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SANDRA ECKSTEIN, Staff

September 11, 2003

Ring!! Ring!!

"Hello?"

Welcome to the 21st century. If you're still using cellphones for talking to people, you're so 1990s.

Cellphones are meant for talking, but 30 years after the first public call, they now multitask better than a mom with a job and four kids.

And it's kids --- actually, anyone younger than 25 --- who are leading the charge in using these new gizmos.

Cellphone users can access the Internet, play games, send text to or instant message people on other phones or computers, take and send pictures, tune in radio stations, view video clips, keep addresses, phone numbers and appointments, set alarms, compose memos and even download music --- thousands of ring tones. Nearly all digital phone users also have an e-mail address, although many aren't aware of it.

"It's hard to get just a plain phone any more," said Michael Gurin, product manager for the Georgia market for Cingular Wireless.

But not many people want a plain phone, especially not the youth market.

"I just upgraded to a new phone to get the color screen and a smaller phone," said Teshawn Belser of Decatur, 22, who is a barber. "But cameras are good and the games come in handy when you have a lot of free time to pass."

Ivy Rawlins of Lawrenceville, a senior at Central Gwinnett High School, got her phone as a 17th birthday gift in May. She's figured out how to take pictures and to surf the Web and send e-mail from her phone, but she's still trying to figure out all the features on her favorite toy.

"I've taken a ton of pictures of my new puppy, but I haven't figured out how to send them to anyone yet," she said.

Rawlins said she was tired of hunting down a pay phone or borrowing someone else's cellphone whenever she needed to check in with her mom. But getting a phone that included a camera and games was a bonus.

"I can even set different ringers for each of my friends, so I know who's calling before I even answer it," she said.

The young adults market, ages 18 to 24, is pushing the new technology, according to Telephia, a company that tracks the wireless marketplace. About one-third of all cellphone users do more than just talk on them, according to a survey by Telephia this spring. But among young adults, that number skyrockets to 62 percent.

Teens like all the flashy new features, said Brian Gramling, a salesman for Mobile Station, which sells cellular phones at North DeKalb Mall. But he said only the true techno-geeks want all the bells and whistles, like video streaming.

"The kids want the color screens, the ability to download games and ring tones. And if their parents will spring for it, they really like the AOL Instant Messaging," he said. "They get their parents to buy them phones by saying they need them for security, but they really just want them to keep in touch with their friends."

Still, parents see the upside of cellphones too. Alma Djumisic of Stone Mountain bought her daughter, Anja, a cellphone for her 14th birthday in July.

"It makes it easier to keep track of her, like when she's done with soccer practice she can call me," Alma Djumisic said. "It's easy and quick."

And Anja likes the color screen, games and the multiple alarms she can use as reminders. And she knew she wanted a flip phone.

"I think they're so cute," the bubbly teen said.

Teens have even inspired a whole spinoff industry of accessories: colorful plate covers, charms that light up when the phone rings and even fuzzy covers that make phones look like wired stuffed animals.

Mobile phones are becoming such an accepted part of life that during its last session, the Georgia Legislature passed a law removing the statewide ban on cellphones and pagers in public schools and leaving it up to each school system to set its own policy. Several school systems have already voted to allow phones on school property, as long as they're not used during school hours or on school buses.

And nationally, the Federal Communications Commission has a new policy that goes into effect Nov. 24 that will allow cellphone subscribers to keep their phone numbers when they switch carriers. Cellphone companies have resisted the change, saying the cost to implement the plan is prohibitive while it will encourage consumers to easily change carriers. But it also could make even more people abandon traditional land-line phones for cellphones.

A survey by the Yankee Group of Boston found that 12 percent of U.S. 18-to-24-year-olds have cut the cord, but only 4 percent of those over age 24 have abandoned their land line. But another 28 percent say they plan to use only cellphones within the next five years.

Experts see no slowdown in the exploding mobile phone market. Michael Orchard, vice president and general manager of Cingular Wireless in Georgia, said computers and phones are both morphing, overlapping and adding functions as computers become more mobile and cellphone data speeds get faster and the phones get larger memory chips.

"Cellphones are almost going to become minicomputers, where you can do PowerPoint presentations and things like that," said Orchard. "Right now, you go into a meeting and everyone pulls out their laptop and plugs it in. Soon, they'll just take out their phone."

Copyright 2003 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

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