BS: Cell phones, opinions

Subject: RE: BS: Cell phones, opinions
From: kendall
Date: 03 Jun 07 - 08:40 PM

I just discovered that if I stand by the kitchen sink and hold it up to the window, I get a good signal.
Jacqui refuses to sit in the sink to make a call.

Subject: RE: BS: Cell phones, opinions
From: TRUBRIT
Date: 03 Jun 07 - 08:27 PM

I really do try to be very courteous and careful when using my cell phone but I admit to using it while driving......I honestly don't know how I would do my job with out it...........

Subject: RE: BS: Cell phones, opinions
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 03 Jun 07 - 07:01 PM

There is somewhere online, a map of the UK showing which firm has best coverage over which area. I'm pretty sure there would be something similar for the US, T-mobile
certainly has one. Maybe a check there would help make the decision.

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: Cell phones, opinions
From: Greg B
Date: 03 Jun 07 - 05:10 PM

Kendall, in remote and barely civilized places like Maine (grin) coverage can be spotty and one carrier often is much better than the others. Part of the price you pay for living in such wonderful environs.

The best tactic is probably to ask friends and neighbors who frequent the same places you do. And let me suggest that coverage at home is important, but not NEAR so important as it is on the road between home and the supermarket, the doctors, or wherever you and your significant other frequently travel. At home, well, there's the land-line and they are pretty durn reliable.

And, in remote areas, even though someone here at Mudcat may HATE or LOVE company XYZ, it's pretty irrelevant, 'cuz XYX may be the best or worst choice for where you are.

Once you've figured out a good carrier, figure out a good phone. Some are better than others.

My experience is that Motorola probably has the best 'RF' deck--- important in remote areas. With few exceptions, they're just excellent. The little RAZRs have been around forever, can be quite cheap, and tend to work very well indeed. Samsung and LG are very uneven in this respect. As are surprisingly, Nokia.

My Cingular phone worked very well on the way up to the Orono area from parts south, at Pushaw Lake, and in Bar Harbor. It's a Motorola--- another good reason to talk to neighbors. If half of them are on Cingular, and have no complaints, it may be that their handset is just better than yours.

By the way, I use a Motorola MPX220--- an old windows 'smart' phone that does very well with Cingular. Before that, I used Motorola 'vx' phones with Verizon, and also had great luck--- but as someone else said, they get you coming and going for things like messaging and file transfers.

One issue with Verizon is that their technology is getting a bit orphaned. They've gone with CDMA, as opposed to the GSM that the rest of the world is using. That means that ONLY their network (and one other, smaller one, I forget which) will work with their service. That can narrow coverage a bit. Or, not.

Again, it all depends on how they're doing in your region.

Subject: RE: BS: Cell phones, opinions
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 03 Jun 07 - 04:36 PM

It's illegal in the UK to use a hand-held mobile while driving. Mind you it still happens, but if they get caught they are fined and points are put on their licence.
Giok

Subject: RE: BS: Cell phones, opinions
From: Bert
Date: 03 Jun 07 - 04:32 PM

We had the same problem with Verizon. They started out OK but the service deteriorated as soon as the trial period was over. So we were stuck with two years of almost unusable service.

We have T-Mobile now and it works fine here in Colorado Springs.

Subject: RE: BS: Cell phones, opinions
From: Sorcha
Date: 03 Jun 07 - 04:28 PM

Just like any other tool, they have their place. That place just doesn't happen to be in my life. I don't need a John Deere riding mower either, and I don't have one.

Subject: RE: BS: Cell phones, opinions
From: kendall
Date: 03 Jun 07 - 02:48 PM

Some places do ban the use of cell phones while driving.

Subject: RE: BS: Cell phones, opinions
From: Ron Davies
Date: 03 Jun 07 - 02:28 PM

Obviously everybody has different perspectives. I'm a pedestrian a good part of the time. It's hard enough to get the attention of a driver who's making a right turn--across your well-marked walkway--without said driver being immersed in the oh-so-important conversation on the phone.

