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Car Phone

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by jim phelps

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Anybody know of anyone who sells a car phone for use in the United States? I have searched far and wide, and the only car phones I have found are the Nokia models 810 and 6090, neither of which will work in the United States.

I'm sure that this would be a big seller in the United States. There are many situations, such as company cars and trucks, where you would want a phone permanently installed in a car.

I don't want to get a kit for putting my cell phone in the car; rather, I want a phone that is always in the car, using the car's battery rather than its own.

Any ideas

26 replies

by oldefar

Car phones used to be available in the US. When the original "portable" phones came out with their fancy briefcase construction, the market for a car only phone started to dry up. As cell phones became more portable the issue became one of why tiethe phone to the car.

That is the same issue you face now. What advantage would a car only phone have over a cell phone with an adaptor?

by jim phelps

My dad is 76 years old, and he has a cell phone. The only time he needs it is when he is in his car. It is a real hassle for him to have to carry around a phone, charge the phone, clip it to his belt (interferes with the seat belt) (might fall offwhen he bumps something), etc. He would much prefer to have a phone which is permanently mounted in the car, and which always comes on when the car is on, and always goes off when the car is off.

I have heard that there is a police department inmy area of the country which would like to put a car phone in each patrol car, if such were available.

I have seen company trucks on job sites which have car phones in them. It is easy to call the person driving the truck; you just call the truck.

Finally, ages ago my wife had a car phone. It was great, because it was always on when she was in the car (and when she wasn't home, she was most of the time in the car), and so I could call her just about any time. (There was no way to forget the phone at home.)

by cschwarz

I use a Nokia cell phone with a fixed car mounting. This makes it hands free and it meets all the specifications you described except that it can be taken from it's holder. I almost always leave it in the car and it turns on when I set the car, and turns off when I turn the ignition off.

This set up has the added advantage that, should the battery die, I can still use it without the cradle to call for help (which you cannot do in a truly car-mounted phone).

If you are concerned about taking it out and forgetting to put it back, I suggest that you glue a string or chain onto the side of the cell phone and the side of the cradle (sort of like the pens you used to see at the bank).

by oz_media

I thought you already had car phones in your trucks? I assume that you are Jim Phelps from Phelps leasing?!?
Try talking to the owner of Mundies towing, I know he has US compatible phones in his flatdecks.

by oz_media

Mundies towing is located in New Westminster and Burnaby British Columbia.
I assumed you were Jim Phelps of J. Phelps leasing (car and truck leasing) in Surrey BC. They already use fixed in car phones.
Sorry.

by jimhm

Why not have your dad's cell phone mounted in his car. That way it can stay in there all the time - he gets hands free - and can be disconnect when he need s to take the cell phone with him.

Or - Why no just sign up for On-Star services which hasthe ability for voice activitated dialing, emergency services, and other services for around $500 a year plus calls ...

The old technology mobile phone system is a dead technology..

by jim phelps

The problem with mounting the cell phone in the car is that it will always be on, even when the car is off; also, that kind of environment isn't good for cell phone batteries (even li-ion), that is, always being "in the charger". And if the car wasn't started for a week or two, the phone constantly being on would drain his car battery.

We've considered On-Star. I'm having some trouble, however, finding out where to go to get it installed in his car. Personally, I think On-Star would be the ideal solution for him.

Car phones aren't dead. I know of a police department in my city which would like to put a permanent car phone in each patrol car. In fact, my own company has two company cars which are kept at our Houston office, to beused whenever anyone goes to Houston. Finally, I used to be in the National Guard, where I worked in the Motor Pool. Virtually no one got issued a cell phone, but anyone, at any time, could conceivably check out a car. You'ld have a way for them to call for help, or to contact them, if you needed to, without having to issue a cell phone to them.

by jimhm

Jim

Go to www.onstar.com - and get the contact number for your area. They are very helpful folks and could direct you to a installation facility.

