Members Bookumdano2 Posted December 21, 2008 Members Share Posted December 21, 2008 I don't have a cell phone and will never get one. I did have a car phone in the 70s and 80s but dumped it at some point in the early 90s. I've owned my own company with employees for many years and while I don't travel much, I have observed and developed an opinion that holds true for me more and more each year .... Cell phones aren't needed. The only thing they do is add money to phone company profits. That's it. Nothing else. If I'm out of the office for a few hours and someone needs me ...it can wait. The office will not blow up by me missing that call. If I'm driving, away from the office, I can enjoy the silence. I don't need a phone planted in my ear. If I'm shopping in a store, I don't need to be yakking on the phone while I shop. It can wait. If I'm on my way home ..... I don't need to make a cell call to let someone know I'm on my way home ...because ....I'm already on my way home. Another thing I really hate. I get tons of calls from people who will do this thing where they are talking to me, decide they have to take another call on one of their other lines .... or worse ....other PHONES sitting nearby. So they want to put me on hold. My solution ..... I hang up as soon as they leave the conversation. My time is valuable. If you make a call to someone, their time is valuable too. Multiple activities coupled with cell phones result mostly in reduced efficiency by the "yakk-ee" and also introduce a high degree of ...rudeness ..into daily interactions with others. Anyway ...cell phones sound bad in most service areas ( I also hang up on bad connections ...you'd think after cell technology being around for the past 30 years, the companies would've gotten these signals down to absolutely glitch-proof) , have ridiculous features ...are a hinderance to living a daily life ....and for me ....are completely silly and unnecessary. Plus ...a complete ripoff monetarily for the user. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members UstadKhanAli Posted December 21, 2008 Members Share Posted December 21, 2008 Anyway ...cell phones sound bad in most service areas ( I also hang up on bad connections ...you'd think after cell technology being around for the past 30 years, the companies would've gotten these signals down to absolutely glitch-proof) They are. Just not in the US. Anyway, generally agreed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Hard Truth Posted December 21, 2008 Members Share Posted December 21, 2008 What ticks me off is that usually when you don't connect with someone's cell phone live, the messages and options that you have to listen to before you can leave a message take almost two minutes. Any efficiency gained with cell phones is lost with the process of leaving a message. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members UstadKhanAli Posted December 21, 2008 Members Share Posted December 21, 2008 What ticks me off is that usually when you don't connect with someone's cell phone live, the messages and options that you have to listen to before you can leave a message take almost two minutes. Or more. There have been several instances when I received a message a week or two later. I'm paying something like ~$15/month for service and using a $10-15 phone here in Los Angeles, so perhaps I have less reason to expect decent service than someone paying $45-60/month. But still, when I think of how I was in the Himalayas this summer, and my driver, who pays about four US dollars a month for his service received a call on the top of an 18,000 ft. mountain pass and talked for five minutes while driving, yeah, I'd say we're getting short shrift on our quality of service. India's cellphone infrastructure and service is far superior to ours. And is less than 10% of what we're paying. And it's like this in many other parts of the world as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Anderton Posted December 21, 2008 Members Share Posted December 21, 2008 Given how much I travel, a cell phone is indispensable. Not only for phone calls, but being able to access mobile sites to check on plane delays, find hotels, check weather, listen to music, read the news, etc. And that's just with a $40 Centro. They're well worth it to me but yes, the infrastructure in the states sucks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members UstadKhanAli Posted December 21, 2008 Members Share Posted December 21, 2008 They're essential for some people, a convenience for others, somewhat of a nuisance but an admittedly occasionally convenient thing for people like me, and a completely useless waste of money for many! Jeff Klopmeyer will probably hop in here and suggest this glowing commentary for a Verizon ad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Super 8 Posted December 21, 2008 Members Share Posted December 21, 2008 India's cellphone infrastructure and service is far superior to ours. And is less than 10% of what we're paying. Why is that? I've heard that about other places as well too. As far as whether or not cells are a waste, I really like mine. I'm a late adopter. I am the type of person who doesn't think of calls I need to make until I'm no longer near a phone. So a cell for me works well with my ADD lifestyle. Also, they're pretty damn handy in an emergency, or if a change in plans necessitates contacting someone. I have the lowest minute package with three phones (we no longer have a land line), and we still aren't even close to using up our minutes. So, I 'll say I love how handy it is, but I'm far from glued to it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ermghoti II Posted December 21, 2008 Members Share Posted December 21, 2008 Why is that? A lot of places overseas never really got their landline infrastructure together. When cell service became available, it quickly became the primary/sole phone service. It's a hell of a lot easier to jam a cell tower in a remote location than to string miles of wire to every address. So, the cell networks get all the attention. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members BlueStrat Posted December 21, 2008 Members Share Posted December 21, 2008 My cell phone saves me about 1000 gallons of gas and several hundred man hour costs a year. I never use a land line. The only thing I ever get on my home phone is spam calls. I never get them on my cell phone. My call quality is quite good and I don't have much trouble with access, and places with marginal service are getting fewer each day. Once it even saved my family when our minivan fuel line froze up in 40 degree below zero weather in the middle of nowhere in Canada. I think I'll keep it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members deanmass Posted December 22, 2008 Members Share Posted December 22, 2008 I hate having a cell phone, but I feel it is needed. My house line was costing $40 per month, I have 2 kids with medical problems, and work I.T. The cell is far too integrated into my life to go to a land line/pager...But, it does f-ing amaze me how poor the 'phone' part of the 'phone' I have works...Calender, camera, etc etc...I think they are basically a necessary evil now for most people. And, I dump hold calls, weak calls, drop outs, and I seldom, as in damn near never use the phone in the car, and when I do, it is hand free and I pull over if I need to take it. I see so many people driving distance and NEVER putting the phone down. What are they saying and who the hell are they talking to...??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members techristian Posted December 23, 2008 Members Share Posted December 23, 2008 For me, not a neccessity. That is why I cancelled my service today. I used it 20 times a month. Our pay phones are 50 cents per call in Canada so it is a tossup. Maybe I'll try again with another company in a month or so. Dan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.