The phone in my pack is a tracfone. It is a GMS phone and uses all GMS towers. Tracfone leases air time from the owners of the towers.

AMEN to that, my friend.

100 years ago people also got along just fine without Benchmade knives, nylon clothes, internal combustion engines, dirty water, rubber soled boots, etc.

Don't hate the cell phones...hate the people that talk on them TOO much.

Next we will explore the topic of a survival internet connection. . . How long can we make it without a WWW fix? I think I'll need to go to a Verizon Wireless AirCard® 595 so I can stay online while camping

I think it's more that, given that we are going to be carrying a phone anyway, we might as well look into what features would make it most useful in a disaster.

My picks would include:

• Small size. It can't help if it's not with you.
• Long battery life.
• Easy recharging, eg through USB.
• FM radio (for picking up emergency info).
• E-book reader with reference works.
• E-books and games for entertainment (disasters can be dull).
• I've not come across a phone with a digital compass, but on mine I have a Java app which shows sun and moon positions which can be used to navigate when they are visible in the sky.
• GPS. (Find out what it can tell you when it can't get a cellular connection. Can it give a grid reference without maps?)
• Google Maps or similar. (Useful even without GPS.)
• Consider getting a digitised local map for when comms are down. (I've not found a good solution for this.)
• Camera for documenting what happened. May be important later. If you are bitten by a snake, take the snake's picture. It may help the medics identify which antidote you need.
• Torch. Mine doesn't have a proper torch, but it has a crude flash in its camera. Plus the backlight is bright enough to navigate indoors, if your eyes are dark-adapted.
• The ability to make phone calls.
• The ability to send text messages (these often get through when a phone call won't).
• Web access, with links to news and reference sites.

Reference material can be invaluable, especially if it can help you avoid getting into difficulties in the first place. Eg weather updates, or local tide tables if you are by the sea.

Communications can be invaluable, too. But also think of features that will be useful when the phone network is down.

Cell phones have saved many lives. Therefore, it has survival qualities. Survival-related, just as the OP asked about.

I've been using the $50 tracfone from Walmart, Motorola V170, for several years now. I can't count how many times I've accidently dropped and/or flung it, hitting the ground hard enough to spew it's battery and lid. Snap it back together, no problem. This is one tough phone with some serious scars!

It works pretty much everywhere, I've only been denied service in some small towns in the Black Hills. Great phone!

I use the new sidekick 2008, its my urban survival phone. In the wilds I just don't count on a phone. I use an alosak to keep it dry when its raining.

-Bill Liptak

For me the biggest thing was cost and pricing structure of the talk time. Irridium is nice but overkill for my use and expensive. If I was traveling the globe and spent much time outside normal coverage areas it might make sense.

Altell sells prepaid phones for about $20 for the basic phone and messaging. For $45 you can get one with a camera and other unnecessary features. The time is structured so that if you buy in $100 blocks you get most of 700 minutes and the minutes don't expire for a year. Which makes it cheaper than a land-line.

At $20 for the unit if it gets destroyed your no out much. And at that rice you might be able to keep several. Perhaps one in a BOB, kept charged with a 120v charger, and another in the car hooked up to a 12v recharger unit, about $10. For reliability a spare battery and hand-crank charger helps. A larger remote antenna can extend the range and is a nice option if your phone has a jack to hook it up.

This company has good service in almost all of Florida and has a pretty reliable service history even after hurricanes. But check your area for companies that cover it and ask around about reliability.

My preference is to get a phone that just acts as a phone. If the phone gets lost or destroyed I don't lose any important features. I try to avoid all-in-one type devices.