Cell Phone Only Users

[t3ch]

Do Canadians and people in other countries have similar situations to ours? Examples: -- We pay for incoming calls, even if it's a wrong number. -- Minutes are rounded up. I can call 3 people in a row and leave messages. Maybe burn 30 seconds in total for the 3 calls but get charged as 3 full minutes. -- Calling toll-free numbers is irrelevant because that still counts against our minutes. -- Depending on the carrier, just dialing a number is a charge even if it was a mistake and you hang up before making a connection with the person or the voicemail. -- Is there any country where a person can buy any phone and use it with any carrier?

 

 

As much as people complain about stuff like this, every single thing on there makes complete sense.

[Brother Mango]

 

As much as people complain about stuff like this, every single thing on there makes complete sense.

 

 

Makes sense? Much of that we didn't have to deal with when land lines were all we had. The biggest thing is that I can go to K-Mart, Radio Shack or Macy's and buy whatever cheap or elaborate phone I want. I can then call several carriers about phone service. If my phone gets ruined, I go to the store and buy another one and it has absolutely nothing to do with a contract.

 

Whether the current cell phone situation makes sense, or not, that's not so interesting. I do believe that there's a better way that empowers consumers in a way that we aren't empowered. We're just being dictated to.

[King Kashue]

Do Canadians and people in other countries have similar situations to ours? Examples:

 

 

I can only speak for the UK and Germany, where I've had cell phone service previously (but from everything I've heard, most of Europe is the same)...

 

 

-- We pay for incoming calls

 

 

Incoming calls don't count against your minutes.

 

 

Minutes are rounded up

 

 

Same.

 

 

Calling toll-free numbers is irrelevant because that still counts against our minutes.

 

 

I don't remember for sure, but I'm pretty sure toll free didn't count against minutes in the UK.

 

 

Depending on the carrier, just dialing a number is a charge even if it was a mistake and you hang up before making a connection with the person or the voicemail.

 

 

I don't think this happened enough for me to notice...If this is an issue, stop dialing with your wang...

 

 

Is there any country where a person can buy any phone and use it with any carrier?

 

 

I'd assume not, since even where the technology is pretty uniform (like the UK), this still wasn't the case. Phones aren't all equivalent, they don't all work on the same tech.