Landline Phones

[Midpack]

Prompted by a post in another only loosely related thread thread (didn’t post there ).

Frankly I’m surprised that many people still have landlines at home, I can see why many (but not all) business still value landlines. I suspect most people under 30-40 don’t have landlines, IOW it’s old timers who still want landlines (newspapers, hardcover books, and etc.), but just speculation.

https://www.statista.com/chart/2072/landline-phones-in-the-united-states/

 

[brett]

We gave ours up seven years ago when we sold our home. No need for them.

 

[Nemo2]

We have a landline, it's cheaper, (included in our internet, et al, package), and neither of us feel the need to be constantly accessible and/or checking cell phones every 1.32 seconds.

 

[easysurfer]

I still have a landline phone as I think there still are some advantages than going mobile only.

1) When talking, especially on long calls, I prefer to have a phone with a better grip and fits my face better than a flat shaped smartphone.

2) A landline is constantly plugged in, so I don't have to keep having the battery run down, then charge up again

3) My current service (Ooma) has the Telo device which has physical buttons that operates like an old fashioned answering machine. No inconvenience dialing in to retrieve my voicemails. I just look at a button that flashes with I have a message. Press, that to play, or while playing press a delete button.

 

[Plantman]

We keep ours because as part of a bundled package the price difference is negligible.

 

[imoldernu]

Landline

For jeanie and me, it's a health concern. After watching our kids, and the people in the mall and the stores, we are dreadfully worried about the crooked elbow syndrome.

 

[kaneohe]

don't know if it's still true......but at one time landlines were supposed to be able to operate under conditions that shut cell phones down.....like earthquakes,etc. https://www.allconnect.com/blog/cell-phone-vs-landline-phone-better-for-emergency/

 

[njhowie]

We have landline service with CenturyLink and intend to keep it going forward.

We are in a rural area, and cell service is spotty. But even if cell service was much better we'd likely continue with the landline anyhow as we use it for our internet/DSL.

Comcast/Xfinity is available and our home is wired, however, the prices and terms are outrageous, we have had service from them in the past and weren't extremely happy, and we do just fine with the 11Mbps service which our DSL provides.

The CenturyLink package we have is Price for Life and has not increased in the past 7 years we've had it - maybe $1 or $2 as a result of regulatory fees/taxes. What impresses me is that over the years, CenturyLink continues to get better as far as pricing and service levels as far as the offering and customer service. I can't say the same for Comcast.

Maybe things will change with 5G and will provide a better alternative for us but I'm guessing that it will be relatively expensive initially.

Lastly, with our DSL service, it is completely uncapped - unlimited data included in our monthly Price for Life.

 

[Senator]

It is pretty tough to send a fax without a landline. I have a Magic Jack.

 

[Lewis Clark]

Hard to send or receive a fax from home on a cell phone, if someone uses fax machines. We do on occasion.

 

[Midpack]

It is pretty tough to send a fax without a landline. I have a Magic Jack.

Hard to send or receive a fax from home on a cell phone, if someone uses fax machines. We do on occasion.

I’ve been using PC fax for years, I assume any 4-in-1 will do with free software. I’m finding more and more orgs that demand scanned PDFs and won’t take an actual old tech fax.

 

[target2019]

We held onto the landline service, then held onto the landline number, then dropped it. With two cell numbers and two work phones, the landline need died a sloooow death.

Sending a fax is a rare occurence. If we were rural with no wired internet or spotty cell coverage, then I guess we'd really need a landline.

 

[Alan]

Over 10 years without a landline, don’t miss it for a single thing. Our kids, in their 30’s have never had a landline.

One advantage is that they go totally silent automatically between 10:30pm and 7am unless it is a call from one our “favorites” who are family members and a couple of close friends.

 

[TrvlBug]

We have our landline for several reasons:

1. Cell reception in our hood sucks; most of our neighbors also have landline for that reason.

2. No, or almost no, junk calls on the cells. Landline averages 5-10/day.

3. I get tired of saying 'what did you say' when talking on my cell to another on their cell!

 

[KenZ71]

Most "landlines" are actually VoIP packages these days. Sure the traditional looking line going into the wall is there and may still work in a brief* power outage.

In our area our state regulators require the internet providers who offer phone service to include a small battery for the modem to keep it running in an outage.

I too have a fax and Magic Jack but the fax usually don't work. Easier to just snap a pic with phone & email it.

 

[ERD50]

Is VOIP included in "landline"? Or is "landline" only "POTS" (Plain Old Telephone Service" - copper wires to your home with 48 V and analog signal)?

Either way, as some have mentioned there are plenty of reasons to keep a "landline" phone, regardless of age.

We have a base with multiple wireless extensions. This means I can pick up a phone from anywhere in the house, even the basement or garage. Those extensions sit in chargers, so they are always at 100% charged.

That alone is a big advantage, compared with coming home, putting your mobile in a charger, and then needing to run to it if it rings. Why would I want to do that?


