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AM I THE ONLY ONE?

(45 Posts)
PRINTMISS Mon 04-May-15 07:28:29

Who does not have/use a mobile phone? Once again I tried yesterday to place an order on line, and once again I was asked to provide a mobile telephone number - the order would not go through without one. Now, we do have a mobile, it is in the car for emergencies only. It is not switched on, because it is for OUR use, we have a perfectly good land line on which people can contact us. This is not the first time a company has lost an order because I will not provide a mobile phone number. Their loss.

petra Mon 04-May-15 15:21:09

I last had a landline in 2004. I don't think I would survive without my mobile. I got my first in 1994. How do you do it?

HildaW Mon 04-May-15 15:22:55

I'm with you on this Printmiss. My mobile is for emergencies only and I almost came unstuck when registering for the Morrisons loyalty card. It insisted on having a mobile number on the on-line registration site. I got round it by just sticking a random number in....it was accepted!

petra Mon 04-May-15 15:29:08

When filling in a form on line, you don't have to give the correct No. Just put in a mobile code then any No. you want. I have done this for years.

PRINTMISS Mon 04-May-15 16:34:04

I had thought of using a false number, but was rather worried in case it was real, and some one else got the call. I will certainly try the 00000 thing next time!

HildaW Mon 04-May-15 17:06:53

Or just use (if you can remember it) an old defunct number!

Bogoff Mon 04-May-15 17:15:15

How about giving the phone number of one of those annoying sales callers, keeps you private and may annoy the sales callers. grin

loopylou Mon 04-May-15 17:53:28

Or the number from unwanted flyers that come with the post?
Good idea Bogoff

numberplease Mon 04-May-15 18:00:21

I have a mobile, but it only gets used when it absolutely has to be, I hate the flipping things! We originally bought them so we could easily keep in touch with our daughter at home when we were on holiday. The family think I`m daft for not carrying it around with me, and for keeping it in a cupboard rather than having it switched on.

Ana Mon 04-May-15 18:07:04

I use mine mostly for texting I have never given the number to any online company (I haven't come across one which insists on a mobile no.) and I never get unsolicited calls, or texts.

harrigran, that's very odd. I don't think companies cross-reference their customers' phone numbers and anyway, as you say, the gas account isn't even in your name. Is it possible that someone else has given these firms your mobile number?

Charleygirl Mon 04-May-15 18:12:27

I only use my mobile when my car breaks down or on the odd occasion I am out and have to contact somebody. Why pay when my landline is "free"?

janerowena Mon 04-May-15 19:58:29

Me too, I carry it in my bag just for emergencies really.

petra Mon 04-May-15 20:18:49

So I'm assuming most of you don't have Smart phones so you don't access the internet when your out of the house. Or take pics. Just curious.

Ana Mon 04-May-15 20:22:16

My android phone connects to the internet if I want to, and takes photos.
The screen's too small to make it practical for internet browsing in reality, though.

janerowena Mon 04-May-15 20:34:56

Mine is a smart phone, but even so, where I live it isn't possible to use it as a phone in many areas, or to connect to the internet in others. I have two phones in fact, in the hope that one would provide better coverage than the other, to no avail. I'm not a luddite, I was texting with the best of them until we moved here - so 'How do you do it?' from petra - well, it's fine for emergencies and I use facebook messaging rather than texts most of the time.

The downside is that if you get a new phone, it's very hard to practise using it. You have to go to a town, get on the cloud somehow in a café or something, and work it out frantically.

FlicketyB Mon 04-May-15 21:14:17

I have a smart phone but to be quite honest I just cannot be bothered to explore all its options. I am not on Facebook and try to keep a very low internet profile, apart from some professional commitments.

I just do not want to be bothered with emails and all sorts of pointless updates when I am out and about. Watching DC breaking off conversations, stopping in their tracks or generally being distracted each time their phone vibrates or squawks at them when 99 times out of a hundred when they interrogate the phone they then dismiss the content with in a second as of no interest has put me right off bothering with mastering my smart phone myself. I can see no advantage in it and I have better uses for my time.

I am not Luddite but I have the confidence to reject new technological advances unless I can see them actually being of use to me.

durhamjen Mon 04-May-15 21:42:48

What did you do about the bank accounts, Mishap?
I have a Nationwide one, and have a wifi numberpad so I can use it online. They give me an individual code every time I log on, but on the numberpad.

Katek Mon 04-May-15 22:57:20

I just use 01234000000. As long as system gets correct number of digits it seems to be happy!

Katek Mon 04-May-15 23:06:03

My smartphone and I are inseparable! I use it for text, calls, FB, email, Internet access, weather, online shopping....mainly groceries, calendar and notes function, fitness apps, occasional entertainment for dgc, photos, clock, alarm, radio, instant access to news etc., etc.! Not to mention posting on GN!

Ana Mon 04-May-15 23:09:14

I use my PC for all that. If I'm out and about I only need a phone.