There's many different Verizon coverages. Well actually, the same is true with all providers. Verizon cut back their area significantly for all accounts activated after February. For example, there's America's Choice version 1 & 2, InPulse, etc. And for some reason, the prepaid is always a more restricted coverage. They don't want to give the tightwads the same coverage as the more profitable areas, I guess. Probably think they'll hook people with prepaid and then opt for the postpaid to increase coverage. Doubt that'll happen. So far it doesn't seem to be happening either. And interesting too since the prepaid market is where their future is for adding customers since the postpaid market is virtually saturated and people can't change too often because of the cancellation fees in the contracts. It's irritating, but that's the way it is. The coverage map for PagePlus shows essentially the Twin Cities metro area is covered and St. Louis County in northern MN. Technically the rest of the state has "coverage", however, it's at the $1.99/min roaming rate. Way too rich for my blood! I don't mind some roaming charges for traveling since I don't use the phone much, but I'm not about to spend $2/min. Additionally you have to tack on the cost of a decent tri-band phone and PagePlus is out of my budget. SimpleFreedom has cheaper (about 50¢/min) roaming but they're discontinuing a lot of their service with no credit back to the customer. They have the option to sign up with another carrier. So I wouldn't mess with them at this point. At least without more research. Although the Sprint PCS coverage isn't great around here, I'm finding that it's not all that bad compared to the others. At least they cover the major freeways and some highways where PP, Cingular and others don't. And I do tend to stay on the major highways. And since I like the phone I got for Virgin, I might just hang on to it. But I'm still tempted to try out USA1rate and see if their coverage is what they claim. The prepaid coverage leader overall would have to be TracFone, unless the maps are accurate for USA1, but TracFone's rates are pretty high unless you play games with transferring back and forth between a couple of phones and/or beg people to sign up to get referrals. I can justify what I'm spending for a phone. Could justify a bit more to have better coverage even at roaming rates. But I'm not crazy. Argh! I've been looking around again. Head's spinning again. Why don't I simply slam my hand in the car door? Be more enjoyable than trying to interpret their websites!

Mama Goose, are you talking about MOI? !!!! hehehehe Today my cell phone rang, I was standing right next to it because I could hear it, but my heaven, I did NOT SEE IT. I'd set it up about 2 inches off the desk surface, on the lamp base. duhhhh, and there it was! Hard to explain that sometimes. :) I do have a desk lamp which has two accessory plugs on the back of it. I have several electronic chargers for the batteries of my digital cameras, and getting under the desk to retrieve a battery or plug one in, is too much for me these days. That is where I have the camera chargers. For my cell phone, which is only a cord plugging into my Blackberry, I leave the cord plugged in at my desk, and run it to the base of my desk lamp. Very easy to use it, or (most of the time) answer the phone when it rings. The only place that the little charger gadget DillyDally mentions could be plugged in high enough on the wall to make it a good choice, would be in the kitchen or bath. And I don't want the phone in either of those very humid places. But, it does look like the pocket could be taped/glued to the wall with the cord extended.

saw this today... http://www.thinkgeek.com/gadgets/cellphone/952c/ great idea methinks...why not build something like that? make a couple "pockets", stick some holes in the bottom and voila!

justmakeit- I thought of your point as well. If it's so neatly tucked away and hidden, it will be a huge pain to get the cords out to travel or something. The tilt out door or something is an interesting idea, but I'm having trouble visualizing it. The new command center is designed but not built so I can't attach a photo, but these were my inspiration photos. It will have a shelf hanging down from the cubbies (kind of like in the 2nd photo) where we want to put all of our electronic devices to charge. [Modern Kitchen[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/modern-kitchen-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_709~s_2105) by Portland Kitchen and Bath Fixtures Huggy Bear's Cupboards [Traditional Kitchen[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/traditional-kitchen-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_709~s_2107) by Eugene Architects & Designers David Edrington, Architect