I agree with your observation about the quad-band RAZR being able to communicate in more areas. The author of the G'zOne review in fact pointed out that one weakness of the phone was it's inability to "fall back" into analog mode if a digital cell tower could not be contacted.

Thus, in addition to basic ruggedness, we should narrow our search to phones capable of operating on several "cellular bands" (I don't know the correct terminology).

Now the question is -- are you willing to put your RAZR through the dreaded washing-machine test and tried to call it while in the wash cycle -- as the author of the G'zOne review did?? :-)