The days of phone booths are long gone; the mobile phones are now part of us, the little midgets have become invasive in our society, like Siamese-twins they didn’t come alone. Many bad habits came with them or somehow sprung up and wrapped their tendril-ed fingers around them!

Cell phone manners involve following some simple guidelines of common courtesy. You don’t need to go for a short course on cell phone etiquette. Chances are you’ve been annoyed at one point or another by someone not practicing proper cell phone etiquette.

Down are some of the many ‘bad-phone-habits’ that are so infuriating. First, and the most   common is when you’re talking to someone, and that person answers the phone without even asking to be excused. It’s so impolite.

 It’s a bunch of years now since the birth of the phone but some people still need to be reminded that the proper way to answer the telephone is "hello”. Answering "yes” is a curt and improper response.

You’re being impolite when in the middle of an important meeting or on a date and every two minutes you excuse yourself to pick calls; you hang up, excuse yourself and pick another one again. If you can’t turn it off, it’s wise to switch it to silent mode and call back after the meeting!

Handing someone a phone without telling them who is on the other end is also so discourteous. A days ago on a bus to Butare, a lady seated next to me (a total stranger) nudged me with her phone and practically forced me to put it on my ear, I said, "Hello! Who am I speaking with?” Only to be answered with a rude voice asking me where we were and what we were doing. Later I learnt it was the boyfriend who wanted to confirm she was on the bus.

When answering another person’s cell-phone, before asking who is calling, first inform the caller that the person they’ve called is not present and then ask who they are and whether you can take a message.

While it is acceptable to use cellular phones in most public places, there are some places that should be respected.

These include libraries, hospitals and churches.
It’s also sensible to always be certain of the number you’re dialling to avoid inconveniencing someone. If you do reach a wrong number, it is important to say "I’m sorry, I dialled a wrong number”, before hanging up.

Making a business call? Make the call before the close of office hours. Make sure that your conversations with busy people are as brief as possible.
When speaking, think of the way you sound. Make sure you pronounce your words clearly and precisely. Your voice reflects your courtesy. Since the person on the other end of the line cannot see your facial expressions, your tone of voice will need to express this.

Lastly, unless the person on the other end is being rude or abusive, it’s never polite to hang up without saying goodbye. Even if you’re ending the call on bad terms, it’s always best to say, "I’m sorry, but I must end this call now.”

Ends