Cell Phone Blues

Here is the advantage of having a grand total of 8 people read your blog: you can beg them for favors.
We have a cell phone instead of a home phone. Our cell phone has decided to go on the fritz. Of course, we still have another 6 months before we can "upgrade" or whatever it is they make you do to replace a broken phone. Meanwhile, our speaker doesn't work, and so while I can hear others speak, they can't hear me. (I am sure there aren't many complaining about that one.) However, now my earpiece is going and so I can't hear others talk. Doesn't make for very productive phone conversations.
There are a couple key items that need to be taken care of over the phone that now can't be. (aka doctor's appointments, calling Gwen to congratulate her on her baby - YAY!, etc.) I'm just a bit miffed.
Mom is probably doing better because there have been at least 15 times these last two days where I have thought: I should just call and ask mom, and then haven't because I CAN"T CALL ANYONE!
What really seems to be frustrating me is the way cell phone companies work nowadays. Used to be, your phone quit working, you transferred your sim card to one that did. Not so any more, my friends, not so. Now you have to make sure, first, that it is a phone "supported" by your company, second, that it is not under contract (Bologna!) and third, that the employee feels like being helpful (or, in some cases, knows how to be.) because you have to take the phone into them to get them to transfer everything over. No more sim cards.
BAH! What they really want you to do is just buy a new phone and sign up for a new contract. I don't have the money (or the stupidity) to pay $180 for a new $30 phone. This is not a gripe against my cell phone carrier in particular, just an all over gripe. And I'm not really THAT miffed, just a little at a loss for what to do.
Here is where you come in (if I haven't deterred you with me endless whining) If any of you are in possession of an old Alltel compatible cell phone that works and is not under contract and want to send it my way, PLEASE DO! I will love you for even longer than I do now.