Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!swrinde!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!usc!apple!bionet!hayes.fai.alaska.edu!accuvax.nwu.edu!nucsrl!telecom-request
From: ssc-vax!clark@beaver.cs.washington.edu (Roger Clark Swann)
Newsgroups: comp.dcom.telecom
Subject: An Inexpensive Cellular Phone
Message-ID: <10106@accuvax.nwu.edu>
Date: 25 Jul 90 04:40:13 GMT
Sender: news@accuvax.nwu.edu
Organization: Boeing Aerospace & Electronics, Seattle WA
Lines: 49
Approved: Telecom@eecs.nwu.edu
X-Submissions-To: telecom@eecs.nwu.edu
X-Administrivia-To: telecom-request@eecs.nwu.edu
X-Telecom-Digest: Volume 10, Issue 515, Message 5 of 12


There have been several articles here recently talking about cellular
phones; what's the lowest price, etc.

Here is the cheapest one that I have seen to date:

*FAMOUS MAKER* transportable cellular telephone $99.99

	3 watts
	9 number memory
	automatic call retry

	Battery pack and charger:   $39.99

sold by DAMARK International, Inc.  7101 Winnetka Ave. N.,
				    Minneapolis, MN  55428-1619
				    1-800-729-9000
				    1-612-531-0082

** Special price requires one year new activation and minimum
service conmmitment through International Ventures, Inc.
Phone not available in CA, N. Carolina, & Hawaii. 
This offer void where activation requirement is prohibited by law.
           ^^^^
This might answer the recent question about getting a
$299 Tandy special without the service commitment...

Anyone know if these units are any good? Who is International Ventures?


    Roger Swann               |    uucp:  uw-beaver!ssc-vax!clark
         @                    |
The Boeing Company            |


[Moderator's Note: Some of those cheapie phones come with deals
attached that are *so* sleazy. Fretters is good like that: They were
selling a cell phone for $79.00 (yes, *seventy-nine* dollars) which
was -- according to the advertisement -- 'ready to use'. Except, you
had to buy a battery ($69); a battery charger ($119); pay an
obligatory 'installation fee' ($100); and the real gem: sign up with
Ameritech for $1000 in service, payable up front. They told you about
the first three conditions in small print near the bottom of the ad,
but they waited until you were in the store and ready to sign up
before they dropped the '$1000 in advance to Ameritech' on you. It
stunk, and people were turning around and walking out of the store as
fast as they had walked in. I left, went to Radio Shack and got a
CT-301 for $499 instead, with a short term commitment to Ameritech and
no minimum use.  PT]