Is it too much?

If there are 54 million households with cable video and another 35 million satellite subscribers, they pale in comparison to the number subscriptions to wireless services. The big 4 plus 1 are listed below. In addition virtual mobile network operators like Tracfone have 26 million subscribers

Verizon Wireless* 133.475 million $52.72 on average per month
AT&T 121.772 million $40.78 on average
T-Mobile 56.836 million $42.45 on average
Sprint 56.702 million $46.73 on average
U.S. Cellular 4.775 million $58.01 on average (Chicago company operated in 23 states)

The lowest priced cell phone plans give you 2000 talk minutes and 2000 texts for $75 for one year, so $6-$10 a month should cover routine emergencies, notifications you are lost and/or running late. At this point in our culture not to provide that minimum level of connectivity would be widely considered foolhardy for an adult or child endangerment for parents.

It seems like people are addicted to data. Even Prepaid Verizon Wireless is $35 a month for unlimited talk and text on a basic phone

You hear the phrase cable cutting a lot, but you don't hear as much about weaning from wireless.

The availability of reasonably priced 3G and 4G service, as well as discount tablets and smartphones is the reason cable is in decline. Like camera sales, there is no reason to buy standalone service when you can do just as well, or better, in a portable combo.

I am probably in the minority, but I have to have data for work. Had it on and off all day today, as I often need to do at a courthouse. Must be reachable via email during all business hours and I use the data to run the laptop.

Quote: Pacomartin

If there are 54 million households with cable video and another 35 million satellite subscribers, they pale in comparison to the number subscriptions to wireless services.

Households have one cable or satellite subscription. Households tend to have one phone for every adult, plus some for the kids.

Businesses which require cable subscriptions tend to have a few, but multiple phones for their employees. Consider a hotel with thousands of rooms has one cable subscription (or rather a services contract).

Quote:

You hear the phrase cable cutting a lot, but you don't hear as much about weaning from wireless.

Because they're using the wireless to cut the cable :)

Quote: AZDuffman

I am probably in the minority, but I have to have data for work. Had it on and off all day today, as I often need to do at a courthouse. Must be reachable via email during all business hours and I use the data to run the laptop.

There are 120 million employed people in the USA, and I doubt more than 25% of them are data intensive users for work (i.e. that need cellular data as opposed to simple wired or wifi data). The most natural use of data on the road is for driving directions.

These devices are recommended for children up through elementary school (5th grade). They seem to have tracking devices that use a combination of wifi and cellular. The phone numbers are limited to five and voice activated. It is not clear if they come with a bio chip to know if they have been disconnected from the child's wrist (either by the child or a potential predator. they obviously come with apps that track the position of your child so you know if he has run away from the back yard.

Presumably you would want body sensors to see if heart rate, or body temperature has taken a fall so you know if the child is frightened , fallen off a fence, or passed out.

I don't know what would happen if the device is removed from your arm. Would a loud alarm go off? Can you install a camera or microphone to see or hear what is happening?

Although it is difficult to imagine any legal implications involving a child up to the age of 11, it does raise interesting questions for children up to age 17. Such a child might be able to defeat an alarm, but could parents punish them for removing the device? Would the child have legal recourse? Questions of morality aside, would it legally be allowed to measure a child's heart rate to look for indications of sexual arousal or drug use?

Quote: Pacomartin

These devices are recommended for children up through elementary school (5th grade).

In 1959 I was in 5th grade. My parents
did not want to know where I was, I
mean that literally. Just so I wasn't
bothering them, they were happy.

Granted, there were no teens selling
drugs, nobody was getting high,
we weren't shoplifting or feeling up
little girls. If there were child predators,
they were news to us. We watched
Mickey Mouse Club and Leave it to
Beaver. There were bullies, but they
were pretty mild. No gangs, no blacks
in white neighborhoods, I had no
idea what a Latino was.

I have no idea what it's like today and
don't want to know.

Quote: AZDuffman

I am probably in the minority, but I have to have data for work. Had it on and off all day today, as I often need to do at a courthouse. Must be reachable via email during all business hours and I use the data to run the laptop.

I may not need much data, but I do need it for work too. And it's useful for non-work too, as wifi is not ubiquitous.