"That person on wellfare/whatever can't REALLY be poor -- they have a cell phone!"

[xiphias]

You ever hear people say that?

Cheapest landline I can find around here: $45/month, with long-term contract. Most are closer to $60.
Cell phone data plan with unlimited text and talk, worldwide, and 500 mb of web: $50/month, no contract.

We SHOULD be saying, "That person can't REALLY be poor -- they can afford to not have a cell phone!"

The whole "cell phones are for rich people" stopped being true in the 20th century.

Comments

[domiobrien.livejournal.com]

Phones have been provided free for the very poor since the Reagan administration. Currently, people below a certain income level for their family size are entitled to a free cellphone with limited minutes, and can buy more for a very small monthly fee. This allows them to call for medical appointments, job training etc on their monthly allotment of minutes, with more available at reasonable cost.