Back to the Future

When cell phones first came out I wasn't interested in them at all.  Eventually I saw a reason to have one.  Then they became more than just a phone and everytime I went to renew my contract I had to argue with the saleman about the type of phone I wanted.  I just wanted to make calls.  Now my phone is a camera, video recorder, alarm clock, and a time keeper and oh yea, a phone.  I know my phone does more than that but those are big moves for me.  I even starting texting the last couple years to the amazement of my children.  So now that I moved into the future, I wanted to be sure I could pick up a cell phone on our first day there and keep in touch.  I currently have Sprint but they don't have hardly any coverage in Alaska.  If your in Anchorage it works pretty well but the rest of the state is a dead spot. So I brought up the 14 page yellowpages and looked up the cell phone dealership in King Salmon.  They had one year contracts for just $24.99 a month.  I thought good so far then here is what it includes.  Every call coming into my cell phone was free.  If I call out on my phone and I am in Alaska it will cost me 13 cents a minute.  If I call out on my phone from the lower 48 its only 6 cents a minute.  Now I am quiet.  13 cents a minute for me to make a phone call.  After a minute of silence, she goes.  "I know, we just tell people to get a calling card and call people and tell them to call you back and remember all the calls coming in are free."  While she is saying this I'm thinking no there not they cost me $24.99 a month.   I didn't even ask if they had text messaging as this is about the only way to talk to a few of my boys.  I'm not sure I could afford it, but I doubt its available.  So seems to me that having a cell phone in Alaska isn't a smart move.  Though Alaska's motto is North to the Future, after I leave Anchorage I will be going back in time.