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I've lived at my current address in Nokomis for about 12 years. I started out with Comcast internet and Verizon (wired copper landline). Then after several years my phone was switched to a Frontier digital (landline). I liked the idea of having a landline in case power and internet went out and cell phone was spotty. Up until recently my Frontier phone service was pretty good but I did have several outages.
But what happened several weeks ago was the icing on the cake that me decide to dump Frontier. My phone went out (no dial tone) and it took numerous chats with their "customer service" for 1 week until my phone service was restored. First they ran a remote check and confirmed my phone was out and couldn't detect a problem on their network. An appointment was scheduled for a tech to come to my house in 3 days. He never showed. I chatted with customer service again (and again) and they said they "escalated" my case but could not give me an estimated time of repair. Now they were saying the problem appears to be on their network.
Then 6 days after I first reported my phone being out a tech shows up at my house unannounced and says he should have me up in running within 30 minutes or less. After 2 hours of checking things and on the phone to the Frontier tech center he says he's sorry he can't fix my phone right now because there is an outage on the Frontier network effecting many customers. I asked if there was a widespread outage why didn't they detect this sooner? I never got much of a response. Finally the next morning my phone was working again.
I was paying about $32/mo for a measured digital landline with Frontier. I decided to go with a VOIP service and after researching I discovered the 2 best options are MagicJack or Ooma. I went with Ooma because I thought they had slightly better reviews even though it is a bit more expensive than MagicJack. My Ooma Telo cost $79.99 (plus tax) and I paid a one time fee of $39.99 to port over my digital landline phone number from Frontier. The only other charges are taxes and fees which are about $6/mo for unlimited calls within the USA. Ooma also has an optional Primier service with some additional perks (it costs $9.99/mo extra) and they give a free trial. I must say thus far the call quality is excellent and just as good if not better than my landline. It's easy to setup I just connected the Ooma to my router with an ethernet cable.
I'm not a big fan of cell phones and since I barely use them I decided to go with Tello Mobile. I get 100 minutes talk, unlimited text and 500MB of data for $6/mo. The same plan with 1 GB of data costs $7/mo. They also have different plan variations to pick & choose from with their unlimited plan being $29/mo. In comparison a Comcast plan with 1GB of data costs $15/mo. Plus Comcast only allows a limited amount of phones if you bring your own - or if you use a Comcast phone most of them are quite expensive.
There is also a free service for unlimited calling & texting (no data) called TextNow. The catch is that their free service requires you to view ads.
Last edited by wondermint2; 01-25-2023 at 07:50 AM..
I also wanted to mention that both Ooma and MagicJack have mobile apps that allow unlimited calling on cell phones over WiFi. With the Ooma free service you get unlimited outgoing calls on your cell with WiFi. If you want both unlimited outgoing and incoming calls over WiFi with your cell phone (on Ooma) that requires a subscription to their optional Premier plan (which costs $9.99/mo extra).
So if you're a person that makes a lot of calls where WiFi is available you can save money that way by limiting the cost of cellular plans.
I liked the idea of having a landline in case power and internet went out and cell phone was spotty.
This is the most common reason people want a landline. This used to always be true - you had a hard-wired telephone line into your home, and a phone plugs into the phone jacks in your house, and it would work with no electricity needed. Of course, if you have the wireless handsets, you'd need electricity for those to run. But if you had a true wired phone, it would always work.
Now, most landlines are running through your internet service, much as you described your new setup. This completely defeats the purpose of having a landline as a backup in case of a power outage. In many new developments, a true hardwired phone line is not even an option. People transferring their landline (via Frontier or whomever) get a version that is no longer hardwired, but is using VOIP, requiring internet and electricity.
When we first made the switch from landline to cell-phone-only service, I worried about missing the convenience of a phone in multiple rooms throughout the house. But it seems there was a service/device you could get, that would allow your cell line to ring on your home phones. I'm not sure if that is still an option. But if so, that would be the perfect driver to help people switch to paying for only one cell phone line, not both a cell and 'land' line.
This is the most common reason people want a landline. This used to always be true - you had a hard-wired telephone line into your home, and a phone plugs into the phone jacks in your house, and it would work with no electricity needed. Of course, if you have the wireless handsets, you'd need electricity for those to run. But if you had a true wired phone, it would always work.
Now, most landlines are running through your internet service, much as you described your new setup. This completely defeats the purpose of having a landline as a backup in case of a power outage. In many new developments, a true hardwired phone line is not even an option. People transferring their landline (via Frontier or whomever) get a version that is no longer hardwired, but is using VOIP, requiring internet and electricity.
When we first made the switch from landline to cell-phone-only service, I worried about missing the convenience of a phone in multiple rooms throughout the house. But it seems there was a service/device you could get, that would allow your cell line to ring on your home phones. I'm not sure if that is still an option. But if so, that would be the perfect driver to help people switch to paying for only one cell phone line, not both a cell and 'land' line.
Actually the phone service that I recently discontinued with Frontier was not VOIP - it was referred to as a digital landline phone. It ran on fiber (for the most part). However I believe some of these digital landline phones from Frontier still use a copper/fiber hybrid for the 'last mile'.
There is a Frontier box inside & outside my home but with my Frontier phone service I actually plugged a traditional phone into a traditional phone jack (and not the internet). If power went out there was a backup battery in the inside box that gave about 12 hours of usage. As you mentioned the truly old fashioned 100% copper landlines didn't require any power so no backup battery was needed.
My new setup with Ooma is true VOIP. So I'll be vulnerable to a power (or internet outage) - but that's why I keep a cell phone with a limited plan (mostly for emergencies).
