I could plan on using for POTS for home only. For everywhere else, there has got to be other planning.

Regarding the idea that cell phones being able to do whatever a pager can do, I beg to differ. I expect my cell phone to last for no more than 24-hours at the most. A pager can last much longer. That may not seem like a big deal right now when we're warm and safe, but it could be a big deal in a large-scale disaster when you're out there.