Cell phone use should be banned in cars--at least in towns and cities.

Subject: RE: BS: Cell phones, opinions
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 03 Jun 07 - 01:46 PM

I don't like being on call when I'm out of my office, but a cell phone can be a real life-saver in an emergency. If I could arrange to swith my business 800 number over to a cell phone, and use it to process credit cards, I'd drop my land line in a second.

Subject: RE: BS: Cell phones, opinions
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 03 Jun 07 - 12:57 PM

I initially got the cel phone when I was in a situation of being away from a regular land line and my kids were small and in separate summer camp programs while I was working and going to school. I also commuted to a school 50 miles north of my home, through a rather remote stretch of road. Many things have changed, but I still don't talk much on the phone. I do, however, use it to keep track of my teenagers. There is no excuse for them not calling if I've asked them to keep in touch for some important reason. Since I don't make many demands like that, on the times I do, they're good about it. This weekend they're in Dallas at a convention and I want to know they're alive. One of them is to call me once a day to let me know.

I want to get one of those free bumper stickers from Click and Clack: Drive Now, Talk Later. I was nearly hit yesterday on my way to a funeral by a middle-aged woman in a minivan who was paying no attention to the Yield sign at the freeway exit that she, on the frontage road, was supposed to pay attention to. I had to slam on the brakes and shift around her, causing the cars on the ramp behind me to have to slam on their brakes. . . she never turned her head, the phone was plastered against her ear the whole time. She was very typical of the distracted drivers I see daily. Someone driving slow in your lane, causing everyone to change lanes to pass? It's not the old fart with the big ears and the brimmed hat these days, it's the driver hunkered one shoulder higher than the other, driving in a daze as they talk.

They're a necessary tool for many people, they're the phones of the future for this generations young people. But they are a hazard, no doubt about it. Mick is certainly the exception to that rule.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Cell phones, opinions
From: Alice
Date: 03 Jun 07 - 12:50 PM

I use a Bluetooth earpiece when driving so my hands are free.
I resisted buying a cell phone, especially since it is an extra expense in addition to my telephone, but,
when I got a sales job that makes me work out of my car and be on the road, I had to get a cell phone.
My customers, my manager and my co-workers, family and friends would not be able to reach me
unless I have a cell phone. It would be impossible to do my job without one, as I have to be able
to call people and receive calls even when I am traveling.

If I get a call in a store, restaurant or other public place, I speak quietly and try to find a corner or
go outside so I don't bother other people around me with my conversations.
If I can tell by the ring I've designated that it is a co-worker, I often let it go to voicemail
and then call back later when I'm not driving or involved with something.

Alice

Subject: RE: BS: Cell phones, opinions
From: kendall
Date: 03 Jun 07 - 12:35 PM

I once saw a guy reading while driving at 60 mph on the interstate! The kicker was, it was a BIBLE! I could tell by the red page edges.

My ex made a habit of starting out late then driving like Sterling Moss while applying lipstick. She had a couple of very close calls but never did wise up.

Subject: RE: BS: Cell phones, opinions
From: JennyO
Date: 03 Jun 07 - 10:05 AM

Here in Oz, it is illegal to talk or text on a hand held mobile (cell) phone while driving. To me, texting takes away more of your attention than talking on the phone while you are driving, but I see a lot of people doing it.

Last week I was stuck behind a woman who was so totally occupied with her phone that she sat through a complete change of traffic lights, from red to green and back to red again. When she finally crept through the next green light, I could still see her on her phone as I went past.

Hands free is another matter. I see nothing wrong with that. It shouldn't take any more of your attention than listening to the radio or talking to another person in the car. Mick said he uses a headset. He sounds as if he is being very responsible about it. I actually find having a conversation with someone else in the car can be very distracting. That sort of thing can make me miss my turn and things like that.

I don't use my mobile phone a lot, but there are times when it is very handy. Used sensibly, they can make our lives easier in many ways. The problems are caused by thoughtless users, not the phones themselves. Anyway, not much point complaining about them. They are here to stay.

