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Wonder how many people only use 1 cell phone without bothering to have a land phone? If you can save money using only cell phone service, would you do so? The one advantage of having both cell and land phones is in case the cell phone service runs into problem, otherwise, a land phone seems unnecessary IF you have to pay more for it. Thoughts?
During a major catastrophe cell towers can get overwhelmed and you may not be able to make a call. After earthquakes in California, we couldn't get cell calls through, but the land lines worked perfectly. I'm talking about the old fashioned AT&T land lines
During a major catastrophe cell towers can get overwhelmed and you may not be able to make a call. After earthquakes in California, we couldn't get cell calls through, but the land lines worked perfectly. I'm talking about the old fashioned AT&T land lines
That's what we had @ $600 a year. Major earthquakes occur every four or five decades (or longer) for a particular area in CA. At $6000 a decade I'll take my chances. In the Bay Area we went from 1906 to 1989 between major quakes. Then nothing since 1989. Major earthquakes are the only real disasters we face in CA. Major fire? Well after you are evacuated you will not have access to your landline.
I did something interesting... There's an article online about how if you have google voice, google handouts, and google hangouts dialer installed you can make and receive calls and texts using a WiFi signal and a google talk phone number for free. I bought a cheap 30 dollar zte maven 2 from best buy and did exactly this and it seems to work well, and I found a google voice number that is the same phone number as my main but with a different area code. Essentially free home phone service with a cheap at&t phone that's not activated with no SIM card installed.
I'll keep it in my basement bedroom and use it as a secondary number and alarm clock for use since my signal down there is sporadic with cricket wireless.
The beauty is this phone will work anywhere there's WiFi, but it is dependent on Google continuing to offer the service.
Honestly spending $6000 per decade because of being scared for earthquakes... I better be a multi millionaire... But you probably are.
In an emergency situation, satellite phones are nice. They're typically not used since they're expensive. However, when power grids go out, you'll be able to use them. Emergency service workers and the like use them. Just need to hand crank power into them is all!
not sure how expensive you consider it, but garmin inreach or iridium text messages give global sms so a sat phone isnt the only sat communication out there
keeping a handheld sirius radio for satelite radio is nice too, gets national weather and news reports when other local systems are down
smartphone app can make a mesh web to communicate with each other as well when the towers are down too
shortwave radio/ham radio is good too
Wonder how many people only use 1 cell phone without bothering to have a land phone? If you can save money using only cell phone service, would you do so? The one advantage of having both cell and land phones is in case the cell phone service runs into problem, otherwise, a land phone seems unnecessary IF you have to pay more for it. Thoughts?
Two cell phones, two land lines.
Cell phone # 2 is a smart phone but used only as a cell phone. It's 4G technology is necessary out in the country to have some mobile capability. Cell phone #2 was originally established as Mom's voice activated Razr V3 (I think) on my account. It was an emergency phone for her attendants to take in case they had to pull Mom out of the house. As a phone asset, once activated, it was never disabled but it remained out of use from 2011 (Mom's death) to 2016 (conversion over to a basic Apple "smart" phone).
Cell phone #1 is a Razr. Most calls are handled on it, when in a reception area such as the city, but it has no connectivity, practically speaking, out in the country as it is only 2G. The question came up recently to upgrade it to another smart phone instead of replacing the battery, but having a second smart phone had no justifiable reason.
Land line #1 is the primary line to the ranch. It is used for out going calls of a local nature and as the permanent number for the ranch and all frequent buyer links (ie, Best Buy). It has been in service for over 25 years. Incoming calls are fielded by an answering machine; no human picks up the phone on an incoming call.
Land line #2 is a designated FAX line but not currently in use until the Printer/FAX machine is hooked to it. It has been in service for over 25 years and started life as the dedicated modem line when the modem was bought. That is, it was established based on a foreseen need but before the equipment for that need was bought (ie, when I could afford it). It is unlisted and at times served, in the 90s, as a research project, guest, or "OLD" contact phone. Like cell phone #2, there have been times when it has not been in active use for years but as an established telecommunication asset, there was never a question of deactivating it. It was just another asset waiting for a time when it would be needed and placed in use.
In matters such as these, available assets are seen with greater value than saving money.
Land lines. Mom needs one for her hearing loss, and I like to deal with companies I can FIND. If you have a landline, you can be found. If a company/contractor doesn't have a landline, I want a good explanation as to why: new company startup, just arriving in a new business area, BUT can be reached in Des Moines, etc.
Land lines. Mom needs one for her hearing loss, and I like to deal with companies I can FIND. If you have a landline, you can be found. If a company/contractor doesn't have a landline, I want a good explanation as to why: new company startup, just arriving in a new business area, BUT can be reached in Des Moines, etc.
Most companies and nearly all contractors in my area only use cellphones. That way they can be reached if no one is in the office. Just cuz they won’t lose a job when you leave a message on an answering machine and no one gets back to you until the evening. By the time they return your call, you’ve called two or three other guys.
And yes, cellphones are real telephones and work in one’s office as well as in the truck!
... a land phone seems unnecessary IF you have to pay more for it. Thoughts?
Cable companies using an Embedded Multimedia Terminal Adapter or EMTA can add telephone service to internet for very little money or free. In some cases they charge more if you opt against the phone. The reasoning is that phones tend to build customer loyalty.
My friend pays $92 a month for a Verizon landline. I certainly wouldn't do that. But if you are paying basically $13 in taxes and fees, and it gives you better reception around an old house, then why not?
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