RE: OT: Didja ever notice...

AustinBoston · Sep 28, 2003, 07:05 PM

...that " Nationwide" cell phone coverage only covers about 5% of the US land area?
...that all " Nationwide" cell phone companies use the same map (often in the same colors)?
...that most major interstates are covered except the ones you actually drive on?
...that the places you want to camp all have coverage...unless you really need it?
...that you only find this out when you can t afford to be unreachable (because you are trying to sell your house)?

Austin

Turn Key · Jul 07, 2003, 12:20 PM

AustinBostonJust a few of the many reasons I have no cell phone and don t want one[: (]!

AustinBoston · Jul 07, 2003, 12:56 PM

Turn Key

QuoteORIGINAL: Turn Key

Just a few of the many reasons I have no cell phone and don t want one[: (]!

We held off for a long time, but with kids scattering, we invested in a family plan that includes four phones. The real reason for avoiding cell phones is the price...$100 a month for four phones. [

]

Austin

birol · Jul 07, 2003, 04:06 PM

AustinBostonI hate them cell phones ....We have to carry two, wife for her work, and me just in case maybe a head hunter wants to contact me, they hate people with no cell phones.... 20 bucks a month down the drain ....

ShirleyT · Jul 07, 2003, 06:03 PM

AustinBostonI am a true blue Cellie!! Got my first a few years back when I was going to be working out of town one day a week and with my daughter having frequent asthma attacks (she seems to be growing out of them) at that time I felt I needed to be able to be reached. I am now on my third plan. Tried the tracfone at first, it was great but sure ate up minutes when I got out of my area. Then tried WorldCom, think ya know the story there. And now with cingular with nationwide no roaming or long distance, that I am very pleased with.

For my job it is almost necessary since I do NOT give clients my home number. I have to be able to be reached for emergency crisis 24 hours a day 7 days a week with my clients. Luckily I have only had to go out after hours only twice since having my cell phone. Once for a client who attempted suicide and another when a client was driving a van and a girl jumped out of it and died. Most emergencies can be handled over the phone, even when I am at the lake! [

]

wahoonc · Jul 07, 2003, 07:16 PM

AustinBostonWe have several cellphones[8D] My work provides mine, but with myself and BB(beautiful bride) both being on the road almost constantly...we only spent about 80 days at home last year...It is the only way we can communicate with each other. I currently use Sprint PCS and have been fairly happy with the service. It has actually worked where a few of the other brands of phones won t. Just upgraded to one of the new G-3 phones and the coverage seems to be better than the old one. But if you go to the wilds of Montana I don t think anybody has coverage[&:]

Aaron[

]

tlhdoc · Jul 07, 2003, 08:20 PM

AustinBoston

QuoteORIGINAL: AustinBoston

We held off for a long time, but with kids scattering, we invested in a family plan that includes four phones. The real reason for avoiding cell phones is the price...$100 a month for four phones. []

Austin

Austin we have 4 phones on one account for $25. We only have 125 minutes to share, but I can t get close with another plan. Our cell phone company was just bought out by Immix Wireless and they say you can pick a new plan or keep what you have. We get long distance free, voice mail, call waiting, and caller ID. Our area is all of PA, DEL and southern NJ. Roaming is $.75 a minute.

Kelly · Jul 07, 2003, 08:55 PM

wahoonc

QuoteORIGINAL: wahoonc
But if you go to the wilds of Montana I don t think anybody has coverage[&:]

Aaron[]

[font=" comic sans ms" ]aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah ~ I knew there was a reason that Montana was one of my favorite places on Earth! [

][/font]

NCSunshine · Jul 07, 2003, 09:24 PM

AustinBostonDH bought me a " car" phone(198?) when they first started becoming popular (had to be mounted in your car and was not portable) because of driving by myself alot. Was with the same company until one year ago. Now we both are with Nextel, DH(paid by work) and we pay mine. Love the two-way option.[

]

BUT I have no tolorence for people that leave them on in places that they should not be, such as college classrooms and others.[:@] I guess we all have pet peeves.