And what about being on hold for 45 minutes, after being transferred 6 times and finally getting someone who can help you? Unless your phone had a good charge before the call, you risk getting dropped, or having to have the thing plugged in while talking, which is awkward. With a "landline", I can walk over to another extension, pick it up, and use it, and the place the other extension back in its charger. And those batteries last a loooooong time, so even that would be rare to need to make a switch.

Plus, there are advantages to the old fashioned "answering machine".

Now, the age issue - some of this is from having a landline for so long. People know that number will get hold of either of us. It's convenient in a way. Some of that is inertia, but that's OK. 'Kids" who never had a landline may just not know what they are missing!

Plus, we use very few minutes on our mobiles, most calls are done from home. So that gives us the option of using a cheap mobile plan with limited talk time.

For the mobile-only people: Back to the convenience of extensions all through the house - there are "landline" phone bases that you can buy that can be paired with multiple mobile phones over Bluetooth. And you can use these w/o a landline/VOIP connection. When you come into Bluetooth range with your mobile (keep the charger near the '"landline" base - the base shown even has a USB charging jack), all cell calls will be transferred to the "landline", and you can pick up at any extension.

One example is: https://www.amazon.com/AT-CLP99387-...=B073DNQ8Q1&psc=1&refRID=9DZ2E8GWNRT0J0N1WQR9

-ERD50

 

[Alan]

We have our landline for several reasons:

1. Cell reception in our hood sucks; most of our neighbors also have landline for that reason.

2. No, or almost no, junk calls on the cells. Landline averages 5-10/day.

3. I get tired of saying 'what did you say' when talking on my cell to another on their cell!

How is the WiFi in your house? Many cell phone providers provide the option to auto switch to WiFi when making and receiving calls if the WiFi is strong enough. This feature is also great when traveling, particularly abroad as there are no foreign roaming charges if you make phone calls over WiFi.

 

[KenZ71]

My understanding is POTS is the old 48V copper wiring.

48 Volt copper reminds me of a friend who used to charge his PDA ( predecessor to cell phone ) from the 48 Volt POTS line just because he was a techno nerd and wanted bragging rights.

 

[GrayHare]

don't know if it's still true......but at one time landlines were supposed to be able to operate under conditions that shut cell phones down.....like earthquakes,etc. https://www.allconnect.com/blog/cell-phone-vs-landline-phone-better-for-emergency/

In some/most/all places TPC (The Phone Company) used to generate its own power such that POTS lines operated even during an area outage. During an extended outage here, POTS endures about 8 hours before going dead itself.

 

[JoeWras]

I've expressed my reasons on the other thread.

1) DW and I like having our old legacy number where people can call Joe & DW Wras, and not just call Joe or DW.

I'm finding, however, that culture of "calling a household" is rapidly evaporating, so maybe it won't make sense anymore.

2) Our second reason is for E911. When the voice disabling stroke hits, I'd like to get help. On this subject, we've talked quite a bit on the VOIP and other free phone thread. There are workarounds, but it might cost $20 or so per year.

 

[RetiredAndLovingIt]

How is the WiFi in your house? Many cell phone providers provide the option to auto switch to WiFi when making and receiving calls if the WiFi is strong enough. This feature is also great when traveling, particularly abroad as there are no foreign roaming charges if you make phone calls over WiFi.

Facebook is great for WIFI calling, my sisters and I call back and forth over Facebook all the time, they're in the UK. Even on a two hour call, rarely does the signal deteriorate and if it does we just hang up and call back and Facebook always asks us to rate the call when it's over. When I first came to the US, we were paying $1.50 a minute to call back, needless to say these calls were pretty short back then..

 

[Teacher Terry]

All we ever got on the house phone was junk calls so got rid of it 6 months ago.

 

[Lucie]

We use magic Jack at home. I like having a landline phone in most rooms in case of an emergency. I don’t always know where my cellphone is located.
I find it frustrating that many people assume that all business phones are cell phones. I’ve had many clients say “ I texted you” when I call to see why they are not at their scheduled appointments. It’s not like my large commercial phone is not sitting in plain site on my desk. ��

 

[TrvlBug]

How is the WiFi in your house? Many cell phone providers provide the option to auto switch to WiFi when making and receiving calls if the WiFi is strong enough. This feature is also great when traveling, particularly abroad as there are no foreign roaming charges if you make phone calls over WiFi.

Until earlier this year, our wifi sucked. We live in an area where technology arrives last. AT&T fiber just came in and we switched, but still only get 100-150 mbps unless we hardwire. We are looking at Orbi or similar to enhance our wifi as we'd like to install a wireless alarm system.

 

[TrvlBug]

Most "landlines" are actually VoIP packages these days. Sure the traditional looking line going into the wall is there and may still work in a brief* power outage... ...

Can be either traditional POTS or VOIP. We had switched to VOIP but after our last 4 day internet outage and basically no phone capability (cell reception sucks), we switched back to POTS landline.