I don't use a mobile phone. Am I unique?

Yes Aely, a lot of things irritate me too! A very rude person in Lloyd’s for example, refused to help me the other day as I didn’t have their app on my phone and only use their online services by logging in into their website. The trouble is, you can’t stop ‘progress’ even if you don’t see it as that. I would begrudgingly or otherwise just have what you need from a tech point of view, to lead a good life, and leave the rest. Don’t leave yourself vulnerable because you hate on principle, the idea of a mobile phone for example. I have a phone contract through Tesco and it hasn’t been very expensive…initially £17 a month and a few years later, down to £8. It is fine for what I want, I don’t get exasperated with it as I use it minimally eg a few times a week, and with the demise of the landline, you might need one. Perhaps someone in your family could guide you if it’s confusing.

DrWatson You can adjust the font size on a smartphone so the font can be as big as you like (except on a few apps or websites, but I don’t often find a problem).

I got a mobile when I needed to urgently call my husband from the hospital. There were no pay phones so I asked reception to call him. Unfortunately our home phone did not take calls from unknown numbers.

Like you there are times when it is essential, especially as there are no landlines. Even if there were public phones I have no idea of anyone’s number.

If someone doesn't want to use a smartphone so be it but mine is a liberator. No need to stay in the house waiting for a call from the garage yesterday, I was able to go down the garden and do a bit of work then pop round the shops knowing that they would be able to reach me when my car was ready, just as one recent example. I haven't got an expensive phone and I have a Tesco Sim only contract, enough data so that I can use the sat nav on holiday and look up bus times, and keep in touch with my family so they know all is OK. My daughter having one means when I lol after her animals when she is away I can keep her updated on how everyone is and ask her advice if there is any problems. If I'm out and about and the bus doesn't turn up I can ring a taxi, having first looked up local taxi firms, if I'm in the car and it breaks down I can ring the AA.
When I was still at work (I worked part time from home) I could answer simple emails when I was on the train or waiting for the bus, I didn't need to be at home to do that and that meant that I didn't spend time at home dealing with simple routine emails that didn't involve the need to work at my laptop. I've even been to zoom. Meetings for an interest when I've been away. I can read a book without needing to carry one, listen to the radio, can look up opening times of places so I don't find myself there on the day it is shut. And the bus tracker is so useful. So I don't need to take as much with me when out for the day or konger
I'm not. A slave to it, but am happy that if I do have an accident when walking somewhere that I can summon help and let. People. Know where I am using what 3 words.

Admits that's a new one to me - ie the idea of "got to 'keep up' ".

Errrm....why do people do that? As far as I can see this is an idea promulgated by advertisers/firms making products they wish to sell etc. So "buy x"....."no - buy y now...as x is out-of-date", "All change - buy z now".

I'm thinking of what's happened with cars for instance:
a. Buy a standard car (understandable for many people - given the state of public transport in a lot of places).
b. Swop it to a diesel car (because it's more environmentally friendly).
c. Whoops - got that wrong. A diesel car is actually worse for the environment. Back to Plan A.
d. Now swop to an electric ar. Whoops - got that wrong. Back to Plan A.

Sticking with Plan A in the first place would have made a lot of sense - and saved money and hassle to the person concerned and not used all those resources swopping and changing the type of car used.

I'm going to be a pedant and say you are not unique as that means you would be the only person not using a mobile phone. In any case you do albeit rarely.

I never wanted a mobile until I realised if I broke down anywhere with my disabled son it would be an awful situation. So I got one - a Nokia which took ages to text on as each key had 3 letters on and you had to press the number of times for which letter. So much better now although the keyboard is small. Not only eyesight but my fingers don't always hit the right key. I wouldn't be without it in case of emergencies. I even take it into the garden which is large and if I fell I could be there for hours before dh noticed I was gone or heard my cries for help.

I'm similar to you Aely (OP), I have an old Nokia (PAYGo) that I don't use that much. I rarely make calls ON it, but my bank insists on sending me a confirmation code by text before I can do any online banking, so it does get used fairly often for that.

The people who claim that Smartphones are essential perhaps haven't seen or heard the legions of folk muttering about (lack of) signal, or the pitiful way that some poor souls walk about staring at a screen held up in front of their nose.