Subject: RE: BS: Cell phones, opinions
From: kendall
Date: 03 Jun 07 - 09:33 AM

I use a cell phone mostly for emergencies. Three times in the past I have been in need of assistance on the road a long way from home in a motor home, and I got the help I needed thanks to a cell phone.

I don't gab on any phone just to talk, and I also resent those twits who look like the phone is some sort of prosthetic device without which the twit would die.

The cell phone didn't invent bad manners, it does, however, enable the display of bad manners.

Subject: RE: BS: Cell phones, opinions
From: kendall
Date: 03 Jun 07 - 09:25 AM

I'd like to know why my posts keep disappearing!

Subject: RE: BS: Cell phones, opinions
From: guitar
Date: 03 Jun 07 - 09:23 AM

I remember once when I was in a car I saw a lady in front of my dad's car and she was taken her hair rollers out of her hair and then putting on her make-up on the motorway/freeway

Subject: RE: BS: Cell phones, opinions
From: Big Mick
Date: 03 Jun 07 - 08:23 AM

Sorcha you don't know what the hell you are talking about. I drive 65,000 to 75,000 miles a year. I will happily put my driving/accident record against anyones. And if you want to figure it out per mile driven, my record is exemplary.

You need to make the distinction between pros and amateurs. First off, I don't make gratuitous phonecalls. I use it when I need to. Second, when I am on the phone I automatically go into a very observant mode. Comes with the turf of driving the kind of miles I do.

Now, how many times as I have been driving down the road all those miles, have I witnessed women putting on makeup or curling their hair? How many times have I witnessed men reading books while driving or working crossword puzzles? Far too many.

Mick

Subject: RE: BS: Cell phones, opinions
From: guitar
Date: 03 Jun 07 - 08:23 AM

to me when I got my mobile phone, that's all I need, I mean if I wanted a phone that took a photogragh I would buy a camera, or a video camera or Satnav( whatever that is) I would buy a map.

A phone is a phone

Subject: RE: BS: Cell phones, opinions
From: guitar
Date: 03 Jun 07 - 08:04 AM

I was talking about you John, when you said that you love gadgets

Subject: RE: BS: Cell phones, opinions
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 03 Jun 07 - 06:43 AM

Liz is not a boy, she has tits!
G.

Subject: RE: BS: Cell phones, opinions
From: guitar
Date: 03 Jun 07 - 06:35 AM

toys for boys

Subject: RE: BS: Cell phones, opinions
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 03 Jun 07 - 05:26 AM

I must admit, I feel lost without my phone, but mainly for the text messaging service. I may make 5-8 calls a month but I send at least 1 text a day. It's cheaper for one thing, and I can save the answer if it's instructions or a date.

If I were to be totally honest, I only text people so they can reply to me and annoy the rest of my office with various folk tunes that are programmed in as the ringtones! Well I have to put up with their choice of ringtones....!

They are here to stay... there will be a decrease in landline use and sooner or later we'll be free of cables up poles. It'll make life a bit easier for the telephone repair men, and those who drive tall vehicles, but the starlngs and swallows will miss them.

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: Cell phones, opinions
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 03 Jun 07 - 05:19 AM

Well there was a time when I ran a transport business that I couldn't do without them. They are so useful for getting in touch with drivers out on the road, and it means you can give a customer a realistic delivery time, instead of guessing, which was how it used to be. The result of this was an unhappy customer in most cases.
I still have one, but now it's a combination PDA/Phone/SatNav, that way I can justify it a wee bit more, and I DO love gadgets!
Giok

Subject: RE: BS: Cell phones, opinions
From: guitar
Date: 03 Jun 07 - 05:12 AM

I have a mobile phone and I just hate the bloody thing, I only use it when I have to and yet there are people out there that have two or more mobile phones, and take them away from them and they're lost it is if their right hand has been cut off and they don't know what to do. There was this man that had a mobile phone and he was on holiday, that's another thing why take it on holiday when the place that your going to has phones, anyway this guy dropped his mobile phone and he said that he couldn't get in contact with his work. I mean what a load of rubbish, so he couldn't write a letter, or use a fax machine, or use a public phone, and then there are these people that shout on their mobile phone, I can understand when they are on the moblie phone in a noisy place but not on a train, or a bus, or even worse in a cafe. They talk to their pal/s normally where you can hardly hear them and yet their mobile phone goes off and the whole place hears them, that why they are called mobile phones the reason is you get up and you move outside so no one can hear what you're saying.

