With the popularity of cell phones on the rise, companies are constantly touting their offers for free cell phones. But are those offers real? There are some things to consider before you grab up one of those offers. Take a look at some facts and some options.

The majority of free cell phones are offered by companies that provide cell phone service. These companies can afford to make the offer because they're assured that they're going to have your business for a set period of time. That's because the only way you're really going to get one of their free cell phones is by signing a contract that binds you to cell phone service for a specific period of time. With that contract, you're agreeing to pay for the serviceusually for one or two yearswhether you use it or not.

But if you price cell phones purchased outright, isn't it better to sign that contract than to pay the full price for a phone? Probably, but you should carefully evaluate your situation and be sure you're going to want to pay for the service for that length of time.

Keep in mind that there are dozens of companies out there providing cell phone service, and they're all vying for a specific customer base. Because of the situation, you have the upper handat least to some degree. One of the gimmicks these companies use is to offer free cell phones in an attempt to gain new customers. Before you sign up, get a value for the phone they're offering for free. Ask for the price of the phone if you don't sign a contract, and then price that phone with some other companies. You may find that the phone isn't worth very much anyway and that signing simply buying the phone without signing a contract is a better decision.

Choosing a cell phone service provider should not end at which of those companies will provide the best free cell phones. Evaluate the service past the phone. The price of service, terms of the contract and features (call waiting, call forwarding and voice mail) should all play a role in your decision. When you weigh those aspects, you may find that buying a cell phone from company A is a better deal that taking the free cell phones from company B.

There's no doubt that there are free cell phones available. But as is true with most things, there are also strings attached and terms to be met in order to qualify.