My pet hate (well, one of them), is people who walk past you and say something, which you don't quite catch, and when you ask them what they said it turns out they were yakking to someone on an unseen mobile with one of those earpiece gadgets.

As for all the essential uses of a smartphone, sorry, most of them are NO GOOD for me. I've been used through my working life to a PC screen nearly as big as a TV (this is being typed on it), so a phone screen always seems to need a magnifying glass!

Milest0ne

A friend was asked for a mobile number. He said he didn’t have one. The person then said “All normal people have a mobile phone”. She laughed and apologized when she realized what she had said.
OH has tried opening an ISA but can’t do it without a mobile number. It won’t accept mine as it is already registered to my account.

Look somewhere else. You dont have to have a mobile phone to open an ISA

forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6585302/new-cash-isa-verify-id-without-smartphone

80% of those people over 65 in the UK own a smartphone, Uswitch statistic 2023

I’m determined to “keep up” so have the latest iPhone. I love it and can’t imagine life without it now. It makes a lot of things so simple eg banking, shopping, arranging trips, keeping in touch with family and friends etc. I understand some find it daunting or are worried about the ‘ ‘risks’ but there is a of help on how to use on line, or you can ask younger members of the family. Learn a little at a time. It really gets easier the more you use it. My husband is learning too - I keep telling him we need to keep up with everything as we get older.

Well, each to his/her own, but, at 85, I love my smart phone & wouldn’t be without it, nor my tablet or laptop. They are my windows on the world. I can keep up with everything, not least my large and loving family through our various WhatsApp groups. There’s usually a conversation going on somewhere where you can join in or not, the choice is yours. You’re never alone with a phone - not in my family anyway!

Total respect for people who don't want or have a mobile phone. But to me they are a marvellous thing to have.
I absolutely love mine, it's completely wonderful (even though I have a problem with it at the moment which will soon be resolved.) It's a whole bunch of useful things rolled into one.
What I find slightly irritating is people who sound virtuous when they say they don't have a phone, as if that is somehow a noble thing.

CariadAgain

hollysteers

My smartphone is a blessing for all the reasons mentioned here, plus I have a kindle on my (not large) phone and I have a regular boring train journey when it flies by reading a book I have downloaded. Yes, I could take a book, but it wouldn’t be so convenient.

The posters who say “Well I don’t have a mobile, but my friend does or someone in the queue does” irritate me. What if we all gave them up, where would you be then?
It reminds me of a friend who doesn’t drive, but expects everyone else to pick him up and drop him off🙄

I

Logic says that if no-one had a mobile phone then "They" (the powers that be) would have to ensure there was a payphone or the like everywhere they would be required = not a problem then. Used to be the case....could be the case again.

I doubt anyone (has to) ask very often and I could count on one hand the times of needed to use the public coinbox - but havent been able to because there wasnt one - and had to ask someone nearby instead. Then I always offer to pay.

As my somewhat assertive daughters and graddaughters would say "oh paaleeeese" - meaning I was slightly out of touch and mean.

Fat lot of use a pay phone would be in the middle of the lonely extensive sand dunes I traverse regularly at the end of my road.

hollysteers

My smartphone is a blessing for all the reasons mentioned here, plus I have a kindle on my (not large) phone and I have a regular boring train journey when it flies by reading a book I have downloaded. Yes, I could take a book, but it wouldn’t be so convenient.

The posters who say “Well I don’t have a mobile, but my friend does or someone in the queue does” irritate me. What if we all gave them up, where would you be then?
It reminds me of a friend who doesn’t drive, but expects everyone else to pick him up and drop him off🙄

I

Logic says that if no-one had a mobile phone then "They" (the powers that be) would have to ensure there was a payphone or the like everywhere they would be required = not a problem then. Used to be the case....could be the case again.

I doubt anyone (has to) ask very often and I could count on one hand the times of needed to use the public coinbox - but havent been able to because there wasnt one - and had to ask someone nearby instead. Then I always offer to pay.

A friend was asked for a mobile number. He said he didn’t have one. The person then said “All normal people have a mobile phone”. She laughed and apologized when she realized what she had said.
OH has tried opening an ISA but can’t do it without a mobile number. It won’t accept mine as it is already registered to my account.

