Paying for Kids' Unlimited Texting

[NotUrsula]

Where did you find a land line company that gives free service? We have Verizon & I pay for land line service? We get free long distance on our land line, but we still pay for the line.

I don't mean that I don't pay for my landline service, I do, but I don't pay per-minute charges on it -- it is a monthly flat rate (and we keep it because we carry our internet DSL on it, and because I grew up in the hurricane belt and feel that it is important to keep access to an analog-capable phone line that does not need electricity or a cell tower to work -- I keep a rotary phone in the closet just in case.)

 

[snykymom]

Not me, I may be the exception, but texting and face book is the worst way to get ahold of me. We still have a land line because our coverage stinks in our neighborhood. My phone is know in my purse in my bedroom at the other end of the house. I won't even look at it for a couple of hours if then. I had a friend text me about dinner plans, I finally noticed it 3 hours later and that is only because I was taking my son to Tae Kwon Do. I just refuse to keep my cell phone beside me all day just in case I get a text. I would be carrying it all over the house.

I take it, then, that you also wear a wrist watch?

Next time you're out, look around and see how many people under 30 are wearing watches. You'll probably be able to count them on the fingers of one hand and have several left over.

Or ask a teenager what time it is. How much would you care to bet that the kid whips out a phone?

BTW, I also live in a cell phone dead zone. So I pick up the cell, walk outside & ask them to call on land line, or I miss the call & call back. No big deal.

I don't mean that I don't pay for my landline service, I do, but I don't pay per-minute charges on it -- it is a monthly flat rate (and we keep it because we carry our internet DSL on it, and because I grew up in the hurricane belt and feel that it is important to keep access to an analog-capable phone line that does not need electricity or a cell tower to work -- I keep a rotary phone in the closet just in case.)

You can also pay unlimited for cell phone service, or at least for more minutes than you do. (Just as you could pay per-minute for the land line.) You just choose not to. Why should that be my problem?

 

[NotUrsula]

You can also pay unlimited for cell phone service, or at least for more minutes than you do. (Just as you could pay per-minute for the land line.) You just choose not to. Why should that be my problem?

Because in no case does the accountholder of a landline phone get charged per-minute for incoming calls. It is illegal except in the case of operator-assisted "collect" calls. There is no way that calling someone's landline costs them extra unless you call collect, but if you call a wireless phone there is a very good chance that your call WILL cost the accountholder extra.

Beyond that, it is simple courtesy to first use the phone number that a person has given you as their preferred contact choice.

 

[C.Ann]

Because in no case does the accountholder of a landline phone get charged per-minute for incoming calls. It is illegal except in the case of operator-assisted "collect" calls. There is no way that calling someone's landline costs them extra unless you call collect, but if you call a wireless phone there is a very good chance that your call WILL cost the accountholder extra.

Beyond that, it is simple courtesy to first use the phone number that a person has given you as their preferred contact choice.

Last year a friend of DD's (divorced mom to one - who went the "cell phone only" route and gave up her land line) was out on the boat with my DD's family and a few other people, having gone out for dinner at a lakeside restaurant.. At some point she briefly put her purse on the back of the boat and...........yup - it ended up flying off and into the water..

If she had any important messages waiting for her, they're still at the bottom of the lake..

Even if I chose to have a cell phone, I would still have a land line - and only my immediate family would have my cell number for dire emergencies only..

 

[Sparx]

I have a teenager and no way does he text over 300 times a day.

Does he text 150 times a day? Because those numbers count incoming and outgoing texts.

 

[MELSMICE]

I take it, then, that you also wear a wrist watch?

Next time you're out, look around and see how many people under 30 are wearing watches. You'll probably be able to count them on the fingers of one hand and have several left over.

Or ask a teenager what time it is. How much would you care to bet that the kid whips out a phone?

LOL- even I've given up the wrist watch, although I keep telling myself I should wear it because it's a nice one!

I also pull out my phone when I need to know the time & I'm way past the 30 & under crowd!

 

[SandrA9810]

That's over 300 texts per person per day!!!

I think a lot of people forget, that texting is counted coming in and going out. As well as using any Instant Messenger programs.

When was the last time you had a chat with some one on AIM?? A lot of messages can be sent and received in a small amount of time. And a lot of people can text on their cell phone as fast as they type on a computer, which is just about the speed of talking.

Now for any one who wants a shocker...

For the month of May (5/11-6/11) billing, I had 19,071 texts and 338.5mb of data usage. The main reason for this, is there was no computer around to use, which usually cuts down on my texting and internet browsing. BTW, over 11,000 messages were sent between 5/25 and 6/11, because on 5/25 I only had 7369 texts.

