Monday, July 28, 2014

Penny for your number

Recently phone books were delivered in my neighborhood, which brought several thoughts to mind:
  1. Does anyone use phone books anymore?  With nearly everyone possessing a smart phone, tablet, or laptop computer, it is literally easier and faster to look up a phone number using 1 of those devices than to pull out an archaic phone book.  It would be better to have a couple phone books at the library for those who don't have a smart phone or computer.
  2. Does anyone have a landline anymore?  Most of the people I know have gotten rid of their landline phones since they are more easily reached on their cell/mobile phone.  Although many of us work in offices that have landlines, I just look up a needed phone number on the internet.  And since cell/mobile numbers are not printed in phone books, it makes the phone book seem even more obsolete.
  3. Isn't it a huge waste of money, paper, and labor to blanketly deliver phone books unsolicited?  I can understand printing a small amount of phone books for libraries and people who actually want them, but why not simply make these available for use or pick-up at a library or phone company office?  Indiscriminately delivering multiple phone books to every house costs money to print and money to deliver the books, which in my case, went directly into the recycling bin.
To ad insult to injury, we received 4 telephone books.  You see, our house is on a corner and we have a driveway next to our front door and a driveway next to our side door.  The geniuses hired to deliver the phone books didn't realize it is just 1 house, so they dropped off 2 books at both of our driveways.

It is my belief that the phone book is just about as obsolete as the penny; for some reason they're still in circulation although neither are necessary.

3 comments:

anne marie in philly said...

1. nope, don't use a phone book. and I don't have a smart phone either; I have a stoopid phone.

2. yes, I still have a landline. sue me.

3. I was able to opt out of phone book distribution, but I forget how I did it. I DO get a small (5 x 7) local book delivered; it is a business numbers only book which I have found very helpful. and I recycle my old book when the new one comes in.

the cajun said...

Do not use the phone books, either one.

Do have a land line. I'm from hurricane country, cell sites go down, phone lines keep working if you have a corded phone. I do. It's an emergency/safety thing.

I do receive the local business directory, too. And I make sure to get the Dining Guide every year. Both good to have on hand.

I hate all phones. I usually use the cell for text, rarely for conversation. No one calls anyway.

Biki Honko said...

I cant remember the last time I used a phone book! You are right about how wasteful they are. The landline phone companies should put a flyer in their bill asking if you'd like a phone book, if so to return the coupon with the bill.