For those of you who aren’t familiar with the app What3words is very useful and free to download. It was recommended to me by a police officer who said he’d advise everyone regardless of age to have it on their phone

It works via satellite when the app is opened and gives you 3 words specific to where you are and it’s accurate to within 3 metres. It’s to give to emergency services if you have to phone them.

I was on a canal path on a 4 mile stretch between 2 villages when I made a call to the emergency services for someone. It was tricky to explain exactly where I was. The police officer said if I had the What3words app the 3 words for my location would have pin pointed it exactly . Invaluable in an emergency situation.

Exactly.

My smartphone is a blessing for all the reasons mentioned here, plus I have a kindle on my (not large) phone and I have a regular boring train journey when it flies by reading a book I have downloaded. Yes, I could take a book, but it wouldn’t be so convenient.

The posters who say “Well I don’t have a mobile, but my friend does or someone in the queue does” irritate me. What if we all gave them up, where would you be then?
It reminds me of a friend who doesn’t drive, but expects everyone else to pick him up and drop him off🙄

I

If your mobile phone is turned off unless you need it, have you considered how someone could contact you if you weren’t at home and they had an emergency about which they needed to speak to you?

Aely

I do have an ancient Nokia 1200 which I bought in about 2006 when I was going to Crete, but it stays in my handbag, switched off, apart from very rare occasions. I did use it last Friday, a 30 second call to my daughter to tell her I was out of my Chiropodist appointment and waiting by her car. I have probably made a couple of dozen such calls in the last 19 years and sent a few text messages under similar circumstances.

It really irritates me that it is assumed by businesses that, not only will I use a mobile, but that it will be a Smart Phone. I am nearly 77. I have limited mobility. I go out to do my shopping or pop round to a neighbour. I have to pay for a landline to get my broadband service (a hangover from when t'internet came through the phone line). Why should I pay out for a Smartphone, Gigabytes and Minutes I don't need, just for businesses convenience?

I have my MP3 player for music on the go and somewhere in the house I have a digital camera I also bought for the Crete trip. I can't remember when I last wanted to take a photo. I get maybe one non-scam call a week, on my landline, make perhaps 2 calls and even the would-be scammers have mainly given up on me. I have my laptop for t'internet. It gets switched on every couple of days to check for the rare email from an equally elderly friend or to check something out on the Web.

Until I had my cataract fixed a couple of years ago, using any mobile phone was a problem and my jittery fingers and dodgy eyes don't help.
I see friends and even my 40 something daughter fighting with their phones, getting more and more exasperated and think "Why do they bother?" But more and more of life is getting difficult without this clumsy, expensive and time consuming "convenience".

Thanks Aely - I fully agree agree with you. There shouldn't be a presumption that everyone has a mobile phone or at least uses one regularly. Like you I have an ancient Nokia with me whilst I'm out so turned off unless needed. Also had to have one to get One Time Passcodes in internet banking/etc - some companies are helpful and will send the OTP to your PC or landline. Where I live it is a poor signal so often take 2or 3 attempts to get the OTP anyway. I wasn't contacted by my GP for my flu and covid jab this year as most were sent a text. I ended up booking through NHS. I've just written to ask how they intend to let me know this year. I still have a landline and I am one of those old fashioned ones who like to speak to people (not text/ online chat which gets you nowhere. ) Trouble is a lot of companies don't have a number to contact any more just social media, no desire to use it yet there a lot of things you can't do now without it.
For those who have a mobile phone, like it and get a good signal good for you but don't penalise those who haven't got one , there should always be an alternative way too.

Well said crazyH. We are each responsible for doing what we can to protect ourselves.

The lady who rolled down the hill, injured herself - that could be you. And there won’t be a kindly soul nearby , with a mobile phone to call the ambulance - think about it. Not having a mobile phone is being considered a badge of honour, by some on here.
Is £5 or £6 pm too much to pay for peace of mind ?

Goodness!

There are a couple of flip phones out in the work buildings, pay as you go. Emergencies, nice for where they work. Monthly £7.50

My 93 yr old father used his mobile never a faff. Also had his landline, as do I, but thinking of getting rid of mine no, rarely use it...