I did a thorough search in Nov. 2005 and examined many phones and service providers before selecting "Nokia 6101" and T-mobile. Other providers did not have the flexibility with the prepaid system to meet my needs. This phone has everything I was looking for and it is easy to operate and use. I love the camera and video which are easy to operate. I quickly grasped the "how tos" on making, receiving calls, and text messaging.You can store 16 MB of information, send photos via email to friends and create photo albums. The text messaging system is super! The Voice Mail was a bit complicated to set up due to my lack of experience and discomfort with all this high tech equipment. I used up minutes unnecessarily listening to the T-mobile prompt telling me about Voice Mail until I realized it was an "information only" call. It dawned on me that I had to read and reread the manual which was not enough so I finally went to the Nokia and T-mobile websites for more detailed precise directions. I finally got it right!The SIMS chip placement was straight forward, no difficulty with the battery either. Activating the phone and receiving my phone number was a cinch! However getting my 1000 minutes to upload *was* a bit of a hassle, I bought a card which could not be directly uploaded. The help number at T-mobile set me straight. I am not locked into a monthly plan but choose to prepay minutes. I found T-mobile offers the most convenient method and options for obtaining 1000 minutes which last a whole year and whatever you don't use rolls over when you buy the next 1000 minutes. {I do not talk all that much but need the phone for safety and short interval calls.] Other service providers had more complicated methods of buying and using minutes, with a lot of add-on costs. It is so easy! I love the phone! I am enjoying the extra features more than I imagined. It is not *just* a phone - it is a communication device that makes me feel connected to the world. This phone works best for me. [Planning next to buy the headset to use the FM Radio ...] Erika BOrsos (erikab93)