cover story best phones & plans

Find the best fit

You want a phone mostly for emergencies or occasional calls on maybe 10 days per month, with fewer than 100 voice minutes, 20 texts, and no Web surfing or e-mailing. Or you want a simple first cell phone for your tween or teen. A basic no-contract phone. It has a minimum of features, but you dont need many bells and whistles. Youll pay for the phone, but most of the free phones that require contracts have higher monthly fees. A pay-as-you-go no-contract plan. You can get a plan in which you pay

We pick phones and plans to suit varying needs

1 Minimal phone user
only for the minutes or texts you use for less than $15 a month, possibly much less if you use the phone very little. If youre buying a phone for a family member, you can add a line to your existing family plan for as little as $5 a month at T-Mobile. Be sure the plan has enough shared minutes to accommodate the additional users. Smart choices include: Common Cents Pay As You Go Round Down ($8 per month). This is a prepaid nocontract brand of Sprints, but none of the Sprint phones from our tests were among the small number of phones the carrier offered at press time.

You use your phone fairly frequently but rarely to surf the Web or for e-mail. A so-called feature phone. It has a QWERTY keyboard for easy typing, a Web browser, and multimedia capability but not the integrated multiple e-mail accounts and countless apps of a smart phone. Many feature phones scored high in our cell-phone Ratings. With some, youre required to add a monthly data plan or a messaging plan if you sign a contract. With others, youre not obliged to add anything. Choose a phone that wont require you to pay for add-ons that you wont use. A talk and texting plan. The average consumer uses about 700 voice minutes per month per line and sends 700 texts. Good options include T-Mobile and some smaller, no-contract carriers. The best stack up well against the big names for voice and text service and cost less. But

1 talker and texter

you might have to buy more minutes than with a contract plan, which usually includes free nights and weekends, innetwork mobile-to-mobile, and calling-list minutes. Most no-contract plans charge for every minute. Want mostly texting? There are slim pickings. Forget Verizons Nationwide Messaging Plan with No Voice Minutes, which costs $35 to $55 a month, plus 25 to 40 cents a minute. Instead, try T-Mobiles $15 Prepaid Monthly Unlimited Text plan with 10-cent-a-minute voice or Virgin Mobiles $25 Beyond Talk 300, with unlimited texting, e-mail, data, and Web. Smart choices include: These T-Mobile contract plans: Even More Talk + Text 500 for an individual ($50 a month) or couple ($80 a month). For a family, Even More Family Talk + Text 1500 for four lines ($110 per month). For the phone, one of several Samsung models that fared well in our Ratings, including the Gravity T ($75 with a two-year contract) and the Comeback (free). Straight Talk All You Need ($30 per month per line). (We dont have a tested phone to recommend for this plan.) Cricket Wireless Basic $35 ($35 per month for the first line, $30 for each additional line). (We dont have a tested phone to recommend for this plan.) Consumer Cellular Anywhere 1500 plan for a two-line couple ($76 per month with AARP discount) plus the Nokia 2680 ($20).

1 you want it all

You want to do everything with your phone, including using a host of applications. A fine multimedia smart phone. The iOS and Android operating system lead the way in apps and multimedia navigation, so a phone using one of those systems is your best betbut buying an iPhone locks you into low-rated AT&T, at least for now. A contract everything plan. Figure on 700 talk minutes, 700 text messages, and 400MB of data per month per line. For that plus a signature handset, your best bet is to go with a major carrier. Smart choices include: Sprint Everything Data with Any Mobile Anytime 450 plan ($70 per month) or Everything Data Family with Any Mobile Anytime 1500 ($170 per month), plus the Samsung Epic 4G ($250). Verizon Nationwide Talk and Text 450 ($90) plus Motorola Droid X ($200).

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i l l u s t r at i o n s by e va tatc h e va

1 CLOSE uP

How risky is cell-phone radiation?

The Food and Drug Administration says the weight of scientific evidence has not linked cell phones with any health problems, including brain tumors from the low-level radiation that phones emit in normal use. Yet in the past year San Francisco lawmakers have enacted an ordinance requiring that cell phones disclose the amount of radiation emitted, and Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-Ohio) announced plans to push for radiation warnings on all cell phones. Phone manufacturers are required by federal law to package every cell phone with information about its specific absorption rate (SAR) values. The higher the SAR value, the more radiation the body absorbs. But theres usually no explanation provided with those numbers, not even the fact that all phones sold have levels lower than what the FDA considers a concern. In September 2010, the Federal Communications Commission revised its Web page to address some of the confusion about SAR values. The updated FCC fact sheet (www.fcc.gov/cgb/ consumerfacts/sar.html) states that SAR values indicate the maximum possible exposure from a given phone, not the varying levels of exposure in normal use. So a phone with a lower reported SAR value isnt necessarily safer than one with a higher value, and SAR values cant be used to reliably compare cell-phone models. The FCC says it requires SAR values only to ensure that maximum radiation exposure falls below the level at which experts agree there could be adverse health effects. Still, consumers are caught in the middle, trying to resolve conflicting messages from regulators and legislators. (The latter include those in the European Parliament who have called for stricter limits on exposure to cell-phone radiation, which have been criticized by many scientists.) Consumers Union believes a number of measures would benefit consumers: The U.S. needs a national research program on cell phones and health. Rep. Kucinich has called for such an effort as part of his cell-phone safety proposals. The FDA and the FCC should step up their efforts to provide better and more visible guidance to consumers on the risks, if any, of cell-phone radiation. The FCC should mandate that the SAR information included with phones be more consistent. The information thats currently provided varies greatly in its format and detail, as the photographs below illustrate. Bottom line. We will continue to track the research. In the meantime, if you are concerned about radiation, minimize exposure by using a speaker phone or hands-free headset, holding the phone away from the head and body (especially when a call is connecting), and reducing use, especially by children.

