Landline Phones

[COcheesehead]

We have a landline because our cell phones seldom work in the house.

Complain to your provider. We did and AT&T gave us a $200 cell booster for free.

 

[Midpack]

Why do I have POTS? For the same reason that all my home phones but one are dial phones - because I like it that way. No one else needs to do it my way and I don't need to do it their way. (Yes, I also do have a smart phone).

No one was trying to tell you what to do...

 

[TrvlBug]

Complain to your provider. We did and AT&T gave us a $200 cell booster for free.

We did and they said it works fine. It sure does when I'm in the dining room facing west on one foot with left hand in the air . I'm kidding about the last 2, but not the dining room or facing west.

 

[ownyourfuture]

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.

I still have one. $42 & change per month.

For cell, I buy a Tracfone from Home Shopping Network every New Year's day.
This year it was a Motorola Android: All the bells & whistles + One-year of service, car & USB chargers, 1500 minutes, 1500 texts, & 1.5 GB data.
Under $110.00

Some of you will gasp, but that lasts me the whole year!

Ironically, earlier today I talked to a woman who lived in Joplin Missouri when the EF-5 tornado hit back in May 2011
This was over 8 years ago, so things could've changed by now, but according to her, her mother was the only person she knew who still had a landline, & it was the only form of communication that worked after the tornado went through.

 

[Blueskies123]

My home alarms system, that cost a lot of money a number of years ago, needs a land line to dial out.

 

[rk911]

we gave up our AT&T copper line ($100+ p/m) and instead went with a VOIP from Comcast ($7 p/m bundled with internet:& TV). we like the "landline" for the reasons already stated but we also have the Comcast line set up to ring our mobiles as well. i never have to give out our mobile numbers to anyone. funny, i expected AT&T to try to change my mind when i called to cancel the copper line but that didn't happen.

and yes we're "older" (69 & 68) and we still get a daily newspaper.

 

[jim584672]

Wow, so many fuddy-duddies with the copper. You all need to get with the times and dump that over priced landline. /kidding
Around me I couldn't get copper if I wanted to, everything is fiber now.

 

[Car-Guy]

Wow, so many fuddy-duddies with the copper. You all need to get with the times and dump that over priced landline. /kidding
Around me I couldn't get copper if I wanted to, everything is fiber now.

The only way I'll get fiber in the next 20+ years is to move. (Or buy some Metamucil ) We're lucky to have copper phone lines out here. Living so far away from "just about anything" has trade-offs. I was actually surprised about 6 years ago to see them start offering DSL out here since we're ~18 miles from the local central office. The analog phone service is actually pretty good. It's available about 99% of the time and high quality. The DSL over the copper isn't as good. Seldom get the full 3meg that's advertised.

 

[scrabbler1]

In 2016, I dumped my copper-wire landline phone and slow but increasingly costly DSL as part of getting a triple-play package which maintained my cable TV and gave me a VOIP landline phone. I don't like the way the price keeps rising all the time, but I do like the service which includes being able to add Nomorobo. Since 2015, I have a low-end, cheap cell flip-phone I rarely use, only when I'm out or to text once in a while or in an emergency. (I get about 2 junk calls per day on it even though only about 2 people know the number.)


The old copper-wire landline phone worked even during a power outage with Superstorm Sandy back in 2012 although I wasn't home to use it. I was at my ladyfriend's place nearby (she had power) so I knew when the power returned when I called my place and the machine answered (its battery wasn't working). When the power goes out now, which has happened a few times for very short periods, the landline phone doesn't work. But I do have the cell phone now.

 

[ownyourfuture]

Why does it bother people when others have landlines? I'm sure it's less than 50% who have a strong need for one due to poor cell service or other reasons, but who cares?

Best post in the thread!
Unfortunately, the answer is that there's a certain % of people on this planet that are *******s

It's impossible to avoid these people in real life, but thankfully you can here, by using the ignore feature.

 

[meierlde]

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.

many cell phones, and some landline phones now have speakerphone features. Also for some cell phones you can get bluetooth headsets, which mean hands free use.

 

[Midpack]

Why does it bother people when others have landlines? I'm sure it's less than 50% who have a strong need for one due to poor cell service or other reasons, but who cares?

Best post in the thread!
Unfortunately, the answer is that there's a certain % of people on this planet that are *******s

It's impossible to avoid these people in real life, but thankfully you can here, by using the ignore feature.

Relax, why resort to name calling? I was simply surprised that many people still have landlines at home. That doesn’t mean we’re ‘bothered’ or ‘care’ what others choose.

 

[Corporateburnout]

We have a landline and we plan to keep it for the following reasons:

1. We have 5 wireless sets that are very convenient to use as an intercom around our three story home plus the garage.

2. We can answer calls without having to carry our cells around the house.

3. DW makes overseas calls to members of her family with no cellphones or technical capabilities for using Skype, Whatsapp etc..

4. 911 emergency calls.

5. It's part of our cable, Internet and phone package and removing it will only reduce the cost by $20 or so.... Not worth it.

 

[Rianne]

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

I find this puzzling. We got loads of junk calls on our landline. Also, landline was "spoofed" and we had to change our number. Within a couple of weeks, loads of junk calls AGAIN. Finally, got rid of landline. No junk calls on my cell. How is the landline hijacked by the hackers?

