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Thread: Looking for advice on cell phones

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    Question Looking for advice on cell phones

    After using the same cell phone for 6 years, it has finally up and died on me. So now I'm faced with a bit of a dilemma. In the past I've been on a monthly plan, but for the last couple of years I did a pay-as-you-go plan since I really only keep the cell phone for emergencies. In a typical month, I use about 30 minutes of airtime. While hunting around for a new phone this week, all the sales people have said that because I'm not in a contract, I'll have to pay full retail price (even with the company that I've dealt with for those 6 years). How irritating when you see all those ads for term discounts and whatnot.

    Anyway, I've decided I'm either going to get rid of the cell phone completely, or I'm going to get rid of my home phone and only use a cell phone. Does anyone here use a cell phone as their primary phone? What do you find are the pros and cons?

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    Master OptiBoarder Jedi's Avatar
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    I've looked at a plan from fido http://www.fido.ca/portal/en/packages/monthly.shtml

    $70 unlimited local calls and 850min of long distances a month.
    I've been consider going completely wireless for a while but I love my DSL at home so I think I still need a land line.
    "It's not impossible. I used to bull's-eye womp rats in my T-16 back home."


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    My sister used a cell phone for a home phone, and it was a nightmare. With things like the batteries running out, static, and expense it was just not worth it.

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    Manuf. Lens Surface Treatments
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    Quote Originally Posted by mlm

    Anyway, I've decided I'm either going to get rid of the cell phone completely, or I'm going to get rid of my home phone and only use a cell phone. Does anyone here use a cell phone as their primary phone? What do you find are the pros and cons?
    I would not do that. There are plenty of good used cell phones around that you can buy and continue the old plan that suited you right. The cheapest is the FIDO arrangement but you will have to pay every month even if you have some money left on the account. My wife inherited a cell phone from her father that had still over $ 50,00 on the counter and we lost it all because we did not know that we had to recharge it with at least $ 10.00 every month

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    Dumped the land line about 6 months ago, smartest think I've done in a while. Cable modem makes the internet fast fast fast. I get great cell reception throught the house (check this before you dump the land line), out the back, down the road, over the the park, down at the beach etc. Got a $40/mo 600 minute anytime (unlimited weekend) plan from T-mobile, which I'm quite happy with. I figure I'm saving about $30/mo and will never go back to a land line (unless I move somewhere with poor cell reception).

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    Master OptiBoarder chm2023's Avatar
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    Only caveat re dumping land line is I would not do it if you don't live close to people who would let you use their phone in emergency--your cell is more vulnerable to various things--misplace it, break it, runs out of power, signal interruption. My kids have only cells and it doesn't seem to be a problem.

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    Quote Originally Posted by chm2023
    Only caveat re dumping land line is I would not do it if you don't live close to people who would let you use their phone in emergency--your cell is more vulnerable to various things--misplace it, break it, runs out of power, signal interruption. My kids have only cells and it doesn't seem to be a problem.
    A good point here, but I hadn't had a non-cordless land line phone in a while, totally useless in a power outage and same battery problems. Re: battery problems, plug in the cell while making a call if the juice is low. All of that said, I do have a police/fire call box on my corner. Still freaks me out everytime I pass it, seriously how antiquated is that? Neat though.

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    LIke you coda, I haven't used a corded phone in years, so I'm used to whole low battery thing. But at least right now, the cell can be a back up to the landline and vice versa. And I use cable internet, so there really is no need to keep the landline.

    Right now, I'm spending about $50 a month on the landline and $10 a month on the cell. As Chris pointed out, I have to keep topping up the cell every 30 days, even if I haven't used up the current credits. I think I'm wasting my money on the cell, but I feel I should keep it in case of emergencies. My biggest worry is the quality of signal; I don't want glitchy reception if that's the only phone I have.

    I'm spending the next week or so logging how many minutes I actually use a phone outside of work, just to see if I would be spending an exorbitant amount on airtime with a cell phone. Thanks everyone for your advice, and keep 'em coming. :)

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    Objection! OptiBoard Gold Supporter shanbaum's Avatar
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    One problem with the nothing-but-cell approach: it's impossible for two or more people in your house to get "on the line". The cellphones' speakerphones that I've used are pretty worthless for routine use.

    I've heard of some providers offering a cradle-gadget-thingy into which you put your cellphone when you're home, and it routes the house's phone wiring through the cellphone, which would be a pretty cool solution if you live in a spot that has a good signal.

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    sub specie aeternitatis Pete Hanlin's Avatar
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    Our household has cells for long distance and a landline for local and incoming calls only. This has worked out fairly well for us- especially since we have the unlimited weekend long distance and both our families are remote from us.

    I think the landline costs us about $14 a month and my wife's cell bill is about $50 a month. Considering she talks to her parents and four siblings for hours each week, it works out quite well. Although we now have two cells (thanks to my work cell), we went for a few years with just the local landline and one cell and it worked out really well.

    Good luck... Oh, and one thing I'd avoid- we've had three ***** cell phones between us and can't really say any of them have been strong performers. I've heard there is one particular cell manufacturer who makes a great phone (but I forget which one- sorry).
    Pete Hanlin, ABOM
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    Master OptiBoarder rbaker's Avatar
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    My primary phone is now my cell phone although we still maintain basic land line phone service at our homes in Connecticut and Oregon. In both houses we have cordless phones and a regular old “Princess Phone” (does that date me) for emergencies. These phones are set up for local calls only so they only cost about $15.00 a month. Cell phone is with major carrier and costs $39.00 a month for 700 minutes.

    So, all of our phone needs are met for only $69.00 a month PLUS $527.64 in TAXES, SURCHARGES & FEES.

    Now, if someone please tell my why I have to pay for internet connections in schools and libraries in order to allow the gheto youts to download bootleg Pdiddlety music and hit porn sites WITH MY MONEY I will be eternally grateful. Sorry, I digress.- I feel much better now.

    Since retirement we can be found on either the east coast, west coast or in between and the cell phone is great for keeping in touch with families and friends. It’s also great because it can be turned off. We haven’t exceeded our 700 minutes, in fact we haven’t even come close. We can call our home answering machines from the road and have voice mail on the cell phone so we only miss those messages that we want to miss (bill collectors, Democrats, etc.)

    Remember when you only had one phone? Can you remember when your phone number was something like Lincoln 56941.


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