E-mail is your top priority. Talking and texting are important, too; Web surfing, less so. A (fairly) smart phone. In addition to allowing you to manage multiple accounts, smart phones have the ability to link with corporate e-mail services such as BlackBerry Enterprise or Microsoft Exchange servers, which allow you to open e-mail attachments. Some phones even allow you to edit those documents. But you dont need a brainy, top-rated smart phone for e-mail. A less expensive model further down in the Ratings should suffice, including a number of BlackBerrys, the phones that pioneered mobile e-mail. Since youll be typing lots of e-mail, consider a phone with a physical keyboard and not just a virtual one on its touch screen; some models have both. A plan with moderate data limits. Unless youre downloading a lot of attachments, such as hefty documents, you wont eat up a lot of data megabytes with e-mail. So a plan that offers low-to-middling bandwidth should be fine. One survey found that owners of BlackBerrys used just 80MB of data a month on average. Some no-contract carriers, including Consumer Cellular, Net10, and Tracfone, dont offer smart-phone service at all. Others offer relatively few smart phones, and those they do offer might not be served fully. For example, the BlackBerry plans at Virgin Mobile, which cost as little as $35 all-inclusive, dont include support for corporate e-maila big reason that many people buy a BlackBerry in the first place. Smart choices include: Straight Talk Unlimited ($45 per month, no-contract plan). (We dont have a tested phone to recommend for this plan.) Walmart Family Mobile ($50 per month, no-contract plan) plus the Motorola Cliq XT ($250).

1 Ardent e-mailer

iNCONSiSTENT A phone might include a simple measure of radiation absorption (left), a statement that the phone meets the safety standard for radiation (center), or comprehensive test data and background information (right).

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cover story best phones & plans

A1 Motorola Droid X

A2 Samsung Fascinate

B1 Samsung Epic 4G

C1 Samsung Vibrant

D3 Apple iPhone 3G S

overview smart phones

Phones are grouped by the carriers that sell them. Carriers are listed in order of their overall scores in our September 2010 survey of satisfaction with cellular service among ConsumerReports.org subscribers. In addition to overall scores, consider a carriers record in our service Ratings, data-service costs, operating system capabilities, and apps.

printer, or computer. A1, A2, A3, and A4 support a version of flash video that will enhance most Web browsing. A1 and A2 can record 720p (or HD) video.

Best choices for Sprint:

B1 B2 B3 B5 B6 samsung epic 4G $250 Htc evo 4G $200 samsung Intercept $100 BlackBerry bold 9650 $200 Palm pre $50

d recommended

C1s display is among the easiest to see in bright light. Its six-axis motion sensing enhances gaming, and it can share content via Wi-Fi with compatible devices such as a TV, printer, or computer. C1 and C2 can record 720p (or HD) video and support a version of flash video that will enhance most Web browsing. C2 and C3 are very good Android phones with a handy slide-out keyboard, but theyre heavier than most. C8 is a very good choice for T-Mobile traditional BlackBerry users, but its not a touch-screen model. Its being replaced by the Bold 9780.

These are high-scoring models overall; some offer specific strengths, described below.

Best choices for Verizon:

A1 Motorola Droid X $200 A2 samsung Fascinate $200 A3 Motorola Droid 2 $200 A4 Htc Droid Incredible $200 A5 LG ally $50 A10 Palm pre plus $50
A1 has an extra-large display and an HDMI jack, but its larger and heavier than most. A2 is relatively thin and its display is among the easiest to see in bright light. Its six-axis motion sensing enhances gaming. A3 has a very good slide-out keyboard but is heavier than most. A4 is relatively thin and complements its touch screen with an optical joystick for easier phone navigation. A5 is a fairly low-priced Android phone with a very good slide-out keyboard, but its heavier than most. A10, a compact model, lets you shuffle multiple applications on its touch screen like a deck of cards without losing your place. You flick an app off the page to close it. A1, A2, and A3 can share content via Wi-Fi with a compatible TV,

B1 and B2 support Sprints ultrafast 4G WiMax network. They can record 720p (or HD) video and support a version of flash video that will enhance most Web browsing. B1 has a top-notch, five-row, physical keyboard; a display thats among the easiest to see in bright light; and six-axis motion sensing that enhances gaming. It can share content via Wi-Fi with other compatible certified devices such as a TV, printer, and computer. But its heavier than most. B2 has an extra-large display; a second, front-facing camera; and an HDMI jack. But its larger and heavier than most. B3 is a fairly low-priced Android phone with a very good slide-out keyboard. B5 is a very good choice for Sprint traditional BlackBerry users but is not a touch-screen model. B6, a compact model, lets you shuffle multiple applications on its touch screen like a deck of cards without losing your place. You flick an app off the page to close it.

Best choices for AT&T:

D2 D3 D4 D5 D9 samsung Captivate $200 Apple iphone 3G s (8Gb) $100 Htc aria $130 BlackBerry torch 9800 $200 Palm pre plus $50

Best choices for T-Mobile:

c1 c2 c3 c8 samsung Vibrant $200 t-Mobile G2 $200 Htc mytouch 3G slide $180 BlackBerry bold 9700 $130

D2s display is among the easiest to see in bright light. It can record 720p (or HD) video and supports a version of flash video that will enhance most Web browsing. It can share content via Wi-Fi with compatible devices such as a TV, printer, or computer. D3 has the best MP3 player, access to the most phone apps, and the largest single collection of music weve seen. Its display is among the easiest to see in bright light. (The newer D1 shares those attributes, but we dont recommend it because of its reception problems.) D4 is a compact model with an interface similar to A4s. D5 is a very good choice for traditional BlackBerry users interested in adding a touch-screen interface and integrated social networking, but its heavier than most. D9 is a compact model that lets you shuffle multiple applications on its touch screen like a deck of cards without losing your place. You flick an app off the page to close it.

