Cell use battles land lines

As the number of students with cell phones continues to increase, some have wondered if the room phone may become just another part of the University's rich historical tradition.

Nearly nine in 10 college students now have cell phones, according to the Student Monitor, a market research firm in Ridgewood.

Instead of ignoring this trend, telecommunications at OIT is changing with it.

"We don't view the use of cell phones as a combative issue," said David Wirth, the technical operations manager of telecommunications at OIT. "Many, but not all, students have cell phones and find them a convenient way to keep in touch with friends and family."

In the past two years, the University has introduced several new programs to adapt to the new preference for cell phones among students.

CellConnect, which was launched this fall, allows students to check their Princeton voicemail on their cell phones for $4 per month.

CellularLD is a prepaid long-distance service that enables students to place international and long-distance calls from their cell phones at reduced rates.

The programs have yet to catch fire among the student body, but Wirth said he expects them to draw cell phone users back into the University's telecommunications fold.

"We have a number of students using the service, but we feel more students could be involved," Wirth said. "This is why we are still promoting it. Many people don't see the cost benefits of using CellularLD, especially for international calls. The savings can be very significant."

Steven McCutcheon '07, who does not own a cell phone, has heard of CellularLD, but prefers the basic service.

"I only make around two to four long distance calls a week and my bill each month is usually around $10," he said.

Though McCutcheon acknowledged that cell phones might be useful in emergency situations, he is otherwise satisfied with his room phone.

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"The telephone rates are reasonable, and abstractly I have the feeling that I tend to pay more attention to people around me when I am out with people," he said. "I think that people who have cell phones tend to be in their own world, and not having one is an easy way to stay away from that."

At the opposite end of the spectrum, Bara Lane '07 uses her cell phone almost exclusively.

"I only use my room phone about once a month — I use it to make important calls because I know the reception will be good," she said. "I get terrible cell phone service at Princeton."

Bad service is a common complaint among cell phone users at the University. There are few cell phone towers in the vicinity of campus, and the thick-walled gothic architecture of Princeton's older buildings blocks the already weak signal.

But many students, including Lane, believe the benefits of having a cell phone make it worthwhile.

"If you only use your room phone, you have to put in your pin number every time you make a call or place eight or nine or whatever," she said. "It's easier to have one number and you don't have to stay in your room."

Though the number of students who use cell phones will likely continue to rise, the university has no plans to phase out landlines. The lines will always be necessary for emergency situations when cell phone service shorts out, Wirth said.

"Technology is always changing. What may look like land lines may become data or VoIP services in the future," he said, adding that Telecommunications will continue to adapt.

"Whatever method is used, we always have to make sure that the needs of the entire university including students, faculty and staff — especially Public Safety — are always considered," he said.