 

[mhsjax]

I take it, then, that you also wear a wrist watch?

Next time you're out, look around and see how many people under 30 are wearing watches. You'll probably be able to count them on the fingers of one hand and have several left over.

Or ask a teenager what time it is. How much would you care to bet that the kid whips out a phone?

BTW, I also live in a cell phone dead zone. So I pick up the cell, walk outside & ask them to call on land line, or I miss the call & call back. No big deal.



You can also pay unlimited for cell phone service, or at least for more minutes than you do. (Just as you could pay per-minute for the land line.) You just choose not to. Why should that be my problem?

Frankly, I do wear a wrist watch, and so do my kids. I have never cared what other people do, in fact lots of times I will go against the grain for fun. I don't care what the under 30 crownd is doing, I don't care how a teenager tells time. I don't base what I do on what teens do. If that where the case I would be in trouble.

And sorry but picking up my phone to answer it or have a conversation isn't going to happen. It is 98 degrees here rights now, and if it isn't that, it is raining. So no big deal for me either that I don't like cell phones that much or texting. It works both ways for the no big deal.

I have a friend that was driving her teen and 2 others around, the 2 other teens were testing each other in the car because one was sitting in front of the other one. The mom found out and demanded that the teens put their phones away and actually have a conversation.

 

[mhsjax]

Because in no case does the accountholder of a landline phone get charged per-minute for incoming calls. It is illegal except in the case of operator-assisted "collect" calls. There is no way that calling someone's landline costs them extra unless you call collect, but if you call a wireless phone there is a very good chance that your call WILL cost the accountholder extra.

Beyond that, it is simple courtesy to first use the phone number that a person has given you as their preferred contact choice.

Thank you, I actually had to become quite unfriendly, just shot of rude to my dentist and gyn office. I have told them repeatedly to use my home number and leave a message, and even wrote it in the info forms not to call cell phone. If I am at home, I won't answer it because it usually is in my closet in my purse.

 

[MELSMICE]

Thank you, I actually had to become quite unfriendly, just shot of rude to my dentist and gyn office. I have told them repeatedly to use my home number and leave a message, and even wrote it in the info forms not to call cell phone. If I am at home, I won't answer it because it usually is in my closet in my purse.

It's probably best not to give out your cell number if you don't want someone to call on it.

I don't have a problem giving our my cell #, but if I didn't want someone to specifically call on it (like Dr., dentist, etc.) I would just tell them I don't give our my cell #.

 

[NotUrsula]

The problem with medical offices is that there are occasions when you need for them to use the cell number (you are out and about running errands but are waiting on a response to a medical question), and then there are occasions when it is fine for them to just call the house (to let you know that your lab tests came back normal.)

They often don't seem to be able to understand that TODAY I would like for you to use the cell number, but that today is a special case.

 

[mhsjax]

It's probably best not to give out your cell number if you don't want someone to call on it.

I don't have a problem giving our my cell #, but if I didn't want someone to specifically call on it (like Dr., dentist, etc.) I would just tell them I don't give our my cell #.

Probably right, but I am a rule follower, if there is a blank, I fill it out. Heck I even fill out my SS# but don't tell anyone, I don't want to get that conversation started.

 

[tvguy]

5 people sharing only 700 minutes and you only got them 500 texts? No wonder your son went over! Unlimited texting is usually pretty cheap on most plans. We have unlimited text and DD17's phone only cost me $10 a month.

I just checked last month's bill and DD19 had 4,747 text messages and DD17 was slow last month at only 2,563!

ONLY 700 minutes ?!?!?!?!?!

Well DM has used her phone 3 times in the 18 years, so she uses none of the pooled minutes...DW and I use about 10 to 15 minutes a month each, so the kids actually end up with about 300 minutes each to talk to friends on other carriers, calls to the same carrier are free and unlimited, and they get 500 texts each per month. That's 16 plus a day to people on other carriers, and unlimited to folks on the same carrier, more than enough in my book.
4747 texts, that's 158 a day! 6 1/2 every hour, 24 hours a day. No offenses, but that's crazy, does she do anything else

 

[MELSMICE]

ONLY 700 minutes ?!?!?!?!?!

Well DM has used her phone 3 times in the 18 years, so she uses none of the pooled minutes...DW and I use about 10 to 15 minutes a month each, so the kids actually end up with about 300 minutes each to talk to friends on other carriers, calls to the same carrier are free and unlimited, and they get 500 texts each per month. That's 16 plus a day to people on other carriers, and unlimited to folks on the same carrier, more than enough in my book.
4747 texts, that's 158 a day! 6 1/2 every hour, 24 hours a day. No offenses, but that's crazy, does she do anything else

You might be able to lower the minutes of talk time on your plan & increase your texts or get unlimited texting & pay close to or the same price.