A friend of mine is a sales rep - and has the whole package they offer. He was driving to somewhere outside of Atlanta and got lost ... hit the button - they knew where he was - and talked him through every turn - and intersection and red light.. right to the front door of the building. Another time he needed a room - hit the button - they got him a room two exits from where he was on the road .. was prechecked in -

You also give them a password - and if your car is stolen or highjacked - you call give the password - and they can locate your car - contact the police - then shut down your car... cool aint it..

It's a great package if you travel - or need safety. I got the smaller package for my 81 year old mother - emergencies and voice calls - "Call Jim" - "Call Hank" - that package around $350 or so a year plus calls..

Good Luck

by oz_media

Would you possibly be looking for the old radio phones that they used before cell phone technology? If so, I don't think they even sell these in a retail enviromnemt anymore. I would recommend looking at marine suppliers, I know the tugs around here still use them for sea to shore calls.

by jim phelps

JimHM:

Thanks for your reply.

I called OnStar, and they told me that OnStar is NOT available for my dad's car -- a 1989 Lincoln Towncar. If you have a number I can call for a dealer in your area who would install it, perhaps they could point me in the right direction. Even if it's long distance for me to call them. Please send any contact info to my email address: jim.phelps@paxemail.com

OnStar is exactly what my dad needs. It even has the built-in "cell phone", permanently in thecar. So he could either make a regular call, or he could simply call OnStar for help. Best of all, it's only $16.95 per month! (He pays $39.95 per month now.)

I sincerely hope that he can get it in his '89 Lincoln.

Thanks.

by jimhm

The cars on board computer needs to be able to interface with the On-Star system - so I would belive that a 1989 is just to old of a vehicle onboard computer.

You may have to get something newer - I switched my mom from a 1992 to 2002 Tarus which had it.

by jim phelps

I know that there is no way my dad will ever give up his '89 Lincoln Town Car.

His car is in perfect condition. It runs like brand new. And anytime ANYTHING breaks, he immediately fixes it.

He recently had it painted, and it now looks like it just came off the showroom floor.

He has told me several times that not only does he not like the new styles of cars, but he will have to learn where all of the buttons are located on the new car!

Besides, his is paid for.

C'mon, OnStar (or whoever): surely you have something to offer someone like my dad, without forcing him to buy a new car! (Maybe that's why they won't retrofit it to an old car, because they want to make you buy a new car.)

by jim phelps

That's a thought, if you can subscribe to some sort of service which will allow phone calls.

Thanks for the suggestion.

by oz_media

Sorry, you're right on the Mundies thing.
A friend of mine drives their heavy flatdecks, he had his radio phone installed himself it is not provided by the company.

by jim phelps

I also called Phelps Leasing of BC, and they don't have permanent car phones in their cars.

A great name for a company, but unfortunately no luck on the phones.

by oz_media

I've been renting trucks from them since 1986 for moving band equipment all over Canada and the US.
They have ALWAYS had a fixed phone!
Prettly big and diverse company though. Probably because I rent their trucks through the BC Touring Council.

by jim phelps

I looked up Phelps Leasing on Yahoo, and I called them. I asked them if they had phones in their cars, and the gentleman I spoke with told me that I must have the wrong number!

So I can't definitely say, based on my phone call, that they don't have phones in their cars.

I know that a few years ago, Hertz would provide a cell phone for you if you rented one of their cars. I don't know if they were speaking of OnStar, if they would hand you a hand-held unit, or if it was actually permanently mounted in the car. I rented several cars from Hertz (not with the phone) and I never saw any evidence that they had a phone mounted in the car.

by jim phelps

You move band equipment all over the US and Canada. Do you do that for a specific band, or do several bands contract with you for this service?

This is interesting, because on the side, I sing, and I am the music director at a church.

Even more interesting: One day while surfing the web, just for the heck of it I went to www.jimphelps.com, and I found that there is another Jim Phelps out there! He does music full time, and on the side he is a computer tech!

by thechas

The first few generations of cellular phones were nearly the size of the old radio phones.

They were usually hard wired into a car because the power consumption was too high for stand-alone battery.

