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CELL PHONES
OFTEN FIRST
LINE OF COMMUNICATION
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By Laurie Burstein
For many, cell phones are no longer a luxury, but a critical way
of doing business. A vocal group of St. Lousians say wireless phones
are their first line of communication over the traditional landline
phone.
David Pan, president of Pontus Industries, travels extensively for
his company to set up overseas operations for manufacturing companies.
He has an office in China and works from home in St. Louis. When
doing business from either location, he prefers to use his cell
phone. Pan says a cell phone is ideal for him to make and receive
calls from the Far East around the clock.
“My clients in the Far East know they can always reach me on my
cell phone,” commented Pan. Pan cites portability as a big plus.
“I wear my cell phone on my belt and carry it everywhere. The convenience
and affordability are perfect for someone like me who travels a
lot and does business internationally.”
DAVID
PAN
president,
Pontus Industries |
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Even while making business calls from home, Pan prefers to use his
cell phone. “I often get calls late in the evening due to the time
differences between here and China. I can put the phone on a vibration
mode so the ringing doesn’t wake up my family and still receive
calls,” Pan says.
Mark J. is a residential real estate developer in the Central West
End who uses wireless technology exclusively. (For privacy issues,
he asked not to be identified.)
He uses a broadband Internet connection for outgoing calls, which
gives him unlimited long distance service for about $35 per month.
For incoming calls, he uses his cell phone with unlimited service—a
Nextel combination phone and walkie-talkie.
“I give my employees walkie-talkie phones so all we have to do to
reach each other is scroll down to that person’s name. With this
kind of direct connect phone we don’t have to even dial a number,”
Mark J. says.
He acknowledges that the telephone has made us more efficient communicators
in many ways, but the technology can be difficult to keep with as
it continually changes. He comments, “Sometimes the line is blurred
between the cutting edge and the bleeding edge.” He also says that
he gets so many calls on his cell phone that he keeps three-to-four
batteries charged at all times.
Debbie, a single woman in her early forties, has completely gotten
rid of her home landline. She is very definite about her reasons
for only using her cell phone.
“I use my cell phone as my main line because I was sick of paying
$60–$70 per month for a landline that seemed to serve every telemarketer
in the area!” she said. “I received so many telemarketing calls
that I stopped using my land line long before I ever got rid of
it.’
She cites several other advantages for using her cell phone exclusively.
“I always have my cell phone with me, so I never miss a call. I
also think it’s nice to offer friends and family one phone number
where they can reach me. Personally, I don’t like having two or
three phone numbers,” she said. Debbie added that she has used her
cell phone as her primary line for the past two years and plans
to continue using it that way.
But Marty Richter, a spokesperson for SBC, cautions against completely
“cutting the cord.” He points out that landlines still offer the
best clarity and reliability, plus there are safety issues to consider.
“In various parts of the country, a cell phone does not identify
the caller’s physical location when making a 911 call. This can
cause delays in helping an injured person,” Richter said. In St.
Louis for example, 911 calls can be identified in most parts of
St. Louis County for Cingular Wireless users, but not yet in the
City.
There are other factors to consider in emergency situations. “Cell
phones have to be charged and can run out of power. And, it’s easier
for children to use the dial pads on a land line in case of an emergency
such as calling 911,” he said.
Because coverage and clarity are not always as good on a cell phone,
many SBC consumers are opting to use both in a bundled package says
Richter. “The trend is in the bundling of products that lets customers
have the best of all technologies. Today, consumers can get various
services from one company with one bill. SBC offers a bundled package
for landline service, cell usage, DSL and satellite TV. This makes
for convenient and less expensive service.”
And for those concerned with sales calls, a new product from SBC,
called Privacy Manager, is a good way to cut down on telemarketing
calls for just a few extra dollars a month, Richter said.
Integrating wireless and wireline technology is another new trend
that Cingular Wireless, owned in part by SBC, introduced in October
with a product called FastForward. Annette Teter of Cingular says
FastForward is an example of the convergence of the two technologies.
“FastForward allows our customers to use both technologies with
a cradle device that holds the wireless phone and plugs into an
electrical outlet. When a cell phone is in the device, calls to
the wireless phone are forwarded to the landline while the cell
phone’s battery is automatically recharging,” she explained.
The practical use of this technology is that it lets consumers have
the option of having calls from both a cell phone and a landline
come to one phone number with the flexibility to use it when needed
at little or no charge. The device costs $39.99 plus $2.99 per month
unless a customer has a residential phone line with SBC. Cingular’s
customers with a FastForward device are also not charged for minutes
against their monthly plan.
Both consumers and communications providers alike say it’s all about
choice, convenience and price. Consumers today can have reliability,
portability and security with the growing number of phone options.
Laurie Burstein is a St. Louis-based free-lance writer.
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