Cell Phone Reviews - Reaping the Benefits Of Online Wireless Reviews

There are a lot of benefits that are offered by the major cell phone carriers today that many people don't take advantage of – simply because they're unaware of them. Among these is the opportunity to write online cell phone reviews, with the promise of some type of compensation, such as a free phone or specific accessory. While it may seem that these carriers are taking a financial loss in order to provide free equipment, it's actually a rather clever way to sell their service plans. Once the participants have received their "free prize," they're then faced with having to acquire the necessary service plan in order to use the phone.

Cell phone carriers such as Cingular wireless, Motorola wireless, Samsung, T-Mobile wireless, Nokia, Verizon wireless, Sony Ericcson, Siemens, Sprint, AT&T and Nextel often utilize such a program in order to draw more consumers into their customer base using this common "carrot-on-a-stick" marketing tactic. For those who were looking for a new cell phone, anyway, this is an extra perk that saves them the trouble of scoping out their own cell phone deal.

On the positive side, those who participate in online cell phone reviews have the advantage of reading reviews that have been written by others, and can compare specific carriers and their service plans, as well as the phones that are being introduced by the various write-ups. Since research is a critical element in the process of determining the best type of cell phone service that you'll need, these reviews can save a vast amount of time and offer a wealth of information that you might, otherwise, have had to spend hours – or days – unearthing.

Online Cell Phone Review Websites

• www.epinions.com – Opportunities to both read and write cell phone reviews are available on this website, in addition to similar surveys that can be inspected or taken by eligible participants. A form is provided in order to write a review, and a specific number of characters is given in order to accomplish the task. By writing a brief, concise report, your comments will be added to the database, and a star value will be assigned to the particular cell phone carrier that you've reviewed.
• www.mpedia.com – This site is actually a public forum that allows you to read and write cell phone reviews once you've joined the group. There's no fee attached, but you must choose a login name and password in order to become a member of the community and enjoy the benefits that it has to offer. Of the many chat rooms that are contained within this particular forum, the one for cell phone reviews is clearly marked, so it's quite "user friendly".
• www.cellphone-reviews.net – Although there may be a bit more navigating to do in order to write and submit a review on this site, the pathway is clearly marked, and you can choose to write your assessment of a particular phone by simply clicking on the header for the specific model. This site offers the extra perk of providing clearly written instructions on how to write a review, in case you have any questions before you begin. Once you access their web address, simply click on the "Cell Phone Reviews" tab, then click on the particular model of phone that you'd like to review and click on the "Write an Online Review" link in the middle of the page. You'll be able to post your own comments, in addition to reading those which have already been submitted by others.
• www.discusswireless.com – This, too, is set up as a public forum, but the difference is that each chat room offers reviews for a specific brand of cell phone. By choosing a user name and password, you can click into any of the rooms and read or write reviews for any of the models that are intrinsic to that brand of cell phone. There's no cost to register, and you'll have the additional benefit of joining rooms that also deal with other cell phone related services, features and issues.

Brand-Specific Sites for Posting Reviews

In addition to the more generic websites that offer the chance to read or post reviews, specific carriers often afford the same opportunity. In many cases, by simply visiting a carrier's website, links will be given that guide you to an area that allows you to post your review or read those that have been posted by other users.

How to Write Cell Phone Reviews

Once you've established where to go in order to submit a review, you'll need to know the best way to present your opinion so that other readers will have a clear picture of what it is that you're trying to impart. Here are a few things that you'll need to keep in mind before committing your words to that cyber-page:

• Be specific about the make and model of the cell phone that's being referenced in your review. Don't simply use the manufacturer's or carrier's name – include the name and model of the particular phone that you wish to discuss.
• Don't try to fill your review with a lot of technical jargon. Most people who read reviews are looking for straightforward information that they don't have to use a dictionary in order to decipher.
• Only offer necessary information; don't get into the habit of trying to fill up a particular amount of space with words in order to meet the required amount of characters. Most sites don't require a minimum amount of characters, but many do have a maximum ceiling. Be brief without sacrificing critical information.
• Focus on features or services that will impact most cell phone users. In other words, if you're discussing a cheap long distance plan, that's fine. If, on the other hand, you're talking about the fact that you don't happen to like the particular color of the phone strap that you have, that's not going to be of much help.
• Try to stick to the facts without adding a lot of emotion-based attitudes. Objectivity is really the goal, even though you're speaking from personal experience. After all, there are all kinds of reviews, but that doesn't mean that they're all helpful.

Whether you're writing from personal experience or from information that you've gathered from others, be sure to present only the facts when you decide to write a review, and please remember that professionalism is always appreciated – and, in most cases, required.

About the Author

Samantha Goode is a freelance technology writer who loves to provide tips to consumers shopping for cheap cellular phones, cell phone ratings and cell phone reviews.