Guide to the ratings

See the cell-phone Guide to the Ratings (page 34) for information on entries that are shared by cell and smart phones. Overall score is based mainly on display, navigation, voice quality, phoning, messaging, Web browsing, multimedia, and battery life, as well as document editing out of the box, size, and weight. Under size, S is for small, M for midsized, and L for large. Under operating system, A is for Android; B, BlackBerry; i, iOS; P, Palm webOS; S, Symbian; and W, Windows Mobile. Display score considers display size and resolution and evaluates legibility in different lighting. Phone navigation indicates how easy it is to access features and modes, such as phoning, messaging, camera, etc. We also consider programmable shortcuts, touch screens, and user guides. Phoning considers the number of step-saving functions for making and receiving calls, including hands-free capabilities such as voice command and Bluetooth, speed dialing, DTMF and ringer controls, security options, and more. We also evaluated keypad readability in different lighting. Messaging mainly assesses keyboard ergonomics, e-mail readability, attachment capabilities, and text-messaging features. We also weigh how easy it is to synchronize the phone with a computer and to access applications while on a call. Web browsing mainly assesses browsing capabilities, including the ability to handle more than one browser, flash video, and Java, as well as data connections such as 3G and Wi-Fi. Multimedia mainly considers the camera and music player, plus GPS navigation, voice memo, and streaming or live audio and/or video. Bluetooth data is the ability to exchange files with other Bluetooth devices out of the box. All smart phones can record video and have a music player and Bluetooth stereo headset capability. All smart phones feature Web browsing via Wi-Fi (except B8 Palm and C11 Nokia) and support GPS navigation for maps with spoken turn-by-turn directions (except C9 BlackBerry). Price is based on a two-year contract in October 2010 from the indicated carriers, including rebates. Verizon and T-Mobile phones are also available as no-contract models.

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ratings smart phones

Brand & model
Similar models and other carriers offering comparable models are listed in small type with the phone's price. Performance and features might vary somewhat from the tested model's.

Where are Windows Phone 7 models? These arrived too late to include in our Ratings. See pages 28 and 29.

In performance order, by carrier. (Carriers listed in order of user satisfaction.)

5 Excellent 4 Very good 3 Good 2 Fair 1 Poor

d Recommended Broadband data Memory-card slot Editing included Voice command Bluetooth data World phone Touch screen Camera (MP) 4.9f 5.0f 8.0f 3.1f 4.9f 5.0 3.1 3.1f 3.1f 1.9 1.9f 4.9f 8.0f 3.1 4.9 1.9 4.9 5.0f 5.1f 5.0f 4.9f 4.9f Keyboard Physical Virtual

Price Requires data service Requires messaging service Operating system Size

Overall score

Test results Voice quality Phone navigation Web browsing Display Multimedia Battery life Messaging Phoning

Features Display size (in.)

Recommendation

Rank

n d n d n d n d n d

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

n d n d n d n d n d n d

VERIZON This carrier was among the more satisfying in almost all cities in our survey. Motorola Droid X $200 L A 75 &Z &Z &V &X &Z &Z &Z &X 4.3 M Samsung Fascinate 200 M A 75 &Z &Z &V &X &X &Z &Z &X 4.0 M Motorola Droid 2 200 M A 75 &Z &Z &V &X &X &Z &Z &X 3.7 M HTC Droid Incredible 200 M A 73 &Z &Z &V &X &X &Z &Z &C 3.7 M LG Ally 50 M A 72 &Z &Z &V &X &X &Z &Z &X 3.2 M Samsung Omnia II 50 M W 71 &Z &X &V &X &X &Z &Z &X 3.7 S HTC Imagio 50 M W 70 &Z &X &V &X &Z &Z &Z &C 3.6 S Motorola Devour 80 L A 70 &X &Z &V &X &X &Z &Z &X 3.1 S BlackBerry Storm2 9550 150 M B 70 &X &X &V &C &Z &Z &Z &C 3.3 S Palm Pre Plus 50 S P 66 &X &Z &V &C &X &Z &Z &C 3.1 M HTC Ozone 0 M W 64 &C &C &V &X &Z &Z &X &X 2.4 Palm Pixi Plus 0 S P 63 &C &X &V &C &X &Z &X &C 2.6 M SPRINT This carrier was among the more satisfying in a large majority of cities in which it was rated in our survey. Samsung Epic 4G 250 M A 76 &Z &Z &C &X &Z &Z &Z &X 4.0 M HTC Evo 4G 200 L A 74 &Z &Z &V &X &X &Z &Z &C 4.3 M 100 M A 70 Samsung Intercept &X &Z &V &X &X &Z &Z &C 3.2 M HTC Hero 150 M A 69 &X &Z &V &X &X &Z &Z &C 3.2 M BlackBerry Bold 9650 200 M B 68 &X &X &C &X &Z &Z &Z &C 2.4 Verizon, $150, U.S. Cellular, $160.
Palm Pre BlackBerry Curve 8530
Verizon, $30, U.S. Cellular, $0.

