We have been living with a Motorola StarTac GSM phone for over six months. We’ve used it under all sorts of conditions, in strong and weak signal areas, at home, on regional trips, and on a coast-to-coast auto trip. In every case it has far exceeded our expectations for performance, convenience, quality of sound, and battery life. We routinely forward our office phone to the StarTac when out of the building. Knowing that we can turn it off during meetings or social events and still receive voice mail or short text messages, to be collected when we’re able, has been a great convenience.

Like the analog predecessor reviewed earlier this year, the Motorola StarTac GSM Digital phone’s small size and versatile features change the way one operates with a telephone. It, too, becomes a subtle and transparent extension of daily business activities, putting instant communication and interaction in your pocket. Far more than a StarTac in a different mode, a new dimension of security can relieve concerns about over-the-air eavesdropping, and the encrypted handshake with one’s carrier can make cloning worries a thing of the past. A smart card, called a "SIM card", contains protected account and phone number information and can contain one’s phone list. It can be moved from phone to phone, and can be used with European GSM phones by the world traveler. Specialized features of GSM activated by one’s carrier can include caller ID, call holding waiting and forwarding, a "short message service" which can include informational broadcast messages, fax and data calls and telephone secretary capability with notification. Menus are step-by-step and customizable–an approach Motorola calls "Personality™", and speech quality is outstanding.

The StarTac GSM, like the analog version, is not much larger than a full-featured alphanumeric pager. The phone continues Motorola’s trend toward ever smaller, yet fully featured "wearable" phones. Motorola’s high standards of quality and finish are well in evidence.

When closed, a small power status indicator on top of the phone flashes red, green, or yellow to indicate whether the phone is in its service area, roaming, out of any service area, or whether a call is coming in. A SIM card release slider on the back of the phone permits easy removal of the smart card, which fits into a slot on the bottom of the phone. Two volume control buttons and a "smart" button are discreetly located on the side of the phone and are also used to quickly access phone book entries. The antenna protrudes slightly from the case when it’s not extended. Though the phone will operate in most areas with the antenna stowed, it’s probably a good idea to pull it out.

On opening the phone, one sees the usual keys, attractively arranged and backlit. A crisp liquid crystal display can, depending on the model, handle up to four rows of 12 alphanumeric characters, as well as a number of information symbols and a real-time clock. The supplied phone came with two Lithium-Ion batteries: standard, and auxiliary (which piggybacks onto the rear of the phone), nicely integrated into the phone’s form factor. Both come with solid storage cases. Also included are a belt clip, AC adapter (with slide-in plug for different countries), and a desktop charger that uses the AC adapter and can charge several batteries at once.

No programming of the phone is needed in order to activate it–after calling the carrier to sign up and give the ID number of the SIM card, the carrier automatically transmits the assigned phone number and voice mail number for installation by the phone itself. The user can then use the menus (see below) to customize particular options.

The graphical signal strength indicator displays one to five bars depending on the strength of the received signal. There is a 3-segment battery level indicator and a set of helpful menu icons for voice mail alert or alphabetic message waiting, for phone in use and to indicate roaming. A handy scroll bar is shown when in a list, showing one’s relative position in the list, Prompts such as "Select?" are displayed when you are expected to press a button.

A built-in phone book stores and retrieves user-set numbers with alphanumeric identifiers. Numbers may be dialed by name or location. The last ten calls made or received are stored, and can be redialed.

There are several call timers, a choice of eleven distinctive ringing sounds or vibration, and a set of lock and security features. The volume and function keys on the side of the phone, in conjunction with the center "smart button" between them, permit menu and directory scrolling and easy selection of common operations.

The StarTac uses NiMH or longer life, lighter weight Lithium Ion batteries, with the Lithium batteries supplied with the more expensive packages. The main battery attaches on the front clamshell section, where it appears part of the case. The larger auxiliary battery piggybacks on the rear clamshell. The phone uses the auxiliary battery first if it’s present. There are low battery warning tones and a display when the batteries approach exhaustion.

