Voicemail is for dinosaurs?

[wenrob]

I guess some of you have a different relationship with your mothers than I did. I would love to hear my mom's voice one more time.

I would have to completely derail the thread to explain my tenuous relationship with my mother. It’s not that I don’t want to hear her voice it’s that she could easily destroy what good feelings there are in a five minute phone call. Texting is a happy medium, we can actually have a relationship that way. It leaves hard feelings out of the equation.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

I guess some of you have a different relationship with your mothers than I did. I would love to hear my mom's voice one more time.

You're going to tell me you've never in your life had something you said be misunderstood? If so please tell me the secret I would love to know.

You said "I like that there are no misunderstandings in real phone conversations over texting." Well I suppose I could personally be misunderstanding you as we're not talking over the phone

 

[Pea-n-Me]

I had no idea people felt so strongly about voicemails.

 

[gotomu212]

I have to admit that I don't want to "move with the times or get left behind". I am not in isolation. I like to hear voices. I like that there are no misunderstandings in real phone conversations over texting. I shop in stores more than online. We as a society are cutting out human contact. Are we really moving forward?

Not picking on you, but I hear this sentiment a lot and I always laugh. My great grandmother grew up as a settler on the Dakota prairies. For 8 months of the year she would see and talk to only 3 people (her mother, father, and sister). When she got married her husband and she moved to Montana and went a whole year without any other human contact. Her journals from this time are AMAZING.

If she were still alive, she’d be shocked at how interconnected we are. Humans now communicate with more people, over greater distance, and have more interaction points a day than ever before. It’s just a a fairy tale that “these kids today” don’t want human contact. Social media was invented and has exploded purely to share and connect at the most basic level. I’d sy we are maybe sharing a little too much and are afraid to me alone with our own thoughts for even 5 minutes.

 

[morgan98]

Count me in as someone who really doesn't like voicemail much. At work, we use email way more than voicemail or IM. People will still occasionally leave voicemail and that is somewhat okay because they get converted to a file and are sent over email. I never check voicemail by dialing in and entering my code. 99% of ALL voicemail for me, both work and cell phone are sales/spam, so I do not consider it a way to convey an important message.

I am 48 by the way and from my perspective, voicemail used to be much more relevant than it I now. I very rarely leave voicemails any longer for anyone and will reach out via email or text if I need a more urgent response.

 

[Southernmiss]

Not picking on you, but I hear this sentiment a lot and I always laugh. My great grandmother grew up as a settler on the Dakota prairies. For 8 months of the year she would see and talk to only 3 people (her mother, father, and sister). When she got married her husband and she moved to Montana and went a whole year without any other human contact. Her journals from this time are AMAZING.

If she were still alive, she’d be shocked at how interconnected we are. Humans now communicate with more people, over greater distance, and have more interaction points a day than ever before. It’s just a a fairy tale that “these kids today” don’t want human contact. Social media was invented and has exploded purely to share and connect at the most basic level. I’d sy we are maybe sharing a little too much and are afraid to me alone with our own thoughts for even 5 minutes.

So true that the world is becoming smaller because of communication.

I too had ancestors on the Dakota prairie. Months of cold, bitter winter by yourself.

I remember in 4th grade when my best friend who lived down the street moved because her parents divorced. She moved to the next community about 20 miles away. We lost contact after that. Now, my kids would not skip a beat with a friend that moves.

My kids have had so many more experiences because of today's technologies that I would never have dreamed of as a shy, somewhat anxious kid. So much the kids can learn about places and people because of technology that I never could have learned in the library.

 

[jiminyC_fan]

How ironic. My grandparents came over from the "old country" (Norway) as children and settled in South Dakota where they remained until there were no boys to take over the farm (late 60's). I grew up in Sioux Falls, SD. I very much know life as a settler from my grandparents perspective.

 

[pearlieq]

And this is why millennials are socially retarded

That's not really something kind or considerate people say as a pejorative anymore.

 

[Hikergirl]

And this is why millennials are socially retarded; lack of actual human contact.

You may get the words with your VM transcription, but you're missing the timbral cues that provide emotional content.

Spoken like someone who probably doesn't have a lot of actual human contact.

 

[tvguy]

I am not a texting fan, too cumbersome and time consuming. As of yesterday our 9-1-1 dispatch center got capability, as an additional way to report an emergency. But this information kind points out the issues with texting.


Even where text-to-9-1-1 is available, if you can make a voice call to 9-1-1, please call instead of texting

Here are some guidelines for how to contact 9-1-1. If you use a wireless phone or other type of mobile device, make sure to do the following in an emergency:

• If you can, always contact 9-1-1 by making a voice call, “Call if you can – text if you can’t.”

• If you are deaf and hard of hearing and Text-to- 9-1-1 is not available, use a TTY or telecommunications relay service, if available.

• If you text 9-1-1 and text is not available at that time or in your area, you will receive a bounce back message advising “text is not available please make a voice call to 9-1-1.”

• Location accuracy varies by carrier and should not be relied upon. Be prepared to give your location.

• Text-to-9-1-1 service will not be available if the wireless carrier cannot ascertain a location of the device sending the message.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

I am not a texting fan, too cumbersome and time consuming. As of yesterday our 9-1-1 dispatch center got capability, as an additional way to report an emergency. But this information kind points out the issues with texting.


Even where text-to-9-1-1 is available, if you can make a voice call to 9-1-1, please call instead of texting

Here are some guidelines for how to contact 9-1-1. If you use a wireless phone or other type of mobile device, make sure to do the following in an emergency:

• If you can, always contact 9-1-1 by making a voice call, “Call if you can – text if you can’t.”