100 P | F | G | VG | E

EV-DO 8.0f EV-DO EV-DO EV-DO EV-DO EV-DO EV-DO EV-DO EV-DO EV-DO EV-DO EV-DO WiMAX WiMAX EV-DO EV-DO

n d n d n d

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

S P 60 &C &X &V &C &X &X &X &C 2.6 M T-MOBILE This carrier was among the more satisfying in more than half of the cities in which it was rated in our survey. Samsung Vibrant 200 M A 76 &Z &Z &V &X &Z &Z &Z &Z 4.0 M T-Mobile G2 200 M A 75 &Z &Z &V &X &Z &Z &Z &Z 3.7 M HTC myTouch 3G Slide 180 M A 72 &X &Z &V &X &X &Z &Z &Z 3.4 M HTC HD2 100 L W 71 &Z &C &V &X &Z &Z &Z &X 4.3 M 90 M A 71 Motorola Cliq XT &X &Z &V &C &X &Z &Z &Z 3.1 M Samsung Behold II 100 M A 71 &X &Z &V &X &X &Z &Z &X 3.2 S
50 0

50

P 66

&X &Z &V &C &X &Z &Z &C 3.1

B 64

&C &X &V &X &Z &Z &Z &C 2.4

EV-DO 3.1f EV-DO 3.1f EV-DO EV-DO 1.9f HSDPA HSDPA HSDPA HSDPA HSDPA HSDPA

Palm Pixi

n d

n n n n

200 M A 76 HSDPA 4.9 &Z &Z &V &X &Z &Z &Z &Z 4.0 M d 2 Samsung Captivate 100 M i 74 3 Apple iPhone 3G S (8GB) HSDPA 3.1 &Z &Z &V &X &X &Z &Z &Z 3.5 M d 130 S A 74 HSDPA 5.1 &X &Z &V &X &X &Z &Z &X 3.2 M d 4 HTC Aria 200 M B 74 &X &Z &V &X &Z &Z &Z &X 3.2 M HSDPA 5.0f d 5 BlackBerry Torch 9800 50 M A 69 6 Motorola Backflip &X &X &C &C &X &Z &Z &X 3.1 S HSDPA 4.9f 200 M B 69 HSDPA 1.9f 7 BlackBerry Bold &X &X &C &X &Z &Z &Z &C 2.6 M A 68 8 Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 150 HSDPA 8.0 &Z &Z &V &C &X &Z &Z &X 4.0 S 50 S P 67 HSDPA 3.1f &X &Z &V &C &X &Z &Z &X 3.1 M d 9 Palm Pre Plus 0 S P 64 HSDPA 1.9f 10 Palm Pixi Plus &C &X &V &C &X &Z &X &X 2.6 M Also available from no-contract carrier Virgin Mobile for $250. Also available from no-contract carriers: $250 from Boost, $280 from MetroPCS, $250 from Virgin Mobile, and $180 from Cricket. Available from Walmart Family Mobile without a contract for $250. To be replaced by Bold 9780.

D
1

9 BlackBerry Curve 8520 10 Garmin-Asus Garminfone 11 Nokia 5230 Nuron

Apple iPhone 4 (16GB)
Apple iPhone 4 (32GB), $300.

EDGE 1.9 &C &X &V &X &Z &X &X &X 2.4 HSDPA 3.1 &Z &C &V &V &X &Z &Z &X 3.5 M HSDPA 1.9 &X &C &V &X &X &X &Z &X 3.2 S AT&T This carrier scored lowest in satisfaction in almost all cities in our survey and was the worst-rated in almost all other respects.
AT&T, $200.

T-Mobile myTouch 3G 3.5mm Jack BlackBerry Bold 9700

50

M M

A 70

&X &Z &V &C &X &Z &Z &X 3.2

130 0 50 0

B 69

&C &X &C &X &Z &Z &Z &X 2.4

HSDPA 3.1

HSDPA 3.1f

M M S

B 65 A 64 S 61 i 76

200

&Z &Z &C &X &X &Z &Z &Z 3.5 M

HSDPA 5.0f

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overview cell phones

The tested phones were all competent, so any low-priced model in the Ratings offers fine value. But also consider the carriers track record in our service Ratings. Prices from carriers are based on a two-year contract, including any rebates. Phones with $0 for price are provided at no extra charge when you sign a new two-year contract.

d recommended

These are high-scoring models overall; some offer specific strengths, which are described below.

A1 LG enV Touch

B1 Samsung Instinct HD

B2 LG Rumor Touch

Best choices for Verizon:

A1 A2 A3 A5 A9 LG enV touch $40 samsung alias 2 $25 casio Gzone brigade $200 LG enV3 $80 samsung Convoy $70

ratings Cell phones

In performance order, by carrier. (Carriers listed in order of user satisfaction.)

Brand & model Recommendation Rank

Price Requires data service Requires messaging service

Overall score

Test results Ease of use Voice quality Messaging Battery life

Features Display size (in.) Camera (MP) Video recording Memory-card slot Touch screen Broadband data Physical Virtual Keyboard Voice command World phone

A1 has a fairly large, external touch screen; inside, theres a regular screen (which shows a landscape view of whatever was on the exterior screen) and keyboard. A1, A2, A3, and A5 have generously sized physical keyboards, and A1 also has a virtual one. A1 and A3 can view Office documents, such as Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. But A1 and A3 are heavier than most. A2 has a 2.6-inch screen with a dual-hinged design that integrates a keyboard with phone controls. Its backlit keys change from numbers to letters, depending on how you use the phone. Open the phone vertically and the buttons become a numbered keypad with controls for making calls; open the phone from the sides and the buttons become a keyboard. A5 has a smallish external display and a roomy keypad, and it opens up to reveal a 2.6-inch screen, stereo speakers, and keyboard. But some phone functions are accessible only when the phone is open. A3 and A9 are made to be ruggedized, weather-resistant phones.