Subject: RE: BS: Cell phones, opinions
From: GUEST,Big Norman Voice
Date: 03 Jun 07 - 04:40 AM

Tsk tsk Mick, you'll never convince a Luddite with a bee in her bonnet. I suggest you get on with your valuable work in the most efficient way you can.
MEN CAN MULTI TASK, you know.
BNV

Subject: RE: BS: Cell phones, opinions
From: Sorcha
Date: 03 Jun 07 - 02:57 AM

Wrong Mick my dear. Both hands on the wheel doesn't mean your attention is there. So, add 2 hours to your day, or have a crash due to inattention. Your life or someone elses. Give your TOTAL attention to your DRIVING, not your bloody phone.

Subject: RE: BS: Cell phones, opinions
From: Big Mick
Date: 03 Jun 07 - 01:29 AM

Wrong, Sorcha, my dear. There is absolutely a reason to talk on them while driving. If I were to pull over every time I made a call my day would be, at minimum, two hours longer. I also have need to respond quickly to some pretty tough situations. I use a bluetooth headset, which leaves both hands on the wheel.

Mick

Subject: RE: BS: Cell phones, opinions
From: Peace
Date: 03 Jun 07 - 12:36 AM

They can be invaluable.

Subject: RE: BS: Cell phones, opinions
From: Joe Offer
Date: 03 Jun 07 - 12:33 AM

I was paying $35 a month for long-distance calls, since Christina and I have relatives out of state. We live 12 miles from the supermarket, so we try to make our trips to town as efficient as possible. We got a Cingular/AT&T plan with 3 cell phones for $80 a month, and an allowance of 450 calling minutes. The minutes roll over to the next month if they're not used, and we now have 1,500 minutes to draw from.
I figure with the gas and long distance bills we save, the phones pay for themselves. I'm thinking of disconnecting my landline phone.
-Joe-

Subject: RE: BS: Cell phones, opinions
From: GUEST,Number 6
Date: 02 Jun 07 - 11:54 PM

Sure ... we can beat them with one of those big old Motorola analog cellular phones, and give them one good whipping with the 2 foot log antennae that was on those phones. :)

biLL

Subject: RE: BS: Cell phones, opinions
From: Sorcha
Date: 02 Jun 07 - 11:49 PM

Can we beat them to a bloody pulp biLL? Sometimes I'd sure like to!

Subject: RE: BS: Cell phones, opinions
From: GUEST,Number 6
Date: 02 Jun 07 - 11:46 PM

Your so correct on the 'manner's/etiquette' issue Sorcha ... but then again, manner's/etiquette are becoming a thing of the past.

Blame the individual, not the cell phone. It's just an inanimate object, a tool.

biLL

Subject: RE: BS: Cell phones, opinions
From: Sorcha
Date: 02 Jun 07 - 11:41 PM

Truebrit, I do understand those situations. I however, work as a cook in a pizza parlour. Do NOT try to tell me that the other staff, mostly young college age kids, need to be on their phones while at work. Taking orders, waiting on customers, etc. A phone in each ear. There is a large sign in the wait station....NO CELL PHONES. Leave them at home or in the car. Roundly ignored by all.

Does anyone NEED to be on the phone while driving? NO. If you MUST talk on the phone, pull over. Same for phone while shopping. I was crashed into by a full cart driven (if you can call it that) by a woman on her cell. She never even said, oops, sorry. Just went on her merry way, phone and all.

Do I want to be tended to by a nurse or doctor who is on a cell? No, but it has happened to me, and the husband. Does the police department dispatcher need to try and talk to an officer (with the radio) while said officer is on her phone to her kids? No, but it happens all the time here.

