Does anyone live without a land line?

[tangomonster]

Just read that At & T is no longer requiring its DSL customers to have a land line:

Want DSL but don't want a landline? No problem | ajc.com

I'd love to get rid of our land line and just use our cell phone, with the prepaid card. We make and get very few calls. DH feels weird about giving up the land line. Has anyone does this? I can see where I could forget to put the cell phone on or to recharge it and could conceivably miss some calls or not to be able to call out in an emergency, but I doubt this would happen too often or be a major problem.....

 

[simple girl]

We have lived without a land line for over 1 1/2 years now. No problems!

We each have a cell phone so that offers a back up if a problem would develop with one.

 

[W2R]

Just read that At & T is no longer requiring its DSL customers to have a land line:

Want DSL but don't want a landline? No problem | ajc.com

I'd love to get rid of our land line and just use our cell phone, with the prepaid card. We make and get very few calls. DH feels weird about giving up the land line. Has anyone does this? I can see where I could forget to put the cell phone on or to recharge it and could conceivably miss some calls or not to be able to call out in an emergency, but I doubt this would happen too often or be a major problem.....

I have never done this, but I am planning to drop my landline when I ER to Missouri. There's really no sense in paying for both. I used to use the landline to access AOL's dial-up to get online when the cable went out. But it hardly ever goes out any more, and even if it did, I could probably find a wireless connection somewhere or think of something else to do.

My new cell phone seems to need charging only once every week or two, so I am not missing any calls (and it does have voicemail, just in case).

I am looking forward to not receiving the junk phone calls ("polls", "calling with reference to your MC/visa" recordings, when I have neither, "this is a call from your personal banker at (my) bank") that I receive despite being on the no-call list. I don't get any of those on my cell phone.

I have yet to see the down side! I would drop my landline right now, except that the recordkeepers at my work would have a stroke.

 

[haha]

I don't have a landline. I pay up for 900 anytime minutes, but still have to struggle to get people to make long calls after 9 PM, or on the weekend.

Luckily, even the people I call on the east coast stay up late, so I have been able to do this.

Probably it would be cheaper to use land-line and cell with fewer monthly minutes, but no one would call me on my home phone since they would expect to get my voicemail; whereas I will almost always pick right up with my cell.

The other issue is that cell reception is really not the same as a landline. Yesterday I had voicemail and I could not get the number she was saying, and it wasn’t logged into my phone or account. Finally I walked outside and down to a quiet corner where I was able to make out all digits of the number. And I have normal hearing.

Ha

 

[Fireup2020]

Land line free for over two years now. No problems - but the trick is to make sure the wireless carrier you select covers you anywhere in your house! (verizon is supposed to be the best, but only T-mobile works everywhere in my house!)

 

[lazygood4nothinbum]

i got rid of land line a year or more ago when i started doing road trips because the land line wasn't long enough and it kept getting tangled in traffic. don't miss it one bit.

 

[youbet]

Interesting.......

ATT is offering DSL Lite (DSL with no land line) for $19.95. Ripoff!!

I get DSL from them for $10 (as mentioned in the article) plus a local calling package for $9.90, total $19.90.

So, take your choice. DSL with no land line for $19.95 or DSL with minimalist land line for $19.90.

I found this stuff right on their web site, but it's hidden and you have to dig and dig. In fact, despite CUB (Citizen's Utility Board - local citizen action group) putting me onto this deal, I had to call ATT and their customer service rep gave me clear instructions on how to find it on the web site! As a humorous note, the customer service rep laughed because she couldn't give me the deal over the phone (it was web only pricing) but felt she could help me find it buried deep on the site down a path of clicks I'd have never thought to follow myself.

Despite ATT being somewhat deceitful in their marketing, I find them to be absolute angels compared to Comcast. We are supposed to be getting ATT digital TV next summer and I hope they offer a plan I like so I can drop Comcast cable.

Edited to add: We each have a cell phone and most of our calls are made/received via cell. But, I don't like just anyone to have our cell numbers, so we give the landline number out to business/commercial folks to avoid having the cell ring while we're driving only to have it be Lands End telling us our order will be delayed, etc. And, having the land line is cheaper than not having it anyway.

 

[CyclingInvestor]

I keep the landline for handing out the number to anyone but friends. The ringers are turned off, but
an answering machine is attached. I review the messages every few days - almost always junk,
but a few dentist reminders, etc. I do use it for outgoing local and 800-number calls.

 

[thefed]

no landline here for 6 years !!!!

we have 2 cells in the house. it only is BAD when you lose your phone, and the other person isnt home to call your phone....so then you drive to the corner gas station, call them from a payphone and tell them to call repeatedly starting in 3 minutes, then RUSH home and get a speeding ticket on the way, thus missing the repeated phone calls....back to the gas station....

grrrrrrrrrrrr

ummmm...yeah, as i was saying...


Celll phones only...and it rocks!!

 

[Goonie]

I keep the landline for handing out the number to anyone but friends. The ringers are turned off, but
an answering machine is attached. I review the messages every few days - almost always junk, but a few dentist reminders, etc. I do use it for outgoing local and 800-number calls.

Same here....all my friends and relatives have my cell #. Unless it's someone I really want to hear from, everyone else....esp. businesses...get the landline #. Once in a blue moon someone will actually leave a message on the LL answering machine. The answering machine is actually our secretary, 'she' filters all of our calls, and if it's someone we want to talk to, we pick up.

Another thing we keep the LL for is if we need to divulge personal info (SS#, CC#, etc). We used to occasionally overhear cellphone calls while tuning around on my Dad's HAM radios. Ever since then, no important personal info is given while we're on cellphones....EVER! (BTW...cordless LL phones are even less secure.... )

 

[clifp]

No landline here for 4 years. Finally got most of friends and family on Verizon (we have 5 of us on one minimum plan) so my phone bill is minimal $40/month.