 

[ownyourfuture]

How is the landline hijacked by the hackers?

I know someone who had the same thing happen. Unfortunately, I have no idea how ?

 

[LRDave]

What's a fax?

Or a "landline phone" for that matter?

 

[BeachOrCity]

Good reasons for having a landline

Some reasons for a landline:

-- Separate line from cell phone to give to people who may sell your phone number etc (Can use VOIP as sub for this as well).
-- Landlines are full duplex for conference calls, cell phones are not.
-- When the power goes out, VOIP stops land lines don't
-- Old alarm system uses landline (i know not optimal)
-- Landline offers (in my area) "call intercept" which answers all blocked number calls and makes them announce themselves before putting them thru.

Even with these benefits I will probably ditch it since I quit work, and need to replace my 30 year old alarm system.

 

[ncbill]

Some reasons for a landline:

-- Separate line from cell phone to give to people who may sell your phone number etc (Can use VOIP as sub for this as well).
-- Landlines are full duplex for conference calls, cell phones are not.
-- When the power goes out, VOIP stops land lines don't
-- Old alarm system uses landline (i know not optimal)
-- Landline offers (in my area) "call intercept" which answers all blocked number calls and makes them announce themselves before putting them thru.

Even with these benefits I will probably ditch it since I quit work, and need to replace my 30 year old alarm system.

There's no guarantee anymore that there are copper wires from your home back to the phone company's CO.

At the entrance of our neighborhood is a box that takes signals from the unpowered fiber line from the local CO and translates them for the copper lines going to our residences.

If there are service issues in your older, all-copper neighborhood the local phone company will often replace the copper lines going back all the way to the CO with the same box & fiber line.

In the event of an extended power failure once the box's battery dies there is no longer local phone service.

 

[NoiseBoy]

For occasional faxing, there are free services

My free fax service is my insurance agent's office Last time I needed to use them was about 4 years ago to complete an out of state car purchase. They're always happy to see me and I usually come home with "free" stuff.

 

[NoiseBoy]

We have three cars and all are manual transmission. When I bought the Subaru Forester in December 2017, it was the only manual on the entire lot. When we bought the MINI Cooper for the young wife this June, we had to special order it from England to get a manual. And, of course, the 2001 Z3 roadster has a manual.

I'm currently car shopping for a fun car, which for me includes a manual transmission. Sadly, they're a dying breed, especially if you want a RWD stick. I'm kind of stuck between taking my chances on a lower cost high mileage car and something that was made in the last 5 years. I've got a great looking, one owner, CPO MINI Cooper S in my saved list! Clearly, I'm conflicted

 

[Alan]

Although I said we don’t have a landline we do have a US number that has all the characteristics of a landline. We need a US number for a few institutions including Vanguard who use it for account verification from time to time. Like a landline it doesn’t accept texts so a computer voice speaks out the verification code. It is a Skype number and comes to my smart phone through the Skype app.

One annoying feature is that I get plenty spam calls just like a regular landline so I have lots of numbers that are now blocked. I get zero spam calls on my cell. As per a previous poster I wonder why cell numbers are better protected from spam than landlines. Never had a landline since we moved back to the UK but my sister here stopped using her landline even though it was included in her broadband package because of all the spam calls.

 

[Bestwifeever]

DD has a landline for her home office as she spends all day every day on conference calls and her megacorp requires it. So some people have valid reasons.

My sister-in-law's mother just passed away and her daughter posted a photo of a greatgranddaughter trying out the rotary phone in the old family home. The comment was that fortunately the little girl could call her grandfather on it as he also still has a rotary phone, so she could talk to him. Funny ....

 

[JoeWras]

At the entrance of our neighborhood is a box that takes signals from the unpowered fiber line from the local CO and translates them for the copper lines going to our residences.

If there are service issues in your older, all-copper neighborhood the local phone company will often replace the copper lines going back all the way to the CO with the same box & fiber line.

In the event of an extended power failure once the box's battery dies there is no longer local phone service.

This is true. As the phone companies built out their fiber, a lot of neighborhoods have the POTs terminated and multiplexed to the fiber instead of going all the way back to the CO.

We've had a few bad power outages, most recently last fall for 3 days due to hurricane Florence. AT&T has been pretty darn good about it. Whatever battery they have is very robust and lasts a good 12 hours. I don't know how they coordinate with the power company, but they knew we were going to be out a while and hooked up a gas powered generator to the complex to keep service going. Of course in a massive power outage, there won't be enough of these to go around.

I get zero spam calls on my cell. As per a previous poster I wonder why cell numbers are better protected from spam than landlines.

The FCC has big fines for spamming cell phones. More than land lines. I guess it has to do with the cost per minute thing. Legitimate marketers respect that.

However, spammers don't care. And I'm not sure the FCC is fining anyone anymore. Seems that the honeymoon is over and it is spam away.

Today was my first day of getting the Social Security scam people have talked about here. 6 calls from 4 different numbers. I am not happy.

 

[WestUniversity]

We dumped our landline on our last move. Haven’t missed it one bit...

 

[mckittri2000]

Straight Talk

Straight talk home phone. $15/month unlimited local and long distance. You buy the kit from Walmart for about $40.