How to Flash a Cricket Cell Phone

1. Download on your computer a reliable flash software which can be found online for free or for a fee. It should be compatible with your Windows version. This software will contain PRL files to overwrite a cell phone's data, PST tools to reprogram the phone, and Monster files to flash a phone. It will also contain specific six-digit codes for accessing the programming features on your cell phone which were set by your service provider. Go to the site under references for the software.
2. Double-click and unzip the downloaded flash software.
3. Connect your Cricket cell phone through a USB cable to a USB port in your personal computer or laptop in preparation for transferring the new files.
4. Follow the step-by-step instructions which are easy to follow but vary per source. Instructions usually come as a Read Me document. The entire process would disable your Cricket settings and reprogram it into your new carrier's network or vice-versa.
5. Double-check by clicking the button 'Start' and going to 'My Computer.' Under the window 'Systems Task' on the left, click on 'View Systems Information.'
6. Click the tab 'Hardware' and then click on the button 'Device Manager.'
7. Select USB controllers and ports to check for your newly-installed carrier which has already been flashed to your cell phone.

How to Unlock a Tata Indicom Mobile

1. Switch on the cellphone. A message will appear asking for your lock code.
2. Enter your four- to eight-digit unlock code. Default codes are sometimes '0000' or '1234.' See Tips if you forget your PIN code.
3. Wait a moment as your phone unlocks. You will now be able to use your Tata Indicom mobile as normal.

How to Send Receive International Text Messages

Telephone
1. Go to the 'Main Menu' on your phone. Select 'Message' and 'Create New Message.'
2. Type in the number of the recipient starting with the '+' sign followed by the country code and the local mobile number in the recipient section. If the local number starts with 0, you can remove the 0 and replace it with the country code.
3. Compose your text message. Usually, a single text message has a limit of 160 characters, exceeding this number will charge you with another text message fee.
4. Press 'OK' or 'Send' on your cell phone's text message editor. You will get a confirmation that the message has been sent.
5. Receive a message by clicking on the 'Open' button after someone has sent you a text.
Website
6. Register for a site that allows you to send and receive international text messages for free. Three that you can choose from are SMSFree4All, SendSMSNow, and Text4Free (see Resources). You will need to provide your full name, user ID, password, and email address. In some cases, you may also have to provide a cell phone number.
7. Open the confirmation email that you receive and click on the confirmation link. This will take you back to the website where you can log in.
8. Type in the cell phone number of the person whom you wish to text. Enter the county and mobile service provider. Type in a message of up to 140 characters, and enter the anti-spam captcha code. Click send and your text message will be sent.
9. Wait for the reply. You can also come back later to check for it. The website will store the message for you. If you have provided your cell phone number, you will also be notified via text when it comes in.

Free Fun Things for Cell Phones

Wallpaper
Decorate the cell phone with free wallpaper. Cell phones include a variety of pre-installed wallpaper. Many cell phones will also allow you to make pictures stored on the phone into wallpaper. In addition, there are several websites that offer free wallpaper including FreeMobileFun, Cellware and MyTinyPhone (see Resource section). To download the wallpaper to the cell phone, it must be downloaded to a computer first. Then connect the cell phone to the computer using a USB cable and copy the wallpaper from the save location to the appropriate folder on the cell phone drive.
Ringtones
Ringtones are one of the most popular and fun ways to customize a phone. Ringtones can be purchased, but there are many sources to get free ringtones. PhoneZoo offers many unique ringtones for free. They also have a tool to allow users to customize their own ringtones. Brinked is another source that offers free ringtones and will allow you to also customize ringtones. Ventones is another site that offers many comedic and musical ringtones. Some sites may require users have an account. Accounts are free; just sign up and click on the download option for a particular ringtone. The ringtone will be sent to your cell phone. (See Resource section for website links.)
Games and Applications
Download fun games and applications to your cell phone for free. The variety of games that can be downloaded for free will match most gaming tastes. Users can download free racing games, shooter games, mazes, puzzles like Soduku and games based on classic characters like Super Mario and Spiderman. Many applications are available for free that allow cell users to accomplish many tasks, including surfing the Web with the Opera Mini Web browser, warping the faces of loved ones, lighting your way through the dark with a flashlight app that allows the display to emit a brighter light, and even an application that changes the pitch of your speaking voice. There are many sources to get free games and applications including MobileRated, Hovr and MobileHeart (see Reference section).

How to Send Free SMS Pictures From a Computer to a Cell

1. Log on to your browser and direct it to the PixDrop web page (see Resources).
2. Select the wireless carrier of the recipient you wish to text a picture too. Currently, this service only supports Verizon, AT&T, Sprint and T-Mobile.
3. Enter the 10-digit phone number into the 'Recipient' field.
4. Upload your picture. Click on the 'Browse' button next to the 'Upload your picture' field and select the image you wish to send. Remember, cell phones have much lower resolution screens than conventional desktop computers, so try to keep the image quality no larger then 640 by 480 to insure the recipient will be able to view the sent picture.
5. Select 'Send Your Picture Message' and the image will be uploaded via text to the recipient.

How to Send Mass Text Messages From a PC

1. Buy a bulk text message software for your PC. A couple that you might consider are Data Doctor and Bulk SMS, each of which cost $39.95 as of early 2010.
2. Install the program on your computer by downloading it, double-clicking on the file and following the instructions.
3. Enter the phone numbers that you wish to send texts to under “Enter Recipient Phone Number.”
4. Write your message under “Type Message Here.” It can be up to 100 words long.
5. Click on “Send” to send the messages. You can choose to send them all at once by clicking on “Single Shot Execution” or one at a time by choosing “One by One Contact Process Mode.”

How to Get Free Mobile Service for a Month

1. Check with the companies that provide mobile service. Ask if they offer any promotional plans that give the first month of service for free.
2. Switch to another service, and ask the new company to provide the first month free as an incentive for you to change over to its service.
3. Advise your present company that you are unhappy with its service. State your reasons why. Naturally, there must be a good reason for your dissatisfaction. For example, a maintenance or upgrade on its end interrupted your service. Another example is an incorrect bill, causing you to have to spend time with a representative to clear it up. You can request a free month of service for the inconvenience.
4. Inquire about a free month of service for being an excellent customer. Remind the company you can take your account to another company, but you would prefer to stay with it. Ask the representative to reward you for your patronage.
5. Request free mobile service for a month from family and friends when they ask what you want for your birthday or other occasion.