So, I just resigned
see this thread: http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=37685
and I will be moving in a few weeks. What I’m wondering is whether or not to get phone service for my new place (a condo or townhouse or something) or just get a mobile phone. I will travel a lot for my new job, so I figure a mobile phone will be necessary anyway and it irritates the shit out of me that the phone company socks me for something like $70 just to start service…administrative and hook-up costs my ass! Bastards.
I figure in a normal month I spend $34 for basic phone service and misc. other stuff brings it up to around $50-60 a month. For $50 I can get Sprint PCS 500 minutes w/ long distance or another 500 minutes off peak. I’m a guy, I don’t talk that damn much and what I used to was mostly long distance back to where I’m now moving (hence, problem solved).
Any ideas or experience with this?
Oh, I guess I should mention that I don’t and never have had a cell phone…though I do have a Handspring Visor, so I’m not some caveman, totally without new technology!
I do all my internet stuff at work, heck, I’ll be working as an internet load tester, for goodness sake! (no “load testing” jokes, thanks)
I use a computer so much at work, even as an engineer in a manufacturing facility right now, that when I get home, the last thing I want to do is get online. Well, not the last thing, but you know what I mean. Though I undestand you position, thanks, Zero
If you don’t need the phone service, by all means don’t get it. I currently do the all calls on my cell phone thing too. However, I have to have a land line because of my satellite dish. If I had no dish, I would not be paying Bell South a dime.
I seriously considered going to the Sprint PCS completely and dropping my land line not too long ago. I have cable modem for Internet and I was ticked off with the phone company, but with two people (my wife and I) I figured it would not work too well for us. But for a single guy like yourself who is going to be traveling and need a cell phone anyway, go for it. If you find you need more minutes in a month then you can increase your plan and still be cheaper than a cell phone and a land line.
I’ve thought about going the cable modem-cell phone route, too. I carry my cell with me everywhere. But the concept of accidently letting the battery die and not being able to call the fire dept. or whatever has basically stopped me. If you do it, see if you can get an emergency phone in.
Considering how competitive cel rates have become, why bother with the landline? I’m hardly ever home anyway, and it beats having to constantly give people two or three phone numbers to get a hold of me…
I have “one number service” I can give out either my cell number or my phone number (usually just my home number as it’s my business phone too) and people can get a hold of me on my cell phone if I am not home or at my home if I am not on my cell.
Pretty cool I tell you. It’s also great for my client when they need my in an emergency, they only need to remember one number.