Do your kids use many of the 600 remaining minutes?

 

[DVCLiz]

ONLY 700 minutes ?!?!?!?!?!

Well DM has used her phone 3 times in the 18 years, so she uses none of the pooled minutes...DW and I use about 10 to 15 minutes a month each, so the kids actually end up with about 300 minutes each to talk to friends on other carriers, calls to the same carrier are free and unlimited, and they get 500 texts each per month. That's 16 plus a day to people on other carriers, and unlimited to folks on the same carrier, more than enough in my book.
4747 texts, that's 158 a day! 6 1/2 every hour, 24 hours a day. No offenses, but that's crazy, does she do anything else

I don't think you appreciate the texting culture, tvguy. Here's an example (and I am not a teen, I am a 52 year old woman):

My friend is driving to another state today. She sent me a picture message out the window of her car, because it's pouring rain and earlier today we had talked about hoping she would have a rain-free drive (she is the passenger - her husband is driving). I sent back a text and between the two of us, we texted 11 times in 9 minutes. According to your statistics, that's 2 hours worth of the kind of texting you find "crazy" - and yet not only was I able to accomplish it in nine minutes, I also had time to watch two YouTube videos with my daughter and proofread an essay she's writing for school. Oh, and keep up with three DIS threads...

If you are a proficient texter it takes almost no time - literally seconds - to text and read a text, so it's not as though this is taking up huge amounts of time.

I just don't think parents should be getting their panties in a wad over the number of texts their child is making and receiving UNLESS it is truly interfering with school, behavior, or family life. And I'm not going to be convinced that all these teens would magically want to spend quality time discussing world events with their parents if only the cell phones were turned off. That's just not real life for ANY teen and parents I know!!

Adding unlimited texting costs so little, relatively speaking, that I wonder why all parents don't automatically do it. I suspect the only ones who don't are those who don't text themselves. And once they have college-age children I suspect they will change as well. I have one friend who has adamantly REFUSED to learn any new technology - now she's practicing texting all the time because her child is going away to college and she knows - because all of us who have been there/done that have told her - that her best chances of communicating with her child will come when she is able to text. College kids don't call their moms and dads and have long, chatty conversations.

 

[snykymom]

Beyond that, it is simple courtesy to first use the phone number that a person has given you as their preferred contact choice.

I agree with you there, all the way. But if the method of communication is e-mail, or text message, it is not the sender's fault if you don't use e-mail or text. It is not up to you to decide what the method of communication should be.

That was my only point.

I remember when I was very young, and a lot of people had party lines (yes, I'm old!). It was considered rude to call people on the phone! The phone was for emergencies only!

It won't take many years until texting reaches the level of everyone having a phone (either cell or landline); perhaps it already has. It will be assumed that you have it, and if someone wants to be a Luddite and not permit it or not use it, that's their problem, not the sender's.

 

[snykymom]

The problem with medical offices is that there are occasions when you need for them to use the cell number (you are out and about running errands but are waiting on a response to a medical question), and then there are occasions when it is fine for them to just call the house (to let you know that your lab tests came back normal.)

They often don't seem to be able to understand that TODAY I would like for you to use the cell number, but that today is a special case.

With 50 or 60 patients to call in a day, I'm not surprised that they "don't seem to be able to understand" everyone's personal preferences.

 

[golfgal]

Because thanks to the fact that US regulators fell down on the job when cell phones were first introduced, answering my cell phone costs me money, while answering my landline does not. I don't answer it at home unless I am specifically expecting a call on it. People who know me know that I only use the cell for emergencies and when I am traveling, and I have asked them always to call the landline first. If they choose to call the cell phone anyway, then it must not be that important.

Yes, but not as much. Messages are $.15 each, regardless of length. Talk time is .25/minute for the first 10 minutes in a given day, then $.10 per minute after that.

I know the minutes are pricey, but that's the trade-off I accept for only paying $80/year to maintain the account. This plan is still the best overall value for me. I don't see a good reason to nearly quadruple my annual investment just because some chatty people like their cell phones better than their landlines.

Most plans have free incoming minutes now and again, with texting, most people don't use their minutes. We have a 700 minute a month plan and RARELY go over 400 minutes. 700 is the smallest plan we can get otherwise I would cut back on that.

If you still have a landline AND are paying for a cell phone you are probably paying MORE over all for the two. You can have your home phone changed to your cell and drop your landline--or you can drop your landline, add a second phone to your plan for $10/month and get a phone where you can use your home phone with your cell phone (pretty cool actually) and save yourself some money too.