n d n d n d n d n d n d n d n d n d

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

VERIZON This carrier was among the more satisfying in almost all cities in our survey. 74 LG enV Touch $ 40 &Z &C &Z &C 3.0 S EV-DO 3.1f 72 Samsung Alias 2 25 EV-DO 1.9 &X &C &Z &X 2.6
Casio G'zOne Brigade Samsung Reality LG enV3 LG Chocolate Touch Nokia 7705 Twist LG Cosmos Samsung Convoy Samsung Jitterbug J Verizon Wireless Escapade 200 50 80 40 25 0 70 100 30
71 69 69 69 66 63 62 60 58

100 P | F | G | VG | E

&X &V &Z &X 2.9 &X &X &X &X &X &X &C &V &C &C &V &V &C &C &Z &Z &X &Z &Z &C &C &C &C &C &C &X &C &C

EV-DO 3.1f EV-DO EV-DO EV-DO EV-DO 1xRTT EV-DO 3.1 3.1f 3.1 3.1f 1.2 1.9

&X &C &C &C 2.0

3.0 S 2.6 3.0 S 2.4 2.0 2.2 2.1

EV-DO 1.9

if simplicity is paramount:
A10 samsung Jitterbug J $100
A10 has big buttons, a comfortable earpiece, and even a dial tone. The provider, Great Call, offers free directory assistance and will update your contacts if you phone, fax, or mail them. You dont need a contract, but service is pricey. The phone is thick and lacks common features.

1 Samsung Instinct HD 50 66 EV-DO 5.0f &X &C &X &C 3.2 S 65 EV-DO 1.9 2 LG Rumor Touch 30 &X &C &Z &X 3.0 S 62 EV-DO 1.9 0 3 LG Lotus Elite &X &C &Z &C 2.4 S 62 0 1xRTT 1.2 4 LG Remarq &X &C &Z &C 2.4 61 EV-DO 1.9 5 Sanyo Incognito 50 &C &C &Z &C 2.6 S 60 1xRTT 1.2 20 6 Samsung Seek &C &V &Z &C 2.6 S Also available from no-contract carrier Virgin Mobile for $150. Also available from U.S. Cellular as LG Mystique, $100. Also available from no-contract carrier Boost; B5 is $100, B6 is $150.

SPRINT This carrier was among the more satisfying in a large majority of cities in which it was rated in our survey.

Guide to the ratings

Best choices for Sprint:

B1 samsung Instinct hD $50 B2 LG Rumor touch $30 B3 LG lotus elite $0
B1 has a large, 3.2-inch touch-screen display

Overall score is based mainly on ease of use, voice quality, messaging, and battery life. Scores are rounded; models are listed in order of precise overall score, within categories. Ease of use mainly considers step-saving functions for making and receiving calls, as well as display and keypad readability and multimedia versatility. Voice quality considers listening (what we heard) and talking (what was heard at the other end) in noisy and quiet settings using live phone calls; we show the lower of the two scores. Messaging assesses keypad ergonomics, text-messaging features, support for Microsoft Outlook, and whether the phone can open e-mail attachments. Battery life is an average of talk time with strong and weak network signals, and considers standby and display times. Display size is diagonal, in inches. Under touch screen, S indicates single touch and M indicates multi-touch that lets you pinch to zoom in or out of Web pages or photos. keyboard indicates a physical or virtual QWERTY layout. Broadband data is fastest U.S. broadband network supported. WiMax is speediest. EV-DO and HSDPA are faster than 1xRTT and EDGE. Camera (MP) is resolution in megapixels; f indicates a flash. Video recording is via camera. Memory-card

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C1 Samsung Gravity T

D1 Samsung Impression

5 Excellent 4 Very good 3 Good 2 Fair d Recommended 1 Poor

Display size (in.) Camera (MP) Video recording Memory-card slot Touch screen Broadband data Voice command World phone Features Keyboard Physical Virtual

D2 LG Vu Plus

Brand & model Recommendation Rank

Price Requires data service Requires messaging service

Overall score

Test results Ease of use Voice quality Messaging Battery life

with a virtual keyboard. Its full-featured, 5-megapixel camera can record HD video, which you can output to a TV. Video quality was on a par with that of the better pocket camcorders weve tested. And its Wi-Fi connection, rare in a conventional cell phone, allows the fastest Web surfing. But its a bit slow when opening multimedia applications. B2 has a fairly large touch-screen display and a generously proportioned keyboard that slides out for easier texting. But its heavier than most. B3 has a dual display. When the Lotus is folded shut, its wide, square shape looks more like a cosmetics compact than a phone. The outer touch-screen display lets you easily access the phones main functions by swiping to the left or right of the home screen. Flipping the phone open reveals a keyboard for typing text messages and dialing phone numbers. B2 and B3 can view Office documents, such as Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.

