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Yes, I'm finally a cell phone user - grudgingly

By DAVE GUSSOW
Published April 18, 2005

I ended my holdout. I caved to my wife's gentle persuasion. I hate to admit it, but yes, I finally got a cell phone.

Now, after years of being teased for not having a cell phone, I'm bracing for the inevitable zingers from friends and family about my surrender. My best friend did not disappoint: "Ah, you old Luddite, you!"

Resistance, as it turned out, was indeed futile.

Covering technology for almost eight years and not carrying a cell phone became something of a signature. It was an ice breaker and curiosity for some of the companies on my beat. A tech writer with no cell phone? Say what?

I was adamant: When I was away from the house or office, there was a reason. And I didn't want to be bothered. Besides, it made my point that people don't need to buy all things tech, just what they need.

Need caught up with me. Let's just say nagging health issues convinced me that it was time.

I have not led a complete cell-phone-free existence. I carry my wife's cell phone when I go on long solo bike rides on weekends. It's a safety net, though rarely, if ever, used.

I borrow it on occasion for business trips, where a cell is easier - and less expensive - than hotel phones, and people I'm meeting can reach me if plans change. We use it for long-distance calls, cutting the landline tether.

In general, though, cell phones annoy me. More precisely, too many cell phone users annoy me in restaurants, theaters, offices, airports, driving. They're everywhere, and too many callers are oblivious to those around them.

My wife and two college-aged children make up for my lack of enthusiasm. More than one too-high monthly bill instigated lively family exchanges and a few blustery threats to cut off service.

As time for renewal of their service contract neared, conversations picked up about what I would do. I've never been enamored with any of the carriers we have used over the years (three or four; I lost count).

I can't recall talking to many people who enthusiastically recommend their carrier, their phone, their service. Site Seeing columnist Jules Allen, who seems to buy a cell phone weekly, gets excited for a while, then looks to change.

Customer service in the cell industry seems to be the ultimate oxymoron. It took months for a previous carrier to stop billing us for service that we had canceled - multiple times. Our current carrier mangled a simple request from my uncle so badly that I was giving clear signals that we were about to make a change.

The capability to keep their numbers soothed some of the family's concerns, though my son made a point that he thought the company's signal was the best on campus at Florida State University.

I compared plans of other companies and, frankly, got bleary-eyed. Everything looked alike, from the bushels of minutes available to the phones. I checked ratings and reviews, and the usual sites such as Consumer Reports.

I was hopelessly undecided until my wife came home from work one day. A school system co-worker told her that his plan for a family of four cost about the same, maybe a little less, than we were paying for three. It had more minutes and a discount for school employees.

It was with our current carrier, which I had to consider because of its customer service faux pas. This won't sound scientific at all, but it was easier to stay with the same service than switch.

So I called. The rep was very helpful, though she seemed disappointed when I quickly rejected the idea of a camera phone and chose a basic cheapie model instead.

Of course, that's one of the elements that put me in hot water. The antenna on my wife's old cheap phone kept falling out.

My wife was happy just to get rid of the old phone, and part of the decision came down to not having to buy new phones for the kids. I am not naming the company because I don't want my choice to be seen as any kind of recommendation. It's what works for us at the moment.

My daughter cheerfully told me I would use the phone more than I thought. Then she changed her mind when I offered a friendly wager.

No carrier will get rich off me. I don't plan to do e-mail, surfing, text messages, games or any of the other myriad services the industry is pushing. I use it to talk to people, when I have to.

The phone arrived. I set it up, with a ring, not a song. Then I looked for Silent mode. Nope. How about Vibrate? Nope. I began to think I would be among the annoying in public, until I accidentally came across Manner Mode. This is smart labeling?

I put in a short list of contacts, for those just-in-case moments. I don't plan to give out the number. That, naturally, didn't prevent one of the first incoming calls to be from a telemarketer. Sigh.

-- Dave Gussow can be reached at 727 771-4328 or gussow@sptimes.com

[Last modified April 18, 2005, 09:17:03]