I prepped a comparison of two phone plans where one had a higher base fee and lower per minute fee than the other to teach linear functions and systems of equations. It took way too long to explain what I was on about. Mistakes were made. They also didn't believe how much time we used to spend talking on the phone.
Lol, how long ago was that? Kids these days talk just as much, just not via a phone call. Discord is just how it happens. I figure if you put it into the context of a cellular data plan it might work out better, but even then a lot of those are "unlimited" now
A local Telco had a plan they called "my 5" which was pretty simple: you get unlimited calls and texts to 5 numbers, and everything else costs money per minute/text.
I didn't have 5 people for my 5 so I just stuck to pay as you go on my PCS phone.
I never knew someone with an analog cellphone at the time, so that one isn't something I experienced. I was one of the first at my high school to have a PCS phone, and I remember that not all PCS phones could text.
Depending on what tech the carrier used, you either could text, or not. GSM phones came with the feature as standard, while CDMA and TDMA phones were distinctly lacking the feature for a long time. It's funny to me that the feature that made cellphones really explode with the younger generation (texting, aka SMS), wasn't even a universal feature when the PCS networks went live. Eventually we all switched to HSDPA, and eventually LTE which both had the feature.
Aah those were the days. Everything was slow and it was still great because the alternative was nothing.
I remember a time when texting was first introduced, you could only text people who used the same phone company as you.
When they made it interoperable they made a big deal out of it. They mailed a sheet of stickers with my cell number on them. They wanted you to give them out to friends to encourage them to text you.