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General discussion

Could you live without your cell phone? Why or why not?

Mar 6, 2007 5:30AM PST

-- Absolutely! I've done so in the past, so I can definitely do without it all over again. (What if there was an emergency?)

-- No way! This is my main point of contact and I feel naked without it. (What if you were in a dead zone?)

-- I don't own no stinkin' cell phone, never have and never will! (Why not?)

-- Maybe. It really depends.(Please explain.)

Discussion is locked

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I Could, but would rather not
Mar 6, 2007 10:30PM PST

CNET needed one more category: I could, but would rather not. We use our cell phones only a little. We use them when in the car and for emergencies. Also, we have a Time-Warner internet phone, so when their system goes down, we have no communications except for our cell phone. In most cases, doing without the cell would be inconvenient, but in an emergency, it could be the difference between life and death.
AL

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I don't own a cell phone.
Mar 6, 2007 10:35PM PST

I once owned a cell phone, on a carrier's 30-day trial. I was screwed out of 250 dollars even though it was supposed to be risk-free.

Do I disagree with the ethics of the industry? Absolutely. Do I need a cell phone? Not for a minute.

I think that people should use hands-free solutions to talk while driving. If you absolutely NEED to use your cell while driving, you can afford to take some precautions, and not be irresponsible and dangerous. If it's that much of an emergency, you shouldn't cause emergencies for others.

I personally use a VOIP wifi phone, and it works wonders. Wifi hotspot coverage isn't as large as I would like just yet, but that's only a matter of time. I can talk at work, at home, and even at a couple of coffee shops and stores. I don't want to talk while I'm driving. And the fact that I pay around 5$ a month is nice. Unlimited minutes, unlimited long distance - almost anywhere in the world.

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Convenience vs. necessity
Mar 6, 2007 10:38PM PST

I could live without the instant contact to friends.
I could live without the instant notification of a VMS on my work phone.
The instant contact from my family is another thing. I am not talking about chit chat here; or even the don't forget the qt of milk. The sense of security and well being in knowing that the family is within reach is almost priceless.

There is another aspect to this. When was the last time you saw a payphone outside of the airport? They are few and far between. Going cold turkey on a cell phone after the unprofitable payphones have been pulled out could leave you in a bad spot. There are also fewer roadside assit phones. They have been replaced with signs that read "Call *NN in an emergency".

I agree that the contract extensions tagged to accout changes are akin to armed robbery. We changed our minutes to accomodate our son in college and then wanted to change back when he got his own account. Not only couldn't we change back the minutes; but the plan was extended for over a year. So we paid for the extra minutes till the end of the contract.

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Maybe - it depends.
Mar 6, 2007 10:43PM PST

My wife and I resisted getting cell phones for many years. Now that we have them, I think we would miss them. They are useful in emergencies (for example: I'm at the grocery store and forgot what she told me to pick up.) My wife essentially has three part-time jobs and isn't tied to an office, so a cell phone is important to her. (She had one before I got mine.) Last year my employer provided Treos to administrators upon request. I was a hold out at first, but having mobile access to my e-mail has proven to be quite useful.

The bottom line is: neither of us use our cell phones as our primary phone number. We take the minimum plan, and NEVER - I mean NEVER - use up our minutes. We don't call people just to chit chat. Personally, I hate talking on the phone when I drive and avoid doing so if possible.

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It really depends on a lot of things......
Mar 6, 2007 10:43PM PST

I am 64, retired since 1998. If there were NO CELL PHONES, I could do without as we all did. But, because it is an expected thing today for anyone to be able to contact me during the day or night (I have a large family with six kids and 15 Grandkids) I have a cell phone. Calls come in, I monitor the caller ID. If it is one of the family I answer, if not it goes to V-mail and a message that says "leave a message I will call you back after 9 PM.

