Dhadkan of India

This was the second article after How to make Online Railway reservation which I had started writing down weeks back but only got time to post it now Anyway first a quick News Flash - Yesterday on 23rd of August, Nokia had said that India has become second largest consumer of Nokia phones after China displacing US and UK, which I feels is a huge thing and carries lot of weight.

Anyway now back to Second Hand Mobiles. India has a huge gray market for stolen mobile handsets or pirated sets. There are many markets in almost every city where you can find people/shops selling them openly. Now I am not at all endorsing or promoting mobiles from gray market but in case if you have decided that you are going to buy a second hand mobile set than here are my advices to you(these are for second hand mobiles but can also be put on buying stolen mobiles).

* Make sure you know exactly what you are buying. Ask the seller to explain any details regarding the phone unit.

* Check the phone unit’s IMEI number. The IMEI number is a code that is unique to each mobile phone unit. Make sure the number on the phone corresponds to the number on the receipt. Different numbers may mean different things – the phone may have been stolen, or the phone may have been repaired at a service center and had parts replaced – either way, both are signs of problematic phones. If you have access to internet, check online to see if the phone has been reported stolen or lost. This may be done with the use of the IMEI number.

* Learn about the person selling the phone. Do not buy from sellers that you have heard negative feedback about. Buy your mobile phone from trusted and well known sellers.

* Ask questions. Ask them why they are selling the phone, if there are any known problems with the unit you want to purchase, etc.

* Check the original receipt. This will tell you details on when the phone was purchased and from where. You can also use the receipt for warranty in case the phone is still covered.

* Inspect the phone’s exterior casing, check the keypads and look closely at the display to see if there are any scratches.

* Perform checks on the phone’s functions such as calling, sending SMS, Bluetooth, players, infrared, WIFI, GPRS, and the like.

* Check all moving parts to make sure they work as expected. Make sure no moving part seems flimsy or loose.

* Try charging the phone to see if the charger works and if the battery still charges. Also try to use the accessories that come with the phone to see if they work.

Purchasing second hand phones are a great choice for individuals on a budget. Anyone interested in purchasing inexpensive mobile phone units can buy previously owned handsets in any street in major cities for prices that range from Rs 300 to Rs 900. These handsets may be availed through payment options, wherein payments are done in installations spread over a certain period of time.