The most commonly asked question about cell phones is "Dude, what's your number?" We realize not everyone's traded in their land-based phone line to join the cellular circus yet. So if you're making the transition to cell phone ownership, there are some key issues to consider.

Some of the most important things to look into are: picking your service provider and plan, determining your budget, checking how dependable the service is (measured by coverage area and dropped call rate) and figuring out what cell phone handset to buy.

Do your homework. It will be worth it. Go online to compare plans, service providers, phones and rates. You can also ask for a 14 or 30-day trial period for new phone service to make sure you have the plan that works for you. Also, ask your friends. Mostly everyone seems to have joined the revolution.

See what they have to say about who has the best Internet connectivity, who has the most storage space for music and videos and who has the best music and video players. Also important is how many friends can you talk to for free because they have the same provider.

Once you buy a cell phone, you soon won't be able to live without many of its options. Just like the rest of us. You'll be loving your built-in mp3 player, video players, phone camera, web access and new, cool video games. Phones have become so much more than a way to communicate. Now they're also what we do when we're by ourselves.