Easy to use mobile phones: FAQs
Am I better off choosing a conventional easy-to-use mobile phone or a specialist handset?
With some specialist phones, you'll need to set up the Sim card on a regular handset first
It all depends on personal preference. We found the specialist mobile phones are especially easy to use, so are likely to be particularly helpful to anyone with a serious visual, hearing or dexterity impairment.
However they can be expensive, and lack many of the features we’ve come to expect, so users without serious disabilities may prefer to choose a conventional easy-to-use mobile phone.
The best advice is to try a number of different mobile phone handsets to see which one suits you.
Apart from price, do specialist mobile phones have any other drawbacks?
Specialist mobile phones can be harder to find, as they’re not available in high street shops. They’re also pretty basic devices with limited functionality.
In most cases this makes them easier to use for older people or those with sight, hearing or dexterity problems. However some of these easy-to-use mobile phone features do have down sides.
For example some specialist mobile phone handsets only feature five buttons, which is intended to make them easier to use. But setting them up in the first place is quite tricky, as you have to use a regular mobile phone to enter the required phone numbers onto the Sim card before inserting it back into the specialist phone.
Some easy-to-use mobile phone handsets don't have screens - but this makes it impossible to check contact details or even see how much battery is left.
If I decide to buy a conventional easy-to-use mobile phone handset, what should I look out for?
Try to find a mobile phone with a large, clear screen, well spaced-out keys, and a simple menu system. This sounds easy but phones are becoming ever more complicated as manufacturers compete to see who can cram in more gadgets.
Older mobile phones are often a good easy-to-use choice, and can offer decent value. Vodafone used to produce a Simply range of no-frills handsets but sadly it stopped making them in 2007 following disappointing sales. In the same year Nokia brought out the Classic range, some of which impressed our panel.