Earlier this year, we finally got fed up with the Tracphones we had been using, and thus I had no means of direct communication with my home. Thankfully, I was able to find a wireless connection without a password and was able to both email my wife (who was thankfully checking her email) and use Mapquest (rather than the now unreliable Google map) to get me a better idea of where I was supposed to be. I wasn't lost for that long (about 20 minutes), but the experience reminded me of why, even though I could live without one, a smart phone would make my life a great deal easier.
This was after Comcast decided to mess with us. Comcast had raised my bill by $20 a month, and when I asked if they would reduce it, the response was either that I could upgrade (for the same price) to include HBO, just keep things as they were (with the $20 increase), or they could send me a box so I could mail back their equipment (there was more of an exchange than that, but that was the final choice). While I wanted to break off all contact with the company after that encounter, my Internet research showed that I still had to rely on Comcast for high speed Internet access. Still, I vowed to not give them more than absolutely necessary. I would get rid of my cable television and switch my phone to another carrier.
These two elements brought me to the AT&T store where I discovered that, despite my previous beliefs, they could provide my Internet connection (we'll see how well it works). Still abandoning cable television, I set Janelle and myself up with two iPhones (4S) and am currently in the process of switching our Internet and phone over to AT&T. When I informed Comcast, they then offered to reduce our payment (substantially, even), but that ship had sailed (at least for the time being). Now I have texting, Internet, and phone all at hand.
I like this new phone, but I still wonder about having rushed into this. Janelle, in particular, seems to love having hers around. All told, it is probably a good thing that we stepped into the present.