Best choices for T-Mobile:

c1 samsung Gravity t $75 c2 LG sentio $0 c3 samsung Comeback $0
C1 has a 2.8-inch, touch-screen display and a very good keyboard that slides out for easier texting. The relatively thin, pocket-friendly C2 has a 3.0-inch touchscreen display that supports a virtual keyboard. C3 has a 1.5-inch outer display and a keypad that facilitates phoning. It opens up like an eyeglass case to reveal a 2.6-inch screen and keyboard that should satisfy most texters. But its bulkier than most. C1 and C3 can view Office documents, such as Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.

n d n d n d

1 2 3 4 5

T-MOBILE This carrier was among the more satisfying in more than half of the cities in which it was rated in our survey. 69 Samsung Gravity T $ 75 HSDPA 1.9 &X &V &Z &Z 2.8 S 66 LG Sentio 0 HSDPA 3.1 &X &V &X &Z 3.0 S 64 Samsung Comeback 0 HSDPA 1.9 &X &V &Z &X 2.6 63 Samsung Gravity 3 50 HSDPA 1.9 &C &V &Z &X 2.4
Sony Ericsson Equinox 0
61

100 P | F | G | VG | E

&X &V &C &X 2.2

HSDPA 3.1

AT&T This carrier scored lowest in satisfaction in almost all cities in our survey and was the worst-rated in almost all other respects.
Samsung Impression LG Vu Plus 130 150 30 20 20 100 0 20 0

n d n d n d n

2 3 Samsung Solstice 4 Samsung Sunburst 5 Samsung Strive 6 Samsung Rugby II d 7 Pantech Link 8 Pantech Breeze II 9 Pantech Impact To be replaced by Solstice II.

68 68 68 68 65 64 63 62 62

Also available from no-contract carrier AT&T GoPhone for $60.

&X &V &Z &X 3.2 S HSDPA 3.1 HSDPA 3.1f &X &V &Z &X 3.0 S HSDPA 1.9 &X &V &X &X 3.0 S EDGE 1.9 &X &C &X &Z 3.0 S 2.6 HSDPA 1.9 &X &V &X &C HSDPA 1.9 &X &V &C &Z 2.2 HSDPA 1.3 &X &V &X &Z 2.4 HSDPA 1.3 &X &V &C &X 2.2 HSDPA 1.9 &X &V &Z &X 2.6

Best choices for AT&T:

D1 D2 D3 D6 samsung Impression $130 LG Vu plus $150 samsung solstice $30 samsung Rugby II $100

slot accepts flash-memory cards. Cell phones A10 Samsung and A11 Verizon Wireless lack a memory-card slot. Voice command allows dialing from the phone contacts by speaking the name or dialing numbers by saying the digits, without training the phone. All models can be used with Bluetooth mono headsets. All conventional cell phones support Bluetooth data and can exchange files with other Bluetooth devices out of the box, except A10 Samsung. The following models lack Bluetooth stereo headset capability: A8 LG, A10 Samsung, and A11 Verizon Wireless. All cell phones support GPS navigation for maps with spoken turn-by-turn directions, except A10 Samsung, B4 LG, and B6 Samsung. The B1 Samsung supports Web browsing via Wi-Fi. World phones support GSM bands mostly found in Europe. Some phones require a data plan for browsing the Web or accessing e-mail and other media services and/or require a messaging plan to send and receive any texts or picture and video messages. Price is based on a two-year contract in October 2010 from the indicated carriers, including rebates, except A10 Samsung, which requires no contract. Verizon and T-Mobile phones are also available as no-contract models.

D1, D2, and D3 have relatively large touch-screen displays. D1 and D2 have generous slide-out, physical keyboards. D1 also has a virtual keyboard, as does the slimmer D3. D2, D3, and D6 can view Office documents, such as Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. Touching the top side of D2s standby screen provides a handy dropdown menu that lets you access the music player, Bluetooth, messaging, and more. D3 has a handwriting recognition feature that lets you jot down numbers, letters, symbols, and punctuation, which are then converted to typed text. D1 lacks standard voice-activated dialing. D6 is made to be a ruggedized, weather-resistant phone. D1 and D6 are heavier than most. All support AT&Ts Video Share, which lets you stream live, one-way video to a compatible phone.

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cover story best phones & plans

overview cell-phone service

Best regional carrier overall:

U.s. cellular
This carrier offers service in 26 states. It stands out for value, voice service, and customer service. (We lacked sufficient data to rate it on some aspects. Its included in the Milwaukee Ratings.)

Also consider:

Weve divided our overall Ratings into separate charts that reflect experiences with cell-phone carriers under a contract and without a contract, drawn from all survey respondents. In addition, where we have sufficient data, weve drawn on the experiences of contract and no-contract customers to create city-by-city Ratings.

Best choice overall for most people:

verizon Wireless sprint
These are the highest-scoring nationally available carriers for contract service. Verizon Wireless has an edge in voice service overall. Sprint scored better in some aspects of customer service, which is a remarkable turnaround from past years when that was a weak point for the company.

Best choices if your phone and service needs are fairly basic:
consumer cellular tracFone
These are the standout carriers for service without a contract. Like most no-contract carriers, they offer fewer phones (and no smart phones) than the major carriers. They use AT&Ts network, though their relatively basic phones arent likely to place heavy demands on its data component, which AT&T contract customers found to be a weak point.

Three prepaid no-contract carriers (not rated due to insufficient data) might be worth a try for their attractive pricing. Straight Talk, sold through Walmart, offers unlimited voice, text messages, and Web access for $45 a month, and 1,000 voice minutes and messages and 30MB of Web access for $30 a month. It uses the Verizon prepaid network, which is almost as comprehensive as the regular Verizon network. If you live in a city it serves, consider MetroPCS. Its unlimited local plans start at $30 a month. Walmart Family Mobile is too new to rate but is worth checking out. It offers no-contract plans. We like the low price and the fact that you buy data service for the account, not each line, so the data bundle is shared among all handsets and doesnt expire until its used up. WFM is a private-label brand of T-Mobile, which handles everything. You can buy any T-Mobile smart phone with no contract and move it to your WFM plan.

ratings Cell service by city

In order of reader score, within 23 metropolitan areas. Differences in reader score of less than six points are not meaningful.