Pity that more people don't know, internalize and USE cell phone etiquette. Or, even land line etiquette. First words out of mouth of caller--Is Mark there? No, who's calling please and may I take a message? No, I'll call back. BAM.

Whatever happened to....Hello, this is Sorcha calling for Mark about our golf date. Is he available?

Manners in general...don't get me started.

Subject: RE: BS: Cell phones, opinions
From: GUEST,Number 6
Date: 02 Jun 07 - 11:41 PM

A cell phone is a phone. How they are used is the at the individual's discretion.

Better get used to them .... land lines will eventually be phased out.

biLL

Subject: RE: BS: Cell phones, opinions
From: TRUBRIT
Date: 02 Jun 07 - 11:28 PM

Sorcha and Deckman - not sure your criticisisms are quite fair.......some of us have jobs where cell phones are essential. The positive side of these jobs, or my job at least, is it is a long time since I have had to be at work before 10 am which suits me fine (even if I am frequently there til 10 pm - it suits my body clock better). Regardless there is no excuse for cell phone rudeness - I have been known on rare occasions to turn my phone off!.

I have three grown children, one of whom (the 18 year old) still lives at home and two (21 and 25 who do not) --one of the joys of cell phones s that we use ours for everyday conversation -- I talk to my girls at least two times a day and I love that. And I don't think it's just a substitute for a good relationship as the whole gang come, with significant others, to dinner every Sunday.

It took me quite a while to work out that to my kids and their generation, cell phones are not a luxury - they are a necessity. They have been raised differently to us and their standards are different .. I really had to work at it to get to a point where I understood that. At least with cell phones I know where they are and if there is ever an emergency they can - as ET said - phone home.

Subject: RE: BS: Cell phones, opinions
From: Sorcha
Date: 02 Jun 07 - 10:54 PM

My opinon on cell phones is that they suck. They are handy to have for emergencies, I grant that, but my car has a phone for that. I refuse to own one. I had one for a year til the contract ran out and refused to get another. If you are that attached to your phone, you need to check your priorities. I will NOT walk around in the grocery store, at work, driving, etc with my ear glued to a damn phone.

Subject: RE: BS: Cell phones, opinions
From: Deckman
Date: 02 Jun 07 - 09:03 PM

Anyone that would buy, and use, and continue to pay for ... a cell phone deserves what they get! Bob

Subject: RE: BS: Cell phones, opinions
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 02 Jun 07 - 08:54 PM

I like Sprint okay, have had it for years, but I hear some people have complaints. You do have to check your bill, they sometimes make stupid mistakes.

I always try to have a phone that is digital and analog ready because I sometimes travel through remote areas. So if I'm in an area that Sprint doesn't cover it can use an existing cellular company in the area (roaming charges do apply).

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Cell phones, opinions
From: pattyClink
Date: 02 Jun 07 - 08:08 PM

T-mobile is horrible, don't deal with them.

Subject: RE: BS: Cell phones, opinions
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 02 Jun 07 - 08:03 PM

Kendall, Tom and I live in a cell phone black hole. I had a cell a few years back -- bought quarterly minutes on a card -- but it didn't work anywhere around where we live or where I worked at the time. Then they wouldn't accept a debit card to buy minutes on line.

Just recently (during the Patriot's Day flooding) I was at my up the hill neighbors' after we finally found a route home, and called Jeri on their cell. A couple days later it occurred to me I should ask what provider he had because IT WORKED.

He said Verizon, which seems to have no problem pulling a signal around here. Cingular doesn't. And nothing else that visitors have used. I've talked to others and Verizon seems to have less problems getting a signal and less dropped calls than any other service around here.

When I get my new job, I'm planning to again get a cell phone -- and it's going to be Verizon.

Linn

Subject: RE: BS: Cell phones, opinions
From: Alice
Date: 02 Jun 07 - 07:01 PM

I have Alltel. I'm happy with it. It includes 10 phone numbers I put on a list that I can call free anytime, anywhere, and I can
change those numbers with no hassle.

