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#Post#: 79318--------------------------------------------------
Making cell calls when service is sketchy
By: NFPwife Date: May 16, 2023, 11:05 pm
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Here's my question - is it rude to start a conversational phone
call when you're heading into an area with known spotty cell
service?
Here's the extra info - we live in a rural area with varying
levels of service. Each provider has their pros and cons and
there's one area where none of the major providers work (because
the two families who own a massive amount of land there will not
allow cell towers.)
Someone I'm working on a project with is calling while she's
driving between two places. The calls start off with an update
and there's, usually, enough time to catch all of that, then she
continues to chat while she's driving. I don't pick up the phone
if I don't have time to chat and I wouldn't mind keeping her
company while she drives. Except... she drives through a couple
problematic areas and it starts with being able to make out
every fifth word and then I can't hear her for 10-15 seconds at
a time. Sometimes the call completely drops. Other times, I've
stayed on and she eventually drives into good service. I've done
the whole "The last thing I heard was..." but I'm over it. When
service gets spotty, I say, "Oh you're hitting a dead zone, I'll
talk to you later" and hang up.
My husband was surprised yesterday when I hung up as soon as it
started and I shared my perspective that it's frustrating to try
to power through and I think it's rude to initiate a
conversational call when you know service won't support it. An
urgent or emergent call is a different story.
What do you all think? How do you handle calls where service is
poor? (Both as caller and receiver.)
Edit - spelling
#Post#: 79320--------------------------------------------------
Re: Making cell calls when service is sketchy
By: sandisadie Date: May 17, 2023, 2:30 pm
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When I'm talking to someone and they are cutting in and out,
after a little of this I just tell them that the call continues
to break up and they can call me later and then I just hang up.
I don't consider this action rude. Stuff happens when you are
talking on a cell phone that doesn't happen on a land line. I
think everyone deals with it, for the most part. The think that
bothers me the most on a cell call is when I am talking and then
realize that the call has dropped. Or - have I been hung up on
instead? (Chuckle)
#Post#: 79322--------------------------------------------------
Re: Making cell calls when service is sketchy
By: TootsNYC Date: May 17, 2023, 4:13 pm
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I don't think it's particularly rude to call when the service is
spotty. Inefficient and thoughtless, but not necessarily rude.
But hanging up when the connection starts to fizzle is perfectly
polite.
#Post#: 79324--------------------------------------------------
Re: Making cell calls when service is sketchy
By: QueenFaninCA Date: May 17, 2023, 4:53 pm
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On my drive to work I have a stretch with spotty signal. I try
my best not to be on the phone when I am getting there. If I am
on a chatty call, I'll suggest to end the call when entering
that area. If it is a needed conversation I will propose to call
back in ten minutes when I am back with better reception. Having
to repeat everything multiple times sucks way too much.
I understand why you don't want to inflict this on yourself
repeatedly. It's one thing if it's a one-off thing or because
someone isn't aware they are entering an area with bad
reception. But a repeat offender?
#Post#: 79325--------------------------------------------------
Re: Making cell calls when service is sketchy
By: TootsNYC Date: May 17, 2023, 4:58 pm
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I'm not sure why one wouldn't say, "Hey, often when we're
chatting, I lose you in X area. Let's hang up when you get
there, so we can skip the frustrating part of not being able to
hear one another."
#Post#: 79326--------------------------------------------------
Re: Making cell calls when service is sketchy
By: oogyda Date: May 17, 2023, 6:22 pm
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YDD frequently calls on her way to or from work. There is small
area where she will lose signal and she warns me when she's
coming up on it. It's really only a matter of less than a
minute (now I want to time it) and our calls are not business
related...just chatting.
I don't mind that, but it is frustrating when I'm trying to
catch up on MIL's current condition or warpath while on the
phone with SisIL. I know she is on her way home and won't be
able to call back for a couple of hours.
#Post#: 79331--------------------------------------------------
Re: Making cell calls when service is sketchy
By: Starry Diadem Date: May 17, 2023, 11:24 pm
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[quote author=TootsNYC link=topic=2500.msg79325#msg79325
date=1684360718]
I'm not sure why one wouldn't say, "Hey, often when we're
chatting, I lose you in X area. Let's hang up when you get
there, so we can skip the frustrating part of not being able to
hear one another."
[/quote]
This. Or the caller having the initiative to say “i know
reception gets spotty in x area. I’ll cut the call if (when)
that happens and call you again once it’s clear.”
#Post#: 79334--------------------------------------------------
Re: Making cell calls when service is sketchy
By: Hmmm Date: May 18, 2023, 8:46 am
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If I am driving or walking into an area where I know cell
service will be spotty, I alert the person I'm speaking to. I
either offer to call back when I think I'll be in a better spot
or I ask if they want to hang on for 2 minutes.
I personally would much rather go 2 minutes of silence than do
the "hey your breaking up, what did you say", "sorry, I didn't
get that", "maybe you can call back when you get in a better
spot" dance for 1 minute.
I think you are perfectly fine immediately saying it sounds like
you are breaking up and ending the call. My company had 2
offices within a 20 min drive and there was a dead spot that
would like about 3 minutes. I often had coworkers call when they
were driving between the offices and I had no problem with
saying it sounded like they were hitting the dead zone and
telling them to call me back later.
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