moylan writes:
An article from the Chicago Tribune discusses people who are changing their smartphone for a dumbphone. From the article:
When Ryan Gleeson punches out a text message or takes a call on his cellphone at parties, he prepares to hear questions from onlookers, and sometimes snickers. That's because the 24-year-old carries a $50 flip phone - the Samsung Gusto 2. There's no touch screen or apps. No Web browsing capabilities. No collection of music to enjoy through earbuds.
"Definitely it's like a black sheep in the room when I pull it out," said Gleeson, a postproduction associate at a documentary production house in Lincoln Park. "I work with a lot of Apple people - creative types. Everyone has an iPhone." Gleeson is among cellphone users who choose to be dialled out of the world of iPhones, BlackBerrys and Androids. In an increasingly connected and accessible culture, these stalwarts have chosen hand-held devices that offer only the basics, despite the social isolation and limitations that may come with them.
For Gleeson, hanging up the iPhone demonstrates no "grand realization about humanity," he said; rather, it's a way to tamp down his compulsive email checking. With the basic phone, "It's a lot easier now to just step away and say, 'I'm not going to work right now,'" he said.
[...a survey] found that 35 percent of U.S. adults carry a cellphone that is not a smartphone.
As someone who got rid of an iphone and android device and replaced them with 2 feature phones I thought I was in the minority. But I have noticed more and more folk around carrying a second dumbphone for when the battery goes on their smartphone. Anyone else doing this?"
[Editor: Yes, me!]
(Score: 1) by tftp on Wednesday March 26 2014, @10:56PM
Yes, this is correct. AT&T and Verizon tack the data charge to your bill automatically, as soon as they see a smartphone's IMEI/MEID on the network. They don't care who you bought the smartphone from - as long as it is on air they want your money.
I'm in the same boat. I'm carrying an ancient flip phone. It's on third battery now. Bits and pieces of the plastic chipped off years ago. But it works. I have no desire to pay for the data plan that I will never use. I do not need a portable browser that is as large as a few postage stamps. I do not need Twitbook, or any other "social" networks. I'm too busy with my first life to worry about the second one. I can survive without email for a few hours just fine; all the other time I'm near computers.
If this requirement is lifted, I would get a smartphone to just act as a small computer. I have a tablet that runs some of my ham radio software. A phone could do that too. But I will not pay for the data service.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday March 27 2014, @09:02AM
Check out Wikipedia's list of MVNOs and find one that uses your current network. Most allow smartphones without data and are typically cheaper per month (even with the early termination fees from your old contract).
Check the other replies to the parent for a link.