Re: Alternatives to LOCAL phone service???

The Real Bev <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote in message news:<[EMAIL PROTECTED]>...
> David L wrote:
> > 
> > To reiterate another posters suggestion, an older digital ATT
> > cellphone signed up with a $3.33/month prepaid Pharosint.com cell
> > plan, has got to be the bargain for free incomming text messages or
> > pages. I believe it would be difficult for incomming phone callers to
> > leave a free page, since it has to be keyed quite quickly. An
> > autodialer to leave a number page or computer for internet text
> > message might work better.
> 
> If you leave the phone on but never answer it AND don't set up voicemail
> it's as good as a normal pager.  It shows the number (or name if you set
> it up that way)(assuming the caller has unblocked it for caller-ID
> purposes) and that's all you need.


Humm... that's a very clever, frugal solution. 
Good one!
Never thought about the benefits of eliminating voice mail. Better
than a pager in many ways, since the incomming caller does not need to
even enter a call back number. Text could still be sent to convey
longer messages.

Ok, I've got a slight addition to get more from this set up. Many
handsets allow a unique ringtone to be assigned to an individual entry
in the phonebook.
Since the phone is turned on all the time anyway, one could tell from
a distance, if there is a priority or emergency call, by the ringtone
type, without looking at the caller ID. A call which might deserve
answering the phone immediately.
With a super high capacity, Lithium Ion battery, like those offered
for Nokias, there would be no charging for a week or more.

-
David