Cell Phones to Go

Home Office Computing, Sept, 1999 by Susan Glinert

Five questions to ask when you rent a mobile phone

NEED A PHONE ON THE ROAD? FOR INFREQUENT travelers, renting a wireless phone may be more economical than buying one. It's certainly more convenient than hunting for a pay phone and cheaper than paying exorbitant hotel surcharges just to call your answering machine. And even if you already own a cell phone, renting at your destination may cost less than paying roaming charges for your home unit--which may not even work where you're going.

You can rent a phone before you travel by finding a rental company in the yellow pages or ordering online. We found two inexpensive providers on the Internet: InTouch USA (www.intouchusa.com) and Roberts Rent-a-Phone (www.roberts-rent-a-phone.com). The latter offers deals as low as $5 per day ($20 per week) for a TDMA digital phone with 200 hours of battery time, plus $1.25 per minute nationally and $2.25 a minute (minimum) for international calling with no roaming charge. InTouch's rates start at $3.99 per day ($29 per week), with airtime as low as $1 per minute depending on the plan. Here's what to ask before you seal the deal.

Analog, Digital, or Both? The type of equipment you should rent depends on where you're going and what services you'll need when you get there. Analog cellular has the broadest coverage area within the United States, making it the best choice if you'll be staying outside of a metropolitan area.

Digital phones, on the other hand, offer more talk time, more efficient batteries, better security (digital conversations are encrypted), caller ID for most incoming calls, and e-mail via a wireless modem. But before you sign up, make sure your destination has digital coverage--currently it's limited to large cities and major highways. Also, if you'll be moving around, bear in mind that digital phones have poor roaming capability due to sparse cross-carrier agreements.

Worth looking for, but not yet widely available via rental, are dual-band phones--digital wireless models that automatically switch to analog when necessary.

Do your plans involve overseas travel? Then you'll need a digital model that uses the appropriate frequency --most U.S. digital phones won't work in Europe or Japan. And there's no cell phone service in national parks, so if you want to stay in touch while you raft the Grand Canyon, your only choice is a satellite phone, such as InTouch's pricey Iridium ($399 weekly rental fee).

What's the Cost? Fees vary, but to give you an idea of what to expect, we called five companies in Atlanta and found that weekly rentals for analog phones average $35, plus $1.35 per minute for combined local/long distance service. These companies all charge a roaming fee (between 90 cents and $2.15 per minute), and most provide a calling card for international usage.

Can I Get E-Mail, Too? You can request a data cable that connects to a PC Card modem, but there's no guarantee that you'll be able to make a robust connection, say the folks at InTouch. The company rents GlobeWave's Complete PC Card, which has a built-in cell phone, for $49 per week; the card connects to the Internet well, but only at about 9.6Kbps, so you can forget about wireless surfing unless you're extremely patient. You'll also need a microphone and earpiece for voice calls, and you'll have to lug around your notebook PC to make calls.

Are Any Extras Available? Besides the base unit, ask the supplier what else is included in the rental package and how much everything weighs. You'll certainly need a desk charger or vehicle adapter and batteries; ask about talk time and standby battery life, and find out how many batteries are included.

You'll need a data cable if you want to access the Internet, and a carrying case is a nice convenience. Some companies, such as InTouch, will also rent you a palmtop computer if you can't take yours along. Ask about any other phone services you require, such as caller ID, and get the details on technical support, service, and replacement policies.

How Do I Get the Gear? Most cell phone rental services offer local pickup and delivery. Some airports have rental kiosks where you can pick up and drop off the unit. If you use one of the national providers, the phone will be sent to your home or hotel with return shipping material included.