So it is a bit of a shock, even to myself, to realize I have been totally avoiding modern telephony. I simply haven't spent much time on a phone since using a rotary one affixed to our kitchen wall in Wendell, NH in the 1970's. It had a cord that'd only go about eight feet. I grew up in a time when long-distance rates were set by Ma Bell. Later, I worked overseas right out of college in the 80's and quickly learned to adapt to letter writing as a way to stay in touch.
At the moment, I use my little pay-as-you-go cell mainly for student contact and in case of emergencies. I will probably pick up some sort of smartphone after we get back from Sri Lanka in the late fall. I do have to admit I'm more interested in having a data plan than being able to make or recieve calls. I have decided to get serious about Skype though. I've dusted off an old account and plan to run it all the time on my living room computer. After all, it sits there minding its business 24/7, so it may as well be a conduit for talk. Add me as dennissylvesterhurd59. I like the idea of number portability and wonder just how long before I get off my butt and cancel the regular old landline. When we get back from our trip at the end of October, I'll probably call up Telus and see what type of package they can put together: satellite TV, ADSL, and a smartphone and data plan.
Just as cell phones erroded the landline busniess, telcos will have to adapt to VOIP from 3G data plans and even wifi. No single company is the only game in town anymore. Sweet!