Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I read somewhere that over half of US households no longer have a landline. We got rid of ours about three years ago. We were paying $50 a month/$600 a year for something we didn't really need. And that $50 a month did not include "long distance" charges, because we always used our cell phones to call out of the area friends, relatives and businesses. We pay $90 a month for our two smartphones and I am quite sure our long distance charge savings well exceeds the $40 "extra" we pay for our smartphone voice, text and data had we only relied on our landline for calling.
I feel there is a false economy with some folk who believe that having a cell phone/smartphone is a waste of money or they boast that they only pay $100 a year for a prepaid service and rely on their landline for all calling.
I have not had one for many years, I use two magic jacks (one to give out or make calls from to those I do not want calling) plugged into my router for all calls while home as well as the magic jack application on my android cellphone for when I am out and about while on data or at home on wifi, one phone number wherever we are in the world, works great that way.
Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area
44,551 posts, read 81,085,957 times
Reputation: 57729
We never use it, but we get a lot of charity and pollster calls on it that we hang up on, or delete the voicemail. We keep it because we don't want to give out our cell numbers and start getting annoying calls on those. Any time a store, doctor, or other business asks for a phone # we give the land line.
I have a free Google Voice number and a Obi100 box ($40 from Amazon) hooked up to my modem and a regular home phone handset. Over my $25/mo DSL I can make free calls all over the US. This has been great for us for over 4 years now. I have had a few glitches with it but a quick web search has given me the information of how to fix it (sometimes a reset of the Obi100). For FREE I am very happy with it.
When I'm out and need to make a quick cell phone call I can use my Tracfone that I pay less than $100/year for service for.
I don't make many phone calls and my communication needs are fairly minimal.
People with different needs and habits may need different or more services.
We keep one because my mother refuses to carry her cell phone all day. In addition our old house has a lot of steel, plaster and concrete in the construction, and the cellular signal is not very good.
I figure that the phone adds -$33.77 to the price of the cable (over and above television and internet). My mother's Verizon cellular plan is $15 for unlimited talk on a basic phone (300 minutes per month) and my father's phone is $5 on a basic phone (20 minutes per month with carryover). Without a landline we might have to increase both plans to unlimited talk and text which would be $30 a month (or find a cheaper low cost MVNO carrier).
But my parents are in their 80's and very set in their ways. For most people, I would suggest getting a free google voice account and giving that number out to someone who you are afraid will abuse your cell number.
We have one.
Originally for our alarm (but now that's wireless) to talk to the alarm company.
Now we keep it for enhanced 911 and because our house is really big and I don't carry my cell phone around with me.
We keep one because my mother refuses to carry her cell phone all day. In addition our old house has a lot of steel, plaster and concrete in the construction, and the cellular signal is not very good.
.
Understandable
Quote:
Originally Posted by metalmancpa
Yes I do. Cell coverage blows near my house, and always has, even with a tower not all that far away.
Also understandable. We have excellent reception at our house.
Quote:
Originally Posted by stan4
We have one.
Originally for our alarm (but now that's wireless) to talk to the alarm company.
Now we keep it for enhanced 911 and because our house is really big and I don't carry my cell phone around with me.
OK. I assume you carry your landline phone around the house with you...
I do. No power = no cell phones, no recharging, and no internet or cable-based phones, either.
I recall New Yorkers in long lines waiting in the street at pay phones---the only phones working---after Superstorm Sandy? For days? And that was New York, which would rank #1 in priority to repair damage after a catastrophe. Smaller cities, towns, suburbs, and rural places would be slower to come back. Every winter ice brings down lines and we hear of places being powerless for weeks.
In California the power grid goes down frequently. For many hours. And this is without an earthquake or wildfire. I will stick with a landline as long as I can. And yes, I have a cellphone.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
