Buying a cell phone is much more of a process than it has ever been before because there are so many different types of phones and plans available.  You must also make sure that you are able to find a plan and a phone that meets your individual needs.

Because of the great demand for unlocked cell phones, sometimes third parties will unlock your phone in exchange for a fee. That doesn't necessarily mean that the phone will work right, because there could be proprietary settings already on it that can't be changed.