Dennis S.
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http://technology.updates.com/clickthru.aspx?typeid=32&siteid=1&topicid=2&storyid=498182
According to a research study, quite a few younger Americans are getting cell phones, text pagers, and other wirelress devices to take with them to school, social events, and other places where they aren't directly in contact with their parents or guardians.
Apparently, the study also states that 77% of those who have a cell phone are still with their FIRST wireless provider. Imagine that -- get them young, and get them loyal to your company right off the bat for years to come.
My wife (who is a elementary school teacher) is not okay with this. She doesn't believe that kids should get cell phones before they graduate high school. In fact, she believes that no one needs a cell phone unless they're out of contact from email, a land line phone, or on the road often.
One of her 9 year old students just got accepted to a private middle school next year. His reward for his hard work passing entrance exams and oral interviews? A cell phone. Which he now keeps getting it taken away from him because he disobeys the class rules of no talking or texting during class.
One news show that I saw last night on this topic mentioned that many of these high school kids with cell phones often have high cell phone BILLS. Bills on the order of THOUSANDS have been attributed to them, simply because they can't keep track of their minutes, or their parents never bother to inform them of their limits. 40 CENTS per text message, and they send maybe 100 a SCHOOL DAY? That's $40 a DAY, and these kids don't see it until the parents get a bill and a hospital visit from the ensuing heart attack.
What do you think of those commercials that target teenagers and their family members? I personally have no problem with them -- I actually believe that cell phones are a necessary item that everone should have, though kids probably could use a programmable phone that locks out any calls except to the parents and 911 while at school, as well as being able to lock out the phone after a certain number of minutes are used per day or month.
It's just like bank fees -- the bank COULD just try to refuse any payment that goes over your bank account, but they'd rather charge you MONDO fees for overdrafting. The same with cell phones, why stop you at 300 minutes when they can charge you a ton more per minute when you go over plan?
Kids of the future should have access to cell phones -- I believe that they should be able to get phones that limit their access until they've earned their freedom and responsibility.
According to a research study, quite a few younger Americans are getting cell phones, text pagers, and other wirelress devices to take with them to school, social events, and other places where they aren't directly in contact with their parents or guardians.
Apparently, the study also states that 77% of those who have a cell phone are still with their FIRST wireless provider. Imagine that -- get them young, and get them loyal to your company right off the bat for years to come.
My wife (who is a elementary school teacher) is not okay with this. She doesn't believe that kids should get cell phones before they graduate high school. In fact, she believes that no one needs a cell phone unless they're out of contact from email, a land line phone, or on the road often.
One of her 9 year old students just got accepted to a private middle school next year. His reward for his hard work passing entrance exams and oral interviews? A cell phone. Which he now keeps getting it taken away from him because he disobeys the class rules of no talking or texting during class.
One news show that I saw last night on this topic mentioned that many of these high school kids with cell phones often have high cell phone BILLS. Bills on the order of THOUSANDS have been attributed to them, simply because they can't keep track of their minutes, or their parents never bother to inform them of their limits. 40 CENTS per text message, and they send maybe 100 a SCHOOL DAY? That's $40 a DAY, and these kids don't see it until the parents get a bill and a hospital visit from the ensuing heart attack.
What do you think of those commercials that target teenagers and their family members? I personally have no problem with them -- I actually believe that cell phones are a necessary item that everone should have, though kids probably could use a programmable phone that locks out any calls except to the parents and 911 while at school, as well as being able to lock out the phone after a certain number of minutes are used per day or month.
It's just like bank fees -- the bank COULD just try to refuse any payment that goes over your bank account, but they'd rather charge you MONDO fees for overdrafting. The same with cell phones, why stop you at 300 minutes when they can charge you a ton more per minute when you go over plan?
Kids of the future should have access to cell phones -- I believe that they should be able to get phones that limit their access until they've earned their freedom and responsibility.
