| Cellular phones are an amazing modern convenience, | | | | calling rates. The main disadvantage of digital cellular |
| but it can be confusing for consumers to distinguish | | | | phones is that many parts of the country aren't |
| between the various options available. There are two | | | | equipped with the proper antennae to receive digital |
| main types of cellular phones: analog and digital. Each | | | | signals. This makes digital cellular phones inappropriate |
| type operates slightly differently and has its own | | | | for frequent travelers or individuals who live in rural |
| unique advantages and disadvantages. | | | | areas. |
| The first cellular phones were analog phones. Analog | | | | Sprint often uses the term PCS in their promotional |
| phones are basically an extremely sophisticated radio | | | | materials. PCS stands for Personal Communications |
| and telephone combination. The main advantage of | | | | Service and is a wireless communications service |
| analog cellular phones is that they cost less than the | | | | very similar to cellular phone services. Many people |
| newer digital phones. Analog phones are also a better | | | | use the term PCS as a synonym for a digital cellular |
| choice for travelers, since 95 percent of the county | | | | phone, but a true PCS phone offers additional |
| is equipped for their use. The drawbacks of choosing | | | | services such as caller ID, paging, and e-mail as part |
| an analog phone are the reduced sound quality and | | | | of its regular phone service. |
| the slightly higher per minute rate. | | | | Newer cellular phone models may offer a dual mode |
| Digital cellular phones use the same basic technology | | | | feature. This option allows you to automatically |
| as an analog phone. The difference is that digital | | | | switch between analog and digital modes depending |
| phones use binary code and compression to fit more | | | | upon what antennae are in your range. Dual mode |
| calls into a given bandwidth. Digital cellular phones | | | | phones combine the advantages of both analog and |
| offer longer battery life, better signals, and cheaper | | | | digital cellular phones. |