Life without a cell phone or debit card

[OntarioHunter]

For those who haven't been following Canadian news (which is probably nearly everyone on here), almost the entire country has been without cell coverage due to a "maintenance issue" with the Rogers Network. Somehow it has also taken out debit cards without affecting credit cards. Luckily I have land line with a local network so I can continue to use my cell phone at home via wifi calling mode. I stopped carrying ANY cash when the pandemic started so this has been a slight inconvenience using my credit card instead. Imagine what a mess it would have been if those also stopped working! The economy would have literally come to a standstill! I was going to go to the bar Saturday night just for the novelty of seeing young couples actually communicating with each other face to face. Decided to watch the Blue Jays instead. That was a mistake.

If it can happen here, it can happen anywhere, especially in these days of cyber warfare. What would you do without your internet?

 

[marshman]

I would live life like i used to, it was easy. I know there is a lot of convenience there, hunt talk at your fingertips, ONX in the field, river levels at your convenience all of it.
But life was good, nobody finding your spots on the internet you had to get out and do it the old fashioned way.

I miss it.

 

[marshman]

Actually I miss those days terribly. Not sure were all of this internet and social media crap is going to go.

 

[gouch]

Y2k, 22 1/2 years late

 

[Blue Rope]

For those who haven't been following Canadian news (which is probably nearly everyone on here), almost the entire country has been without cell coverage due to a "maintenance issue" with the Rogers Network. Somehow it has also taken out debit cards without affecting credit cards. Luckily I have land line with a local network so I can continue to use my cell phone at home via wifi calling mode. I stopped carrying ANY cash when the pandemic started so this has been a slight inconvenience using my credit card instead. Imagine what a mess it would have been if those also stopped working! The economy would have literally come to a standstill! I was going to go to the bar Saturday night just for the novelty of seeing young couples actually communicating with each other face to face. Decided to watch the Blue Jays instead. That was a mistake.

If it can happen here, it can happen anywhere, especially in these days of cyber warfare. What would you do without your internet?

It would be inconvenient, but the world as a whole would be far better off if we somehow lost the last 100 years worth of "advancements".

 

[Clam]

One problem is that most of us no longer have the old infrastructure (eg. Landlines) to fall back on.

 

[Wind Gypsy]

It's an interesting story but somehow I'm stuck on you saying you were going to go to the bar for the novelty of looking at young couples

 

[gouch]

We humans are a funny lot. Whenever someone invents a luxury item that only the elite can afford, we eventually turn it into a necessity that nobody can survive without.

 

[MTGomer]

For a few days I’d take the day off. No internet, no work. Have to go do something useful like look at rams.

 

[TN2shot07]

My phone died and I was without it for almost 2 weeks at Christmas (no inventory), it was awesome. I’m still one of the weirdos with a pocket full of cash so no debit card is really only inconvenient for gas

 

[Blue Rope]

One problem is that most of us no longer have the old infrastructure (eg. Landlines) to fall back on.

Are there places where landlines are no longer available?

 

[Wind Gypsy]

I'm not sure I've used a debit card in 2022 yet.

 

[belshawelk]

OH, CANADA!. Was just there last week.

I can only hope all our phones and CC go down. Just think of all the teenagers having to to talk to their friends and adults face to face. AND a short period to time for people realize they should have kept cash around.

 

[rustednuts]

Are there places where landlines are no longer available?

Yes, carriers have started to retire a lot of the infrastructure as it isn't used and is costly to maintain. "Landlines" nowadays are actually SIP calling over the internet and not analog.

 

[steveshuntn1]

Are there places where landlines are no longer available?

Yes…ATT cut all new connections here in North MS a few years ago. You can keep it if you have one but they are being phased out as they say.

 

[SD_Prairie_Goat]

Those being down would certainly cause issues for me. Wouldn't be able to work from home without phone or internet (and my office is 300 miles away, and everything there is done via internet as well). so I would be at a complete stand still for work.

Money wise, I always try to keep some spare cash around for reasons like this. Also, if I'm going on a hunting trip for example, I like having cash on hand just in case. If I go in a ditch and someone is nice enough to pull me out, I like to be able to offer some cash for the assistance. Or if I have to call a tow truck into the middle of nowhere, they usually like cash... So I would be fine for a while at least. Might have to visit a bank eventually.

Would get boring around the house, but I still have DVD's, books, video games, board games, home projects, gardening to keep me busy. I think I could manage for a while without phone or internet.

 

[gouch]

I guess I can live without my cell phone all right. It mostly just sits on the end table by the couch all day receiving spam calls anyway. I picked it up just a bit ago and it turns out that the battery has been dead for a while. I was wondering why I didn't get any spam calls or silly test messages from the kids all weekend.

 

[deer_shooter]

I'm in the same boat as others regarding the internet. I work from home mostly and looking at another position that is 100% remote. Other than for work, I'd be delighted to get rid of my phone.
I always have cash on me and have some emergency funds in cash in my safe. I try to use my Amex card for most purchases just to get the miles then move money to pay it off, but would have no issue going back to all cash transactions.
It would be interesting to see how folks adjusted to personal interactions instead of social media.

 

[HONEYBADGER]

For those who haven't been following Canadian news (which is probably nearly everyone on here), almost the entire country has been without cell coverage due to a "maintenance issue" with the Rogers Network. Somehow it has also taken out debit cards without affecting credit cards. Luckily I have land line with a local network so I can continue to use my cell phone at home via wifi calling mode. I stopped carrying ANY cash when the pandemic started so this has been a slight inconvenience using my credit card instead. Imagine what a mess it would have been if those also stopped working! The economy would have literally come to a standstill! I was going to go to the bar Saturday night just for the novelty of seeing young couples actually communicating with each other face to face. Decided to watch the Blue Jays instead. That was a mistake.

If it can happen here, it can happen anywhere, especially in these days of cyber warfare. What would you do without your internet?

Get used to it. Your PM is going to have toh guys living that way forever

 

[Deleted member 28227]

Are there places where landlines are no longer available?

The continent of Africa lol

There are tons of places that don't have infrastructure. Most of the Rockies/new England/ South/ rural areas in general still don't have access to decent internet. I don't there are areas that had landlines where they are no longer available but there are plenty of areas that never had them that have been built out using only cell.

Land lines/ corded internet are pretty stupid if you think about it. They require so much infrastructure/impact.

Cellular is better... satellite would be best.