Drownout France

La Culture Portable

La Culture Portable

Cell tower, en face. 18 Juin.

So the French love their cell phones as much as you and me, only more so.

What are the anthropological insights into the American future or the French psyche that portable culture observation affords?

Rich kids have the coolest phones. At the BNF, watching the law students, one observes some pretty fresh phones. The hyphenated Frenchmen (immigrants' children) also have some pretty dope phones to go with their diesel jeans, "wet look" hair, and gaudy jewelry (same in the US, right?).

Phones as necklaces. I have seen some mention of this kooky trend in the US, but there are a number of people walking the streets with their phones on necklaces. Think summer camp counselor with that big, goofy pen on a string around her neck...that's sort of what it looks like even when the portable is a shiny silver Nokia. Not sure that the look has legs (unless the phones start looking more like pens).

Usage Interdit. Many many many places prohibit the usage of mobile phones altogether. Especially libraries of course. This is something only starting to happen in the US. The development of a cultural etiquette to accompany new technology also requires some zones of legislated norms. They even make announcements every 90 minutes or so in the Pompidou library, it's that much of a problem.

People don't seem to worry all that much about theft. I see people leave their books and phone sitting on a desk and walk away. The phone is expensive; what's the deal?

Personalized ringtones. In the US, when the phone rings it's usually that lame generic Nokia ring. That's because the owner is usually that lame generic cell phone novice. "How do I make it stop ringing?!! Damn thing. HELLO, CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES I'M ON MY CELL PHONE..." Don't hear the rings in public as often here, and when so they are different. Haven't seen any loud talkers either though there must be some, right?

Grandmas with cell phones? I haven't noticed any yet. Not sure why. But in the US there are surely many. Perhaps a product of affluence or the American paranoia about being old/along ("I've fallen and I can't get up!").

Plenty of cell phone shops. I'd say there are more SFR, Orange, Boygues Telecom shops here than in the US. They certainly cell phones in more outlets than in the US. And the sales channels for the prepaid airtime cards are numerous. This seems to piggyback on the ubiquitous public phone prepaid cards system, all for sale at Tabacs.

Texting. Everywhere. Even where interdit, cell phones are used constantly to send text. Kids on line, security guards in their little security chairs, etc.

Variety of contracts, semi-contracts, no-contracts. You can get a plan with a 1 year or 2 year contract, 6-month contract (with higher up front cost for the phone) or 3 month contract or even no contract at all. Even when you get no contract and go for prepaid (no monthly charges), you have a wide range of different prepaid "plans". Some are weekend friendly, some are peak friendly etc. Much more choice. Obviously lots of choice in handsets too; all way cooler than the US options, generally.

Posted by amol at June 19, 2002 11:58 AM