reportedly coming).

Features

Alternative Android app store with spam apps removed.
Easily install Android software for your phone from your desktop computer.
Discover new apps.
Uses official Android Marketplace to install software.

Check out AppBrain @ appbrain.com (via androidandme.com)

Phone Number to Word: Convert Telephone Number into Words

jpot — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 03:00:48 +0000

Phone numbers that spell things aren’t just for corporations with fancy 1-800 numbers; odds are even your phone number spells something. If you’re wondering what words might be hidden in your number check out Phone Number to Word. This web service lets you convert telephone number into words and see a list of all possible letter combinations that number allows for.

The amount of information this site gives is overwhelming, but if you’re wondering whether a certain word is in there you can always “Ctl” and “f” your way through it. Alternatively, you can scroll until a word pops out at you.

An unfortunate thing about this service: it only deals with 7-number phone numbers. In this age of cell phones this strikes me as less useful than perhaps it would have seemed in the era of land-lines and long distance.

Find words hidden in your phone number.
Shows all possible letter combination in any 7-digit phone number.
Overwhelming amount of information.
Similar tool: PhoneSpell

Check out Phone Number to Word @ www.labrocca.com/phone

CoverageMap: Carrier Coverage Comparison Map

Karl Gechlik — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 21:25:01 +0000

There are many situations where you would need to check out coverage in other areas for mobile phone and data. You may be moving or traveling somewhere new or you might be thinking about jumping ship with your current carrier and moving on up to your golden carrier in your area. Different areas have different top tier providers in my neck of the woods it is Verizon in the top tier and then ATT, then sprint and TMobile but out in your neck of the woods it may be different.

To check coverage at your location you can use free carrier coverage comparison map @ http://reviews.cnet.com/coveragemap/. It is brought to you by C-Net and has data from Root Wireless.

Features:

Check mobile phone coverage in specific areas.
Check specific carriers coverage.
Check data coverage and speeds.
Compare the different carriers.
Help you make an educated decision regarding what carrier to choose.
From a reputable company.
Similar sites: DeadCellZones, SignalMap and GotReception.

Browsing the map for different carriers is fun and can be addicting (if you are a geek that is!) Check it out. And use the tool to your advantage!

Check out CoverageMap @ www.reviews.cnet.com/coveragemap

DeadCellZones: Find A Carrier With The Best Cellphone Coverage in Area

Kaly — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 13:24:32 +0000

DeadCellZones is a consumer generated map of locations with cellphone coverage problems across US. It maps over 100,000 cell phone complaints submitted by customers of major cellphone carriers such as AT&T, Sprint, Nextel, T-Mobile, Verizon Wireless… etc. The site comes in handy if you want to find out which cellphone carrier provides the best cellphone coverage in your area.

You can search or zoom into a particular address to see how many complaints were submitted there. All complaints are pinned as colored markers, clicking any marker shows date and details. Complaints can be also be sorted by cell phone carrier.

Additionally, you can contribute by submitting cellphone reception problems you experience at any location.

Features:

Check out cell mobile reception signal problems in your area.
Supported carriers: AT&T, Sprint, Nextel, T-Mobile Verizon Wireless and others.
100,000+ cell phone complaints submitted by customers.
Submit your own review for any area.
iPhone version supported.
US Only.
Similar sites: SignalMap and GotReception.

Check out Deadcellzones @ www.deadcellzones.com

TrapCall: Lets You View Blocked Caller ID

azim — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 22:50:18 +0000

TrapCall is a service that allows you to you view blocked Caller ID of an anonymous caller. It requires no software or hardware downloads, works with any cellphone and currently available to AT&T and T-Mobile subscribers in US, with support for other major carriers promised within weeks. Basic service is free, which includes unmasking blocked numbers and blacklisting unwanted callers. Paid plans include additional features like Voicemail transcriptions, Toll free support, Missed calls alerts and more, with 15 days Trial for each plan.

How it works:

Sign up with the service
Key in provided numbers in your cellphone
When you a receive a call from a blocked number, just reject it.
The number is sent to the company server, unmasked and sent back to your voicemail.

Features:

Reveal blocked phone number of the caller.
No need to download additional software or hardware.
Use basic service free or sign up for paid plans for additional features.
Works with all cellphones, supported by AT&T and T-Mobile. Other carriers to follow.
Currently available only in the US

Check out TrapCall @ www.trapcall.com