Provider

Reader score

Service No service Dropped calls Texting Data

Provider

Reader score

Service No service Dropped calls Texting Data

Provider

Reader score

Service No service Dropped calls Texting Data

100

ATLANTA
Verizon Sprint T-Mobile AT&T
76 73 70 60

&X &C &V &V &C &C &B &B &X &X &V &B &Z &C &C &C

&X &C &C &B

BOSTON
Verizon Sprint T-Mobile AT&T
71 70 68 62

&C &C &C &C &C &V &C &B &C &C &X &C &C &B &B &B &B &X &X &X &C &C &C &C &V &C &V

&C &X &V &V

&Z &C &V &B

100

DENVER
Verizon T-Mobile AT&T
73 67 55

&X &X &X &X &V &C &B &B &V &B &X &B &C &C &Z &C &V &C &X &C &X &C &C &C &C &V &C &B &X &X &Z &C &C &V &C &B

100

LOS ANGELES
Verizon Sprint T-Mobile AT&T
75 72 70 55

DETROIT
Verizon T-Mobile Sprint AT&T
75 74 73 63

&X &C &C &B

MIAMI
Sprint Verizon T-Mobile AT&T
77 75 74 63

CHICAGO
Verizon Sprint T-Mobile AT&T Verizon T-Mobile Sprint AT&T
74 71 68 58

HOUSTON
Verizon Sprint T-Mobile AT&T Verizon Sprint AT&T
77 72 70 61

&X &Z &V &C

&C &C &X &C &C &B &B &B

MILWAUKEE
U.S. Cellular Verizon AT&T Verizon T-Mobile Sprint AT&T
84 73 59

DALLAS-FORT WORTH
75 73 73 63

INDIANAPOLIS
75 72 64

&X &X &X &X &C &C &X &C &V &C &B &X &X &V &C &C &C &X &X &X &X &C &C &C &C

&Z &Z &X &C &X &Z &B &V &B &B &X &C &C &V &X &C &C &B

&C &X &C &C &X &C &V &C &V

MINNEAPOLIS-ST.PAUL
74 72 67 58

KANSAS CITY
Sprint Verizon T-Mobile AT&T
80 76 71 67

NEW YORK
Verizon Sprint T-Mobile AT&T
72 69 69 57

&X &C &B &B

&C &C &C &B

&C &X &C &C &V &B

&C &X &C &C &C &B &B

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ratings Cell-phone service with a contract

Summary Ratings, reflecting all cities surveyed, in order of overall score. Differences in score of less than four points are not meaningful.

5 Better 4 3 2 1 Worse
Staff knowledge Issue resolved E-mail

ratings no-contract service

Summary Ratings, reflecting all cities surveyed, in order of overall score. Differences in score of less than three points are not meaningful.

Provider

Reader score Value

Service Voice Data Texting

Customer support Website Phone

5 Better 4 3 2 1 Worse
Voice

Provider

Reader score Value

0 100

100

U.S. Cellular Verizon Wireless Sprint T-Mobile AT&T

82 74 73 69 60

&Z &C &C &V &B

&Z &X &C &V &B

&C &C &C &V &V

&C &C &C &V &B

&C &C &X &B

&C &C &C &B

&C &X &C &B

&Z &C &C &C &B

&Z &C &C &C &B

Consumer Cellular TracFone T-Mobile Verizon Wireless Virgin Mobile AT&T GoPhone

87 82 79 76 75 68

&Z &X &C &V &C &B

&C &C &V &C &C &V

5 Better 4 3 2 1 Worse
Provider Reader score Service No service Dropped calls Texting Data Provider Reader score Service No service Dropped calls Texting Data

Guide to the ratings

Ratings are based on 58,189 responses from ConsumerReports.org subscribers surveyed in September 2010. Ratings by city include responses from customers with conventional (contract) and no-contract service. Separate analyses were conducted of overall ratings for contract and no-contract carriers. Only providers with sufficient data for ratings are included in each chart. Reader score reflects respondents overall satisfaction with their cell-phone service and is not limited to factors listed in the Ratings charts. A score of 100 would mean all respondents were completely satisfied; 80 would mean very satisfied, on average; 60, fairly well satisfied. Reader scores are not directly comparable among the three Ratings charts. Value reflects the percentage of respondents that rated the carrier as very good or excellent in value for money. Voice service reflects the percentage of respondents who said they experienced various problems when making calls. In the city chart, two specific voice problems are rated: no service and dropped calls. Texting reflects difficulties, including texts not being sent or received or being much delayed. Voice and texting scores are based on the percentage who reported no problems in the previous seven days, statistically adjusted for cell-phone usage rates. Scores for Data reflect the percentage of respondents who gave very good to excellent scores for the overall experience with Web access and e-mail from their phones. Customer support is based on the quality of the carriers website, ease and speed of reaching support staff by phone, e-mail helpfulness, and knowledge and competence of support staff. issue resolved reflects the percentage who said their issue was satisfactorily resolved in a timely manner. Ratings are relative, reflecting differences from the average of all providers in all areas. indicates insufficient data. Respondents might not reflect the general U.S. population.

