How do you find the perfect cell phone provider?

There are a number of cell phone providers to choose from these days. Choosing one his hard to avoid because cell phones are so pervasive today. So how do you choose the best one for you?

Most people will probably agree that the best way to decide is to base it on what you hear from people you know. Try to listen to what your friends are saying, what carriers and plans they have, and so on. Also, there are many great deals with mobile-to-mobile features, meaning that you can talk to people with your same carrier as often as you want.

Don't choose your carrier based on a cell phone you want! Each service has great phones, and getting the perfect phone for you will be a matter of a few tens of dollars.

Check each service online, looking at plans and coverage areas. Definitely find a map of coverage for providers and see if you're in it. Think about where you'll be talking most, who you'll be talking to, and for how long. Estimate the amount of minutes you'll need and start researching for which plan will fit your needs. Think about how many people should be on a plan.

Also, it doesn't hurt to glance at reviews by reputable sources, such as consumer groups. Do as much research as possible, taking as much time to go through the Web sites for each provider and comparing plans.

If you can't make a decision by yourself or by talking to friends and acquaintances, try visiting retail and service centers for each cell phone provider. Perhaps you may be able to gather some information or assumptions from the interactions between employees and customers or potential customers; if they're complaining a lot about their service or phone, that's probably not a good sign.

Finally, you can consider what phone you may want, what features you may need or desire for your phone (messaging, camera, Bluetooth, etc.).