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I cant live without my phone
Mar 6, 2007 10:47PM PST

Yes I am one of those people with the slugs and yes I tend to walk down the street, ride a bus and sometimes drive (handsfree) while on the phone. I am a busy man and I am always receiving calls or text from clients. I am on O2 and yes they are pretty good until you get into the city were you have dead spots. If i was based in an office all the time I would probably not have a mobile only a pay as you go so my friends can text me to meet up. I do happen to agree that paying a surcharge if you want to end your contract is a bit outrageous especially if you live/work in a dodgy area for your contract. why should you have to pay when you are changing to fit your personal/business needs.

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Yes, of Course
Mar 6, 2007 10:52PM PST

99.999% of cell phone use is for convenience or business efficiency. For individuals' emergency purposes the cell phone could be replaced with emergency transmitters which could let officials know where you are, if anyone's hurt, do you need medical, fire, or just mechanical assistance.

Hello FCC???

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Good Point!
Mar 7, 2007 1:24AM PST

My husband and I carry cell phones mainly for safety reasons. Let's face it, times have changed and a cell phone could save your life.

I agree that there should be some kind of beacon type device--those lucky enough to have OnStar (sp) are a case in point. There are only rare occasions when we do talk on the cell, but that's when it's to let each other know we've arrived safely or there is some kind of news that really can't wait.

Other then that--it now looks like everyone has some kind of disease where they hold their hand to an ear and talk to the air. Very, very irritating. And a lot tend to ignore the signs "Please shut off cell phones" in places like doctors' offices. I've seen people yack away in total disregard of the rules.

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It could save your hide or someone elses
Mar 6, 2007 10:53PM PST

My cell phone is my main phone (beside s Skype). I think of it as a kind of add-on car insurance. While I do not talk & drive, I have had occasion of car trouble and had to call AAA for assistance. I would rather pay my phone bill than the extortion to the auto insurance "providers'

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I could do with out
Mar 6, 2007 11:00PM PST

I had a cell phone for about 4 years an one day I got sick of the high fees I was paying, an thats when I decided screw it, I didn't need it in the past an I don't need it now. So I have been cell phone free for 3 years now an happier about it.

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I will definitely go pre-pay or pay as you go next time
Mar 6, 2007 11:04PM PST

around. As for most all who work for cell providers, I surely know what having a job means. The gang at the cell store probably can joke about so many customers flocking to them for the convenience of cell service are really ignorant *****.

We hate that cell service is the most over sold and under performing thing around. No, I don't insist on the "free" phone. I really, really, really want a quality one that worked & worked well beyond the warranty period. The old AT&T got broken up partly as it appeared to be the nasty monopoly. Now the cycle is repeating itself.

I am of the older generation who don't use it for endless idle chatter. I don't insist on multi-tasking in the car.

If one provider actually provided a better mouse trap we would flock to them. I'd gladly trade subsidized phones & terrible drop rates cleverly enforced with onerous penalties for early withdrawal, for just reliable phone service. Providers don't tickle my fancy with dial tones, cameras & downloads.

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Things we can't live without
Mar 6, 2007 11:27PM PST

I've discovered there are a few things I can't seem to live without. Air is one, and as much as I've tried shaking this nasty habit, I keep backsliding into breathing. Water is another, sometimes I get to the point of complete dessication and have to relent and drink something.

Seriously, as we evolve we start to need more things for our daily lives. I need caffeine in the morning. I really don't care that medical websites will tell me to cut down or give it up, nah gah dah.

Fact is, technological innovations are things we grow dependent on as we use them with regularity, right? I happen to have a very fancy cellphone with which I can check email and respond (using a real QWERTY keyboard and not text-typing, thanks!) and consequently also text regularly without tap-tapping. I can also thankfully use my phone as a Bluetooth modem when I lack an internet connection (or don't want to pony up for overpriced Starbucks connections).

These are all nice to haves that I'm glad I do have. But the reason I depend on my cell now is IGC--interpersonal geographical coordination. Knowing that you can find someone and that they can find you easily, and that even as plans go awry you can still find each other, is the big boon.