The second or 3rd generation brought out the'bag' phones.
These had large lead-acid batteries. You needed the bag to hold the batteries.

I suspect that these older phones may not work with the current cellular networks.

Chas

by oz_media

I actually manage and promote bands. I work with three groups based London, GB, two in Germany and a couple of Canadian acts.

I have been asked before to divulge what bands I manage but due to contract obligations I am not at liberty to discuss them here. I share a lot of personal opinions that may be reflected to the acts I manage and I could be sued for defamatory comments that don't reflect the ldeals of the band.

Generally, I find musicians in North America that are playing Europeanmetal, they will NEVER be signed here so I get them into Europe and promote them to the labels there. I recently got my friends band signed to a four year deal with Massacre records in Germany and they are touring europe, whereas they couldn't evenget a ocal gig in Vancouver. Personally, and I mean PERSONALLY, I think the whole music industry in North America is a corporate farce that is simply created and sold to the US teens. I can't remember the last time I actually saw a scout look for anew band. There is simply no need for talent here anymore. radio stations play what the labels pay them to play, the stores stock ONLY what the labels pay them to stock, and the kids buy whatever is played on the radio, which is what the record companies want to sell and so on goes the circle.
In Eurpoe, the stations play what the public want to hear, the record companies SELL whatever the public wants to buy and the artists OWN the labels not the other way around.

As for Jim Phelps Leasing, almost EVERY trucking company in BC uses at least ONE Phelps truck. Budget rent a car ONLY rents trucks for Phelps Leasing they don't have Budget trucks and almost every trucking company that rents extra trucks, gets them from Budget or PhelpsLeasing. That's why when I saw your name, I thought you were joking, I've rented from Phelps leasing via BCTouring coucil for many years now and they ALL have built in phones.

by jim phelps

Oz:

I am not into popular music, but rather gospel music.

Having said that, I have lately come to the conclusion that it is the record labels which dictate what is played on the Christian stations. I have picked up hints of this:

*I called a Christian station in Baton Rouge and requested a particular song which I really liked, but which I never heard on the radio. The DJ must have slipped up, because he told me that that song wasn't on their playlist which was given to them by the record label. And over time, I have come to notice that no matter which Christian radio station you listen to, they are all playing exactly the same music, with almost no variation.

* Sometimes you will hear songs on the Christian radio stations which are nice songs, but which aren't really "Christian" songs. And all of the Christian stations play those same songs over and over and over. I finally realized that there is no preacher in the back room selecting the songs, but rather the record labels.

* Lately you hear lots and lots of "black" sounding Christian music, from white and black artists. This happened all of a sudden, and, it seems, on all of the Christian radio stations simultaneously.

A particular Christian singer I spoke with recently advised me that if I write any music, I should NEVER sign over the rights to any record label, because one day I may end up paying them for the right to sing my own music. He also told me that if the labels decide that you aren't what they want, you will DISAPPEAR from the music scene.

Maybe I should try Europe.

by admin

phone in my truck. Mainly because I thought it was funny. You can get a base that runs your house phones through your cell phone, so you never touch the cell for my nokia. Then you just plug the base into the inverter I have in the truck for my laptop and Voila! you can now plug ANY home phone in with a standard rj45 connector and mount it with duct tape or alternate mount of your choice. Drive around with the cell and base in the truck and appear european in the US of A.

Only problem is I think they stopped production. They are called vox.link I believe, and you can get them on e-bay perhaps.

by oz_media

I now see why you can't accept Ozzy Osbourne!
as much as he is fabled as a "Devil Worshipper" this is just a tag he picked up for his drunken antics as a young man.
Ozzy is actually quite religious in his ways and supports the church in his hometown where he was taken weekly by his mother. No I'm not trying to say he's an upstanding Christian, but he's not a devil worshipper either.
But enough defending Ozzy, he's been doing it all his life.

as for the way christian labels control the airwaves, it is amusing to see the same thing happens to that genre of music as rock or heavy metal. Thanks for sharing the info.

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