Months of unwiredness

In July, we disconnected our landline phones and went all wireless all the time. We are, as the news shows, somewhere in the middle of a trend, neither far ahead nor way behind. This article, The Real Reason Verizon Is Backing Away From Landlines, shows that the phone companies are less interested copper-based phone lines, known by some as POTS,plain old telephone service, because the old systems are more expensive to maintain and less capable of expansion. According to a Nielsen survey, at the end of 2008, nearly one home in five in this country is without a landline.
So, what have we found?

• As noted earlier, it's still a bit unsettling to come home and not have messages waiting for us on the answering machine.
• We've figured out where to keep our phones at night in the case, well, just in case.
• I think that we're on the phone more because we don't have to wait until we get home to take or make calls.
• Reverse 911 was a concern. (In some communities, the municipal government can make emergency calls to all residents, alerting folks to some serious issues. This was used in Holden during December's ice storm.)
  Cities and towns are working on  ways of implementing R911 for cell phone customers, but it's tricky. Cell phone numbers aren't necessarily tied to your local exchange. (Because I moved our old landline number to my cell phone, we're still on the call list.) How will municipalities keep the lists up-to-date as people move in and out of town?
• As best as I can tell, we're no longer listed in the phone book, if there is such a thing anymore.
• As best as I can tell, our increased cell phone usage hasn't caused brain cancer, (although the Senate may investigate - U.S. senator promises look into cellphone-cancer link), destroyed my sperm, or stimulated one or more areas on a wearer.
• I'm still not consistent in my usage of cell phone vs. cellphone vs. landline vs. land-line vs. mobile vs. a whole bunch of other terms. 
• We try to be aware that no one else wants to hear our cell phone conversations.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Now that I don't need it, I've discovered that I have way too many phone cords, splitters, and sundry plugs-n-jacks in the cellar. It's still too good to throw away, but I can't justify the clutter as easily. Time for a note to Freecycle, I think.