Cell Phones - Love/Hate?

[Atomic]

Since this thread went off the rails over cell phones, I just thought I'd ask!

For myself, got a cheapo Tracphone with enough minutes to call for help when the car breaks down, or doing the "Where are you?" dance when trying to meet people at some distant place. I get to charge it maybe twice a year -- more if I actually use it.

The floor is open....

[lake_wrangler]

I had a cell phone, once... and did not realize it had been long enough to go beyond the "unlimited minutes for three months" period, and ended up racking such a bill, that I couldn't pay it, and they cut me off...

That was somewhere around 2003 or 2004.


I've considered getting one since then, on a few occasions. Right now, my credit rating is poor (old student loans and what not), so my options are limited. I don't care much for the costs for the plans that are available to me, in most cases.

Still, I am considering replacing my home phone with a cell phone, for the sake of convenience, and part of the debate is whether I would get a smart phone, or just a regular phone. Seeing as I've gone all this time without one, I don't really "need" all the bells and whistles, but I admit that they would probably be nice to have. On the other hand, I am hoping to get either a laptop or a tablet, next year, so why pay extra now for some functionality that would be duplicated in the new device (especially if it is a tablet, as it would work much like a smart phone, minus the actual phone call ability, but with a bigger screen...)

So, for now, I'm still quite undecided...

[Fairportfan]

Pre-paid is the way to go, in my opinion.

Tracfone/NET10 plans for smartphones run $50/month for unlimited everything.

MetroPCS, StraightTalk (Walmart) and something-from-Kroger run in the same neighbourhood.

Right now, Kroger is offering a last-generation LG smartphone from $49.99. Other pre-paid plans have phones in the $100 range.

[Mark N]

Before you replace your home phone make sure that you can get a clean cell signal for the service you are going to get in your home. If the signal is too poor you are not going to get good service. Also A wall phone is better in case of large scale power failure as it is separate from the power grid and if the cell towers need the grid so you can still call emergency services.

[Leak]

Well, after going without a cell phone for ~32 years I had a Motorola Milestone (aka Droid 1 in the US) for two years but got me a Samsung Galaxy S3 (the European version, not the cut-down(sic!) US one...) this summer. I'm mainly using it to check my email, surf the web on the go and as a camera - I hardly ever use it as a phone, and hence I still miss the slider keyboard my Milestone had...

As for money - I'm horrified time and again when I hear about US cell phone rates; my current plan gives me 1000 call minutes to every other network in Austria, 1000 SMS and 1GB of data a month for 12.80 EUR, with every extra GB I've started costing another 4 EUR and each extra minute/SMS costing a whopping 4 cents - I hardly ever use that 1GB, and I'd have a really, really hard time racking up a high bill that way... also, that plan is cancel-/switchable at the end of each month with none of that 12 or 24 month lock-in nonsense...

Also, I'd never buy a subsidized phone that has a plan attached to it - it might seem cheap now but in the locked-in long run you're getting robbed. Nevermind all the crap apps the telcos throw at them, although a healthy dose of Cyanogenmod helps get rid of that...

np: Fink - Blueberry Pancakes (Wheels Turn Beneath My Feet)

[Dave]

I'm in the "don't like them, don't much need them" category myself.

I did recently buy our first cell-phone (used) so my wife and I can stay in touch when one or the other of us is "on the road." We used to depend on payphones and calling cards, but payphones are nigh-impossible to find these days (and usually don't work, when you do). So, I got a quad-band GSM phone and signed up for a pre-paid account.

I think we use it about once a month.

As to why I don't need one - well, for day-to-day communications, I'm usually either sitting at work (in front of a computer, with a land-line here), or at home (land-line and DSL). Plenty of email and phone access. I'm as "connected" as I need to be. When I'm roving around, I usually have either an iPad or an older Nokia tablet with me... both can work on any free WiFi (not hard to find) and both have VoIP "phones" which connect to my Asterisk VoIP server at home or to a cheap VoIP provider, or both. I can "phone home" for free, or make cheap phone calls anywhere I can get WiFi, and this is good enough for my occasional needs. A full smart-phone setup and an unlimited data plan would be an additional expense, with little incremental benefit.

As to why I don't like 'em - I really don't care for the "cellphone chatter culture" that has developed, when everybody insists on dropping whatever they are doing, and abandoning whatever conversation they are having, when their hip pocket buzzes or rings or plays a snazzy tune. Bradbury was right (in "The Murderer"). And, I really don't like the idea of being considered to be at other peoples' "beck and call" 24 hours a day. Finally, I hate the low-quality overcompressed sound that most cellphone providers consider to be "good enough"... we had a meeting here at work with one guy phoning in, and he sounded as if he was being strangled by Stinky while 20 feet underwater... completely unable to contribute to the discussion at all!

My wife is a bit of a technophobe - doesn't like computers and machines, even though she uses them - and navigating even a standard "dumb" cellphone and its usage quirks annoys her no end.

