i agree completely with the creator of this thread, i had a cell phone in high school- but i payed for it myself. there is no use in arguing with the fact that if you are old enough to "need" a cell phone you are also old enough to make your own money and pay for it yourself. if you aren't old enough to have a job you can mow lawns, babysit, shovel horseshit out of stalls, there's no excuse for all these fucking 15-16-17 year olds who's mommy's foot the bill. by that age you can start taking care of your damn self. need one in case of emergenicies? before i had money to pay a bill i had a phone card. need to call for rides? if you're old enough and mature enough to have a phone line that links directly to you- you are old enough to find your own damn rides or arrange it at an earlier time. want to call mommy and tell her you went to play xbox with your buds? get a job! i had my license suspended so i couldn't drive for a while in school and i always would politely ask my mother, brother, sister, father, friends etc if they would be willing to pick me up or give me a ride from somewhere and then i would make a point to be there in time. emergency? that's what the phone card was for. it's just rediculous how spoiled teenagers are these days. it just makes for bad work ethic when you have everything handed to you you'll never understand the true value of a dollar. in the same breath i'd like to mention i defintely respect any younger teenager who pays they're own phone bill, buy their own skis + passes, pay for their car insurance, et cetera.