I haven’t been using a cell phone for very long. For a long time I just didn’t need one. My home phone served its purpose and I wasn’t interested in signing a 2-year contract with anyone. However, it was pretty much inevidable as my life became more demanding. So about a year and a half ago I signed on with Cingular. I just wanted a basic phone at the time, and the LG C1500 looked fairly stylish.

Flash forward a year, I drop the phone in a glass of water (whoops!) and it stops working. Luckily, Cingular replaces it for free with a refurbished LG C1500 phone. That lasts me another 5 months before it stops working.

Now, I am fed up with this model and interested in a newer phone with more features. Here’s what I’ve learned over the past year and a half about the LG C1500.

First of all, it’s basic. Real basic. Granted, it’s an inexpensive phone by today’s standards. So $20-$30 for a decent flip phone is not too bad. Just don’t expect too much from the C1500 - it’s really best for talking and nothing more.

Noteable features include speaker phone (great), text messaging (fair), multimedia messaging (poor), custom media (fair), instant messaging (great), and an internet browser (poor).

The instant messaging services included on the phone is a nice addition. It works well, allowing you to sign onto AIM, ICQ, or Cingular Messenger. The internet browser, provided by “Media NET,” is barely functional. I’ve had trouble with it since I got my original LG C1500 several years ago. Sometimes the internet works, sometimes it crashes.

As for design, the LG C1500 actually has one of my favorite button configurations I’ve used on a flip phone. It’s very easy to pick up, and everything is clearly marked, so there is no confusion about things like volume.

The C1500 cell phone is also quite small, which is very nice. Infact, the phone is even smaller than most of today’s models. Don’t get me wrong - I have big hands and the phone fits confortably in them, so it isn’t TOO small.

Overall, the LG C1500 performs well. It is a very basic phone that will satisfy you with voice and text messaging at an affordable price

7/10