U.S. Cellular continues its educational outreach for mobile device users through two initiatives this month.

The initiatives are open to any current or potential customers and include monthly workshops offered by U.S. Cellular, as well as advice for cellphone etiquette, something critical to observe in both social and professional settings, said Jeremy Taylor, director of sales for eastern North Carolina U.S. Cellular.

This month’s workshop is geared toward the summer season and keeping devices safe when vacationing at water-related destinations. Based on a recent survey, 68 percent of smartphone owners have used their phones to assist with traveling.

“We want the Washington community to know how to protect their devices while enjoying summer fun,” Taylor said. “(Attendees) will learn how to keep devices safe and dry so summer outings can be worry-free. (The workshop) will give us an opportunity to connect with the Washington community and teach them more about their device and the solutions and products available. We know how important it is to have a device to not only work at home but everywhere else across the nation. Giving them that opportunity to sit down with us and understand their device is really important.”

July is also National Cellphone Courtesy Month. The initiative, started in 2002 by etiquette expert Jacqueline Whitmore, gives current and potential customers advice on etiquette breaches and simple solutions to help overcome them. Though two-thirds of phone owners believe that no one gets upset at them for their phone use, 66 percent sometimes gets upset at others for their use. While it is easy to overlook one’s own etiquette breaches and focus on that of others, it is important to remember that you may be doing the same thing, Taylor said.

Among some of the 10 most common etiquette breaches are: using a mobile device while having a face-to-face conversation or dining with others; texting or using a mobile device while walking, something that has the potential to cause collisions or other potentially dangerous consequences; a lack of attention to detail — some smartphone users get extremely annoyed when people don’t respond in the manner in which they first communicated like calling someone after they sent you a text; taking too long to respond to a text, call or voicemail; sending group text messages; and texting during a date, according to a U.S. Cellular press release.

Taylor said the workshop will be open to questions about personal devices and cellphone etiquette.

“Calling out etiquette in July is just another way U.S. Cellular can educate our customers and call attention to this,” Taylor said. “When (attendees) come in to the device workshops, we can teach them certain things to do to have that etiquette.”

The water safety for mobile devices workshop will be held at 9 a.m. on July 25 at U.S. Cellular, 875 W. 15^th St., Washington. For more information, call 252-946-0273.