Justine Di Filippo
by Richard Magda
staff writer
Cellular phones are no longer novelties just for the rich and famous. Despite allegations that they cause cancer, cell phones have become immensely popular over the course of the past decade and the Cabrini College community is no exception. Cell phones are ringing in classrooms, dorms, and everywhere else on campus.
“This is the most popular product known to man,” said Ed Snyder, who follows wireless technologies for the Chase H&Q investment firm, in an interview with Time Magazine in the Oct. 9, 2000 issue. “More cell phones will be sold this year than all the computers, TVs, personal digital assistants and pagers combined.”Many students of Cabrini have embraced this craze and concede that cell phones serve a purpose of usefulness and convenience
“I initially got my cell phone because I was working all the time. So if my family needed me, they could get in touch with me,” Sean Sullivan, junior, said. “Then I found out how cheap the long-distance could be and I started using it as my main source for long-distance. It’s just cheaper all around in my case because I’m from Long Island and I can call home for free.”
Pete Kulick, sophomore, likes having a cell phone because it is easier for people to get in touch with him when he is not home.
“I like that people can get in touch with me whenever they need, and I can get in touch with them, especially my parents,” Kulick said.
However, not all Cabrini students have been swept up by the cellular phone craze. Many feel cell phones are unnecessary, unhealthy, and a nuisance to those around the cell phone owner.
“The reason I don’t have one has nothing to do with cancer,” Anita Joerger, freshman, said. “I don’t have one because I can’t afford it. I’ve heard stories of my friends’ bills and the amounts are outrageous.”
Julian Smoger, sophomore, said, “I think cell phones are useful when I’m out on the road, out of money, or in an emergency, but getting calls during movies and while driving is absurd. Then cell phones become just another frivolous expense.”
The idea of the constant easy access that a cell phone brings to a person’s life did not appeal to all students.
“I don’t like the idea of people being able to contact me 24 hours a day because people can track you down and they interrupt you all the time. Plus, with cell phones, you can hardly hear the people you’re talking to and disconnections happen too often,” Amber Graham, junior, said.
Despite some students’ negative reactions to the cell phone craze, the Main Line area remains host to major service providers, including Sprint PCS, AT&T, Verizon, and CellularOne, to name a few.
Most of these providers have student-friendly plans. CellularOne offers a student plan for which a student signs a year-long contract that allows the phone service to be suspended during summer break for students who live far away and do not wish to continue their service outside of the area.
Although AT&T does not have a specific student plan, they have launched a new service targeted to their younger consumers, namely students. This service, called I-Notes, is a two-way messaging system. It allows users to type messages to each other on their cellular phones. Totally silent, it allows users to type messages without running up airtime.
As the popularity of these cellular services has grown, so have speculations concerning the dangers of cell phones themselves. Most service providers have been forced to deal with this issue.
Most cellular phone companies are trained to handle questions about potential health risks.
According to the article in Time Magazine, major cell phone makers such as Motorola and Nokia will succumb to the pressures brought on by the mounting concerns about cell phone safety by disclosing the amount of radiation their phones emit. It is expected to bring about a new sort of competition among cell hone companies as customers begin to shop for phones with the lowest radiation.
Scientists have yet to reach and definite conclusions about the dangers of cell phone use. So far, there have only been discoveries of the possibilities of cancer risks, but all are inconclusive. For now, professional say that there are definite possibilities of risk and that precautions should be taken regarding the use of cell phones.
Most cell phone companies suggest taking a precautionary approach when using cell phones. For example, users should only use cell phones when it is necessary, and if given the option of using a landline phone, to do so. Also, cell phone owners should consider switching to the hands-free headsets being promoted by several companies in the market. These headsets make a significant difference in the amount of radiation absorbed by the user’s brain.
Regardless of the potential health risks associated with cellular use, many students at Cabrini College are finding he pocket-sized phones fit nicely into their lifestyle.
