The Cell Phone

So I told you about my new phone yesterday. I just spent the better part of an hour setting it up. It has nothing, so it assumes people have one phone number, don't need bluetooth and generally is quite easy to work with once you turn off the dictionary item. It has its quirks, like a weird alphabetical order and no camera, and instead a flashlight (which I've yet to locate), but so far, I like it.

First there was the thing of getting a SIM card. In Belgium, I go into my local Mobistar center, say I want a pay as you go card and they set it up, so it works within seconds. In Germany, you select which provider you want (T-Mobile, in my case) and they offer you a contract, which confused me, since I'd asked for a card without one. No, I just wanted the simple one. Yes, I was sure. Then they register it, as per usual, and then you have to wait an hour before it works. It's one of my nationality's less favorable habits, but I want to buy something that works NOW.

I tried switching it on. It told me my SIM card wasn't working. I waited another half hour, then it worked.

First things first, call the boyfriend with an unknown number. I take a sick and twisted pleasure in hearing people do that half-frightened 'Hello?' whenever someone calls them with the new number. The boyfriend did not disappoint.

Next, switch the language to English. I don't want to hear the complaints, I like my electronics in English. It makes internet instructions on how to do stuff a lot easier once you can't find something.

Then I tried messing with the settings, pressed a wrong button and undid most of what I'd put the way I liked it. Oh, well, I'd do it later. First some numbers.

The man from the store called me to make sure my phone worked, since I didn't have an alternative number to give with which I could call to say all was well. He did this while I was trying to enter my phone book into my phone, so I nearly dropped it. The thing has a frighteningly powerful speaker. But yeah, my first German cell phone conversation went well. Yippee.

There is no handy-dandy copy-paste function for the phone book, so all had to go by hand. It turned into a chaotic mess. So I started using land codes, which helped. Then I realised my German numbers (three so far) were spread over the entirety of my phone book and I'd never find them. So I figured out how to edit names I'd given and stuck a 1 in front of everything. Much better.

Next, I wrote a message saying I got a new phone number and who I was and forwarded it to everyone I thought might need it. If you didn't get it, or want my phone number, e-mail me or send me a personal message with your number on the site you know me from. I'll send it to you.

In the mean while, I'm going to coo over the awesomeness of my Nokia 100 a bit more. And maybe see if I can wrangle a few more phone numbers together.