The standard main Lithium-ion battery provides up to 2 hours of talk time or up to 30 hours of stand-by time per charge. This is substantially more than the analog StarTac, due to more efficient circuitry and operation The Auxiliary piggyback Lithium-ion battery provides almost 4 hours of talk time or 55 hours of stand-by. With both batteries installed one can obtain about 5 hours of talk time or 85 hours of stand-by time–enough for several days without recharging.

The charger plugs directly into the phone or into a desk stand which can charge the phone with 2 batteries attached as well as an extra standard battery in a second compartment.

The phone executes a self-test when turned on, and then requests the lock code, if the user has activated that feature. Pressing the "smart button" allows selection from the 99-location phone directory by initial letter, with the volume keys acting as forward and backward scroll keys. The first ten locations may be dialed directly by pressing and holding the appropriate number key. Location 01 may be used for an emergency number, which may be dialed even if the phone is locked. Pressing the Menu key enters the menu system, and the volume keys and smart key permit scrolling and selection.

Opening the phone answers an incoming call; closing it hangs up the phone. Alternatively the "OK" key can be used. Unanswered calls are counted and their number displayed if the phone is on. If the cell is busy, the OK key activates an automatic redial feature. If the called party is busy, the last number called can be redialed via the OK key. The last ten numbers called are saved and can similarly be redialed as selected.

The phone may be automatically locked whenever it is turned off, or manually locked via key press. A user-set lock code is required to unlock the phone. A lock code may also be set for the SIM card, to prevent it’s unauthorized use.

The handshake with the service provider is encrypted to prevent cloning. We’ve had our analog phone cloned three times and then used to make many unauthorized long-distance calls; in many months of use we’ve had no such problems with the StarTac GSM.

An elaborate, flexible menu system can be customized to each user’s needs. There are two main menu trees–a quick access menu and an options menu. The quick access menu is a single set of nine of the most commonly used alternatives initiated by pressing the up-arrow key on the phone. The selections and their sequence can be customized.

The options menu is divided into 7 groups, each with sub-categories. The main groups are the phone book, call-related features, messages, phone setup, network selection, call meters, and accessory setup. There are about 50 options in this menu tree, some providing special services that vary from carrier to carrier.

The Call Related group includes a battery meter, phone number restrictions, call forwarding options, call holding and call waiting options. Call barring options allow control of both incoming and outgoing calls.

The message menu includes short message services (SMS): text messages sent to and from your phone number. Cell broadcasts may be sent to groups of phones, for example with local weather, traffic or stock market prices, depending on the network operator’s offerings.

To send SMS messages requires access to an SMS message service center, which will forward broadcast messages to a group of recipients, or individual messages to specified recipients. Such messages may be text, fax, paging or email.

The phone setup menu permits the use of two voice phone lines with separate billing, ring or vibrate with 11 different ringer tones including those used in major European countries. If two lines are used, distinctive ringing is available.

A phone unlock code, SIM card PIN, and a second PIN for certain dialing and charging functions are all available. Extended menus permit setting time formats and language selection. A battery saving mode is also available.

The network selection menu permits search and selection if there is more than one PCS network in a given area. The call meter menu allows a display of call timers, and, if you receive the "advice of charges" service, call charges. In such cases a maximum charges limit may be established. The accessory setup is used with a car kit.

Optional accessories include various batteries, a cigarette lighter adapter, desktop charger, handsfree car kit, and PC card.

Because of its convenient size, ease-of-use, many features, and reliable operation, the Motorola StarTac GSM is strongly recommended as the telephone of choice for PCS users.

The cellular and GSM service market is highly competitive as a number of competing carriers and technologies vie for customers. A substantial promotional rebate on the StarTac GSM is often offered by carriers in exchange for a year’s contract. Offers abound of free weekend hours, wide local calling areas, and even wider home-rate billing areas which can be two or more states wide. Beyond those areas there’s usually a straightforward per minute roaming fee. Since the SIM card that activates the phone is carrier-programmed, we recommend purchase packaged with a pre-configured SIM card from one’s chosen home GSM carrier.