Your Not-So-Free Phone

The cost of replacement batteries is a significant factor in the total amount that you'll pay for your cell phone.

The free phone your wireless carrier offers you every two years might cost a little more than you'd planned. The reason: The phone's lithium ion battery might not go the distance. Francis Ho, manager at Citicomm Wireless, a cell phone retailer, says some batteries in the cell phones he sees last only six months to a year. Ho recommends getting equipment insurance from your carrier (Cingular charges $5 per month) as a safeguard. But insuring the battery isn't always cost effective. A replacement cell may cost you only $25 to $40--so unless your battery dies very quickly, it's often cheaper to buy a new one.

Many things affect battery longevity. CEO Brian Cleveland of Percept Technology Labs, a company that tests batteries, recommends that you not leave your phone in a cold environment (such as in a car overnight). "That's a factor in shorter-than-two-year life for [lithium ion] batteries," he says.