 

[MichelleVW]

ONLY 700 minutes ?!?!?!?!?!

Well DM has used her phone 3 times in the 18 years, so she uses none of the pooled minutes...DW and I use about 10 to 15 minutes a month each, so the kids actually end up with about 300 minutes each to talk to friends on other carriers, calls to the same carrier are free and unlimited, and they get 500 texts each per month. That's 16 plus a day to people on other carriers, and unlimited to folks on the same carrier, more than enough in my book.
4747 texts, that's 158 a day! 6 1/2 every hour, 24 hours a day. No offenses, but that's crazy, does she do anything else

She's a very active girl who is starting her sophomore year at the University of Texas in Austin. A school that is very hard to get in to, and even harder to stay in...so yes, she does other things. In fact I pretty much never see her text...

I don't think you appreciate the texting culture, tvguy. Here's an example (and I am not a teen, I am a 52 year old woman):

My friend is driving to another state today. She sent me a picture message out the window of her car, because it's pouring rain and earlier today we had talked about hoping she would have a rain-free drive (she is the passenger - her husband is driving). I sent back a text and between the two of us, we texted 11 times in 9 minutes. According to your statistics, that's 2 hours worth of the kind of texting you find "crazy" - and yet not only was I able to accomplish it in nine minutes, I also had time to watch two YouTube videos with my daughter and proofread an essay she's writing for school. Oh, and keep up with three DIS threads...

If you are a proficient texter it takes almost no time - literally seconds - to text and read a text, so it's not as though this is taking up huge amounts of time.

I just don't think parents should be getting their panties in a wad over the number of texts their child is making and receiving UNLESS it is truly interfering with school, behavior, or family life. And I'm not going to be convinced that all these teens would magically want to spend quality time discussing world events with their parents if only the cell phones were turned off. That's just not real life for ANY teen and parents I know!!

Adding unlimited texting costs so little, relatively speaking, that I wonder why all parents don't automatically do it. I suspect the only ones who don't are those who don't text themselves. And once they have college-age children I suspect they will change as well. I have one friend who has adamantly REFUSED to learn any new technology - now she's practicing texting all the time because her child is going away to college and she knows - because all of us who have been there/done that have told her - that her best chances of communicating with her child will come when she is able to text. College kids don't call their moms and dads and have long, chatty conversations.

 

[NotUrsula]

If you still have a landline AND are paying for a cell phone you are probably paying MORE over all for the two. You can have your home phone changed to your cell and drop your landline--or you can drop your landline, add a second phone to your plan for $10/month and get a phone where you can use your home phone with your cell phone (pretty cool actually) and save yourself some money too.

Nope. Not even close. My employer pays for my landline because I need secure DSL, so while I do pay that bill ($24/month), I get reimbursed for it. The cell is $80/year. I do check all the time to make sure that it is still the best deal for us even if we paid it ourselves, and no contract wireless plan even comes close. (And as I said, I don't feel safe in severe weather situations without a phone that does not require electricity to operate. All wireless phones require it, because the transmission towers must have power to move the signal. While some of them have backup generators, not all of them do, and the volume of calls that hits after a disaster will decimate the backup supply very quickly -- that is, assuming that the tower isn't under water.)

It really doesn't matter what I do or don't pay. The fact is, phone service has been a dividing line between the haves and the have-nots since it was first invented. More people have phones now because of pre-paid cell phones, but even those cost something, and with "unlimited" plans appearing to be all that is offered, many people are thinking that they may have to do without again now. I'm really against any kind of community emergency program or school-reach program in a public school that works on the assumption that EVERYONE has a phone, and I'm even more offended by the idea that anyone would assume that everyone's phone service has extra-cost options like caller ID and call-forwarding. They don't, and if pricing trends in the market are anything to go by, they won't any time in my lifetime (text-messaging, yes, but not those services). We should not blithely be willing to dismiss people who for whatever reason cannot afford a phone that is up to contract service standards, and/or who for whatever reason choose not to keep a powered phone on their persons 24/7.

FWIW, I did grow up with a party line, and that is the basis for my phone habits (my family got a private line in 1979, when I was 19.) DH and DS don't use phone service much, either. (The 13 yo has had his own cell for 9 months now -- he has used a total of 28 minutes of voice time and 36 text messages, including the incoming ones.) I'm not a luddite, and I can afford fancier service, but why should I pay for something I will not use? I'd much prefer to put that money into the travel budget. The way that I have it set up now I have access to voice calling, text messaging and mobile internet, but I only have to pay for them when I use them, which is VERY seldom. All that I ask is that others respect my preference not to use my cell for non-essential calling.