Shall we call it over-dependence or necessity? Cell phones are ruling our lives. A day without the hand held phones is beyond our imagination just as a day without a watch, money or computer is. Over 15 million people around the country now worship this wireless device and many more millions will in the years to come. Nose-dive of the prices of handsets and SIM cards has encouraged more people to opt for cell phone connections to enjoy 24/7 communication with their friends and family.
Our dependence on cell phones is increasing with time. The first thing that most of us probably do in the morning is check the time and the number of calls missed overnight. And we do these by turning on our favourite possession - our cellular phone. Our days begin with this revolutionary invention. And with the ticking of the clock its usage rate increases, which means that by noon you receive at least one call and a text message. Cell phone usage is at its highest during the peak hours. Our cell phone operators know their business well and to encourage use during the off peak time, the telecom companies provide attractive discounts on calls made during this time. The trick works on most, especially those who believe in saving.
You can now navigate the World Wide Web with your seemingly simple yet multipurpose cell phone. You can check emails from any corner of the country. Wherever you are, you always stay in touch. The world of GPRS and EDGE enables you to download wallpapers, music, ring tones, video clips, songs, themes and a lot more. You can even send and receive multimedia (pictures, sounds) messages. The hi-speed of such Internet services will make it possible to communicate and surf websites faster than before. New additions to wireless telecommunications services are making us more dependent on them. Cellular phones would gradually replace PCs in many aspects with the introduction of more and more hi-tech services.
Mobile phones are no longer used for only phone calls. They enable you to read daily news headlines, send/receive fax and data, receive information regarding sports, emergency numbers, restaurants, airline and railway timing, travel info etc. Special membership cards offered by the telecommunication companies now enable you to enjoy discounts on numerous restaurants, beauty salons, hotels, dress boutiques and so on. No wonder we are becoming worshippers of this magical device. Cell phones are not only giving us freedom of communication but also making life simpler and more enjoyable than before.
Usage of cell phones has become so popular that many of us have forgotten the good old days of calling people from a humongous phone set with a round dial. Although such fixed phones are no more in use, their antique value has made them prized possessions of many households.
Just the other day, I read in one of the daily newspapers that BTTB's revenue reduced by a massive 200 crores in the last 2 years. It's beyond doubt that BTTB lost a majority of its revenue to the mobile phone operators. Line disconnections, eerie bills at the end of the month, substandard customer service and poor connectivity could all be avoided with the introduction of cell phones. So why wouldn't people opt for cell phones especially when they can enjoy excellent BTTB incoming & outgoing and ISD facilities for as low as tk.600?
Although our forefathers spent decades without being in constant touch with their near and dear ones, this is tough to imagine in the 21st century. It is not that our ancestors loved their mothers, fathers, children, wives or friends any less than we do. In fact, 24/7 communication actually seems to have reduced the emotional appeal of things such as handwritten letters and long distance telephone calls.
Our story on cell phone dependency will continue into the future. As the only intelligent species of this earth, we cannot literally deny our gains from science and technology.
http://www.thedailystar.net/lifestyle/2006/12/01/page04.htm
Date of publication: December 5, 2006
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