AustinBoston · Jul 08, 2003, 08:15 AM

tlhdoc

QuoteORIGINAL: tlhdoc

QuoteORIGINAL: AustinBoston

We held off for a long time, but with kids scattering, we invested in a family plan that includes four phones. The real reason for avoiding cell phones is the price...$100 a month for four phones. []

Austin

Austin we have 4 phones on one account for $25. We only have 125 minutes to share, but I can t get close with another plan. Our cell phone company was just bought out by Immix Wireless and they say you can pick a new plan or keep what you have. We get long distance free, voice mail, call waiting, and caller ID. Our area is all of PA, DEL and southern NJ. Roaming is $.75 a minute.

Cheaper isn t always cheaper. For the $100 we get:

" Nationwide" coverage with no roaming charges (when using T-Mobil or one of their partners)
Free weekends (Sat & Sun)
800 Any Time minutes (to share among the four phones)
Free T-Mobile to T-Mobile calls...ANY T-Mobile phone, not just our own, as long as both are using a T-Mobile cell (or one of their partners)...this does not come off the 800 minutes.

Come September, we will have two in Minnesota, one in Pensylvania, and one in (Tennessee, Massachusetts, or Minessota, TBD). This will be cheaper by far than any other plan we have seen, mostly because we will be able to call each other at any time, as often or as long as we like, at no charge. The first month, with all of us local, we used about 400 minutes talking to each other...add roaming charges of .75 a minute and the bill would have been $300.

And last month, when DD was in Bangkok, Thailand, the international charges were $1.40 per minute. Once her phone was set up for their network, she got better coverage than we do in the US.

Austin

Turn Key · Jul 08, 2003, 11:13 AM

AustinBoston

Quotequote:

ORIGINAL: wahoonc
But if you go to the wilds of Montana I don t think anybody has coverage

Aaron

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah ~ I knew there was a reason that Montana was one of my favorite places on Earth!

_____________________________

Kelly
" Honorary Member" ~Nick-Neff-Cough
DH and 4 Little Campers ages 3-9
1997 Chevrolet Suburban
1998 Palomino Yearling

Kelly, I m with you! Have never been to Montana but that s just about enough to make me head that way today!!!

Turn Key · Jul 08, 2003, 11:18 AM

AustinBoston

QuoteThe real reason for avoiding cell phones is the price...$100 a month for four phones.

My reason for avoiding " cells" is not price. I m not a real big fan of A. G. Bell s invention to begin with. It s a tool I use but no more then I have to. Darn sure don t want one of those things hanging on my belt so every Tom, Dick and Harry can get a hold of me when ever he wants[: (][:@][: (]!!!

wiininkwe · Jul 08, 2003, 09:20 PM

AustinBostonAfter trying a few different plans, I am now using Verizon (can you hear me now?) and am pretty happy with it. I get 400 anytime minutes, 1000 mobile to mobile minutes, unlimited nights and weekends and it s a nationwide plan that covers (yes, I know, almost ) everywhere, and it costs me about $45 dollars a month. The only time I have any trouble is trying to talk mobile to mobile to NightOwl, when there is a storm or clouds in the mountains. We found in these circumstances, that if she lays on the daybed in her back bedroom and I sit in my office and neither of us moves our heads, we can do ok.
T
[

]

Firefyter-Emt · Jul 08, 2003, 11:03 PM

AustinBostonYep Tom.. I am a " Cell Junkie" too.. I hate it when I don t get coverage!! I just got my new Nextel yesterday (i90) I am having a blast with all the cool new features! I have that voice dialing now.. It works very well (I can get it to dial by voice while driving my Wrangler at 50mph with the top and doors off!) I have also founf that you record the name twice. The first one is for what you tell the phone to find (that #) the second is to comferm you have the right one. My phone replys " Sir yes Sir!" to a comand of " call home" [

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AustinBoston · Jul 09, 2003, 08:15 AM

Firefyter-Emt

QuoteORIGINAL: Firefyter-Emt
My phone replys " Sir yes Sir!" to a comand of " call home" []

I detest machines that talk to me, because I intend to be the total and absolute master of the machine. But I guess if it s going to talk to you, that is a great response.

Austin

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