MalloryKeaton

http://www.click2houston.com/technol...20/detail.html

Phone Service Gives You Reason To Get Away

POSTED: 2:44 pm EDT September 8, 2004

OMAHA, Neb. -- Can't stand your blind date but don't want to hurt his feelings?

There is a new service from U.S. Cellular called SOS ring designed to save you from uncomfortable situations, but is it worth the price?

A user activates the service by dialing a number to preset the time a rescue call should be made.

Say, for instance, you're stopping by your mother-in-law's for lunch at noon. The SOS service will call you at 12:10 if you'd like. When your phone rings, you'll hear a message like this.

"Hi. This is your SOS ring. How's it going? If you want to be rescued, just repeat after me. Say, 'Oh no. That's too bad.'"

"It's a feature that will allow an individual to gracefully leave a situation that they may not feel comfortable in," said Rene Parson, of U.S. Cellular.

"I dated a very ugly girl in Omaha earlier in my life and wished there was some respite," an Omaha resident trying the service told television station KETV.

"I wouldn't use it," said tester Jill Holan. "Because if I was in that situation, I'd probably have someone to call to do it for me."

Holan also said it's better just to be honest or make up an excuse of your own.

The SOS ring comes as part of a U.S. Cellular package that costs $4.95 a month.
Distributed by Internet Broadcasting Systems, Inc.

WalkingOnSunshine

Ahhh the joys of technology now rescuing us from bad dates & in-laws!

Cail

Screw counting on a phone call to help you out, just save time and go out the bathroom window.

migamoo

That has got to be one of the stupidest things I've ever heard. I think it's just a waste of money. If you really wanted to get out of something, just make something up or have someone call you. Don't pay a company to do it for you.

Charlize'sAngel

I agree, you don't need a phone to get you out of awkward situations. Just leave and get it over with...