livejournal is my decision-making process

[coraa]

I haven't bothered to change my phone number since moving to Seattle, so I've still got a 213 area code, which is LA, of course. I've been thinking about getting a new phone recently, and I'm trying to decide if it's worth changing my number when I do, to a Seattle area code.

The pros of changing are that the number are, obviously, that it will be local to where I live. (I'm not sure how many people that affects -- I think most of my friends mainly use cells -- but there may be some friends who it does affect, and of course things like the doctor's office, etc.) The cons are, equally obviously, that I'll have to tell everyone the new number, including changing it for credit card companies, doctor's offices, blah blah blah.

So I turn to LJ.

[Poll #1152733]

Bonus points if you can tell me why!

Comments

[donaithnen.livejournal.com]

Yay inertia! :)

[archonsengine.livejournal.com]

There will always be at least one entity that needs your new number and doesn't get it. Changing numbers isn't worth the hassle unless you have to do it. I *still* have my LA number. =o]

[ceph.livejournal.com]

B has something set up with Skype wherein he has a local number in Sydney that forwards to his LA cell phone. It has a few bugs, I gather, but it's an option.

[http://users.livejournal.com/greensleeves_/]

I voted yes because some people may not use your current number because it is long distance to them and they are cheapskates. ;)

[triath.livejournal.com]

I don't care...but either way, you should let me know your number. You're cool and we should hang out more often. :]

[maggiedacatt.livejournal.com]

That's pretty much what I was going to say. "I don't care as long as I have your number." :)

[jmpava.livejournal.com]

Right now her number would do you little good though. Hence asking about changing it ;->

[jmpava.livejournal.com]

Something else which I will explain in the comments

Something else!!!! Wheeeee!!!!!! Explain explain explain!!!!!

(right, I was working or something, wasn't i...)

[coraa.livejournal.com]

See, I would smite you, but your Ed icon is so adorable I just go 'squeeeee!'

Squee!

Damn you. And damn Ed.

[avani.livejournal.com]

I'm stealing that icon...

Cora: I said "no" for the same reasons as some other folk ... everyone who calls you either has a cell or will in the next few years, statistically, and if it becomes a problem, you can get a number from something like GrandCentral for the local folk.

[cwendy41.livejournal.com]

I said I don't care because it doesn't matter to me. I would have chosen "No" and "I don't care" if I had the option.

I haven't bothered getting a new number up here. The only downside that I have is that when I start giving my phone number, the don't ask me if that's the area code or not and just assume that it's my exchange. When I was down south, if I started rattling off my phone number, people would know that it was my area code.

Also, people I haven't talked to in eons still have my number. Also, a few moments before I logged into lj I was thinking about how I've had my number for the past 4 years or so which is about when cell phones started becoming universal. So I'm the only one whose used this number, which means that I don't have to deal with people calling up my number asking for the person with the number before.

[theinated.livejournal.com]

i say yes, because it's not like you're coming back to L.A! :-) REPRESENT YO TURF

[willworker.livejournal.com]

For me, I still have my SF Bay Area number (Yes, I haven't lived there since 2000). As for convenience, basically all my friends have cell phones so it doesn't matter, and businesses will call you regardless of localness. The biggest problem I've had with keeping my (925) number is that I have to type in the new area code every time I call someone here (but I typically have them on speed dial, so I don't even do that much).

Steve

[eepmirva.livejournal.com]

I said yes only because I always do when I move. (Thus no one ever knowing my cell phone number!)

[cwendy41.livejournal.com]

I had a friend who insisted on getting a new cell phone number whenever her contract was up so that people she did not particularly want to keep in touch with would not have her cell number. So, if you have a bunch of people who call you up a lot who you do not wish to speak with (bill collectors, for example), then get a new number.

Though I've also heard about somebody else (poor unfortunate soul) who got the phone number of a guy who owed lots of money. So he would have bill collectors call up asking him for money. He got fed up with it and changed numbers, only to have the bill collectors get ahold of his new number as well. Makes you wonder why the bill collectors didn't get the new number of the guy who had the number previously.

[madduckdes.livejournal.com]

It's not worth the hassle of changing it. Very few people will be too cheap to call you.

The only downside is having to put up with the "213? Where's that from..." or the "My number is 213-bla-blah... No, no dammit. 213 is the area code. Let's start over."

Your hassleage may vary :)

[clairebaxter.livejournal.com]

Oops, I voted as mbrubeck. Sorry.

Also, I have to say, I am cheap enough to not want to call a long-distance number if I can help it. And I don't think it makes a difference having a cell or not, because I do have a cell phone, but I use a pay-as-you-go plan, so it does charge by the minute at all times. Anyways, I'd love it if you had some local number for me to contact you by. (And frankly, if you had a land-line or a google forwarding number, that would work just fine.)