Cell talk: Cell phones give teens freedom to communicate, peace of mind to parents.
Byline: Danielle Komis

Sep. 11--The only surefire way to wake Patrick McAnally for school in the morning is to call him -- on his cell. The Austin High School senior's mother, who sometimes is just downstairs, wakes him up by calling his cell phone. It's more effective than if she comes into his room to rouse him. Teens like McAnally are symbolic of a new world in which cell phones -- once for the middle-aged and business-minded -- have become so embedded in the teen culture that the question has quickly morphed from if a teen will get a cell phone to when he or she will get a cell phone. Perhaps surprisingly, both parents and teens largely like the idea of teens having cell phones -- though for different reasons. Many teens say they got their phones as early as middle school, and today's elementary school children have them.

For teens, owning their own phone means freedom to communicate with their friends. For parents, it means being able to keep tabs on their children and have peace of mind knowing that they can reach them at any time. Deanna Knox, parent of a high school senior at Austin High School and a seventh-grader at Cedar Ridge Middle School, says both her children have their own cell phones. "It's basically for a precaution," said. "It keeps them accountable." Parents say it is helpful for young people to have phones so they can call parents for last-minute rides if they need them or check in if they're running late for curfew. However, there are still some holdouts. Gus Clack, whose daughter is a freshman at Decatur High School, said his daughter has asked him for a cell phone but he has continued to say no. He worries it might distract her from her schoolwork. "She's got a long way to go before I put a phone in her hand," he said.

While many parents foot the bills for their teens' cell phones, others make them pay for all or part of the cost. Along with the cost of the plan, there is also the cost of the phone itself. Owning the "right" kind of phone is important to teens. When the sleek Motorola RAZR phone hit the market, many teens begged their parents for the phone. But these days, its status has worn off because everyone has it, teens said. Austin High School junior Katelyn Bennett has experienced the teasing that can come from peers for not having a "cool" cell phone. Her cell phone is an old, clunkyNokia phone that apparently is laughable.

"I definitely get cracked on," she said. But there is hope -- soon, it is time for a cell phone upgrade on her plan. "If I don't (get an upgrade), I'm gonna cry," she said. On the other end of the spectrum, McAnally recently purchased a Samsung slide phone loaded with features that is still new enough -- and expensive enough -- to be cool. He paid for the high-tech phone with money he earned from working part time. Despite the phone's features, McAnally said he largely uses it to talk or text message people. Because cell phones are so easily programmed and personalized with ringtones, faceplates and pictures, they are embraced as an extension of teens' personalities, said Joe Farren, a spokesman for CTIA-The Wireless Association, an industry group that represents the wireless industry. "It's a lifestyle tool now as opposed to a phone," he said. "You can accessorize a phone to who you are." Today, there are 218 million wireless subscribers in the United States -- more than five times the number there were in June 1996, Farren said. Whatever kind of phone someone has, McAnally said he loves them because of how easily and quickly accessible they make his friends and family. "It's a lot easier having a phone," he said. "It just makes everything a lot more convenient." Shutting cell phones off in school Though many young people are attached to their cell phones, they must tear themselves away from them once they walk through school doors. The Alabama Legislature recently lifted its prohibition on student possession of cell phones at public schools. Lawmakers gave local school boards responsibility to set policy on the use of cell phones, pagers and other electronic communications equipment on campus. "We've become more lenient," said Mike Ward, principal of Decatur High School. "Our policy is we know they've got them, but we're not going to search for them unless it becomes a problem."

The cell phones must be turned off during school hours, so classrooms and bookbags might be searched if a cell phone rings in class. If it is found, administrators take the cell phone and have the student's parents pick it up, he said. Students also can be put into detention for this offense. At Danville Middle School, distracting cell phones are confiscated for a day or two if it's a first offense, and parents must come pick them up for the second offense, said Principal Gary Walker. He said problems with cell phones are fairly infrequent in school. While parents largely agree with the school's rules, some students said they seem unnecessarily strict and are difficult to enforce. When administrators are forced to search classrooms for cell phones, some students go so far to hide them in their bra or in a shoe, students said. Last year, Austin High School Senior Jackson Knox spent a day in detention after she was caught texting her mom in school, she said. It just didn't seem fair -- especially compared to what some other students do, she said. "Why am I punished for having a cell phone when some kids are cheating and smoking?" she said. Along with the cost of the plan, there is also the cost of the phone itself. Owning the "right" kind of phone is important to teens. When the sleek Motorola RAZR phone hit the market, many teens begged their parents for the phone. But these days, its status has worn off because everyone has it, teens said. Austin High School junior Katelyn Bennett has experienced the teasing that can come from peers for not having a "cool" cell phone. Her cell phone is an old, clunkyNokia phone that apparently is laughable. "I definitely get cracked on," she said. But there is hope -- soon, it is time for a cell phone upgrade on her plan. "If I don't (get an upgrade), I'm gonna cry," she said. On the other end of the spectrum, McAnally recently purchased a Samsung slide phone loaded with features that is still new enough -- and expensive enough -- to be cool. He paid for the high-tech phone with money he earned from working part time. Despite the phone's features, McAnally said he uses it to talk or text message people.

Because cell phones are so easily programmed and personalized with ringtones, faceplates and pictures, they are embraced as an extension of teens' personalities, said Joe Farren, a spokesman for CTIA-The Wireless Association, an industry group that represents the wireless industry. "It's a lifestyle tool now as opposed to a phone," he said. "You can accessorize a phone to who you are." Today, there are 218 million wireless subscribers in the United States -- more than five times the number there were in June 1996, Farren said. Whatever kind of phone someone has, McAnally said he loves them because of how easily and quickly accessible they make his friends and family. "It's a lot easier having a phone," he said. "It just makes everything a lot more convenient."