"I'm running late, wait for me until 6:30", "I can't meet you where we planned so we have to connect somewhere else", "I'm standing by the big clock in the train station", "I don't see you, where are you exactly?"

The only way to do this before cellphones with texting capability was to call home and leave an answering message you hoped the other person would pick up, assuming you could find a pay phone or something. The big thing cell phones have done in my opinion is to enhance our ability to meet up in the flesh easier.

Using the cell phone just to chat and gab, there are dozens of ways to do that, including email, IM, land line phone, and (imagine!) just sitting down and talking in person to a person. Getting to that point of being in person with other people is made much easier because of cell phones, and for me that's their primary benefit and the reason I would find them hard to live without.

SJ

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Maybe
Mar 6, 2007 11:52PM PST

My frequency of use has varied greatly over the 10 years I've had a cell phone. I didn't use it much, and I carried it "just in case" when on road trips. I use the phone more now, but I could probably live without it though I'd certainly miss the convenience of being able to make and take calls when I'm on a trip, or just on my way home, or out to lunch. As many pointed out, payphones are getting rarer and rarer. And before someone gets on their high horse, I always use my handsfree or my Bluetooth when in the car, and when traffic is heavy or there seems to be a lot going on, I hang up. I can't drive like that! People driving with their phones stuck to their ears is one of my own pet peeves, esp. when I can tell it's interfering with their driving.

Now that I have a kid in school and daycare, I'm glad I have a cell. They make such a big stink about being able to get hold of you if your kid is sick or whatever. I'd rather they be able to get hold of me when I'm out of the office and such, than threatening to have Child Services come and pick him up because they couldn't reach me.

I do heartily agree with others that the ETF should be regulated somehow, and if coverage is spotty in a new area, we should be able to change providers without penalty. I also don't agree with extending service contracts when you make changes to your plan. My current provider does this, but as I'm mostly happy with them, it is only a minor annoyance.

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I don't own no stinkin' cell phone...
Mar 6, 2007 11:58PM PST

IF someone wants to talk to me, they know where to find me, or they know my LANDLINE number. IF i am NOT there, then obviously, i don't want to be found. Alot of people are using cellphones to conduct business, but isn't that what the OFFICE is for? And if they are doing business after office hours, are they getting paid for it, and if not, WHY are they doing it?

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cell phones - maybe!
Mar 7, 2007 12:03AM PST

As long as I have teenagers I need those cell phones. Once they are out of the house - who cares!

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No way!!
Mar 7, 2007 12:05AM PST

First of all I no longer have a land line and I run my business off my cell phone. If I were to lose my cell for any reason, i would be affectively incommunicado!!
Now I'm not always thoroughly satisfied with my cell service, but that is always affected by outside issues over which I have no control. Over all I depend on my cell phone on many different planes, contact with family and business so I need to have the phone with me at all times!!

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I can live without
Mar 7, 2007 12:16AM PST

What would I do in case of an emergency, you ask? Whoever would try to call me would know what to do--call an ambulance, whatever! With today's EMS network, I feel there is a very small chance my knowing about it would be a matter of life-or-death.

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Can live without. NO cell phone
Mar 7, 2007 12:17AM PST

I wanted one for a one month project. Sales rep demanded a 18 month contract. NO flexability in cell plans. I said NO. Do not have one. No plans to get one.

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Could you live without your cell phone? Why or why not?
Mar 7, 2007 12:27AM PST

Though disabled I travel a lot, and having a cell phone is a major part of my lifeline. I will be totally in the dark without it. There are many beneficial necessities in having a cell phone. I can go to the web-site call emergency etc. As for being in a dead zone? Well who in their right mind would buy a cell phone if they live in a dead zone. What company in the world will want to make that much money as to sell you a phone that does not function where you live? I would have to say that common sense and practicality has to exist here. As for being in a dead zone? I always carry a 18 mile walkies talkie just in case I get stranded and am in a dead zone.

