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I'm hooked on cellular, but for the past few weeks I've been trying out a way to communicate I like even more. It's called PCS, for personal communications services. Outwardly similar to cellular, it offers clearer signals than most cell services.

PCS-which uses frequencies the Federal Communications Commission auctioned off last year specifically for use by PCS providers-so far is available only in the Washington-Baltimore region. But you'll hear more about it later this year and in 1997 as Sprint, AT&T and other mobile carriers begin to offer PCS across the country.

The biggest technological difference between PCS and cellular is that all PCS communication is digital. That means no static, and voices rendered crisply and faithfully. Most cellular calls rely on lesser-quality analog transmission. Others are transmitted digitally, but the technology often is old and may actually degrade voice quality. In my area, moreover, PCS-marketed by American Personal Communications under the Sprint Spectrum name-is being sold with bundled features and useful innovations.

Caller ID, a limited form of paging and an automated message-taking service are all included in the basic package. The first minute of a received call is free, giving me a chance to disconnect before running up charges mobile-phone users otherwise have to pay on all incoming calls. And there's no requirement to sign a one- or two-year contract in order to get the best deals. PCS here also is generally cheaper than cellular. Light users may welcome an entry-level package at $15 a month that includes 15 minutes of calls. A comparably priced basic cellular package generally costs extra for each minute of calls.

More than cool. What's attracted the most attention from colleagues and friends is the diminutive PCS phone I'm using-"cute" is the almost unanimous reaction. Made by Ericsson, a giant Swedish manufacturer, the phone slides into a shirt pocket with room to spare, has an uncluttered keypad that makes it easy to use and sounds great. But a cool phone is not what makes PCS distinctive; sexy cellular phones also are available. Many people identify cellular with the low-end one-cent or $9.99 phones frequently used to draw customers into long-term contracts. Don't count on seeing such deals for PCS phones. American Personal Communications may well set the pattern for others. Like cellular carriers, it is picking up part of the cost of a phone to stimulate sales, but it seems determined to stick with relatively pricey, higher-end models. My Ericsson cost $100 after a since-expired $50 rebate; models from Nokia and Motorola cost more. I am happier with the Ericsson than with a larger cell phone that cost me less, but the appeal of a phone that is almost free is perfectly understandable.

Does PCS sound like the right choice for you? You still may want to hold off before embracing it; the service won't approach the saturation coverage of cellular for some time. So PCS may not be useful if you want to use a mobile phone while traveling-even, in some cases, to outlying suburbs. I felt a lot more comfortable on a recent winter drive to Cleveland having a cell phone on hand for any emergency. But I'm torn, since I've rarely used my cell phone out of town, and generally I'm satisfied with PCS's coverage in my local area. People considering PCS later in the game won't feel as isolated. And PCS users can call cellular users and vice versa.

The PCS-vs.-cellular decision may gradually fade as each catches up with the other. Cellular firms, for example, are upgrading and expanding their digital service. Competition also is likely to push cellular carriers to match the conveniences offered by PCS. There are even plans afoot for a phone that can be switched between PCS and cellular to get the best coverage. Analyst Herschel Shosteck, who monitors mobile-phone trends, sees lower prices and more choices for users of both cellular and PCS as both technologies grow. That's fine by me.