The (Non)Utility of Cell Phones

Saturday, 6 October 2007 by marstinson.

Michael Kanellos’ recent article about finally getting a cell phone promted me to stop and think for a moment about my own cell phone. I was not what you might call an “early adopter” of the technology. In fact, for many of Michael’s reasons, I actively resisted getting one. But I finally gave in several years ago for a very simple reason - I needed one at the time. As a sideline to my regular job, I work as an independent contractor and need to be available to my clients when they have problems. Since that might happen at any time, a mobile phone is something of a necessity.

Today, however, it’s another story. I find that the people who need to call me are generally able to do so either at my home number or at work and my cell phone has become less of a necessity and more of a convenience. While I do occasionally receive calls at odd hours and in odd places, I think most of my cell phone calls happen because that’s the number in the Rolodex or contact listand not because it’s the only number where I can be reached.

In fact, the more that I think about it, the more I am aware that the vast majority of the calls into my cell phone these days are from friends and family who could just as easily reach me on my home phone. So why do I continue to fork out for it? After all, as Michael pointed out, I’m spending well over $1000 per year (post-tax; it’s closer to $2000 in pre-tax dollars) for it. I think the short answer is two-fold.

First, I do use it for business and clients do need to reach me on a moment’s notice. That’s just the way it is and I don’t see it changing anytime in the near future. Granted, it’s only a couple of calls per week, but still…

Second, there is a lot of long-distance to and from my kids that would probably bankrupt me if I had to see it on a regular long-distance bill. In fact, the last time that I even had a long-distance bill was about the time that I got my first cell phone. So while the cell itself is probably a convenience, the savings on my long-distance (even at a couple of cents per minute) is substantial. Yep, those “free” cell-to-cell minutes really do work.

Where I am still a seriously late adopter is on the kind of cell phone. For example, I have absolutely no intention of jumping on the iPhone bandwagon anytime in the forseeable future. It doesn’t do anything that my PDA doesn’t do except video (which I don’t do, anyway) and telephony. And while my cheap-o Samsung phone won’t win any beauty contests, it’s certainly a more reliable phone that what I’m seeing in the product reviews for the iPhone. And Michael isn’t the only one with tuber-like fingers, so the new slim phones aren’t very high on my radar, either.

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