Campus cell phone usage increases

By Jenny Jones
Senior Writer

In the wake of the Sept. 11 attacks, many victims found comfort in a small electronic device — the cellular phone.

But the Northeastern United States is not the only area where cell phones have become a lifeline. More Purdue students are utilizing this means of communication than ever before.

Cara Badskey, sophomore in the School of Agriculture, originally got her cell phone as a safety precaution, but now says she uses it to keep in touch with her boyfriend, friends and family. "I think cell phones are convenient," she said.

And according to Dan McKay, a sales representative for All Comm, a cellular communications store, convenience is a big reason why people, especially students, are purchasing cell phones.

"At home, your land line is hooked into the wall," he said. "With a cell phone, you have that service with you at all times, and since the communication age is just getting more intense, portability is what it's all about."

The Lafayette Cellular Connection, another cellular communications store, gets approximately 150 customers per month, and the majority of those customers are in their 20s, said Brett Kincaid, manager of Cellular Connection.

"Mostly I see it as a trend in the younger generation," he said. "You definitely see younger college kids having them."

Jennifer St. John, manager of area cell phone retailer Wireless Communications, agreed that, compared to the last two months, cellular phone sales have gone up with the return of students to campus.

While some students may be concerned with convenience, others are more interested in the financial relief that cellular service may bring to a tight budget, said St. John. Most of the service plans offer deals allowing customers to get free minutes, which may cut down on long distance costs.

Five years ago this wasn't the case, McKay said. Cellular service was much more expensive, and not as many people could afford it.

Alan Swanson, a graduate student, often uses his cell phone in place of his home phone for long distance calls because he can call any state without extra costs.

"Personally, it just works for me," he said.

Beth Shamel, junior in the School of Liberal Arts, got her cell phone this past summer to keep in touch with her friends, but now that she's back in school, she uses her free long distance to call her parents.

Although students are staying connected, some professors such as Charles Stewart, a professor in the department of communications, said he hasn't had a problem with cell phones ringing in class.

"Occasionally the (classroom) phone on the wall will ring, but if (cell phones) do ring, they must be quiet," he said.

Classrooms are not the only place that people are using their cell phones responsibly.

Chad Kissel, general manager of the Eastside10 movie theater, said most people use their phones respectfully when seeing a movie, especially since, about a year ago, the theater posted signs warning guests to turn off their phones.

If a phone does ring during a show, it will be confiscated until the movie is over, Kissel said.

"We don't really have a problem with it anymore. Usually the threat works."

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