California to Issue Free Cell Phones...a Federal Program (loans, unemployment rate)

[Fargobound]

Originally Posted by SunnyTXsmile

Um, news flash. If you look down upon Californians, why are you even mingling here? Get off the CA board then. If you have nothing productive to offer the discussion other than putting people down, move along.

I’m going to keep coming back just to get a rise out of you. BTW I don't like people on the extreme right either.

[SunnyTXsmile]

Originally Posted by Fargobound

I’m going to keep coming back just to get a rise out of you. BTW I don't like people on the extreme right either.

Oh, you didn't get a rise out of me, sweetheart. It takes *much* more than that.

Actually, it's of no concern to me the type of people that you don't like. I was simply wondering why you're here, if you don't like the people here. Just a curious situation, wouldn't you say?

Just as well.

[SunnyTXsmile]

Originally Posted by Fargobound

Well what did they do prior to cellphones?

Used a pay phone. When was the last time you've seen one of them (that actually worked)? MOD CUT

[SunnyTXsmile]

MOD CUT

I find that some people that can't hack the job market in CA leave, tail between legs. Nothing wrong with that (if I couldn't find work, I'd leave eventually too), but then CA becomes the ex they badmouth since things didn't work out. Ah well. Luckily, CA has a ton of other relationships that are perfectly happy. As for the disgruntled exs, hopefully they find peace eventually.

And for cell phones, well, that's a no-brainer, especially since this program has been around for nearly two decades, you know, since the era of pay phones began to die out.

[Senno]

Oh noes, they get a cell phone to call 911 on... A lot of people don't have landlines anymore and the Federal program is so they have a basic emergency line as I understand it.

Don't worry, you can still feel elite on your smartphone as they use old style flip phones or whatever cheap phone they are given...

[EscapeCalifornia]

Originally Posted by Senno

Oh noes, they get a cell phone to call 911 on... A lot of people don't have landlines anymore and the Federal program is so they have a basic emergency line as I understand it.

Don't worry, you can still feel elite on your smartphone as they use old style flip phones or whatever cheap phone they are given...

Even a de-activated cell phone will call 911. You don't need 250 minutes a month to call 911.

[Senno]

Is the $9.95 a month plan that onerous? I believe the plan doesn't run forever in any case, just a few months.

The taxes are already included in your phone bill as a line item. May as well return some of those tax dollars to CA.

Charges on your phone bill

I won't begrudge the poor people that qualify the 250 minutes...

Lifeline Program for Low-Income Consumers | FCC.gov

[Ceece]

Setting up phone service on a landline, especially when you move about, is expensive. This is a far cheaper alternative but people will complain because they don't like the idea of someone "getting something for free", even if it's a cheap piece of plastic with $2 worth of parts inside. The minutes are minutes no matter what kind of phone they are used on, cell or land.

[SunnyTXsmile]

Originally Posted by EscapeCalifornia

Even a de-activated cell phone will call 911. You don't need 250 minutes a month to call 911.

You do need 250 minutes to do job searches, call case managers, remain in touch with doctors, worried family, etc. I know as I have a relative in that very position. She is mentally and physically unfit (therefore, unable to work a steady position and care for her own needs), and, when she's not hospitalized, needs to remain in contact with her mental health case manager and doctors on a regular basis.

Since she can't drive, she also needs a phone to arrange transport to and from her appointments, and when she's medicated properly, to her charity work. She also has physical limitations and if she were to fall, she needs to be able to call for help (Life Alert is too expensive, so a cell phone is a much more economical solution).

And since she doesn't always have a permanent place of residence, for a while there she was even homeless (unbeknownst to me at the time), landlines are of little use to her, which means she wasn't able to consistently remain in contact with the medical and physical care she desperately needed.

Yes, cell phones are very much needed for the disadvantaged.

[wrcousert]

Originally Posted by davidt1

This should be a great deal for drug dealers. They don't report their income, so they should qualify. What about the illegals? Will there be enough phones for them?

Why would they bother registering for a program that requires them to provide ID (useful for prosecution) when they could spend less than $20 and get a disposable cell phone they can incinerate after they're finished with their days transactions?