In my last house outside a little village in our county, I was very shocked to learn I had to "wait" for a private line. This was in the mid 80s. For several months I was once again on a party line blast from the past. One can hardly find a pay phone anywhere around here anymore because of the abundance of mobile phones. That was one of the reasons I ended up biting the bullet and getting one. I hate them and still have months and months of paid up minutes waiting to use. My parent's house still have the old, heavy rotary dial phones. Like Andie, that spoilt me forever because when I talk into a mobile, or even one of those lightweight land line phones, I feel like I am talking into the air. I hate the chintzy things too. LOL. Can you tell I am phone challenged? I still think people wearing those little do-dads over their ear and talking into the air look like borgs. I also hate to get behind them in the market, as they evidently walk down the isles connected through their air-wave umbilicus to someone in their house and that person is going through their pantries looking to see if the household is out of whatever item the borg is standing in front of. I don't remember ever having to talk to operators, save when making long distance calls or collect calls when away from home or at a phone booth before credit card calls were invented. The phone I miss the most was my ericaphon. sic sic sic. The rotary dial was at the base, and one picked the whole unit up and talked into a showerhead. rofl.

Many grandparents are slow to get cell phones, or keep them turned off much of the time, because they fear they are running down the batteries. They may have a new cell phone number because they recently signed up for new phones or something. Many also do not believe in call waiting, and their land land can be tied up for hours (if they are anything like mine) and so it can be vital to have a second number to reach them on. If the bio mom is a caring mom, then what in the world are you thinking by not allowing her to have "ALL" numbers regarding her children. Even when kids go on playdates, you get home numbers, cell numbers etc. Even schools want home, work, all cell numbers, including those of nearest relative, AND up to three friends home numbers AND cell numbers. A mom and dad has EVERY right to have access to "all" phone numbers in connection to their children, unless something is wrong with them or something. And even if the kids have cell phones, many don't bother bringing them when they are just out with grandparents. Many also might have theirs turned off or charging. I know some kids who always have their cell phone, and others that rarely have theirs. Treat others as you want to be treated. If the kids were with her relatives, and your DH asked for the cell number, how would he like it if she and her new boyfriend refused to give it to him? Sounds pretty bad when you turn it around, doesn't it? Do the right thing. If she calls more then the grandparents are comfortable with, they can either say something, or not pick up until they are ready to talk. But she has the "right" to be able to reach her children, ...just as their dad does. Geez....

Can you provide a link for your information or share your source? As far as I know, this is false: "Telemarketing to cell phone numbers has always been illegal in most cases and will continue to be so. In response to recent e-mail campaigns urging consumers to place their cell phone numbers on the National Do Not Call Registry, the Federal Trade Commission and Federal Communications Commission issue this advisory to give consumers the facts. One e-mail making the rounds says: "JUST A REMINDER...In a few weeks, cell phone numbers are being released to telemarketing companies and you will start to receive sale calls. YOU WILL BE CHARGED FOR THESE CALLS... To prevent this, call the following number from your cell phone: 888/382-1222. It is the National DO NOT CALL list. It will only take a minute of your time. It blocks your number for five (5) years. PASS THIS ON TO ALL YOUR FRIENDS..." FCC regulations prohibit telemarketers from using automated dialers to call cell phone numbers. Automated dialers are standard in the industry, so most telemarketers are barred from calling consumers on their cell phones without their consent. The federal government does not maintain a national cell phone registry. Personal cell phone users have always been able to add their numbers to the National Do Not Call Registry  the same Registry consumers use to register their land lines  either online at www.donotcall.gov or by calling toll-free 1-888-382-1222 from the telephone number they wish to register. Registrations become effective within 31 days of signing up and are active for five years. There is no cut-off date or deadline for registrations." Snopes also claims this is false: "Despite dire warnings about the imminent release of cell phone numbers to telemarketers that continue to be circulated via e-mailyear after year, cell phone users do not have to register their cell phone numbers with the national Do Not Call registry before a soon-to-pass deadline to head off an onslaught of telemarketing calls. The panic-inducing e-mails(which circulate especially widely every January or June, since many versions of the warning list the end of those months as a cut-off date for registering cell phone numbers with the national Do Not Call registry) grew out of a misunderstanding about the proposed creation of a wireless directory assistance service. Someone made the wild leap of reasoning that the proposed creation of a cell phone directory was the equivalent of "giving cell phone numbers to telemarketers" and began the chain of wildly inaccurate e-mails warning cell phone users to register with the National Do Not Call List in order to prevent this fate. Here is a link that might be useful: Snopes:

I remember that "funny". Won't you post it?