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Today there are more cell phone plans than ever. The most common question among consumers is, "How do I know which plan will meet my needs?"

The first thing people look at is the price course. Some people choose to buy the phone and then subscribe to a mobile service later. Others prefer to get their phone free provided they sign a two-year contract with a particular provider. With so many providers and plans, you should keep a few things in mind before jumping in with a purchase:

1. What will you use the phone for? How many minutes will you need each month? You should have an accurate answer to that question before you go farther since this is the biggest aspect of the cost of any mobile service plan. If you go over the allowed minutes, you should expect to pay a lot more than if you simply signed on for more minutes to begin with. On the other hand you hate to pay for minutes that you will never use.

2. Who is the phone for? If you are looking for phones for the family, then look at the family plans as they can save you a lot of money. Family plans save money by not charging minutes if family members of the same plan call each other. All mobile service providers have similar plans, stay away from family plans that put restrictions on the time of day you can call each other.

3. Did you say free? More providers mean more choices. There are many providers that run special sales that include a free phone. There are even online services that enable you to find these promotions by zip code.

4. What if there is a problem? This is no time to go with a fly-by-night company. Your best bet is to get a brand of phone that your are familiar with along with a mobile service provider that is well known. Your phone will be of little use if it's broke and you can get anyone to help. This brings me to the final tip when choosing a cell phone service.

5. Insurance: For a few extra dollars a month you can have insurance for your cell phone. With insurance comes peace of mind knowing that you can have a replacement in case of theft or malfunction. I personally had a claim that was promptly taken care of after I dropped my phone on the pavement and it stopped working. The new phone arrived at my door within a couple of days without any extra charges. This one event more than paid for the purchase of another new phone.

In the end it's all about being a smart shopper and consumer. Weigh your options and never make an impulsive purchase. Know what different service plans offer and find out which one fits your needs best. There are many websites that rate cell phones and cell phone plans. Never take the word of the associate behind the desk that a particular phone is good, chances are they are simply getting a higher commission by pushing that product. With a little research online, you can ensure that your purchase will be a good one.

In one of the most significant legal rulings in the tech industry this year, a Superior Court judge in California has ruled that the practice of charging consumers a fee for ending their cell phone contract early is illegal and violates state law.

The preliminary, tentative judgment orders Sprint Nextel to pay customers $18.2 million in reimbursements and, more importantly, orders Sprint to stop trying to collect another $54.7 million from California customers (some 2 million customers total) who have canceled their contracts but refused or failed to pay the termination fee.

While an appeal is inevitable, the ruling could have massive fallout throughout the industry. Without the threat of levying early termination fees, the cellular carriers lose the power that's enabled them to lock customers into contracts for multiple years at a time. And while those contracts can be heinously long, they also let the carriers offer cell phone hardware at reduced (subsidized) prices. AT&T's two-year contract is the only reason the iPhone 3G costs $199. If subsidies vanish, what happens to hardware lock-in? Could an era of expensive, but unlocked, hardware be just around the corner? It's highly probable.

Of course, the carriers aren't going to take this lying down. Early termination fees are seen as critical to business, so carriers are expected to look for ways to reclassify the fees (such as by calling them "rates," part of the arcane set of laws that covers the telecommunications industry). The industry is also pushing for the federal government to step in and claim oversight over the early termination fee issue, which would invalidate any state ruling. The FCC is generally more tolerant of such fees, though Chairman Kevin Martin has proposed a plan whereby the fees are decreased the closer you are to the end of your contract.

The FCC may also buy the argument that, since carriers are nationally based (and consumers can use their phones anywhere in the country), that a single policy should apply across the nation, rather than creating a patchwork of legislation that could lead to confusion and chaos caused by having 50 different policies.

Is the early termination fee dead? Not yet, but it's looking a little haggard.

Veriuni's "hot list" gives you a free or reduced top-rated phone from Motorola, Nokia,Sony, Ericcson, Samsung and more. Plus, each plan comes with a free in-car charger, belt clip, and hands-free ear bud. If all that is not enough to grab your attention, how about earning cash back on certain phone plans?

Taking on your cell phone while driving is now illegal in California, and soon the rest of the country. If you choose to buy a cell phone, you should consider a hands-free solution in case you want to talk while driving. I prefer the wired headset, it's cheap and easy to use. Veriuni has several plans that include this lifesaving device.