Matthew Yglesias connects two disparate thoughts in one short post:
I’ve been thinking about it, and why not add charities to the do not call register as well? Or at least establish two registers and let people sign up for one, the other, or both. Personally, I find charitable solicitations more annoying since I feel bad hanging up on them. On the other hand, I’m now operating without a land-line so I don’t need to put up with these calls one way or the other. Everyone ought to try the mobile-only life. As long as you have an office at which to make those important non-night, non-weekend calls it should be able to meet your needs.
I actually agree with him on the charities issue. I give to charities with some regularity, but the only time I’ve ever given because of a phone solicitation was to my college alumni association.
I’d go cell-only in a heartbeat if I could find the right plan. Right now, I’m stuck in the absurd position of having a Montgomery, Alabama cell phone number despite having been in Northern Virginia for thirteen months. Why? The Cingular package I committed myself to, with the all-important “no roaming” (which is a strange name for a feature that is in fact “roam all you want at no charge”) is no longer available. The only way to keep it was to keep the old phone number and I’m still in the contract for another four months. Honestly, were it not for incoming calls, which most cell companies charge for as if they were outgoing, I could get by on a very minimal cell plan.
