To rent a phone, you'll require a picture ID, and if you're not using a major credit card to pay the bill, a substantial deposit. Like car rental companies, cellphone rental companies may "block" a certain amount off a credit card as a security measure against defaulters, fraud and non-payment.

Rental companies usually provide the latest cellphones, which invariably means better battery life and features. Most hire out Motorola, Ericsson, Siemens and Nokia cellphones. With the rental package you usually get a convenient carry pack containing the cellphone, a protective pouch, a SIM card, an electrical charger, and printed instructions on how to use the cellphone. Some companies will also rent out spare batteries, cigarette lighter chargers, and even data/fax modems for appropriate cellphones.

In most cases the SIM cards are unblocked for international calls, which means that hirers should be extra vigilant as international calls can rake up huge bills. Some SIM cards may also be activated for international roaming. You will probably have to inform the rental company if you intend using their cellphones in another country. 

Also note that an operators' published rates (see Vodacom and MTN) applicable to long-term contract holders are not necessarily the rates that you will be charged when making calls and sending SMS messages using a rented phone, as some cellphone rental companies may place a slight service premium on all call rates.

Some cellphone rental companies even have access to "hot billing" facilities, which means that when you return your cellphone, you might be able to see what your bill is likely to be. However, as this is classified as "interim" billing, almost all cellphone rental companies reserve the right to provide new billing figures when the final billing comes through.

With the new pre-paid systems, you can avoid much of the paperwork by simply buying a prepaid card and placing the pre-paid SIM into the rental phone, but only if the rental phone supports a pre-paid SIM. In this way you can keep the same number, thus never having to give out a new number every time you hire a phone.

Remember that cellphone rentals are also very popular during the holiday season, special events and major film and advert shoots, so make sure you book you cellphone well in advance.