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Cell Phones vs Land Phones
Mar 7, 2007 12:42AM PST

We once had a home phone (land phone) and then got our cell phones. When we moved, we no longer needed a home phone because we got our internet through the basic cable. We have cell phones because I have heart problems & having 911 as my first number to use then the 2nd for my hubby, makes it important for me to have my phone with me at all times.

I do have big concerns about our future in communications. What if something were to happen that all the radio frequency, microwaves or whatever else they're called, becomes disrupted or stops completely? The land phones would probably be the only form of communication left to use. They no longer teach Morse Code in the service either. With pay phones (also land phones) getting harder & harder to find, it may be near impossible to get a message to loved ones or any information if something happened.

I am not a slave to my phone. I know how to retrieve my messages for missed calls. I don't answer calls during a meal even at home. I let it ring if I'm in the bathroom. I don't have call waiting or if I do I don't use it & I certainly don't answer it if I'm visiting with someone already! I may use the phone very briefly while driving a car but I do so only when I'm secure in slower traffic & not having to focus a lot for a couple of minutes. My phone is turned off in the theatre & turned down to 1 or vibrate at the doctor's office. I use a handsfree earpiece most of the time. I am a very conciencious person for others & think of how I want to be treated.

I think most people use their phones regardless of who they're with or what they're doing. It is very rude.

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I MAINLY USE MY CELL FOR EMERGENCIES
Mar 7, 2007 1:56AM PST

Because I rarely use my cell and carry it mainly for emergencies, I almost never use any of my anytime minutes. Only once in 7 years have I maxed out my anytime minutes and gone into my bonus minutes! But I sure feel lost if I forget to bring my cell on a walk.
http://www.lowcosttelecommunications.biz/Wireless.html

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Probably could...But PAY-PHONES -- should stay...
Mar 7, 2007 2:28AM PST

...particularly in areas such as train and bus stations, shopping centers, public parks and beaches, theaters, restaurants, etc.

There are still many problems with cell phones, such as:

1. Environmentalist-mandated cell-free areas, such as in the Adirondack Mountains, along highway I-87.

2. "Blind spots" due to high-rise buildings or irregular terrain.

3. Poor sound quality..."elevator music" is always annoying, but it's almost torture to hear it over a cell phone. Cell-to-cell conversations can also be bad.

4. People like myself, who want a cell phone only for telephone calls, find some of the other fuctions a nuisance -- particularly if one accidentally manages to change one of the control functions, or receives a text-message answer to a question which could have a simple synthetic-voice answer.

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Cell Phones, the Good and the Bad
Mar 7, 2007 2:31AM PST

Yes, I can manage without my cell phone. However, I do not deny that taking away my phone would require some adjustment on my part.

I don't know when the proverbial pendulum will begin to swing the other way, but I believe that cell phones and other instant-contact technology products have caused a fair amount of harm in addition to the good they have done.

The ability to do more with less and squeeze more time out of a 24 hour day have indeed increased efficiency in our daily work and personal lives. However, the downside is that many enterprises AND people have become ?slaves? to these new devices by pushing our expectations to new heights ... to unreasonable heights, I believe.

Trying to take phone calls in movie theaters, using a Blackberry while driving, keeping in touch with the office during one?s vacation, to name just a few, have created permanent adjustments in our behavior. Obviously, not all of these changes are for the better.

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I don't own a cell phone and don't want one
Mar 7, 2007 3:03AM PST

I have a home phone with an answering machine and that is more than enough. (I need the anwering machine to screen out the way too many telemarketer jerks).

People are very rude when they use their cell and don't seem to care if they annoy their neighbors, for example, in the doctor's waiting room, waiting on line, or shopping at Costco. Cell users also can't seem to enjoy the natural beauty of the beach or park, and must constantly yak and yak. I think it's an addiction and I'm happy I don't have or need one.

