Students lose reception with the use of traditional landline phones

They “never stop working for you” and constantly keep “raising the bar.”

Their services also help you “stick together” with family and friends.

Many Kent State students and mobile phone store employees throughout the area said these must-have communication tools will keep “connecting people” for years to come.

Jeremy Nixon, 24, store manager at Wireless Sales on East Main Street, said he believes traditional landlines will be extinct in five years.

“Students don’t find it necessary to install a phone,” Nixon said. “Many are renting or commuting and are here only for a short time.”

Dorothy Anderson, a former Cingular Wireless Company employee and senior Spanish translation major, agreed. She worked for a Jacksonville, Fla., Cingular store and noticed a surge in young customers throughout 2002 and into 2003.

Although cell phone use continues to have a promising forecast, Angela Difeo, Kent Time Warner Cable customer service representative and salesperson, said landlines are still being installed, but mostly among a certain audience.

“It’s mostly those people who have families,” she said. “I notice people in their late 20s or those who have children installing the home phones. Landlines are more of a family thing.”

But many students agreed that the present population at Kent State is a cell phone generation.

“Having a cell phone started out as an emergency thing,” said Mystye Gorgan, 29, a graduate student in library science. “Now, everyone has one. It’s just more convenient, and you always know how to get ahold of someone.”

Those who reportedly live at a home with a landline, said they only take “professional calls” on their home phone. These calls include interviews for jobs and any other work-related matters.

Tess Weaver, 25, a graduate student in information architecture and knowledge management, said she uses her home phone roughly two or three times per week, while her cell phone use extends far beyond that.

With all the features that mobile phones offer to customers, it may be cheaper to rely on a cell phone.

Virginia Dressler, 27, a graduate student in library and information sciences, recently debated whether or not to install a phone in her apartment. After comparing costs, she discovered using a cell phone would cost less money each month and be a wise purchase due to her way of living.

“I move around a lot, I think all college students do, so it’s just better to have a cell phone where you can keep the same number and use all the special features like free long distance and text messaging,” Dressler said.

However, even students who live on campus in residence halls don’t feel having a landline in their dorm room is necessary.

Brittney Reimer, freshman early childhood education major, lives in Stopher Hall and said she used her landline twice this semester because she was unsure of what numbers she was allowed to call; whereas she knew her cell phone had free long distance.

Demi Rushe, sophomore art education major, suggested having the residence hall landlines as an option to save future students money.

Contact features reporter Sara Macho at [email protected].