How to choose a cellular phone (from the newspaper archives – 1986)

Choosing the cellular phone that is right for you or the person on your gift list boils down to answering two simple questions:

• How do you plan to use the phone?

• How much money do you want to spend?

If you think you’ll only use the phone while driving, a mobile phone is your best bet. Mobile telephones have been on the market the longest, and most cellular service areas are first set up to operate at the three-watt power level that mobile phones use. When you buy a mobile phone from Cellular One, the company will install it in a convenient spot in your car and attach a special antenna in the back. You’ll get the greatest possible reach of signal, but you’ll have to give up portability.