100

PHILADELPHIA
Verizon T-Mobile AT&T
73 70 63

&X &X &C &X &B &C &C &V &V &B &Z &X &C &V &X &X &Z &X &C &C &V &V &B

100

SEATTLE
Verizon Sprint T-Mobile AT&T
73 72 71 59

PHOENIX
Verizon Sprint T-Mobile AT&T Verizon T-Mobile AT&T
77 74 71 59

&X &C &C &V &X &C &X &C &C &Z &C &C &C &X &V &V

&X &C &C &C &C &V &V &B &B &B &X &C &X &C &C &C &C &C &C &V &C &X &C &C &C &X &X &C &C &C

ST. LOUIS
Verizon T-Mobile Sprint AT&T
76 72 71 67

SALT LAKE CITY

76 74 62

&Z &X &X &Z &C &C &C &V &V &B &X &X &C &V &X &C &C &B &X &X &C &C &X &C &V &V &B &X &C &X &C &C &C &B &B &B

TAMPA, FLA.
T-Mobile Verizon Sprint AT&T Sprint Verizon T-Mobile AT&T
73 72 72 67

SAN DIEGO
Sprint Verizon T-Mobile AT&T Verizon T-Mobile Sprint AT&T
76 75 73 60

WASHINGTON, D.C.
73 72 72 62

SAN FRANCISCO
74 73 68 51

&C &C &X &C &C &X &C &V &V &B

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cover story best phones & plans

For 911 calls, is a cell phone as safe as a landline?

As Americans increasingly communicate wirelessly, some 60 percent of the nations 240 million 911 calls are placed through cell phones. A 2010 Consumer Reports National Research Center survey of more than 2,000 subscribers who made at least one 911 call in the past year reveals that for 71 percent of emergency calls from a cell phone, no other type of phone was available. Thats largely because emergencies often occur away from homesay, after a car accidentbut 12 percent of ConsumerReports.org subscribers and about 25 percent of Americans now have no landline in their home and use only cell phones. That raises concern about the relative reliability of emergency calls placed through cell phones vs. landline phones. Dropping a landline can be penny-wise, but could it be pound-foolish if you need to call 911 from home? Not necessarily. Overall, we think that dropping your home landline and making all callsincluding 911 callson a cell phone is generally a safe bet, based on our analysis and data from our survey. These considerations can help you decide whether its worth the risk to cut the cord: E-911 is up and running. Just over 97 percent of the population and 90 percent of the nations 3,135 counties are covered by wireless E-911. That means call centers can identify your cell-phone number for callback as well as your phones latitude and longitude within about 55 to 330 yardsa city block or twousing your call signal and either GPS or ground-based triangulation, according to the National Emergency Number Association. That stacks up very well against landline 911, which covers 99 percent of the population and 96 percent of counties. Rural areas have less E-911 coverage. If you live in a rural area or enjoy a vacation police and other emergency responders found them, regardless of how they called. There was no statistically significant difference whether they used a cell phone, traditional landline, or VoIP phone. But with landline and VoIP 911, operators were significantly more likely to find callers by determining the location of the phone. More than one-third of landline and VoIP users were located in that manner compared with only 7 percent of cell callers. Landline and VoIP 911 give the operator your home address, including an apartment number if it appears on your phone bill. With cellular, operators see only geographic coordinates. With all phone technologies, the operator asked respondents for their location at the start of the call in at least three of every four calls, perhaps if only to verify the address on the screen on landline and VoIP calls. But if you cant speakif youre incapacitated or distraught, for exampleits clearly a huge advantage if your address automatically shows up on the operators screen. Cell service is better in a natural disaster. Telephone landlines and cell-phone towers are equally vulnerable to the ravages of severe weather, earthquake, and other natural disasterswhich is when you may most need to call 911. But cellular carriers can more easily restore service. They have fleets of mobile cell towers on trailer trucks throughout the country that can be deployed to restore service quickly to an area that has suffered a catastrophe. Your cell phone might not work at home. About 11 percent of Consumer Reports subscribers reported that problem in our 2009 survey. If you have spotty cell service, dont rely on it. Either keep your landline or switch to a wireless carrier that provides a stronger signal to your home.

home in a remote location, E-911 might not be available, or worse still, there might not even be a cell signal. Check the status of E-911 in your county at nena.ddti.net. Examine your carriers coverage map. If you find any holes in coverage in your area, check whether other carriers have better coverage. Cell callers at home reached E-911. But they sometimes had more difficulty. Virtually all (98 to 99 percent) of the 841 respondents who called 911 from home got through to a 911 operator, whether they used a cell phone, traditional landline, or VoIP landline. But 9 percent of the cell callers had some difficulty getting through, and 1 percent had a lot of trouble, including repeated dropped calls, no signal, and poor connections. (Cellular service comes with the inherent risk of interference from weather, terrain, and objects.) By comparison, 3 percent of landline callers and 1 percent of VoIP callers had minor difficulty getting through to a 911 operator. Rescuers found almost all cell callers. Almost every survey respondent (96 to 98 percent) who called 911 from home said

1 CLOSE uP

How to conserve battery life

Our tests found that this years smart phones last longer on a charge than their predecessors, but they can still easily run out of juice before the day is up. Here are ways to maximize battery life, either by modifying your habits or tweaking your phones settings, which are easily accessed via a desktop icon (usually a gear or tool). Seek strong signals. Phones use more power when theyre trying to access a weak network signal. Avoid stashing the phone in a crowded purse or briefcase or inside a lower desk drawer. It can be harder for a phone to get a signal in those places. Shut off access. When youre in an area where you know theres no signal or you wont be using your phone for a while, turn it off or set it to airplane mode. Otherwise it will keep making futile, power-eating attempts to connect to the carriers network. Also turn off Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and 3G (if possible) when youre out of range or wont be using those features. And turn on GPS only when you need it. Reduce screen brightness. Set brightness to Auto, which makes the screen only as bright as needed for the light conditions. (If the phone has no Auto setting, lower screen brightness yourself.) Setting the screen to shut off after the shortest period of inactivity might help. update less often. If possible, reduce how often the phone updates e-mail, news, socialnetwork feeds, and other apps to, say, once every half-hour.

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i l l u s t r at i o n by e va tatc h e va

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