Howdy Herb, Blick, and WeatherCat technology fans,
I've got an iPhone 4s and when my contract is out, I'm discontinuing cell service. I'll keep the phone for use as a handheld computer. I really don't need cellular. I rarely even use it. I'm a stay at home kinda guy. I don't travel, and the service is the expensive part of the deal.
This is unlikely to change your mind, but just in case you hadn't thought about this angle. I upgraded the stereo in my trusty wagon to one with Bluetooth so that I could play music from my iPhone. It even has hand's free calling, but I never got around to testing that before the engine died.
The other cars in the house also had antiquated car stereos, so I ordered some kits from Crutchfield and upgraded all the remaining cars to stereos with Bluetooth. I've only run some limited tests, but I've been very impressed with the clarity and utility of having the phone available for emergencies. To avoid any risk of someone other than the family calling while I'm driving, I added this iOS program:
Call Bliss:
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/call-bliss/id575698521?mt=8It locks the phone down with the selected exceptions from my address book.
So far the worst emergency has been a call telling that I didn't have pick up my sister from a car repair appointment because they couldn't take the car after all. Nonetheless the interface between the iPhone and stereo worked perfectly, and these hand's free stereos really do a good job of minimizing the time you need to take your eyes off the road. Also, it is a nice way to have music in the car. If you sync your iPhone with iTunes frequently, it is easy to change playlists on your phone and give yourself something fresh to play in the car.
So, just something to think about before your plan expires.
Cheers, Edouard