Last edited by wondermint2; 01-25-2023 at 02:13 PM..
I tried Frontier when I first moved back to FLA ~5 yrs ago...train wreck.
When we built our new home, we went w/ Comcast...not as bad as Frontier, but not great either. I liked that they had a store nearby where I could get face to face w/ a human, & that store is what keeps me there. I've had all good experiences at their store, but its very busy, but they used to allow you to make an apt online...not sure if they still do that.
I only have internet, no cable tv, but when you have Comcast/Xfinity internet, you can get call phone service for $11/mo if you don't use much data. So long as you dont stream any video, or use Waize on a long trip, you should avoid any data charges. Not all phones will adapt to their wireless system, so ask before switching. They use the Verizon network, & coverage and uptime are both good.
Actually the phone service that I recently discontinued with Frontier was not VOIP - it was referred to as a digital landline phone. It ran on fiber (for the most part). However I believe some of these digital landline phones from Frontier still use a copper/fiber hybrid for the 'last mile'.
There is a Frontier box inside & outside my home but with my Frontier phone service I actually plugged a traditional phone into a traditional phone jack (and not the internet). If power went out there was a backup battery in the inside box that gave about 12 hours of usage. As you mentioned the truly old fashioned 100% copper landlines didn't require any power so no backup battery was needed.
My new setup with Ooma is true VOIP. So I'll be vulnerable to a power (or internet outage) - but that's why I keep a cell phone with a limited plan (mostly for emergencies).
Yes, Iv'e been using Oomo for years now and it works flawlessly. I plugged in my old at&t landline central box to it and it rings all the phones in in the house. The pricing for taxes and 911 started out about 4.00 dollars a month but has esculated to about 7.00. I like the app because if you travel, you can check, see and hear voicemails on the cell phone app.
I've been doing some experimenting with my Moto G Power (2021) using the free TextNow app. They assigned me a free telephone number and the only obligation is that I have to make at least 1 call or text per week to keep my number. I don't even see any ads and it appears to work well. I didn't even need a SIM card which they offer on their web site for 99 cents.
I had a Tello sim installed on this phone but it's stuck and I can't remove it. In the settings it is says my carrier is T-mobile but I never signed up with them and they don't bill me for anything.
I'm unable to make straight WiFi calls (while not on TextNow) - I just get a recording that says visit my carriers web site for help.
I have WiFi with Comcast. Anyway I get unlimited data on my Moto G Power by using WiFi for internet & apps - and then I can make free calls & texts by opening the TextNow app on my phone.
My Moto G Power is actually my backup cell phone. So I'm glad that I can get everything I need on it without purchasing a cell plan and it didn't become useless with a stuck SIM card.
I have another cell phone that I use as my primary where I purchased an inexpensive limited data plan.
I tried Frontier when I first moved back to FLA ~5 yrs ago...train wreck.
When we built our new home, we went w/ Comcast...not as bad as Frontier, but not great either. I liked that they had a store nearby where I could get face to face w/ a human, & that store is what keeps me there. I've had all good experiences at their store, but its very busy, but they used to allow you to make an apt online...not sure if they still do that.
I only have internet, no cable tv, but when you have Comcast/Xfinity internet, you can get call phone service for $11/mo if you don't use much data. So long as you dont stream any video, or use Waize on a long trip, you should avoid any data charges. Not all phones will adapt to their wireless system, so ask before switching. They use the Verizon network, & coverage and uptime are both good.
I cant help you w/ a landline though...sorry.
Xfinity sucks now. We want to drop them. They just raised our cable bill $30. Every year this happens. 230 month we pay for internt phone and tv.
We use tmobile for cell service. 80 a month. For mom and I unlimited data phone and text. I hear so many bad stories about comcast cell service.
Put me down for another one in the Frontier sucks column. I’m in a community where we are locked into them. Meanwhile, their features have become fewer and the deals they offer the general public aren’t available to the HOA customers. Very frustrating, and their service people are often clueless. It’s rare that I get one who knows what they are doing and they often provide conflicting information. Someone said train wreck…accurate.
A word of warning to those of you owed a refund from Frontier. They have some scam going on trying to trick customers to accept a prepaid Mastercard for their refund. In tiny print the letter this card card came with says they will will start charging fees after 12 months. Here's the scoop:
After I cancelled my Frontier account they owed me $8.31. So instead of crediting the balance to my bank account (I was on automatic bill pay to Frontier so they had all of my checking account information). They also didn't send me a paper check.
Instead they sent me a prepaid Mastercard from some bank they're in cahoots with called Sunrise Banks N.A. It says I can use the card anywhere debit Mastercard is accepted (except at an ATM).
I did not ask for this card!
The bugabee is that after 12 months they will charge me a $3/mo "maintenance fee" unless I add money or use the card within the preceding ninety days.
Also it says to use the card I need to go online to activate the card. However it also says if instead I want to request a paper check or transfer the refund to my bank - I have to go online to some web site from a company named North Lane Technologies and register.
However it also says I must activate my card before accessing the site. Then in small print it says: "Registration, activation, acceptance or use of this card constitutes acceptance of the terms and conditions stated in the prepaid card agreement". In other words after 12 months I'd be on the hook for the monthly $3 fee.
I tried calling some number listed and the voice prompts didn't include any prompts to cancel the card. Anyway after wasting about 30 minutes in voice mail Hell I was finally able talk to a live person - I then had to explain to her that I never requested the card and she should just cancel mine. She wasn't cooperative at first but eventually she said she will mail me a paper check and then I have to deposit it. Once I deposit the check I have to call them back and they will cancel the card.
Last edited by wondermint2; 03-07-2023 at 04:59 PM..
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