Friday, July 3, 2009Ditch Your Cell-Phone Service
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Dream with me: some day in the future, you'll be walking your child through a museum in some major city, and you'll slow-step through a gallery of old gadgets. "What's that, Mom?" "A typewriter," you'll say fondly. "It's like an old computer." "And that?" "A Walkman. It's like an iPod, but it played songs trapped in cartridges." "And that?" "Oh that's just an old-fashioned cell phone." Your child will press her nose against the glass and read the inscription: "Rollover minutes ... What are those?" And you'll laugh heartily.
You'll laugh because, if current technology is any indication, in 10 years the idea of dealing with rollover minutes will be as antiquated as untangling typebars to finish typing a sentence. We can assume that the future of cell phones is a future of ever-proliferating applications and gizmos that will turn our mobile devices into something like a pocket Hal3000. But at the same time, another equally important development could be happening: the death of cell-phone service and the rise of Internet dialing.
As Douglas Wolk has written for Wired, the technology known as VoIP ("voice over Internet protocol" -- like Skype) may well replace cell service in the future, because dialing over the Internet is much cheaper than dialing through a national cell-phone network. Now, the first thing I would say if somebody tried to take my cell phone (after "Give me back my cell phone!") would be: "But if I need the Internet to make calls, how do I talk to somebody if I'm not in front of a computer?"
For now, that's very difficult. As the I in the name indicates, VoIP relies on an Internet connection. A couple months ago, you might worry you'll have to get some creepy wireless AirCard embedded in you forearm to turn yourself into a permanent hot spot. Otherwise, you'll find yourself ducking into free-wireless coffee shops to make all your calls, which is good if you value free bread samples, but bad if you value your time.
But three things are working for the VoIP trend. First, the generation graduating from college has grown to expect more free-wireless locations, and cities are responding in kind by boosting the availability of local wireless networks. Second, VoIP programs like Skype already constitute a viable home-phone substitute that enables you to cut down on your minutes. According to Wolk, one report has found that 5.2 percent of Americans use VoIP for their primary home phone.
Third, that creepy wireless AirCard embedded in your forearm has become a reality, not through futuristic tattooing, but through Verizon. The MiFi, a battery-powered device the size of a thick business card, provides its own password-protected wireless network. Throw it in your bag or pocket, forget about it, and you're permanently surrounded by a wireless cloud. This is cool for all the obvious reasons -- with MiFi in your pocket, your computer, phone, and iPod Touch are connected to the Internet whether you're on a road trip or at the beach. That also means that you won't need a cell-phone plan -- or even a cell phone. As long as you have a device with a speaker and audio that can connect to the Internet, like a future iPod Touch or a special Skype phone with Wi-Fi radio, you can use Skype and the MiFi to make all calls, because the service provider (the Internet) is always in your pocket. Verizon plans to charge $40 a month for basic service (although the by-far preferable data plan will cost $60). That price will surely come down as more Mi-Fi-ish products enter the market, but already, it's not a bad deal for all-you-can-eat browsing and calling over the Internet.
There are, of course, caveats to switching over to something like the MiFi within the next year. The product is still new and untested, the battery life isn't ideal (four hours of use, but it shuts off after 30 seconds of inactivity), and BlackBerry nuts won't be used to calling with one program, Skype, and checking e-mail with another, like Gmail.
People love their cell phones. What they don't love is the hassle of paying for rollover minutes, anytime minutes, off-peak minutes, nighttime minutes, and the rest. The rise of Internet dialing would present the best of both worlds: cell phones, without cell phone service.
Don't overlooked old phones. These phones can add up to high value.
BromaCleanse
Flexarite
Still too expensive! I thought VoIP is supposed to bring savings to people? But Verizon is planning to charge $40 for the basic package. And in true Verizon style just about anything added to basic will mean extra charges added to each month's bill under incomprehensible names.
I think I will stick to my prepaid package with Tracfone which costs me less than anything that Verizon has on offer anyway. Like the $45 unlimited Straight Talk plan, or the $30 - 1000 minutes, 1000 texts, data plan.
Still too expensive! I thought VoIP is supposed to bring savings to people? But Verizon is planning to charge $40 for the basic package. And in true Verizon style just about anything added to basic will mean extra charges added to each month's bill under incomprehensible names.
I think I will stick to my prepaid package with Tracfone which costs me less than anything that Verizon has on offer anyway. Like the $45 unlimited Straight Talk plan, or the $30 - 1000 minutes, 1000 texts, data plan.