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Every other type of user out there will probably wind up on a monthly plan with a national carrier. We've outlined choices on the four most popular carriers.

(We've left out the fifth, Nextel. There are so few Nextel phones to choose from that the appropriate phone for each person will be obvious — there's only once cool phone, one cameraphone, etc.)

My mom can barely figure out how to change the channel on her TV, let alone program her VCR. But like many other people, she knows how to gab on the phone non-stop and can (with a little help) figure out how to put her oft-called contacts into speed dial. Even with tech support, she's still not going to try text messaging or browsing, in fact it's unlikely she'll change her ringer. Each of these phones has standard keypads and simple menus. They are physically reliable, with solid build quality, decent battery life and good signal strength. They should be both drop- and dummy-proof.

Cingular: Nokia 3120

Sprint: Nokia PM-6225

T-Mobile: Motorola V180

Verizon: LG VX-4600

Next page: Heavy Users

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