December 14, 2004

"Can you hear me now? Shit."

More than a year after moving into our house, I finally ordered a home phone line.

We had been doing the cell-phone only thing where we'd count our minutes as if they were beans and make all of our out-of-network calls after 9 p.m.

Well, after my car window got blown out during that lawnmower fiasco and I had to file an insurance claim, I knew that enough was enough. We've been using SprintPCS for a cellular service from the get-go, and for whatever reason there never seem to be enough towers around where we live to get an adequate signal from home. We drop calls from the house constantly, yet if we drive east ten miles we'll have 5 or 6 service bars.

Anyhow, getting back to my story, I called in an insurance claim to have my window replaced and knowing that I wouldn't be able to find reception indoors, I went into the back yard. The woman still couldn't hear me. I walked in circles through the swarms of gnats through knee-high weeds to find a reception pocket, but couldn't.

I ended up in a corner of the bedroom crouched down by the floor. That's where they can all hear me from.

So, enough's enough. I want to be able to order a pizza without having to hang from the chandelier in some yoga contortion.

Posted by Tiffany at December 14, 2004 08:03 AM
Comments

Just like the commercial!

Posted by: Ella at December 14, 2004 10:37 AM

We had hoped to avoid having long distance service by using a cell phone and according to the coverage map for our service (my husband's company he works for) we were right smack dab in the coverage area. Yet we'd have no bars and drop calls unless I was perched outside on the railing of our deck, phone held high. Sigh.

Posted by: Amanda at December 14, 2004 01:28 PM

We got the "couple's plan" (you know, "Who have you been talking to? YOU!") Great, so we wouldn't get hit everytime I called my husband at work when I'm out during the day, and vice versa. Guess where my husband's phone WILL NOT get but sporadic, unintelligible reception. In his office building. In the main building 1/2 a block away, perfect reception. Oh and I've NEVER been able to get reception in ANY WalMart beyond the front main aisle no matter which company I've been with. What are their buildings lined with lead?

Posted by: Momotrips at December 14, 2004 10:47 PM

We have one of those kooky couple's plans, too. Now we're trying to figure out if a) the extra twenty bucks they charge to add-a-phone and b) the extra five bucks we pay for PCS-to-PCS actually saves us anything substantial. I've learned to make all my important calls from work!

All Wal-Marts have shitty reception. God forbid you can't remember what color pantyhose your mom wanted you to buy and have to go outside to use the phone to ask.

Posted by: Tiffany at December 15, 2004 07:31 AM

I swear, there's some sort of conspiracy over cell phone reception and one's own household. I can make calls just fine in other people's places, but it's always the worst in my own.

Posted by: Erica at December 15, 2004 08:19 PM