Subject: RE: BS: Cell phones, opinions
From: katlaughing
Date: 02 Jun 07 - 06:23 PM

Don't go with Verizon! They will get you coming and going and are not happy when they have to solve in your favour. My kids and I have been with T-mobile for several years and been happy with them. My t-mobile works in the Glenwood Springs/Aspen area whereas my Rog's Sprint does not, as noted above.:-)

Subject: RE: BS: Cell phones, opinions
From: GUEST,Texas Guest
Date: 02 Jun 07 - 05:52 PM

You know, this is always a dilemma. I a had Sprint phone for several years and was rather happy; then, one day my wife and I were sitting by the side of the road half-way between Glenwood Springs and Aspen. I went to make a call to Aspen and found out that my phone would not work because there was no Sprint connection in that area. My wife had a Cingular phone, however - and hers worked. Idea - change from Sprint to Cingular when your contract runs out.

Well, at that time, we were not yet married and not living together; but, some four or five months later I moved into her house and LO! and
BEHOLD! - my Sprint phone would not work at my desk. It functioned quite well in the driveway, and not bad by the fire hydrant two houses down - but, not at my desk - WHERE I WORK!

Well, I called Sprint and they ran some tests and determined that there was nothing they could do about my poor reception at my desk so they allowed me to get out of my contract and I switched to Cingular to enable me to get reception at my desk.

I currently am in a situation where I have both a Cingular phone, and a Sprint phone, and cost will probably be a determining factor here as to what goes down in the near future. My contract with Cingular runs out in July and I am paying roughly $55 a month for 450 minutes plus the normal perks. I am also getting Sprint through a friend on his "friends and family plan" that operates on a month-to-month basis and is quite a deal. I got a Razor for $39 (and I can get a new phone anytime I want at a highly reduced rate) and I'm paying $50 a month for 1250 minutes plus all the other perks everyone else gets through the store. Oh, this Sprint phone works well at my desk!

My brother is a big-wig with Verizon, and of course, he says they are the best; but, after a beer or two he will admit that although Verizon IS the best - the big guys are all about the same. My own experience would support what my brother says - they're all about the same. I have two different phones with two different services and I cannot tell you that one is better or worse than the other.

In the case of yours not working in your house, you may go to the carrier, explain your problem to them and see if they will allow you to upgrade to a phone with newer technology - that may solve your reception problem - or let you out of the contract.

Finally, with Cingular, I pay an additional $3 or $5 per month on my account and if ANYTHING happens to my phone they will replace it at a cost of $50. Yeah, it's a rip-off, but I had my phone stolen some time back and Cingular charged me $200+ to replace it, and I had no choice. Sorry for the length - hope this helps. Cheers.

Subject: RE: BS: Cell phones, opinions
From: Joe Offer
Date: 02 Jun 07 - 05:31 PM

Well, Kendall, I'm happy with Cingular, which was once and is now AT&T - but that's because we have pretty good reception in most of the area we visit. In the next town over, there is no cell phone reception because it's in a "holler." You don't have "hollers" where you're at.

I think the major companies are all pretty good, with good coverage in some areas and not-so-good coverage in others. When you shop, ask to see a coverage map for that particular company, and make sure your phone will work where you plan to be.

-Joe=

Subject: RE: BS: Cell phones, opinions
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 02 Jun 07 - 04:35 PM

She actually drowned it in the bay? Most water damaged phones, after discrete questioning, are found to have dropped into the toilet.

I'd say go with Orange but I don't think it goes as far as Portland ME!

But I do get free cinema tickets on Wednesdays.

LTS

Subject: BS: Cell phones, opinions
From: kendall
Date: 02 Jun 07 - 04:25 PM

Jacqui and I are not happy with our present cell phone company, and we want to switch. At present we have Cingular wireless, and they don't work in our own home! In fact, Jacqui's phone doesn't work anywhere after she drowned it in Casco Bay.
Experiences please.