I would buy a cell for emergencies such as a car breakdown, but even the cheapest calling plans I've found expire too fast for me. Are there any plans that NEVER expire and that are inexpensive?

Armin

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i could not...
Mar 7, 2007 3:08AM PST

i couldnt live without my cell phone ever! - dont have a home phone and have teenagers that need to check in

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Live without a cell phone
Mar 7, 2007 3:30AM PST

Absolutely..I do not have one, for emergencies on the road I will use my On Star.
Everyone who signs up for a cell phone should have to pass an etiquette course because the rest of the world does not want to hear what you want, need ,do, fight ,etc.
The language people use is often offensive.

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Get with the times
Mar 7, 2007 3:43AM PST

Similar arguments were brought up when automobiles first came out. Then, there were no signals, streets, traffic officers, etc. It was vehicular anarchy on the road. The car radio. That almost didn't even pass congress. Same with the radio, tv, etc. The argument about if a particular new technology is so imparative to the existence of life that we can't do without it has been debated forever. If you don't like cell phones, then get rid of your car, tv, radios, computers, anything "new" in the last 100 years. If you where around in the '50s or earlier, you my not necessarily have had a radio in your parents car. If you grw up in the '70s, I HIGHLY doubt you had more that a digital calculator. All in all, we have to attempt to stay with the times, or go home. I personally have become soully dependant on the latest technology that I literally bring my laptop everywhere, get anxious if I am out of cell coverage for more than 6 hours (camping can be a hard trip), and I usually make hotel reservations largely based on there internet availability. But, this is the world I live in, it's part of my job, literally. The rest of my world revolves around the same principle. It's also what I grew up with (I'm 27). I don't really know anything else. My own computer at 12, internet (yes, 14.4 modem) at 14, pager (those full text/news/etc) at 16, cell phone at 18, PDA's, smart phones, etc. My only fear is that as I grow old, I loose touch with technology and start to complain about all of those holographic computers everyone is walking around with.

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Rule technology, or be ruled by it!
Mar 7, 2007 3:57AM PST

Holographic computers. Good one.
I'm 46. As a self-employed web developer, I embrace tech. My daughter is 6 but has had a Win98 notebook for 3 years (in the family room facing the adults, security maxed, Freddie Fish is her fave). Technology is one of those things that you either rule or you will be ruled by it. My step day is in his 70's and rocks on the PC. My Mom doesn't know how to turn one on.
I feel sorry for those people who do not take the time to understand technology, people, society, how the brain processes memory. While it may be true that you do not need to understand a technology in order to use or appreciate it, it is also true that if you do not take the time to use a technology or even understand it a little, you do not have the right or ability to criticize it. I'm seeing a lot of that in this tread and it makes me sad that people feel compelled to chime in on things they know nothing about.

SB

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Get with the times Pt. 2
Mar 7, 2007 3:59AM PST

None of this, though, negates common courtesy and logic. If I am ever in a restaurants, airport, movies etc., my cell is off or vibrate. I have bought bluetooth and other hands free devices since my first phone, and rarely answer the phone on the road. It's something people have to be conscious of, respect the upsides and downsides of, and unfortunately I think the government needs to enforce harsher law for this. Hopefully in 2020 when cell phones have been around for half a generation, they will be as common place as the car radio and computers.

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Right on
Mar 7, 2007 4:19AM PST

Agreed. I caught myself once, a long time ago, on the phone, not paying attention. I was so riddled with guilt, I have been hands free ever since. I do not ever want to be that person. You them. The idiots that chat away endlessly in heavy traffic.
It's also how I feel about my kids. If I go into a store they go with me. Even if it is for a single second. Sure it's a bit of a pain, but I never want to be THAT person who's kid was just abducted while I was in buying a lottery ticket. It would seem that common sense is in short supply for most of America these days. If you don't want something bad to happen... do whatever it takes to make sure it doesn't.
Peace
SB