Any good alternative to Century Link for landline? (transfer, tax)

[LBTRS]

Originally Posted by Bummer

Sorry, LBTRS, I just mentioned those features as additional benefits. I also use a different provider for my Cell Phone in case one has problems.

The primary reason I have the Home Connect system is convenience. With a multi-handset system I have a phone in each of the primary rooms of my home.

I tried the Cell Phone exclusively for a few years and always found no matter where I happened to be, the Cell Phone was ringing in another room at the other end of my home.

I love my Cell Phone but when I am home . . . NO THANKS.

A much cheaper option (i pay $3.84/month) is Ooma. It is VOIP and works over your internet. You can hook all your "multi-handsets" up to it and have one in every room. We have five handsets connected to ours. You would use your same handsets you're using now.

If the internet or power went down you would have your cell phone for emergencies.

[AZgarden]

I also have Ooma and love it. Have had no problems with it since the internet is always on and it saves me lots of dough.

[yukon]

Those of you using Ooma - are you using it on a cable internet line or DSL?

[LBTRS]

Originally Posted by yukon

Those of you using Ooma - are you using it on a cable internet line or DSL?

Cox Cable but it would work on DSL just as well. Just needs an ethernet connection to your router.

[pbenjamin]

The OP doesn't trust Cox and wants an alternative to CenturyLink. Any VOIP solution is going to rely on Internet service from one of those two companies.

[Voebe]

Originally Posted by Bummer

After considerable research I opted for Sprint's Home Connect.

So far it has performed flawlessly for about three years now with Unlimited Local and Long Distance for 20 bucks a month plus taxes, etc. Set up / installation was a piece of cake. I believe Verizon has a similar product / offering.

Bummer, Sprint has a conventional local landline? I had no idea, thanks.

Guys, I should have been clear that I'm talking about a classic landline, no internet.

[Coop01]

I had Century-link for a year. I could never get the billing and charges right and finally dumped them.

I got a Straight Talk Home phone base (WALMART) . $49 for the unit and $15/mo. It has NEVER gone down even when the power failed. It uses the Verizon cell tower for connection to the telephone system. The cell tower has a huge backup battery and diesel generator to keep it going during the storms.

I get unlimited nation-wide talk, VM, 3-Way, 411, etc. for $15/mo TOTAL cost.
No texting-just talk. No computer required.

I plug my cordless phone set into the Straight-talk unit just like a regular telephone. The home phone has about 2 hrs standby power in the unit if your power should fail. I keep an old touch-tone phone handy if the electric power goes down and my cordless Panasonic uses one of the handsets to supply power to the base if power fails (I have five handsets if needed)
I couldn't be happier with it. I add another card or 10 once in a while. You can stack them up in reserve by calling 611. I buy them in CA. where there is no sales tax on them.

I travel with it between winter and summer locations and it works fine.
As a plus, it even operates while I'm motoring down the highway. Kinda funny to see the stares from other drivers as my passenger is holding an old style telephone sitting on the dash and talking on an old school handset.

No more frying my brain holding a cell to my ear or Bluetooth. I use a corded headset

Yes - a landline stays up when the electricity goes down unless lightning hits the telephone pole.

[PNWGuy]

May I ask, what is the reason you need a landline? Ie why won't voip work for you?

[Ztonyg]

For the times where I "need" a landline, my MagicJack works perfectly well. Plus, with the MagicApp I can get unlimited wifi/3G/4G calling (as well as text messaging).

I know that there are some people that don't like MagicJack (or have had issues) but I luckily have experienced nothing but good service from them.

[Colt AZ]

Originally Posted by Voebe

Are there any lesser-known telephone companies, but still reliable, that exist as alternatives to Century Link? And I don't mean Cox, since I wouldn't trust them with telephones.

It's for a home landline. I guess Century Link is the closest thing to a Baby Bell, but I figured there must be other possibilities.

Wow, I certainly wish the very best to anyone who still prefers and/or requires a landline.

It's been a long time since I had one of those. And it's been a LONG time since I actually slammed an old hand-held down on the old hook! You just really can't slam one of them new-fangled, high-falutin cell phones down on anything! All's you can do is PUNCH that off button.

I guess now I'm on a different type of leash?

Yep, after I tossed out my ole landline, I haven't had the desire for another. At least not yet. I told myself I wouldn't touch another one of those with a 40-foot telephone pole!