 

[Sandy]

we still have a land line and don't expect to get rid of it in the near future. Our DSL with Embarq requires the land line. Plus, we have 11 year old kids who we leave alone while we run errands and stuff, and we want to be sure they can reach us or anyone else.

 

[tangomonster]

Thanks for all your replies.

DH says that we can do a trial run and practice with just the cell phone before giving up the land line. He says his two main concerns are:

1. Doing financial stuff over the cell phone and giving out account information.


Youbet, NOW you tell me about the $10 DSL from AT & T! I had no idea. I se you're right. They were forced to offer this for two years as part of the stuff with Bellsouth. Too late for me. Just for new customers. They do offer this price for two years. At & T said our $19.95 price will be good "forever"; DH actually believes that in ten years, we'll still be paying $19.95! I could not find a bundled price of $19.95 for DSL and a land line/local service.
2. In case of an emergency, 911 operators know where the home with a land line is, but can't trace a cell phone, especially one with a prepaid card.

 

[Khan]

Thanks for all your replies.

DH says that we can do a trial run and practice with just the cell phone before giving up the land line. He says his two main concerns are:

1. Doing financial stuff over the cell phone and giving out account information.


Youbet, NOW you tell me about the $10 DSL from AT & T! I had no idea. I se you're right. They were forced to offer this for two years as part of the stuff with Bellsouth. Too late for me. Just for new customers. They do offer this price for two years. At & T said our $19.95 price will be good "forever"; DH actually believes that in ten years, we'll still be paying $19.95! I could not find a bundled price of $19.95 for DSL and a land line/local service.
2. In case of an emergency, 911 operators know where the home with a land line is, but can't trace a cell phone, especially one with a prepaid card.

Depends on where you are. Local county just finished mapping out entire area for cell phone locating.

 

[VaCollector]

But without a landline you can't have an alarm system (that will notify the authorities or you) and how about 911?.....wouldn't that be lost too??

 

[citrine]

tangomonster:

I just canceled my land line and it feels strange....but I am sure it will be quite normal soon enough. I am not home that much and when I am....I don't feel like yapping away on the phone. I'll let you know how it is when it is gone on monday.

Ankur

 

[youbet]

Youbet, NOW you tell me about the $10 DSL from AT & T! I had no idea. I se you're right.

Actually, I did mention it on another thread a few weeks ago! Sorry you missed it.

I could not find a bundled price of $19.95 for DSL and a land line/local service.
.

It's not a "bundled" price. It's $10 for DSL and $9.50 for the "consumers choice" landline package which gives you your phone line plus 30 calls in the A and B bands and $0.06 per call after the first 30. (We'll never use over 30 unless we lose our cell phones.....) The "consumers choice" package was also something mandated by the FCC at the time of the Bell South merger, similar to the $10 DSL. ATT is really trying to hide these mandated offers! I got the word from CUB, the "Citizens Utility Board" which is a consumer activist group I belong to.

But, you're right that you have to be an existing ATT landline customer and never have had DSL with them before to qualify.

Actually we came very close to giving up the land line, but for $9.90/mo it wasn't worth making DW nervous (and she was nervous!) about it. And, at least for two years, I'm actually paying a few cents less than had I given up the land line.

Edited to add...... Tangomonster, you could get the $14.95 DSL package plus the $9.90 "consumers choice" land line package for a total of $24.85. That's only $4.90/mo more than the DSL only service and you still have your land line.

 

[dex]

Any chance you have a link for the "consumers choice" service? I tried searching for it on the AT&T site but nothing came up.

I was paying about $30/month incl. taxes for a land line - I just canceled it. Now I just have the DSL $19.95 and cell phone $28.

 

[youbet]

Any chance you have a link for the "consumers choice" service? I tried searching for it on the AT&T site but nothing came up.

Sure. I just noticed the name is actually "consumer's choice basic."

A phone line with thirty local calls


Consumer's Choice Basic is a package that gives you a phone line and 30 local calls for one low monthly charge and additional local calls at a low per-call rate when needed. Local calls include Band A and B calls. (approx. 0-15 miles) and are limited to direct dialed station-to-station calls.


Pricing

DescriptionTermPricePrice varies from $3.05 to $9.50 depending on Access Area (Access Area A = $3.05, Access Area B = $6.03, Access Area C = $9.50)
per month$9.50Additional local calls after first 30
per use$0.06

The rate specific to your area will be noted in the order confirmation letter that you will receive via e-mail.

https://swot.sbc.com/swot/telcoProductDetail.do?productOfferId=159205

 

[dex]

Everyone must be hitting their site - I get this when I use the link. "Due to technical problems, we are unable to process your order online at this time. Please contact us"

Txs

 

[redmcclain]

We gave up the land line about 4 years ago primarily as a means of cutting costs and reducing duplicate services. The only problem was when I dropped & broke my cell phone - it took a couple days to purchase a new phone from my carrier although my spouse still had his and I was able to access my voice mail.

 

[youbet]

Everyone must be hitting their site - I get this when I use the link. "Due to technical problems, we are unable to process your order online at this time. Please contact us"

Txs

The link is working for me dex..... I just sent it to you in a PM as well. Let me know if you can't get in and I'll go map the route to this page from their home page for you. It's a lot of convoluted clicks, but you can get there.

 

[Notmuchlonger]

Id like to get rid of the 18 a month land line charge.

However DW is not keen on that. Its one of those battles that is not worth fighting

 

[JB]

6 years and counting... no problems so far. Can't even get phone service here in the boonies. If the cell has problems or I'm out of minutes I use skype.

 

[aaronc879]

Wow looks like i'm the longest without a land line... Sept 2000. Can't imagine not having a cell phone.