If you’ve purchased a used or refurbished Bell phone you’ve likely saved some money and should have a cellular phone that acts like a new phone. Here are the top 5 things you should test immediately after buying your used or refurbished Bell phone.

1. Check the physical condition of the phone:
When your get your Bell phone you should inspect the physical condition of the phone to ensure that the appearance matches the description you were given when you made your purchase.  This is not as important when buying your cell phone at a store, but when making your purchase online this becomes much more important (obviously).

2. Check the moisture indicator:
If the sticker under the battery, which is normally white, appears either pink or red, it means that your Bell phone has been exposed to moisture or worse, water. In fact, a pink sticker indicates there could be water damage inside the phone.  Water damage could lead to a lot of functional problems with that phone.

3. Test all the features and confirm all accessories are there:
You also need to check to ensure that all the accessories and parts that were promised are included. Typically this includes things such as the manual, home charger and battery.

Once you’ve confirmed the physical condition is fine you’ll want to check to make sure it is working properly. Test the camera, Bluetooth features, speakerphone, video, music player, and the hands-free functions. While your phone may not have all of these features, check all the features that it does have.

4. Check the buttons:
You will want to check all the buttons to make sure they are not loose and that they work properly. If a second-hand Bell phone has been used heavily sometimes some of the keys may not work well or not at all.  Sometimes you may need to push really hard on these buttons to get them to work.  This could be really inconvenient when dialing numbers or when sending text messages. 

5. Complete an initial test call:
You’ve looked at the physical condition, checked for water damage and tested the features and buttons – now you need to test the phone’s ability to connect to the network.  Do this by turning on the phone and completing an initial test call.  For Bell Mobility users dial [*][2][3][5][5] and press the send button.  When your Bell phone connects to the network you should hear “Welcome to the Bell Mobility Network” (or something similar).  Please note: this test will only work with phones that have a phone number already programmed into them.  If there is no number programmed in your Bell cell phone you will get a busy signal.

Bonus.  Charge and check the battery:
When you first get your Bell cellular phone home, charge the battery completely. This will let you know that the charger and battery both work.  Next monitor how long the battery holds its charge.  If the battery works normally you should have a standby battery life of up to 4 days on some older handsets.  Average talk-time should be at least three hours in digital (1X mode).

Once you’ve confirmed that everything is okay with your Bell phone, it’s time to activate it. You’ll need to visit an authorized Bell Center, either Bell World or Espace Bell. There a Bell representative will set up a new account for you or add it to your existing account. It usually costs $15-25 to activate a Bell cell phone.

Most phones are activated within 15 minutes but it can take up to 24 hours. Once it’s activated you’ll want to complete a test call. When you make your call ask how clear your voice sounds to the person you called and note how clear their voice sounds.

If the used Bell phone fails any of the tests you conducted you should immediately contact the seller for a full refund or a replacement cellular phone. Of course that only applies if they have a return policy. You should always ask before you make your purchase. Of course buying from a reputable retailer like www.cellarama.com means you have peace of mind.

And if you liked this article you can find more articles and videos for Bell Mobility users at http://cellarama.com/articles/ – At http://cellarama.com you’ll also find great contract-free cell phones for Bell Mobility. Written by A. Thompson

If you’re buying a used or refurbished Bell cell phone here are the top 7 questions to ask before you commit.

1. Is it a Bell phone?
Just because it looks like a used Bell Mobility cell phone doesn’t mean it is. There are many similar looking phones that might not be Bell phones. To tell if yours is a Bell phone look for the Bell logo or name on the phone. Bell cell phones will also have the Bell logo displayed on the phone’s screen when you turn them on.

In order to activate a cellular phone you must make sure you are buying a phone for the network you are going to use. For example, a TELUS phone will not work on the Bell network.  This is why, if you are going to use Bell, you must make sure you are buying a true Bell phone.

2. Does the phone offer the features that I require?
Each of us needs something different from our cellular phone depending on our needs. To ensure you are getting the features you need refer to the cellular phone’s specs. They are easily available online for almost every cellular phone on the market.

3. What is the physical condition?
You will want your used Bell cellular phone to be in good working condition. Check for buttons that are worn or sticking. Make sure the battery is holding a charge properly and look the case over carefully for damage that could affect the operation of the phone. Also, if it has an external antenna, you need to make sure that it is properly attached to the cellular phone.

4. Will I get a warranty or guarantee?
That depends where you purchase it. If you purchase your used Bell cell phone from a place like www.cellarama.com you will receive a warranty and return policy. If you purchase your Bell phone privately you will almost never receive a warranty.

Buying a used phone privately is risky. Before any money exchanges hands you should talk to Bell and make sure they will activate it. Another way to protect yourself is by purchasing your used or refurbished Bell cellular phone from a trusted source like Cellarama. Good companies will eliminate any risks associated with your purchase so you can relax.

5. Can it be activated?
There are some restrictions relating to activating a used Bell cellular phone. Actually it applies to almost every carrier (Rogers and Fido excluded). If the cell phone has been reported as lost or stolen you will not be able to activate it. You will also not be able to activate it if there is an outstanding balance on the account.

6. Is the price fair?
You will want to compare online prices for a similar phone to determine if the asking price of the used Bell phone is fair. You should also keep in mind, if it sounds too good to be true, it likely is.

7. Can I trust the seller?
Who you purchase your Bell phone from is vitally important.  In fact I believe that it is the most important factor. If you purchase a cell phone in a private sale you really know nothing about the person you are buying the phone from (unless you are buying it from a friend or family member). Purchasing your next used or refurbished Bell cell phone from a respected company can eliminate most of the issues that can arise from dealing with individuals.  Of course warranties, return policies, and guarantees all reduce your risk and increases your trust in the seller.

Buying a used or refurbished Bell cellular phone is an great way to save a few dollars and is an excellent alternative to the cost and long-term contracts associated with a new phone.  By asking these important 7 questions before buying your next used Bell phone, you will definitely increase your odds of finding the perfect reliable unit and protecting yourself.

And if you liked this article you can find more articles and videos for Bell Mobility users at http://cellarama.com/articles/ – At http://cellarama.com you’ll also find great contract-free cell phones for Bell Mobility. Written by A. Thompson