Cell Phones have become greatly popular in the previous decade. It was not long ago that seeing someone with a cell phone was a strange sight. Cell phones in those days were not all that flashy and small but they were bulky and boring in general. Cell phones were only used for making calls. Most of the cell phones did not even have the option of text messaging. But all that changed in the previous decade and cell phones today have become a status symbol. A life without ones cell phone does not seem to be normal, like something is missing.

Due to the rapid increase in their popularity almost everyone today has a cell phone. In some places it is very normal for a person to talk in public on his cell phone while in other areas the same may be considered rude. Therefore certain cell phone etiquettes must be implemented and these etiquettes are different for different areas and cultures.

For Example, in America, like other things, almost anything goes. People can be seen talking on cell phones in supermarkets, in buses and while waiting for a bus on the bus stop, while driving and even in school. Due to this reason many states have started passing laws that makes it illegal for a person to talk on his cell phone while driving. Similarly many institutions such as colleges and schools do not allow students to bring cell phones with them on to campus. This also prevents students from sending text messages to each other while in class.

On the other hand we have Japan, which is the complete opposite of America in terms of cell phone usage etiquettes. In Japan it is considered rude to talk on your cell phone in public places. It is very rare to see a person talk on his cell phone in public places. If they do talk in public places they do so very quietly, so that no one else gets disturbed. In Japan it is very rare to hear a cell phone ring in public places as they have turned off their ring tones and have enabled silent mode so that their cell phone only vibrates for an incoming call. This is a wonderful habit and should be practiced by all of us around the world.

Different areas and cultures have different cell phone etiquettes and it is important for us to know them. So that we may not be considered rude or disrespectful. If you are someone who travels to different places then you should be aware of these etiquettes. You should also know that talking on your cell phone while driving is illegal in almost all countries of the world. So this practice should be abandoned as it is also extremely unsafe. Instead of this dangerous practice Bluetooth headsets should be used. By using Bluetooth headsets our hands are free to drive and we ca talk while driving without getting in trouble with the law.