| Should a Cell Phone be Your Only Phone?
By Allan
Keiter
If a teenager gets
a cell phone and/or uses
wireless exclusively while
at college, we have to wonder
if some of them even consider
a landline when they move
out into their first apartment.
That in mind, there is little
doubt that the wireless-only
population will grow as a
new group of adults comes
of age each year.
What about the rest
of us? The
decision to cut the cord
is an individual one. However,
you might be a good candidate
if you can answer yes to
some or all of these questions:
Do I have a Mobile Lifestyle?
If you frequently travel or
are out and about a great
deal, and you find that most
people are reaching you on
your cell phone anyway, then
you may no longer have need
for a wired phone.
Is My Household Small?
The issue here is cost. Let's
say you have a spouse and two
children, and currently have
a phone in each of four rooms.
You can do this with a single
wired line. However, to replicate
this with cell phones, you
would need four separate phone
lines. The wireless companies
have developed family
plans to reduce the total
cost of multiple cell phones
in a household, but this can
still be far more expensive
than a single landline number.
Am I (or my Family) Light to
Moderate Users of Telecom?
Another cost issue. Most landlines
are priced at a flat "all-you-can-talk" rate.
At today's prices, a moderate
user of wireless will find
their bill competitive with
a landline bill. However, as
your talking increases, the
cost advantage tilts toward
the landline. Additionally,
wireless is a "mobile
party pays" service in
the US. Since you are paying
whether you make or receive
the call, you might find that
talking exclusively on your
cell phone results in more
minutes than you might expect.
Am I
Okay With the Occasional Dropped
Call or Bad Reception? Am
I Healthy?
These two questions highlight
the issue of reliability. When
you pick up a landline, there
is just about a 100% chance
that you will have a dial tone.
Additionally, if you call 911
from your landline, emergency
services can locate you even
if you can't speak. The same
is not yet true with wireless.
At the very least, you should
ensure that your cell phone
can provide you a strong signal
from all parts of your home.
Do I Get Internet Access Wirelessly
or from a Cable Modem?
Cable
modem service comes through cable TV lines. DSL,
the other common form of broadband, as well as modem
access, requires a landline.
Other
Issues to Consider
- Cell phones often require
recharging after just 2 or
3 hours of use
- Unlike a wired phone, cell
phone service usually requires
a one or two year contract,
with cancellation fees of
$150 or more.
- There is no centralized
directory to finding a cell
phone number today. Someone
may not be able to find you
if you are completely wireless.
Of course, this may be a
good thing…..
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Visit our site at http://www.myrateplan.com.
Allan
Keiter is president of MyRatePlan.com.
Founded in 1999, MyRatePlan
offers unbiased content,
filters and calculators
to help consumers make
more informed decisions
about the products and
services they research
and buy online.
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