<p>my son wants to sign up for a new cell phone plan before he gets to school, but it requires a local address (ie - he can't get a Boston phone number and use an address in another state). If he puts down some general address ("Joe Blow, MIT, 77 Mass Ave") would any mailings reach him? What if he puts down the address of the dorm where he is initially assigned and then moves to another dorm?</p>
<p>I would assume that he could write down the address of the dorm he's temped in, and then change the address when/if he moves to a different dorm. The temp dorm would forward mail to the permanent dorm, but that's probably not a great long-term solution.</p>
<p>Mail addressed to 77 Mass Ave is common -- that's how most of the labs and offices get their stuff -- but to my knowledge it would have to have a building and room number attached (ie to send something to my lab, you'd send it to 77 Mass Ave, E18-215), so I don't think that would avoid the initial problem.</p>
<p>Do we actually need a cell phone with the 617 area code? Does everyone change their phone numbers? If most people use cell phones to call their friends, it shouldn't be a problem if it's long distance... technically, right?</p>
<p>I have a 617, but the area code doesn't really matter for cell phones since they are normally on national plans. The only issue that I see is with the area code of people who are most likely to be calling you - they may be using a landline and have to pay long distance fees for out of area code.</p>
<p>I kept my home area code, and it's never been a problem. Everybody here uses a cell phone. I agree with River Phoenix that it's actually a good thing if you don't change -- at least for your parents, who are likely to be calling from some dilapidated old thing plugged into a wall. :)</p>
<p>Actually, the only problem I've ever run into is that my home area code is 61*4*, and pizza delivery guys always get confused and call 617-(my cell #) and then I don't get my pizza.</p>