Also - I'm a ham-radio operator, with an interest in emergency/disaster communications. Cellphones are usually just about the first part of our modern infrastructure to fail during any sort of natural or man-made disaster - everybody tries to dial at once, and the system overloads and (essentially) shuts down. There's no way I would not have an analog land-line at home - if something happens, I want my wife to be able to dial 911 even during a complete power failure.

[Bookworm]

As an IT person who has a smart phone, and uses _maybe_ 5% of the functions, I can say that if you don't need the smart phone functionality - don't pay for it.

Get yourself a cheap prepaid junker phone. The battery will last a lot longer, the sound will be about the same (maybe better, because of phone/speaker/microphone shape and positioning), and you won't have to worry about data overages. Get one with MP3 player capabilities if you want music, and just load it on an SDHC card (microsd, probably)

My beef? I'd be happy with a smart phone with _zero_ data plan, and that wouldn't work unless connected to wireless. They don't give me that option.

As for answering around people? half the time, I say 'excuse me', look at it, and shut off the ringer. I have to have it running in case of emergency, but many that call me I can tell aren't actually that critical and can wait. But then, I'm self employed.

[Fairportfan]

Another reason to not have one:

Indian town bans women from using cell phones to cut down on affairs

[ShneekeyTheLost]

I use MetroPCS and have no problems with it. Basic, no-frills flip phone, no internet connection, no problem. I use it to text and talk, that's it. Flat 40$/mo for unlimited talking and texting. Including all taxes and surcharges.

I don't want a smart phone. If I want to check my email, I have this thing called a Computer. Ditto for surfing the web, playing games, and listening to media.

[MerchManDan]

I'm also a prou--um, an owner of a cheapo no-frills pay-as-you-go mobile. Once upon a time, it was fine - until more of my friends got smartphones with unlimited text plans. Now my daytime minutes disappear like magic whenever somebody wants to meet up. Here's the kicker: I HATE TEXTING. It distracts me so much from something I'm doing, I just wish they'd CALL me so we can be done with the frikkin' conversation already.

[Julie]

I got my first cell phone right when I went off to college because I normally drove between home and school for the holidays, and it was a 5 hour drive...my parents wanted me to be able to contact someone if my car broke down instead of having to rely on the generousity of (potentially dangerous) strangers who might pull over to help. I didn't understand the concept of X minutes allowed per month. I just knew that I didn't have to worry about long-distance charges on my cell like I did on my land line at school. Naturally this blew up in my face once I became an active member of an online community and made friends (at least a few were good enough friends that we exchanged phone numbers to talk). After 3 phone bills over $1K in a row, my parents made me start paying for my cell phone.

I'm not nearly the Chatty Cathy I used to be when it comes to phone usage; however, I am a big believer in being available in case of emergency...and having a mode of communication if the emergency is my own doing. As my husband will attest, I'm notoriously bad about locking my keys in my car. I've got a spare in my purse now (so I'm at least okay if I lock them in my car when I get to work), but that doesn't help if I leave my purse in the car (i.e. when I'm pumping gas, or if I put it in the trunk when we go out to a dueling piano bar). Having a smart phone is essential in cases like those: Google local locksmith...Call said locksmith...Have a way for said locksmith to stay in touch until he finds you. I'm kind of absent-minded, so I need back-up solutions that are a little more convenient than walking to the nearest business and hoping someone has a phone...or a phone book (because while I may be able to remember the phone number of a loved one, I certainly don't know the numbers for any locksmiths or cab agencies by heart).

I'm also a fan of my smart phone because I don't have my primary computer set up at home (the laptop I use for school and other stuff is a hand-me-down from my husband that probably will combust if used for more than an hour). I can check my email and Facebook from my phone at home (without using my data plan since I can connect to my home wi-fi) or on the go. I also use it for entertainment when in waiting rooms (sudoku and other puzzle game apps as well as my Nook app), and for taking photos on the fly. I've got a really nice camera with various lenses, but my puppy usually stops being cute when I get up to get my camera case...plus I don't always have my camera with me because hauling it around "just in case" is a bit of a hassle.

That said, I really fought getting one of the "fancy" smart phones for a long time because I knew that the battery life wasn't as good on them, and I also knew I wasn't going to use that much of the functionality. I didn't see the point of spending the money on them. I caved in recently because I was getting frustrated when the really convenient apps (Good Mobile Messaging so I can access my work email when I'm not in my office...Mobile Banking apps...etc) weren't available or compatible with my cheap (read: free with contract renewal) smart phone. When I was ready to replace my phone finally (and lost it literally 20 minutes before I walked into the cell phone store...I'm such a goober), my husband convinced me to actually spend money on top of the contract renewal discount to get a "good" phone. Turns out my phone was "so cool" he ended up replacing his phone within a couple months with the same phone I bought (it's really weird being at the front of the tech-curve with him...I'm used to being intentionally several years behind).

So yeah...pro-cell phone and pro-smart phone here. Took me a long time to get to this point (and a long comment to explain the short response...sorry!), but I'm pretty happy with where I am. I would like to point out that I don't just answer my phone when it rings. I check it to make sure it's not someone that might need to talk to me, but I frequently let it go to voicemail and then call whoever it was back later. Then again...Dave has a point. In the event of a major incident or disaster, I'd be fully without communication capabilities since my husband and I elected not to get a home phone (why pay for something we don't use and that will just result in a lot of sales calls). Maybe we should have a phone line just in case...who knows.