• If you are deaf and hard of hearing and Text-to- 9-1-1 is not available, use a TTY or telecommunications relay service, if available.

• If you text 9-1-1 and text is not available at that time or in your area, you will receive a bounce back message advising “text is not available please make a voice call to 9-1-1.”

• Location accuracy varies by carrier and should not be relied upon. Be prepared to give your location.

• Text-to-9-1-1 service will not be available if the wireless carrier cannot ascertain a location of the device sending the message.

But text to 911 is a vital improvement in our society.

I can think of some scary situations someone may be in where they do not want to call because it may be too loud (with the talking and whatnot) and put the person in a very dangerous situation whereas texting can be more discrete-that's just one example.

The FCC clearly states-
"It is the ability to send a "short message" (SMS) or other kind of text message to 911. Texting during an emergency could be helpful if you are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, or if a voice call to 911 might otherwise be dangerous or impossible. But if you are able to make a voice call to 911, and if it is safe to do so, you should always make a voice call to 911."

Because texing 911 is newer there are going to be limitations. But with time this will become less of an issue. It wasn't too long ago that there was a lot of push back regarding pinging your phone for the purpose of finding its location and came with huge hurdles with the carriers. Just give it time and it will likely improve.

Also the issue itself isn't texting as in written word on the phone. It's limitations regarding other facets like location accuracy though there's been plenty of talk about how inaccurate 911 can be in figuring out your location (there's been multiple stories alone on my local news about it) so it's not like accuracy is 100% guaranteed with calling.

All that being said of course calling over texting is preferred with 911 but it def. doesn't mean it's a bad thing that they've introduced it.

 

[disneychrista]

Honestly. Communication comes in many different forms. Each is really no better than the other, overall. Some are more practical than others in certain situations. Use what works for you. I prefer text because it is quick and easy for short messages (don’t forget to pick up milk on the way home). For detailed communication a phone call is likely better.

 

[tvguy]

But text to 911 is a vital improvement in our society.

I can think of some scary situations someone may be in where they do not want to call because it may be too loud (with the talking and whatnot) and put the person in a very dangerous situation whereas texting can be more discrete-that's just one example.

The FCC clearly states-
"It is the ability to send a "short message" (SMS) or other kind of text message to 911. Texting during an emergency could be helpful if you are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, or if a voice call to 911 might otherwise be dangerous or impossible. But if you are able to make a voice call to 911, and if it is safe to do so, you should always make a voice call to 911."

Because texing 911 is newer there are going to be limitations. But with time this will become less of an issue. It wasn't too long ago that there was a lot of push back regarding pinging your phone for the purpose of finding its location and came with huge hurdles with the carriers. Just give it time and it will likely improve.

Also the issue itself isn't texting as in written word on the phone. It's limitations regarding other facets like location accuracy though there's been plenty of talk about how inaccurate 911 can be in figuring out your location (there's been multiple stories alone on my local news about it) so it's not like accuracy is 100% guaranteed with calling.

All that being said of course calling over texting is preferred with 911 but it def. doesn't mean it's a bad thing that they've introduced it.

Lots of things to work out for sure as technology changes. Out here in California last years Santa Rosa fires uncovered a lot of communications issues. There were times cell phones (and thus texting too) were totally useless due to towers being wiped out.
One of the hospitals even sent out an alert to the media to try and alert their employees to STOP trying to reach their supervisors to report in on the supervisors cell phones, and use the old landline numbers. Cell service was completely down, landlines, with their cable buried, and power supplied from the phone company exchanges, were working.

 

[ronandannette]

Agrees. Only one person at work has my cell number and it's my direct manager. He uses it very sparingly to contact me. I only gave it to him as I trust he would not abuse having it as it is my personal phone not paid for by the company. After 13 years of keeping his word I don't mind him using it occasionally when he is on the road and texting is easier or I'm at work while on company wifi not using my data. I know other managers and companies would take advantage of having the number and that is why I never gave it out at my previous job.

I have a number of staff members who refused to take a company cell because they didn’t want to carry 2 phones and didn’t want their use to be restricted by company policy if they didn’t keep their personal phones. Fair enough but they still need to be accessible and responsive like the rest of us. I have no qualms about contacting them at any time for legitimate work purposes.

 

[BLAZEY]

I have a number of staff members who refused to take a company cell because they didn’t want to carry 2 phones and didn’t want their use to be restricted by company policy if they didn’t keep their personal phones. Fair enough but they still need to be accessible and responsive like the rest of us. I have no qualms about contacting them at any time for legitimate work purposes.

If the company wanted to give me a work cell phone I would gladly take it, but since I work at a desk with a landline it seems a waste to have a cell phone too. My manager has one as he is on the road quite often. My foremen each have on as the have portable crushers that move from job site to job site. Sometime we have to rent sat phones that have no texting as the are in to remote of an area with no cell service.

 

[ronandannette]

If the company wanted to give me a work cell phone I would gladly take it, but since I work at a desk with a landline it seems a waste to have a cell phone too. My manager has one as he is on the road quite often. My foremen each have on as the have portable crushers that move from job site to job site. Sometime we have to rent sat phones that have no texting as the are in to remote of an area with no cell service.[/QUOTE]

Speaking of dinosaurs, I remember the days when field staff had suitcase-mobiles that blew the truck horn instead of ringing, but I digress...

 

[tvguy]

I have a number of staff members who refused to take a company cell because they didn’t want to carry 2 phones and didn’t want their use to be restricted by company policy if they didn’t keep their personal phones. Fair enough but they still need to be accessible and responsive like the rest of us. I have no qualms about contacting them at any time for legitimate work purposes.

We have to have a managers approval to call anyone with a company cell phone on their personal number. No explanation given, but rumor is some sort of legal issue.