How Long Can You Go…

Announcing the #PhonelessFriday Challenge for the month of December! Each Friday this month, try going without using your mobile phone and time how long you last.

1. Every Friday during December, turn off your mobile phone for the day
2. If you need to use your phone, log the time of day on Facebook or Twitter, and tag with #PhonelessFriday
3. Challenge friends and family to do the same

Why is a mobile company asking people to use their phones less?

Glad you asked! #PhonelessFriday was created to draw attention to a new program, Mobile4All, and how much so many of us rely on our phones, as well as how our lives would be impacted by not having it for a day… getting directions, talking to our families, making business calls, getting a Lyft, finding out where to catch the bus, texting friends, sending a tweet, and the list goes on.

Did you know the U.S. has one of the most expensive mobile phone services in the world?

This is a barrier to many low-income people who need mobile phones to communicate with potential employers and landlords, follow-up with case managers, schedule medical appointments, and connect with friends and relatives. People with very few resources face a choice between unaffordable mobile phone services, and unreliable public programs that offer extremely limited talk time and text messages. Often on pre-paid plans with “burner phones,” many low-income people do not have a phone number they can keep, or regular access to voicemail.

Source: Community Technology Alliance

Going without your phone too hard to imagine?

In lieu of giving up your phone for a day, consider helping someone in need get connected by making a contribution to the Mobile4All Indiegogo campaign.

Mobile4All - A Community Technology Alliance initiative