[lake_wrangler]

So yeah...pro-cell phone and pro-smart phone here. Took me a long time to get to this point (and a long comment to explain the short response...sorry!), but I'm pretty happy with where I am.

That's OK... those are the best, as far as I'm concerned.

I would like to point out that I don't just answer my phone when it rings. I check it to make sure it's not someone that might need to talk to me, but I frequently let it go to voicemail and then call whoever it was back later.

Good for you! I absolutely abhor the idea of being at the beck and call of anyone who wants to talk to me. Admittedly, the few people I do call on their cell phone, I'm happy to see that they answer right away... Double standard? Probably...

Then again...Dave has a point. In the event of a major incident or disaster, I'd be fully without communication capabilities since my husband and I elected not to get a home phone (why pay for something we don't use and that will just result in a lot of sales calls). Maybe we should have a phone line just in case...who knows.

My home phone is VoIP, so I don't know how that would fare in an incident or a disaster...

[Mark N]

A safe piece of information is that if you have a land line in your home already and attach a phone to it, it 'should' still give a dial-tone and let you dial 911 (I think that there is a federal law about that one). That is a lasting effect of Ronald Regan's administration.

[shadowinthelight]

I need my cell phone having no usable landline. I have "naked" DSL. If you check the line there is no voice service.

[Typeminer]

Got me a basic Tracfone cell, Samsung T301G slider phone. Lucked out, because I'm about half deaf, and Consumer Reports says this phone has as good voice quality as any mobile phone available. I can hear it fine, which has not been the case with a couple of landline portable phones I've had. Have a basic landline and DSL, and use the Tracfone for long distance calls and general convenience. At my level of use, I get what amounts to unlimited service for about $10/month. Can't really beat that.

[Dave]

I need my cell phone having no usable landline. I have "naked" DSL. If you check the line there is no voice service.

You might want to check out the option of having a cheap VoIP provider, accessed via your DSL. There are some decent ones out there with good prices and service. I moved my wife's low-use business line over to one last year... $1.50/month for the service and inbound phone number, $.015/minute in or out to anywhere in the continental US. Saves us about 80% vs landline prices. PM me if you want details on my experiences with a couple of vendors.

[shadowinthelight]

VoIP is Voice Over Internet Protocol. If the power goes out won't the neighborhood routers fail, leaving you without service?

[Dave]

VoIP is Voice Over Internet Protocol. If the power goes out won't the neighborhood routers fail, leaving you without service?

Often they will... they often have a few hours of battery power but will die after that point. Phones provided via fiber-optic distribution have the same problem (if the telco doesn't get a boatload of generators out to the nodes within a few hours, people start losing phone service) and the cellphone system can suffer the same problem.

I was focusing more on the "save money compared to cellphones" question, rather than "phone survivability in a disaster" question. In a serious disaster situation, neither VoIP nor cellphones is going to be as reliable as the good old-fashioned analog land-line. And, even land-lines can't be counted on, under those circumstances.

It's good to be able to be self-reliant, under disaster conditions. Be ready to take care of yourself, your family, and your neighbors.

[Atomic]

Part of why POTS (Plain Old Telephone Service) is that their switching centers have big plain old BATTERY banks good for a long time during outages, and cushion the space between outage and generator backups coming online. Think room sized UPS for the telephone system. Further, the basic POTS phone runs on 24 volts (so the batteries are that much simpler) which dates back to the 1920s. No reason to change it. The ring signal is about 90 volts, BTW, so POTS is basically a low power system.

The last outage in my area, the cable company had to go out to various telephone pole junction boxes and plug in a gas generator to power them, as well as chain the generator to the phone pole, refuel it, etc. etc. It worked, but POTS has that beat from the start.

FYI. It's why I keep my land line.

[Dave11]

Part of why POTS (Plain Old Telephone Service) is that their switching centers have big plain old BATTERY banks good for a long time during outages, and cushion the space between outage and generator backups coming online. Think room sized UPS for the telephone system. Further, the basic POTS phone runs on 24 volts (so the batteries are that much simpler) which dates back to the 1920s. No reason to change it. The ring signal is about 90 volts, BTW, so POTS is basically a low power system.

The last outage in my area, the cable company had to go out to various telephone pole junction boxes and plug in a gas generator to power them, as well as chain the generator to the phone pole, refuel it, etc. etc. It worked, but POTS has that beat from the start.

FYI. It's why I keep my land line.

My parents used TelCo service for a long time, but those big batteries aren't as good as you might think. When the power failed, the phone line would last long enough to call in the outage (often not even that long), and then go dead. So, my family has 3 ham radio operators that know how to work the radio-to-telephone "autopatch" system on the local repeater (and pay their dues to the radio club for the privilege of using it whenever needed), cell phones, and a wall phone. Now that I'm out on my own, I just have a cell phone and the radio.