Consumer interest in mobile communications products has risen after extensive news coverage of a college student who apparently was abducted and killed after her car broke down as she traveled through Illinois to Iowa.
People who sell citizens band radios and cellular phone services report increased interest in those products from people concerned solely with their security applications rather than their broader communications features.
”Unfortunately, it`s like the case at a dangerous intersection when there`s a traffic fatality and the attention causes traffic lights to be installed,” said Jerry Kalov, president of Chicago-based Dynascan Corp., which makes citizens band radios.
Based on interviews with Kalov and representatives of Ameritech Mobile and Cellular One, the two cellular phone service providers in the Chicago area, here are some questions and answers about technologies available to enhance motorist safety:
Question-Are there portable communications products available intended solely for security?
Answer-Several are already on the market with more in the works. There are CB radio units that sell for $50 to $100 that are intended for occasional use rather than daily chatting common to some users like truckers. Cellular companies provide special service rates as low as $13 a month for people who don`t plan to use their phones much.
Q-Do these products work only in the Chicago area, or can you use them in rural areas as well?
A-Cellular phone service is certainly best in the metropolitan area. There is a number you can call for emergencies that works throughout the metro area and other numbers you can call to get traffic information or even to talk to an operator who will help you out if you get lost.
Q-But what about in the country. Will a cellular phone work when you`re far from a big city?
A-Cellular phones should work if you are on an interstate or major highway. The two Chicago cellular services have agreements with most of the rural services so you can ”roam” and use their system. But it can be more difficult to use a cellular phone outside your home area.
There are two cellular bands, A and B, and you may have to reprogram your phone to use the band in some unfamiliar area. Or you may have to dial a special number to get into the system outside your home base.
Q-But if I`m someplace between Peoria and Rock Island when my car conks out, how do I know what band or special number to use?
A-Cellular systems provide a ”roaming” directory with much of this information. But you may not want to wait for a breakdown to read it. It is wise before setting out to discuss your route with a representative from your cellular service who can help you determine what to do if you have trouble anywhere along that route.
Also, when you buy a cellular phone and subscribe to a service, you should tell the salesperson of your interest in security and learn about the features of the phone you are buying. Some phones have more automatic features than others that may make them easier to use in unfamiliar locations.
Q-That seems complicated. Isn`t there some universal number, like 911, I could just call wherever I am to get help?
A-Not yet. There are such numbers in some jurisdictions, but they vary. There is a group working to get a universal number in place, but this requires new equipment for police jurisdictions across the country and money to pay for it. In most places, you can dial zero and get a local operator to route an emergency call for you.
Q-How much do cellular phones cost?
A-It varies. If you`re interested in security, you might want one with its own battery, just in case your car`s battery was dead. You can get a good phone for $150, and may find something on sale for less than that. You can rent a phone and get the security service for $25 or so a month, depending on the company and the deal.
Q-What about per-minute charges when I make a call?
A-If you`re calling an emergency number in the Chicago area, it`s free. But if you`re on a low monthly rate deal and in Chicago, it`ll cost anywhere from 4 cents a minute to $1 a minute depending on which service and what time of day it is.
If you`re in a zone outside of your home territory, there will likely be a fee just for using the system plus a very high per-minute charge, but if you`re broken down in the middle of nowhere, you don`t really care if it costs $5 or $15 to make the call that brings help, do you?
Q-Suppose I don`t want a car phone. Isn`t there something else I could get just for security?
A-Next spring, Ameritech Mobile will offer a new product that will keep track of your car`s location. Its main purpose is to recover cars that are stolen, but it will also have optional features for helping motorists in distress. One feature allows you to push a button that alerts a central office to send assistance. Another allows you to talk to the central office as well. Q-Will that work when I`m stuck out in the country?
A-Not initially, no. If the system is successful, it probably will expand to cover interstates and major highways, but it will be limited to the metropolitan area when it is first offered.
Q-Any other things like that in the works?
A-There is research under way now on so-called ”smart cars” that help you find your way when you get lost. These computerized radio-equipped systems will also find the best route through rush hour traffic. They`ll bring help to you when you need it. Prototypes are being tested or soon will be, but it will probably be years before such services are offered on the market, if ever.
Q-What about CB radio, does anybody still listen to that?
A-It certainly isn`t as popular as it was in the 1970s, but truckers still use CB radios, and most police and highway patrol offices monitor it as do many patrol cars. There are also many citizen volunteers who monitor 2 of the 40 CB channels, listening especially for distress calls.
Q-What about their range?
A-CB radio signals reach many miles and, depending upon atmospheric conditions, can be picked up tens of miles away from their origin.
